Stock - off to a good start at USC

After watching him Live against USD and SDSU here is SOCAL , he is the real deal. Whomever says he is overrated needs to get his head examined!

Good kid, great work ethic, and a rare two way player that can play both sides of the ball very well. I saw him catch 6 to 7 innings and come in to close a game against USD the other weekend.

It's even more amazing when you remember that, had he not gone early, he would not only be in HS right now, but he would qualify for 17u play. He would've been a "young senior" given his birthday. Basically he's two years ahead of everyone else.

You just have to tip your cap to a kid like this. He has talent and work ethic and he's outstanding in the classroom, too. He found a new way to balance college with his ultimate goal of going pro, and he's making it all work. Imagine how proud you would be if it were your son doing those things!

It's very nice to see Robert doing so well in both roles. I think it can be fully appreciated by anyone who has seen their own player adjust to college baseball at the "normal" age for a freshman. Good job, Robert!

We read his biography.

WOW! He is quite a kid! Totally impressive!

Most impressive to me, though, is that he must be BRILLIANT in the classroom. I have a son who is the youngest in his class and I know how difficult that is, on many levels. Best wishes to him.

I saw him at a showcase in Jan 2006.
I am not surprised that he is already competitive in high level D1 play. Real deal, for sure.

I am in no way disputing the young mans talent but I have concern about him pitching and catching as a regular routine at this stage in the game---obviously the player is trying hard to impress his peers which can lead to working "too Hard" if you get my drift---the other aspect I question is the social aspect---he is 17 in the midst of 21/22 year olds-- very tough road to travel

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
I am in no way disputing the young mans talent but I have concern about him pitching and catching as a regular routine at this stage in the game---obviously the player is trying hard to impress his peers which can lead to working "too Hard" if you get my drift---the other aspect I question is the social aspect---he is 17 in the midst of 21/22 year olds-- very tough road to travel

I agree with both points.

Playing P and C in a game is hard on the arm.

I also had a friend in college who was 15 when he was a freshman. He never really fit in and it was hard on him. He ended up having a lot of emotional problems.

However, Stock is obviously biologically in his high teens or low 20s.

painguy

Not saying it cannot work but it is very tough for a young player

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
---he is 17 in the midst of 21/22 year olds--

He's also in the midst of 21/22 yr old coeds at USC.....the kid has gone to heaven!!!!

Beezer


Thank you for your thought--it says a lot !!!

TRhit,
Your concerns are valid, but from what I've heard around here he's a pretty well grounded kid and quite capable of handling the academics part of it at least.

CADAD


Talk to Beezer---he needs the help

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
Beezer


Thank you for your thought--it says a lot !!!

So does yours TR.

Regarding the question of going from catching to pitching, it looks like Stock has only started one game at catcher and then gone to pitcher. Of his five appearances, he's gone from catching to pitching once, from DHing to pitching once, and pitching has been his only appearance three times. I don't know if the thought is that playing these two positions is bad period, or if playing them in the same day is the bad part. If the latter, it sounds like they're taking pretty good care of him.

quote:

Originally posted by Emanski's Heroes:
I don't know if the thought is that playing these two positions is bad period, or if playing them in the same day is the bad part. If the latter, it sounds like they're taking pretty good care of him.

Catching can be just as hard on the arm as pitching can be. Even though the velocities are lower, catchers don't always have time to throw with proper mechanics.

In Taiwan, their catchers have as many problems with elbows, growth plates, etc. as their pitchers.

Well put...no ambiguity at all pain!

TRHit,

If I remember correctly when we first heard of Robert Stock (at age 12) you were voicing the same concerns of overuse and injury, yet here we are as he is doing the same in DI college baseball.

By the way he's improved since we last saw his stats. Batting .278 now and is tied for the lead in homeruns on his team with 3. Most impressive I think is his strikeouts/at bats, which is 3/54.

Also, what about Matt Weiters from Georgia Tech, he catches and relieves too, and he's going to be a first rounder.

tbirds

It matters not who the player is--I still have concern when a player pitches and catches--- is that wrong?


1st rounder---many of them do not make it even playing one position--playing the two we speak of in my eyes the odds are worse---just my thoughts--agree or disagree I don't care

I have had the pleasure of watching Robert Stock both pitch and catch. He is an outstanding hitter with power and he has a great arm on the mound. What a problem to have.......will I be a high pick as a hitter or pitcher? He is doing very well and the catch - pitch will work itself out in the future. Comes from a fine family and is a nice young man too.

Glad to see Robert is doing well. I met his dad last summer at the AZ JO. I'm not surprised the young man is so well grounded.

TRHit,

I was not doubting your ability to question his actions. I was merely noting that for the past five years those questions have been ungrounded and baseless.

tbirdS


As for ungrounded and baseless look at how you filled out your profile--- and who are you to make such a statement regarding my thinking?---you know nothing about me and are we not allowed to express our opinions here ?--I never questioned the young mans ability--I just questioned the move and I srill do--but I also wish him the best


Sir I would suggest you think a bit before you post regarding anyones thoughts

I watched him play this weekend--and S pitched him to him twice, surrendering a hit one day and getting a groundout the second. I think it is just amazing what Robert Stock is accomplishing. I really respect what he is doing--it is hard enough to be a freshman on a D1 team, but to have done it a year early--I think that took courage and I hope that he is happy. I was awfully impressed with the USC team as a whole. And you know how hard that is for a Stanford fan to say!

Both Robert and his younger brother Richard ('09 Agoura HS) have played for Trombly Baseball and have each led one of our teams to an AABC World Series (Robert in 2005 on our 18U Braves Connie Mack team and Richard in 2006 on our 16U Cubs Mickey Mantle team). Let me say first of all say that the entire Stock family is awesome! They are great people and when you meet them you can't help but like them and wish them success. When you see the Stock boys play the game, they are ALWAYS SMILING and enjoying themselves. They absolutely play for the love of the game.

As far as Robert, he is a very special player. I think that everyone would agree with that. Had he stayed in HS he would have no doubt been drafted in the 1st round. At the time of the draft he would have been just 16 years old! He is a great student which allowed him the opportunity to enroll at USC early and skip his SR year of HS. Therefore he will have 3 years of D-I baseball under his belt when he is next eligible for the draft after his JR year. At that time he will only be 19 years old! There are a lot of players that graduate HS at 19. So there will be several other 19 year old players in the 2009 MLB draft, but how many of them will have the experience that Stock will have?

Robert Stock has one of the best arms in Amateur Baseball. There is no question that most MLB organizations would love to have him in their system and work with him and develop him as a pitcher. You can't teach the power he has in that right arm! He also has the potential to be a pretty good catcher and hitter too. He has unbelievable power at the plate and hits left handed! He is a good catcher and uses that cannon arm to throw guys out. Robert is a legitimate two-way prospect. There are several organizations that like him as a pitcher, there are several organizations that like him as a catcher/hitter, and of course several that like him as both. The fact is Robert is still young (16) and is a developing catcher. He now has the opportunity to work with a former Big League catcher, Chad Kreuter, on a daily basis for 3 years. There is absolutely no question that he will continue to get better and better behind the dish. I think that if Robert was a pitcher only, he would and could be pitching a lot more then he is. Because he is also catching the USC coaches have limited his innings on the mound and there is no way that they have overused him. They have played 24 games so far this season and he has only pitched in 5 games (8.2 innings). In those 5 games pitched he has 2 wins and 2 saves. As a catcher he has started 14 games.

I know there are some people who are worried about Stock (or any player for that matter) pitching “AND” catching. I think that although it is a tough thing to do, everyone’s bodies are different. I know that Stock is not invincible, but I will say that he is more capable then most players to be able to handle it. There is always a risk of injury playing sports and I think that for the next 3 years he is in good hands. If you have a chance to see Robert and the USC Trojans play, do it. Whether he is catching or pitching that game, there is no question that he will be playing hard with a smile on his face and enjoying himself. Robert Stock truly plays for the LOVE OF THE GAME!

Thanks, Steve. Great post. That was the kind of insight I was hoping to read when I started this thread. I was just a wee bit confused by the following:

quote:

At the time of the draft he would have been just 16 years old!

I think you mean that if he had graduated this past June he would have been eligible for the MLB draft. Now, I certainly don't know about these things, but as a HS junior with enough credits to graduate, could he enter the draft?

His decision to go on to college early is a sound one in my opinion.

What I meant was, if Robert would have stayed at Agoura HS he would have been just 16 years old at the time of the draft (June '07). My honest opinion, and it is my opinion only, is that it would be very difficult for a 16 year old to be off on his own playing minor league baseball. He (most likely) would have been drafted in the 1st round and would received a signing bonus of over $1,000,000. There is no way that you can turn down that opportunity. By attending USC now, it gives Robert a chance to grow up and mature as a person while improving as a player too. Then after his JR year of college he will be more prepared to face life on his own in minor league baseball.

USC has his birthdate listed as 11/21/89 making him 17yo currently and still 17yo as of the June '07 draft.

I believe that CADad may be right about Stock being 17 this June. I read somewhere on the web when he chose to go to USC that his birthday is November something, 1989. I know that not everything on the internet is true. And, I would expect that as his coach/manager, Steve might have had a copy of the birth certificate. I wasn't going to bust him on that.

I agree that it would be difficult for a 16 YO to enter professional baseball. But how far removed is D-1 from the entry level minors? Seems he has what it takes to tackle either.

CADad, you changed your post as I was typing. ;-)

infidel_08- Agreed that D-1 baseball (especially at the level of USC) isn't all gravy to adjust to, but there have been many posts made on this site that say that MiLB is much more difficult than D-1 baseball in terms of skill level and talent, and I believe that to be true. Minor leagues have the best of HS and college, college ball has some of the best of high school. In college, the average age is probably 20-21. In the minors, the average age could be 25. Big difference when you consider both mental and physical maturity.

Even still, it is pretty incredible that Stock could leave HS as a 17 yo kid and step onto the field with the "big boys" and perform like he is. He will be something to watch in the future.

Leaving aside my profile, which really doesn't pertain to this discussion, I think that it doesn't matter who I am to make a statement regarding your thinking. My opinion differs from yours and we are discussing it in a "discussion forum". You obviously are allowed to express your opinion as am I, and I believe thats what we are doing here. By "ungrounded" and "baseless" I was referring to your incessant worries about injury; and i named them so because five years later he is still healthily playing and pitching.

You suggest that I think about before I post regarding anyones thoughts, almost as if you're saying that what I said in my previous post was uncalled for. Is this what you are suggesting, that my previous post was out of order? If so, I suggest you reread your own post about your ability to make an opinion.

I wouldn't know Robert if he came to my front door and tried to sell me candy but after reading about him here at HSBBW AND after reading some of his personal posts, I became a fan of sorts. USC is one of the teams I follow and check their game results whenever they play. Interesting ... as I said, I don't know Robert personally but I automatically find myself looking for his name in the lineup. Have even shared some of this with my hubby because the young man seems to be soooo very special, on and off the field, and I knew hubby would enjoy hearing about and reading about Robert.

I think the combination of catching and pitching is tough ... both are 'full time' jobs, along with the offense ... and I also hope that he stays healthy with this combination. Am sure that eventually one or the other will become his main focus and based on what I have read, I am sure that pitching will end up being his 'position', and he will be a pitcher who hits for himself while on the mound.

JMHO FWIW

tbirds

I have and will continue to be concerned about injury to players playing both pitcher and catcher.

To say in the 5 years you cite nothing has happened is inane and unknowing--injury can be a conclusion of events over years going all the way back to LL-look at all the college pitchers who have arm problems when they get to college

I'm saying that after five years he is still healthy. How can you say that is inane and unknowing? It's merely the truth. In fact, the word "unknowing" is downright false, seeing that I do know (based upon his appearance in the lineup) that he is healthy.

tbir


Your dislike for me is blinding you---read what I said---I am talking of injury based on cumulative events---that is my concern---he is just 17 years of age---I flat out do not like young kids playing pticher and catcher

There are lots of amazing 17 yos out there that can handle Stocks situation. There are also many who can't at that age but some that couldn't are playing MLB . Everyone develops differently.

Adam Loewen got a 3.2 million dollar signing bonus at 17.
Almonte is 17 and that can get drafted out od Quebec at 17. I am not sue what people are concerned about with Stock.

. RHP Phillippe Aumont

Gatineau, Que.

6'7", 215 lbs.

Team ABC/Les Ailes du Quebec/Can. Youth Team

Six scoreless, hit 96 MPH in Cuba, Buzz of the winter meetings, Impressed at East Coast, Cape Cod, Canada Cup, 1st rounder?

31st on Perfect Game top 2,000 HS list, 49th on Baseball America combined top 50, 31st on BA HS list

Injury is always going to be a potential problem for a hard throwing young pitcher and combining it with catching doesn't help. None of us know what his workload during practice is so there's no way to tell if he is being put at any extra risk. TR has a good point here, on the other hand I'm sure the family has taken the risks and rewards into consideration in pursuing the path that they have.

Personally, I would guess that Kreuter is being pretty careful with him overall and doing a pretty good job of balancing the pitching and catching duties. He really hasn't thrown very many innings at all so far this season.

I'm sure we can all agree that we hope his arm stays healthy and we get to see him in the big leagues a few years down the road.

Finally someone who undertsands what I have been saying

Thanx CADAD

quote:

I'm sure we can all agree that we hope his arm stays healthy and we get to see him in the big leagues a few years down the road.

I'll second that!