Phenom to Skip Last 2 Yrs of HS

Respectfully.

Please educate me or all of us on Joe Nuxall.

 

Ahhhhhhhhh screw it....he's getting his 15 minutes of fame... let him grab it and cash in while he can. If his parents want to advise him in that direction (heck, the kid is barely legal to drive, can't vote, can't buy alcohol...lol) let it hang on them... if an MLB team wants to take a shot at that young a kid and open that Pandora's Box, have at it... he's got a 50/50 chance...he'll either make it or like someone posted earlier, he'll kill a hooker by the time he's 20.... unfortunately he's made the cover of SI once...am confident he'll make it again, but the headline will probably read "Too Fast, Too Young... How Baseball Lost A Prodigy"

 

I grew up in Portsmouth, Ohio as a hardcore Reds fan (still am). Joe was a 2 time All Star...spent 17 years in the League. When he retired in 1967, Joe immediately joined the Reds broadcasting team and became the most loved man in the Cincy area. For 40 years he ended every broadcast with this phrase: "This is the old Lefthander...rounding 3rd and headed for home. Goodnight everyone." That's how they ended his funeral 2 years ago. Makes me want to tear up because Joe became part of every Red fan's family.

Here's a Wikipedia paragraph and link:

Joseph Henry Nuxhall (July 30, 1928 – November 15, 2007) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Cincinnati Reds. He held the team's record for career games pitched (484) from 1965 to 1975, and still holds the team mark for left-handers, though he was long most remembered for having been the youngest player ever to appear in a major league game in the modern era, pitching 2/3 of an inning for the Reds on June 10, 1944 at the age of 15 years, 316 days due to player shortages during World War II.

Long known as "The Ol' Left-hander," he compiled a career earned run average of 3.90 and a record of 135-117 during his 16-season career, with all but 5 of his victories being earned with the Reds. After retiring as a player, he became a broadcaster for the Reds from 1967 through 2004. Nuxhall died in 2007 after a long battle with cancer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Nuxhall

 

Rules for Prodigies.

I agree that this situation is unique. However, IMO, baseball is different. Maybe its the purest in me. Im not sure. But I think this situation is WAY out of line. IF this kid just plays at the HS level a few more years then he is that much better. That is if his coach doesn't try to ride him to a championship of some kind. We have a tendency to do that.

I just think that this kid should be patient. More patient than the article is talking about. Being a protigy, this early, promotes possible failure of and LONG term lowered potential.

He could be great. Allowing him to be pushed along by a system that does not faithfully look at the longterm welfare of an individual, but the bottom line, IMO, shows the complete disregard of the individual, IS IMO, a serious problem!

BB is supposed to be fun isn't it? Have a little fun first. Break some records. Play at your age group and see where your at with them. They would love to remember you "K" ing them or having this kid kill one into the trees in their stadium.

 

Has anyone even CHECKED his birth certificate? Ha!

Good for him, good for his family. He seems to have strong faith - perhaps that will carry him through and it's not really about the money, but more about the opportunity to do what he has always dreamed of doing...sooner than everyone else!

 

I do see your point, but he is a man among boys.

 

Why is this any different from the Mets signing Fernando Martinez as a 16 year old out of the Dominican Republic? He's now in the majors at 20.

MLB teams sign 16-17 year olds from Latin America every year. No fuss is made about it.

You could argue that this kid has an advantage over Martinez and his fellow Latino players in that he doesn't also have to move to a strange country and learn a new language.

 

Bryce Harper

Didn't realize there was already a thread

 

I agree with MCreek. Its no different than signing 16 year olds from other countries or a person playing Tennis or Soccer at a young age. It is so easy for people on the outside looking in to disagree but if the shoe was on your foot then what would you do. whatever his family decides, they are the ones who have to live with it. Millions in my pocket to play a game that i love or having fun playing a game that i love with nothing in my pocket. easy decision for me if i had to make it.

 

Does anybody know where the 18u tournament is in North Carolina that Bryce Harper will be playing in this summer? It was mentioned in the SI article, but didn't say what/where the tournament was.