Although I don't know you, but have read your posts, I too, hate to hear your news. We never know what the future holds, but one thing that seem apparent -- you have a great head on your shoulders. Not many young twenty-something year olds with 80K invested in anything. You have shown that baseball can be a great avenue to become a responsible and practicable person all the while pursuing one's passion and dream. Good luck in your future endeavors with baseball.

It is sad news but I know several guys who have been released and got signed by another club. One of my favorite pitchers was released by Boston and signed with the Yanks after going to the Independant League.

GOOD LUCK !

WOW! 6-6 225lb. 2005 4th round draft pick out of high school! You can't be more than 20 years old.

You have plenty of time to keep trying. Might ultimately be bad advice but I think if you love the game, don't quit until nobody will give you a jersey.

You can go to school anytime within the next two years. Give it your best so you'll never have to say "what if?"

Shane,

Dont despare your career is not over but you have alot of work to do. 1/4 the MLB pitchers have been released before they hit the MLB. I have seen you pitch a few times before your senior year. Good size and good arm, fastball in the 90's. Basic question, what happened?

You threw strikes in high school and summer ball , but not in pro ball and you were hit hard in the Arizona League and could not throw a strike.

That is either a mental or mechanically thing. So best get in touch with a pitching coach that KNOWS what he is doing and make you better.

You should get hooked up with an independent league team fast and try to attend some pre draft work out. The Indy leagues are scouted if you throw strikes and get people out, someone will take a chance at you again.

AHS...I, too, have been there, done that.

But I didn't have that big a bonus to fall back on.

Make sure you take advantage of the money available to you through that Major League baseball tuition plan...or whatever they call it.

I think you only have 2 years from the date of your initial release to use it or lose it.

What happened to you is what happened to hundreds this past spring. Another wave of Releases soon after the draft.

Isn't pretty.

$1150.00 or $1500.00 per month doesn't do much for anyone...and then you only get it for the months of the year you are actually playing during a season.

MLB...Biggest joke in benefits for minor leaguers. You get nothing but they keep on "pounding" you about dreaming for that "Million Dollar" payday!

Thank God that you have parents that can help you. What if you were a poor kid from some rural county in the South with nothing to go back to?

quote:

What if you were a poor kid from some rural county in the South with nothing to go back to?

My kid resembles that remark.... maybe it motivates?

opp....YOu well know that someone who goes to the top, i.e., your son, Zach...is the rare exception rather than the rule.

1500 kids drafted each year...tons of free agents from all over the Caribbean.

How many actually get to put on a big league uniform for more that a few years?

Likely less than 5%.

That is what I mean...95% are going to fail within a few years of the draft.

----------

Not like the NBA and the draft where every stiff is guaranteed millions.

Shane,

I am sorry to hear about your release, but also want to make sure you know that you have a lot of fans here! You were drafted out of HS the same year my RHP son graduated. He is at a D3 college, playing baseball there (medical redshirt this spring), and is over halfway thru earning a degree. Believe me Shane, he would love to trade places with you!

I believe that YOU are not done playing baseball yet! There are decades ahead of you to pursue other careers, and I'm glad to hear that you have thought about that part of your life. But since you still have the dream, I am very excited for you to keep working on it for a while! Please keep us updated, and very best wishes to you.


Julie

Thanks everyone for all the support, as an update i have a tryout with the dodgers on friday so we'll see how that goes.

Frank Martin- As for my control, well im not too sure where it went, i know it started out mechanically as they started fooling with my mechanics as i got to pro ball, but now its more in my head than anything, i've got a case of the Yips as they call it. Some days i paint the black and can dot a gnats A$$, then others i dont know where the ball is going, i think its more anxiety than anything, all depends on my first few throws of the day, if i throw them good and dont throw any away its perfect, if i dont, then its gonna be a rough day, i had it under control the first 2 1/2 weeks of spring training then it hit back hard, crazy stuff.

PG Staff- I will PM you to get your #, i'll call you for sure

Shane,

I appreciate your posts, before, during and after the draft. I hate this for you, but you do seem to have your head on straight and will make the right decisions for YOU.

Beenthere, oh come on, I LIVED in the midwest, why use rural county in the south? Dang, I should be quiet, I am sooooooooo trying to find some affordable land in Buncombe Co....

Shane,
Good luck on Friday. Our son's roommate got released today. One of his very best friends in the organization got released yesterday. I have some sense of your feelings. Here is hoping Friday is a good day and you do what works.
One of the really good coaches in our son's organization gave him very sage advice. Told him there are a lot of players at home because they could not make the adjustments the organization suggested. Have the confidence you can succeed with the approach that got you drafted, and don't try and overthink things.

Shane just got back to your mechanics you had in high school and relax. You have to have the attitude the hitter has no chance of hitting me and go right after them. Look at this way there are 29 other teams out there and use this as motivation ,and show people what you can do.

Good mojo on the way from Orlando. You've got a good head on your shoulders....now get out of it in time for Friday!

With all your options --- family support, tuition plan, some bucks in the bank --- you're in great shape. Your 20's are the time for exploration and you have a solid basis. It's all good here, kiddo.

It would also appear you have an excellant chance of catching on with another club. In the imortal words of Rick Vaughn:

"I got news for you Mr. Brown, you haven't heard the last of me. You may think I'm (blank) now, but someday you're gonna be sorry you cut me. I'm gonna catch on somewhere else and every time that I pitch against you I'm gonna....(you can fill in the rest)!"

Orlando- funny you said that rick vaughn quote, i was watching that movie last night and was like " wow this really relates right now"

Dont give up because of one team's opinion.

Try to undo/unthink what they tried to do to you. It obviously didnt help you.

Find a pitching coach to help you gain back what works for you.

Shane good luck with your tryout. Our son was released this morning, but three hours later he was picked up by the Reds. Never, Never, Never, Give UP!!!!!

Shane, I wish you the best of luck. Over the past couple years you've connected with me on a couple questions I had regarding my son (HS jr.), and you are truly one of the good people of this earth (and at age 20!)

Wishing the best for you in your pursuit -- and just keep in mind that someday there will be a kid, or a group of kids, five years from now, ten years from now, thirty years from now.....and they will look up to you in awe because YOU were a pro ballplayer, and you are spending time with them (as coach, parent, whatever).....it's a game that will stick to your ribs until it's time to move on to the Great Diamond In The Sky! You will ALWAYS be 'in' baseball!

KRAK

Interesting stuff.

If you're a pitcher and you get released when you're young, it is a good idea to try to catch on with someone else because maturity will help you dramatically as a pitcher.

If you're a position player and have been drafted in the lower rounds, head for greener pastures...

Making another $1150.00 per month for another 3 months just doesn't make sense. Be realistic, folks. Just delaying the inevitable. Another free agent draft coming up in June. Not to include twice that many Latinos on each roster getting paid "peanuts".

Nice to be encouraging everyone, but for the 1 in 10,000, position players, that makes it soon after being released by someone who has drafted you in the lower rounds and given you $12.00 in McDonald's coupons for a bonus...better to call it a career and finish college or start going to college if you're a high schooler.

Look at how many we've learned have been released this spring...just in this thread!

shortstop,

Thank you for sharing the update on your son, and congrats to him for being picked up right away. Very best wishes to him!

Yeah, to paraphrase BeenthereIL; "GIVE UP, QUIT DREAMING, SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY AND YOU AIN'T GETTING ANY, YOU'RE A HASBEEN, GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE OTHERWISE YOU'LL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING!"

P.S. WHAT'S WITH THESE INDEPENDANT LEAGUES?!?! DON'T THEY KNOW THEY SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING ELSE WITH THEIR LIVES!!



Not that there isn't a time for self reflecting, but personally I wouldn't let anyone other than yourselves dictate how you live your lives.