AboutTom O`Leary Expertise I am am best suited to answer questions regarding minor league baseball prospects.
Experience Originally, i started doing this because i became engrossed researching prospects for a fantasy league. Back then all i really wanted to do was answer questions about baseball prospects.
Funny how time flies but twelve years later i have been asked questions regarding the negro leagues, what minor leaguers get paid, why players don't rub their injury when they get hurt, and how players can tryout for the minor leagues to name only a few. i was recently in correspondence with a father of a marine who lost several fingers while in Iraq; he was later drafted by the padres and is playing in their minor league system. additionally, i get a lot of questions from guys asking me if i think they can be successful at these tryouts or if they should tryout at all.
I do my best to answer every one's question without overstepping my bounds of knowledge. *sometimes i have to tell people that i just can't answer their question.* And sometimes i have to tell people that they just aren't good enough to be a professional ball player.*
most recently i have received two negative feedbacks from people who didn't like my response. one 30 year old guy who hadn't played since he was a teenager asked me if he really had a shot at making the tryouts. realistically, i said no. i guess he didn't appreciate my bluntness but what would you have wanted me to say?
i am not really an 'expert' in anything. i just answer people's inquires, give some conservative advise or tell them 'i don't know.' after twelve years i have realized that i do fulfill most most questioners satisfactorily which keeps me doing this.
Question Hey Tom, my name is Matt. I'm 24 years old. I played baseball all my life, but quit my junior year of high school to pursue a music career, which i still regret. Anyway, just last year me and some friends got our hands on a radar gun and wanted to see how fast we could hurl it. We warmed up for about 3 or 4 minutes and then let loose. Out of 13 pitches I hit 89 6 straight times, 90 twice, 91 twice, and 87, 88 once a piece. Prior to this i hadn't thrown a baseball in probably 7 or 8 months so with some conditioning i could possibly throw harder. I'm just wondering realistically what my chances are making it into the minor league system for any team. I'm currently playing in the 18+ yr old MABL A League and i do pretty well, haven't lost a game as a starter. If i have any chance at all, i'd like to pursue it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.
Answer Matt,
realistically, your chances are not great regardless how hard you throw. there are many, many more factors that go into pitching beyond how hard you throw.
why don't you try out regardless of your chances. think of it this way, when you're 30 and playing softball you just might regret not having even tried. good luck.
