You are here:
Minor League Baseball/Pro?
Advertisement
Question
Tom,
Hello, my question for you is essentially whether in your professional opinion I could make some sort of Minor or Major league team. I was an all district pitcher during High School. Back in high school I was throwing into the high eighties and could touch into the the 90-91 range, with a few other pitches (curve, and change-up) in my tool box to keep hitters off balance. I never received a baseball offer/scholarship, only a football scholarship and so I pursued that route. However, that did not pan out for me, and after throwing here in a city men's league, teammates, coaches, and opponents mentioned that i had great velocity and even some movement, and that i should attend a try out camp. Unfortunately they are no experts but they have re lit that dream in me to play professional baseball. I'm just at 5'11" and I have been put under the impression that there is a "mold" if you will that many teams hold to when looking for a pitcher. On top of my height issue I am fairly certain that my fastball does not reach into the mid to high 90's that many pro's do. Given all these circumstances do you think I have a legitimate chance at making it somewhere professionally????
Jarrid,
scouts get paid a lot of money to do what they do. i don't have their skills nor would i try to evaluate you based on a short paragraph about yourself. playing in MLB is a feat accomplished by few. you may be able to make it in the minors but as a i said earlier, you wold need to ask a professional scout who wouldn't answer you any way. he probably wouldn't say no but he wouldn't say yes.
good luck.
tom
Related Articles
Tom 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 eleven 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 eleven years I have realized that i do fulfill most most questioners satisfactorily which keeps me doing this.
Education/Credentials
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.