Phenom to Skip Last 2 Yrs of HS

Great point! I was at a Perfect Game event last fall and the site director had just finished his first year in rookie ball. He said his team was 95% Latino and most were very young and didn't speak English. He said it was a real shock to feel so isolated as most of the players were speaking in Spanish all the time and he was in this situation a minority.....a reversal from his normal situation and a real eye-opener.

 

As a parent, I would be very concerned with my young son "hanging" with the older guys in the minor leagues. I know he is going to face many jealous teammates, opposing players and fans. I realize that all players are subjected to this to some degree, but this kid is going to face it in the nth degree. In this case, his parents are betting that the money outweighs the obstacles he will face. I keep thinking about Todd Marinovich and Josh Hamilton. They both appeared to have tremendous family support, but when they had to face life's reality on their own.....

I realize there are many Latin American kids that are signed young...most don't make it. But I can't help but feel this kid will still be a huge prospect commanding the same financial power after his senior year. I don't understand the rush. In my mind, this appears to be driven more by a parent's ego, then a kid's wishes. The money will be there for the kid whether he signs next year or two years from now. He may turn out to have a fantastic career, but what price do you value the lost youth. I don't begrudge the decison made by his family...but it is not something I could or would do.

 

The player's quote from Sports Illustrated seems to indicate a real yearning to rise to the top and break all the records...sooner than later.

"Be in the Hall of Fame, definitely," says Harper when asked by Verducci about his goals. "Play in Yankee Stadium. Play in the pinstripes. Be considered the greatest baseball player who ever lived. I can't wait."
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Ted Williams (another prodigy in his day) is often quoted as saying his goal was for people to see him walking down the street and say, "There goes the best hitter that ever lived".....so these people visualize greatness in ways that we can't even imagine. They don't visualize living our lives, they visualize life at the pinnacle.

 

I value your opinion pirate05, but I think there is a distinct difference in the quallity of life for Latin American players vs the HS American player. Most of these kids are playing for an "academy" all their young life. They are extremely poor and most are uneducated. Baseball is, for many, their only hope to get out of a desperate situation. They would gladly trade the problems of learning a new language and living in a foreign country over the conditions of life back home. If they get the one shot, they're going to jump on it.

The kid is going to get his money regardless when he graduates. The question is when do you want him to get started. He can be the most mature 16 yo in the country, but the fact remains the kid is still 16 yo (yes, I realize he's not getting drafted this year.)

As I said in my prior post, it's a family decision, but I really thought about what I would do if it was my family...and I would let him enjoy his youth with his HS buddies....and then become a millionaire!!!!!!

 

When I was 16, I visualized many amazing things......most of which i can't type.

 

Raquel Welch in pinstripes?

 

As far as I know, Bryce Harper will be playing in the upcoming Tournament of Stars held in Cary at the National Training Center June 23-28.

Wonder what host family gets the prize of housing him?

 

That's what you say to all of the guys.

 

Wow L&S...you had the same visualization...amazin'!!!!!

 

Braves, i too value your opinions. Would i let my son, i can honestly say i don't know. 20 million or so would damn sure make me think hard though. It would be hard on a kid that young, being around grown men who is trying to climb the ladder to the major leagues would not be easy. I am sure that whatever team has a player like that would surround him with a support system, including his family. Don't be surprise people, because this game that we all love is a business to other people and what or whomever can bring them money, they will do it.