Everything is so different

[Umpire in Chief]

Rushing to get a degree is a foolish ideal in the cases of a few select ballplayers. These are two of them.

Especially now because of two things:

1. If you are drafted out of HS, from what I understand, the drafting team is now forever responsible for your college education

2. Once you go to college you can't be drafted again for 3 years. A lot of things can happen in 3 years.

Take the money and run...

[yawetag]

1. If you are drafted out of HS, from what I understand, the drafting team is now forever responsible for your college education

That alone is worth taking the money.

[Kevin Finnerty]

They are required to place a large fund into an escrow account for the sole purpose of paying for your education if they sign you away from a college offer. Most guys drafted early have a college offer.

The value of an education lies chiefly in its promise of a lucrative career and the security it brings. To turn down a fortune to risk everything and go to school and get a degree is just silly. You can get it in time, if you even need to or want to.

[justwin]

I've seen 81mph from 46 feet, two different times. The reaction time to hit that is far beyond anything thrown by an adult. And yeah, the pitcher was 12.

Talk about crazy.

i know the feeling..i onced umpired a fastball game and the pitcher was clocked 86mph...however the pitcher pound in fastball is 46 feet and with the pitcher hopping the pitch came in at 38 feet...by far the fastest ball ive seen and that includes many 95+ mph pitches in baseball

[Kevin Finnerty]

Well, this No. 1 ranked high school pitcher in the country I've been touting, Lucas Giolito: He took a no-hitter into the seventh today, and he was clocked at 100 m.p.h.

My mentor drew the plate assignment, and I worked another game, but we talked about it on the phone tonight for almost as long as the game lasted. Amazing stuff!

[johnnyg08]

Super cool! Thanks for sharing!!

[Kevin Finnerty]

Thank you.

Lucas is the real deal. I had his second-round playoff last year, and he threw six one-hit innings. He lived in the low 90s with command and topped out at 95. Now he lives in the high-90s and tops out at 100.

I have three of his games on my new schedule, but just one plate. He is almost certainly going to sign after he's drafted---many scouts say No. 1---but if he doesn't, and goes to UCLA, then I'll get to call his fall and winter intrasquads for three years, in addition to watching him pitch a few dozen games. Man, what a pitcher. Whatever happens, i almost can't wait.

[Welpe]

Not much. Living in the Portland area (actually in Vancouver across the Columbia River).

Lucky you, I love that area. How has the adjustment to the PNW been? I've been in Houston (by way of the SF Bay Area) about as long and an adjustment it has been!

Working HS baseball and just got my first year of HS football under my belt this past fall.

Good for you! I am going into my fifth year of HS football. What are your thoughts on the difference in game management between baseball and football? It was an adjustment going into football for me.

Sorry to interrupt the direction this thread went.

[BT_Blue]

Not much. Living in the Portland area (actually in Vancouver across the Columbia River).

Lucky you, I love that area. How has the adjustment to the PNW been? I've been in Houston (by way of the SF Bay Area) about as long and an adjustment it has been!

Working HS baseball and just got my first year of HS football under my belt this past fall.

Good for you! I am going into my fifth year of HS football. What are your thoughts on the difference in game management between baseball and football? It was an adjustment going into football for me.

Sorry to interrupt the direction this thread went.

Welpe,

I really enjoy it up here. Everything is just beautiful and almost always green (save for two months during the summer). However, that which makes this area so nice also is a pain in the ass during the baseball season. It is supposed to rain off and on up until the day or two before the start of the season on the 9th. However, if I can work all my games assigned for the first three weeks of the season (YEH RIGHT! IN PORTLAND?!?) then I would qualify for state playoffs. That also saying I can get the time off from work as well.

The hardest adjustment for me coming from Los Angeles is the lack of year round ball. I was used to working tournament games in Palm Springs in November and December. Season ends for me here shortly after the July 4th holiday which kind of sucks. Deciding to work football was a savior for me since it gave me a sport to worry about after the end of baseball.

Speaking of football. The major transition for me was going from near the TOP of my baseball association to the very bottom of my football one. That and the fact that working the lines you get an earful from coaches and you really cant do much about it. Kind of sucks!

[BT_Blue]

Oh and Welpe, great picture! Grew up in the SF Bay Area and have been a Giants fan since 1989 (got interested in baseball a year before as an A's fan).

[dumbdumb]

Well, this No. 1 ranked high school pitcher in the country I've been touting, Lucas Giolito: He took a no-hitter into the seventh today, and he was clocked at 100 m.p.h.

My mentor drew the plate assignment, and I worked another game, but we talked about it on the phone tonight for almost as long as the game lasted. Amazing stuff!

Did you get to run LeCour yesterday on that good call at third?