Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Post showcase

It is a beautiful day in Pennsylvania with low humidity and beautiful sunshine. We expect rain over the next few days, but who cares? Today is the best day of the week!

Buddy returned home last night after staffing the baseball showcase at school. According to the southpaw, no one was offered a roster spot or scholarship. "Mom, they stunk." Ouch...poor kids...poor parents...poor delusional kids and parents...Why am I so negative? 'Cause I still think that this is a major league scam (excuse the pun). These MLB-wannabes are drawn into these two day events in the hope that they will reap a scholarship, play on a big name team, be drafted by the Yankees, and sign million dollar contracts. Sadly, the reality is that this is not going to happen and their wallets are lighter because of it.

After watching the MLB and college baseball process over the years, I can confidently say that there are only a few out of thousands who will make it to the majors. Further, I am not sure if my own son is going to make it, but he will die trying...you can put that in your pipe and smoke it. Wanting it is not enough. Dreaming about it is not enough...You need hard work and determination...skill...perspiration and oh yeah...a physique for it. Standing next to these players, they have one thing in common, they are huge and as Buddy would say: "jacked." They work out, run, practice, mentally prepare, pray, focus, and sacrifice. It's more than the sum of its parts...

If things out for Buddy the way he wants them to, he will be drafted by a team at the end of his junior year. Kids are eligible for the draft after high school, junior college, and at the end of junior and senior years. Buddy has a two year plan in which he will catch the eye of someone who needs a leftie. He will keep his ERA less than 2.0 for the next season and develop a better fast ball. What does all of this mean? Well, if he has his way, he will not be finishing college.

How do I feel about it? Well, as a college professor, I am ambivalent. He definitely needs a degree, but whether he earns it by the time he is 22 or 32 years old, I am not one to care. My philosophy is to let him live his passion when he is young. There is plenty of time for college and studying, but only a finite time to accomplish this goal. Go for it, kiddo....practice, work out, focus, meditate, maintain your composure and eye on the prize. I'll certainly be here documenting the highs and lows, and the joys and sorrows.

And so, there is no end to this story yet, it is ongoing and no one can predict what will happen...although cousin Sparky and my nephew, Tuna have it all figured out. Buddy is going to be sitting in a major league bullpen waiting and waiting for his opportunity. Finally, it is the bottom of the 9th inning and the bases are loaded, the manager calls Buddy's number....Buddy gets up and takes a deep breath, grabs his glove, and looks up in the stands and sees BP mom sitting there with her rosary in her perspiring hands....he smiles, runs out to the mound and strikes out the next player....the only question left is who will play BP mom in the movie version?

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