Dissecting the draft

Below is a list of all area players picked in the 2008 MLB draft. Who from this group is the most likely to reach the Majors? And do you see any potential all-stars in there?

Round 2, Kenny Wilson, OF, Sickles, Blue Jays
Round 7, Anthony Ferrara, LHP, Riverview, Cardinals
Round 9, Ryan Strauss, RHP, FSU/Bloomingdale, White Sox
Round 12, Ryan Weber, RHP, CC Catholic, Phillies
Round 12, Braulio Pardo, C, Saint Leo/Gaither, Angels
Round 13, Corey Thomas, P/SS, Middleton, Orioles
Round 13, Daniel Thomas, RHP, USF/Gaither, A's
Round 17, Jamie Mallard, 1B, Middleton, Angels
Round 17, Addison Maruszak, SS, USF/SP Catholic, Yankees
Round 25, Erik Turgeon, RHP, UConn/Dunedin, Mets
Round 26, John Servidio, RF, Barry/Ridgewood, Mets
Round 26, Chris Swauger, OF, Citadel/Jesuit, Cardinals
Round 29, Jake Rogers, SS, Dunedin, Red Sox
Round 29, Sean Buckley, 3B, King, Cubs
Round 36, Ryan Koch, RHP, Fla. South./Osceola, Blue Jays
Round 38, Kris Castellanos, LHP, Newsome, Astros
Round 40, Paul Cruz, OF, U. of Tampa/Brandon, Cardinals
Round 40, Sam Mende, SS, CC Catholic, Yankees

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Comments

Anything but 1-2 rounds - go to school.

Pinellas County wasn't too well represented. Maybe our kids aren't as good as their parents think (or tell you they are)?

It's a good thing Mike (Mr. Irrevalent, picked in last round) Piazza didn't take advice to go to school. Being picked first (Paul Wilder and others) doesn't mean you'll make the show, and being picked last (Piazza) doesn't mean you don't have a shot.

Tell it to the educated ball players

[*]

Look the bottom line is not everyone is cut out for college. You all think these player, if they are not drafted high should go to college. Some of them bearly made it through high school and if it weren't for the fact that they got in because of athleteic, some would not have gotten in base on their grades in high school. With the colleges in Florida being so crowded why should they take a spot in the classroom away from someone that really wants to be there. I say take your chance in the pros and as you grow and mature you will find out how important an education is. You can always go back to school. People do it all the time.

All the more reason to go to college - with all the support there, the student-athlete can develop his talent and get an education. Sure, not everyone's cut out for college, but with all the help and support the athlete has available there - they'd be stupid to pass it up. By the way, only about 3% of players every go back once they've tried to go pro.

Hey 6:01pm, how did you come up with that 3%. What report did you get that number from? I say go pro, you atleast have your signing bonus if you don't make it. It's not my fault that they don't go back to college. When you sign a contract for the pro's nowadays,
they will pay for you college.

Why didn't Tucker get drafted?

Word was out that Tucker was going to school. Saw him at graduation - wearing honor stoles - pretty smart I guess.

6:01 Wrote "All the more reason to go to college - with all the support there, the student-athlete can develop his talent and get an education. Sure, not everyone's cut out for college, but with all the help and support the athlete has available there - they'd be stupid to pass it up."

Colleges help players...what a laugh...colleges give players the opportunity. NOTHING MORE. The players must do the extra work if they are going to graduate on time, as it should be.

If the player chooses to just play the sport, colleges let them, and just make sure they are eligible to play.

I spoke to a young man recently who was playing Rec ball to get ready for a tryout in the Frontier League. He went to a SEC school on scholarship (not Florida). He played for all 4 years. I was chatting with him and carefully broached the subject of his education. He said that he was academically halfway through his sophomore year. He said he pretty much played baseball or worked out with the team minimum 4 hours a day, every day. In season or out, did not matter. The school let him take 6 hours a semester to remain eligible. That's what he did. His choice, but don't tell me the schools will help. They will enable you to play. You are on your own to achieve an education.

I did not mention the school because most are like that. Even our precious Gators, Noles, Bulls, etc.

How sad that we are not supportive of an education - are we encouraging an environment of uneducated young people? It's called a 'student athlete' with the student coming first.

Hey 5:48, the truth hurts. Don't believe EVERYTHING you read in that
"student-athlete brochure.
Hey 4:04, you couldn't have put it better.

As a former D1 baseball player, unless they changed the rules, you need minimum 12 credits to play not 6.

4:04 obviously doesn't know what he's talking about - and never went to college.

4:04 only shared what the man said. No school was mentioned due to it being hearsay. Believe what you will. He could not afford to finish once his scholarship was up and obviously he wasn't talented enough to make it as a pro athlete. Sad but true. He seemed to be a nice guy, and I hope he succeeds in whatever he winds up doing.

Do the math. 12 hrs x 4 years (8 semesters) = 96 hrs....Junior or Senior status, depending on changing majors or not. He specifically said he was a sophomore. So either he failed classes and played as academically ineligible, or he played short hours and should have been academically ineligible, based on 11:00 poster's comment, which I have no reason to dispute. He also could have lied to me and not played all 4 years if the school suspended him to get his academic standing up to regulations. Who knows.

To clarify my point, if you work hard and show initiative, the schools have programs to help you acheive your goals. If you don't apply yourself academically, they won't waste their time with you academically. That goes for athletes and mainstream students.

By the way, to 8:16 know it all who obviously went to college, played sports, and was GIVEN everything including a degree, no SEC school has ever cheated in any way in any sport, so I guess I should not have believed this man.

5:48 wrote: "How sad that we are not supportive of an education - are we encouraging an environment of uneducated young people? It's called a 'student athlete' with the student coming first."

I don't believe we (society) aren't supportive of educating young men or women. The problem is "special" (athletes in particular, but other outrageously talented or super rich) kids skate through middle and high school. College is there to teach you how to be an adult, and these kids don't understand accountability. Very little is give to you. You have to have the drive to succeed.

[coach santoni]

Kyle Allen formerly of Tampa Catholic draft by NY Mets should be listed here and he is my pick to make it first player to majors. He reminds me of Rick Ankiel from cards.

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Kyle certainly has the physical tools. It is from the shoulders up that he sometimes has lapeses. I know this from experience. I hope that he has gotten his act together and does well wherever he goes.

[p county]

Are you kidding no preston tucker or pantolones or jared womack from plant no jacob barnes from st. pete no max kreuter from dunedin or clay kollembaum (only average season but still throws heat) weber in the 12th a little high of a round but congradulations

tim younger shouldv been drafted

[J 'ray']

Any update how the kids that were drafted from our area are doing?
Is there a webpage we can go to?

Go to MiLB.com. You can find a website for any minor league team there.