There are a lot of factors to be considered. My views are pretty much the same as TPM's. I think the college experience is irreplaceable but not for everyone. I viewed it as a developmental period. My son was way too skinny and physically underdeveloped. He needed more velocity and we never worried about Pro ball. I have several friends who signed and are still in the minors. One made it to the Pirates 40 man roster but was sent back to the minors. This to me is a risky route. College opens up other doors that may or may not include sports. My son has been teaching at camps etc so this could lead to other things as an example. MLB has other openings for knowlegable grads.
I had been around a minor league team for years and they do tend to form groups that hang around together but seem to enjoy the experience. My son and I have been to picnics with them and other get togethers.
There were some big bonus guys, Delgdo,Henke,Wells just to name a few. There were probably 50 or so who went on to be ML stars. They all seemed to be happy guys. Some went to college and lots didn't. There was every type of player there and they seemed to get along. i always remember the island guys sitting under a big shade tree being taught english by a teacher. I enjoyed being around them as they were all poilte and friendly.

For what it's worth, our son tells us that some of the most uptight and stressed players he sees in the low minors are often college guys and the most relaxed and able to enjoy themselves tend to be high school guys. Perhaps the high schoolers feel they have more time to aclimate and progress whereas the college guys feel they are under more pressure to deliver sooner. The jump into pro baseball is a big change for both.

quote:

Originally posted by MN-Mom:
Whatever the "best" decision and option is for any player and his family ... what a great benefit you all are providing by letting our members hear about your own sons' experiences . . . how helpful your stories are, and how very interesting this topic is even to parents whose sons may never be faced with a draft decision. Thank you!

No disrespect. . . but, I feel the more opinions I read, the more confused I get.

I have enjoyed reading the comments on both sides of the issue. I think the best advice I read last year was, "once a decision was made, never look back."

My reasons for studying the issue is to help provide the best advice to my son. We have stated that we will support his decision either way. His goal since he was 6 has always been to play PRO BALL. I even remember early on, being a good parent, thinking that was a great aspiration, but he needed to think a little bit more realistically. Boy was I offbase.

Anyway, the opinions help to list the pros/cons. It is good to see both sides from many differnet perspectives. I'm just trying not to go crazy.

My perception of the minors, after following our son in the pros for almost 5 years, has been fairly positive. Our son's organization has taken excellent care of him, always putting his development ahead of everything, including wins. All of his coaches have had major league experience and know first hand what it takes to reach that goal.

As for friendships, he's lived and worked with guys from all over the country and has become very close to many, including some of his coaches. At his wedding last year, over half of his friends in attendance were from pro ball.

Travel in the Northwest League (Short Season), the California League (High A), and the Eastern League (AA) has been on charter buses. Most trips are under 5 hours. He's currently in the Pacific Coast League (AAA) and now flies to most locations on regional jets, which actually can take longer than 5 hours from door to door. The hotels have steadily improved at each level...from Comfort Inns to Marriotts. His travel at a mid level D1 was very similar to short season ball...charter buses, Comfort Inns, and fast food.

As for living arrangements, in Short Season and High A ball he stayed with host families, much like summer ball in college. Since AA he has shared apartments with teammates, usually in complexes near the field. Now that he's married, he shares a fairly large apt. with his wife, 2 dogs, a close teammate, and whoever else needs a place to stay. Last I heard they had a player sleeping in their dinning room on an air mattress. Guys move up and down frequently, but it all seems to work.

He goes to the field every day around 1:00pm and gets home around midnight. Before the game he works out, watches films, hangs out with teammates, eats, etc. The club house food improves at each level...from carry out at Short Season to catered food spreads past High A. Days off are rare, but always fun...usually spent with teammates on some adventure.

For him, college ball was just one of many steps along the way, somewhere between high school and short season. The biggest adjustments for him when he entered the minors after his junior year were the length of time away from home and playing every day. Baseball is a game of adjustments, though, and so far he's been able to make them with faith that everything happens for a reason and God is in control.

Minor league ball isn't easy, but anything worth achieving usually isn't. Each kid has to play the hand he is dealt. Some have better choices out of high school, some out of college. My biggest concern when our boys were coming out of high school was that they made decisions they wouldn't regret. I now realize that outcome lies more in their ability to make the best of whatever they decide to do, than in the decisions themselves. As much as we want to protect our kids from struggle and disappointment, we really can't...and their greatest sense of success usually comes from overcoming some form of adversity.

Encourage your kids to seek good advice, follow their hearts, commit themselves to doing their best, and look for the good in every situation. IMHO that's the best way to avoid regrets when life throws them curve balls...and based on our experiences, they'll face plenty of curve balls no matter what they choose to do.

TxMom that was a real gem of a post. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Fungo

Txmom, a double

Thanks, TXMom..............

TxMom ...

As always, a great post with wonderful examples of life in the Littles (as opposed to the Bigs). So much of what you describe matches our son's experiences to day, including sharing living arrangements with his wife and teammates, and I appreciate the positives in your post.

God bless.

Here's a perspective from the outside looking in. Search "educational attainment in the United States" to get a good perspective on the value of a degree. You can still play the game and chase the dream, but you better do it with an insurance policy in your back pocket. That comes in three forms; Daddy's thriving business that's waiting for you to come to work after you hang it up, a huge signing bonus that's socked away, or a 4 year degree. Anthing less than that could leave you with a bleak future if "the dream" slips away. The only option you have complete control over is the attainment of a 4 year degree at a college that will essentially pay you (in more ways than one) while you earn that degree.

Lots of great pespective here, and I'd like to thank all that posted on this thread. Special thanks to TPM for getting it started.
TxMom has reminded us so eloquently of what we best not forget. She has hit upon the essence of what we all must come to grips with as parents, and that is 'just' letting them go. Well said TxMom.

This is great stuff.

quote:

Minor league ball isn't easy, but anything worth achieving usually isn't. Each kid has to play the hand he is dealt. Some have better choices out of high school, some out of college. My biggest concern when our boys were coming out of high school was that they made decisions they wouldn't regret. I now realize that outcome lies more in their ability to make the best of whatever they decide to do, than in the decisions themselves. As much as we want to protect our kids from struggle and disappointment, we really can't...and their greatest sense of success usually comes from overcoming some form of adversity.

PG,
I've been to a few Dragons games and that 500 consecutive sellouts number for the Dragons is a bit misleading. It is absolutely no problem to walk up and get a good ticket a few minutes before game time and although attendance is good the stands certainly aren't full. I'm not sure what they are doing to be able to claim sellouts.

Just going by what is claimed on the link below.
LINK

This is clearly the best discussion I have ever read on the HSBBW. For us it is timely - something I needed to read about to advise our own son. Thank you Tiger Paw Mom, Fungo,Tx Mom, and all the rest of the contributors on both sides of this issue, and good luck to all of your sons.

Season tickets seats are sold whether someone sits in the seats or not. At the request of the season ticket holder some minor league parks will re-sell the tickets if season ticket holder is not attending the game. The season ticket holder gets credit towards next yrs tickets
The Dragons may base their claim on tickets sold not by the number of people in attendance. Also if they had 50 seats in the stands unsold but 50 people were sitting in the lawn area ,could they be considered themselves sold out?