If you were a blue chip high school baseball player

[WriterDom]

And had a choice of signing a minor league contract with a $50,000 signing bonus, or taking a full scholarship at a major division 1 university with a good baseball program, which one would you take?

Would you bank or invest the $50,000 knowing that if baseball didn't work out you could pay your way through school, or take the scholarship and hope to reenter the draft in 4 years after a more comfortable lifestyle and learning experience than working your way through rookie league, A ball, and AA leagues.

 

[bored1]

In 1980 or so my brother, a left handed pitcher was offered exactly that option. He declined a contract with a major league team and went to college on a full ride scholarship. To this day he regrets his decision. He still wonders if he would have made it through the system. On the plus side he did get to play college ball at a high level and got an education to boot..........

 

[glamorilla]

Take the money!

 

[Sillyman]

Scholarship. The money would be nice, but the scholarship would have a better assurance for my future I think. Plus I don't know how I would feel about getting paid to do somnething as ridiculous as play baseball.

 

[lobito]

I was with you all the way till the last part Sillyman.

I'd rather have the Scholarship, and go to school for some degree that means something, when I can't play baseball anymore. I dont like the idea of playing baseball for a lot of money, put people pay to see it, so I want to be payed to play, after I've got my degree.

 

[RhumbRunner13]

Advice..

..get the education! $50,000 won't last long after he goes out and buys that nifty new "Vette" 'cause he's RICH! And no disrespect to Bored brother, but if he didn't shine like Reggie Jackson in a university, he wouldn't have made it in the bigs either.

Rhumb

 

[Marxist]

This is a silly question. Only a handful of good to great players have come out of the college ranks in the last 10 years. Almost all of today's best are coming through the minors. College will always be there, a good arm won't.

 

[christo]

If it's fifty grand, I'd go to college, because you can still play at a high level and get redrafted or go to the higher level of the minors when you're 22. Hell, a college education costs more than $50K, espcially when you're talking about all the perqs that go with being a Division I athlete. Would you rather spend 4 years as a big man on campus in Palo Alto or Miami or four years learning to hit curveballs in Altoona or Toledo?

Now, if they offer you $250K, or a cool million, like the top draft picks get these days, yeah, I'd take the loot. Because baseball is the hardest game to predict future success. I can't believe teams give huge signing bonuses to 18-year-old kids just because they have a live arm. You can throw 95MPH? So what? Big league hitters will shell you every time if that's all you can do. Likewise the kid who hits 37 homers in high school ball. Has he ever seen a guy who can throw in the low nineties and then bust you with a split-finger fastball? Or a knee-bending curveball?

 

[WriterDom]

50,000 was a little low. Puts him in with the evil rich. After federal and state taxes he'd only have 25,000

 

[Marxist]

It's not the upfront money that would make the difference but where you got drafted. A super late rounder would be an indication that you'll never make it in the bigs (maybe). But a solid draft and the potential to make millions and not hit with an aluminum bat should be enough to bring out the real ballers.

 

[Liontamr]

You need a life after baseball... Go to school, get some smarts in ya, get a degree and have a back up plan in case the baseball career doesn't pan out to be the HOF type..