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Anyone else notice that DawgNation took down the article about...
Chadicus89
Posts: 52 ✭✭✭ Junior
in General
Justin Fields potentially delaying his enrollment based on the MLB draft?
Comments
Didn't notice. Maybe that's a good sign that he's going to enroll early?
Looking from Fields' position, why wouldn't you wait to see if you could make $$$ now?
As a UGA fan, I want him learning the playbook as soon as possible!
Fields just stated that he’ll make decision this weekend and baseball was part of process.
I definitely noticed that as well. Pretty impressive that he's that good in both sports, but I didn't know MLB was even something he was considering at this point.
If Justin declares for the baseball draft and signs after a possible Eason transfer, this is what the QB Room looks like next year:
Jake Fromm
The Mailman
Sam Vaughn
That’s a nightmare scenario. When would Justin have to declare for MLB draft? I would hope that Fields has the integrity to be up front about his intentions.
It would be incredibly risky for Justin to pursue a baseball career right out of HS. He can play football and baseball at UGA to see which is his best career going forward.
I remember when The Mailman turned down a full ride at some Ivy League school if he’d play quarterback there to walk-on at Georgia (he does get good academic scholarships at UGA). Sentell wrote an article where he talked to Mailman’s Mom. Her point was that so many boys who grow up in Georgia dream of being the Bulldog quarterback. But the odds are like a million to one. But they were so excited because their son having just taken a walk-on offer, reduced the odds down to like a thousand to one.
And with Eason’s transfer and Fields playing baseball, The Mailman reduces the odds even further...
There is the off chance that Fromm gets hurt and Fields is going to have been a lot better off if he had enrolled early and was more ready to take over. But by and large, I can’t see how you can’t say it’s not in Fields’s best interest to play baseball this spring. Better for the team if he doesn’t. Better for him if he does.
But then again, I also imagine it would have been in Fields’s best interest not to sign with a school where he was one year behind an elite QB who was already starting. But he didn’t take that advice either, so....
Honestly I think he'd be a fool to pursue baseball, that's a long tough grind and the chances of making the show are smaller than the NFL. But hey it's his life
What are the respective odds of making it to the majors or the NFL? I've never really considered that before. With no evidence, I'd think it's easier to make it into the NFL than MLB. Of course, the longevity factor favors MLB and does the $ factor, I think.
Teams are looking to offer Fields 7 figures. Olus mentioned him and his father bond over baseball. Fields himself has also said he knows Football is his greater path for a future. I honestly think he should make the best decision for his life. I think if he stays and plays baseball he'll get drafted and have that as a back poclet option a la Russell Wilson.
I know people get all worried/excited about the Fields news topic of the day, but if we win a national championship with Fromm in his first year, what is the probability that we replace him as starter in the next two years with Fields? The reason I ask is because IF Fields decides to go play baseball, the only way it hurts us is if Fromm were to get hurt in the next two years and we had to play a backup (which could happen obviously - see Eason).
I think a lot of people are under the belief that Fields is going to come in and take Fromm's job and I don't see that as being realistic. If Fields goes and plays baseball, we will just sign a talented QB next year. We would have to worry about depth, but I think Fields' ability to step in right away and lead us to a title is premature. Fromm is doing it, but that is more of an exception than the rule.
Just my 2 cents
Why doesn't he just play both? It's definitely do-able and maybe it'll help out our baseball team that has sadly been irrelevant for 10 years.
I haven't heard that, but if he is that highly regarded in baseball and some MLB team is offering him 7 figures, he should take it. Go play the minors for a while and see what happens. Lots more opportunities in baseball than football, plus the careers are longer and much less chance of getting seriously injured.
He's projected as a potential MLB first rounder... That's not too risky to bank potentially a couple of million and see how it shakes out in the minors for a couple of years... Even if he doesn't make it to the show, he's got the cash and then could even enroll then for his college football career...
Definitely not the scenario I want to play out, but it's reality and think of the many gues who have done this...
I think he could also do something similar to what @JeffSentell said as far as taking the baseball route of just playing in the required summer for whatever major league's minor league affiliate that he is drafted by. I know Russell Wilson went that route. He played like 30ish games for the minor league Rockies. So I do believe an MLB team can draft and claim your rights without you being obligated to actually fully commit.
Russell Wilson is currently a Texas Ranger under some draft rule. But simply said, if Justin feels the tug he can at least explore the option without the commitment!
The odds are much better for a five star, #1 QB recruit (C'mon, we all know 247 gave it to TL for the all-star game) to play in the NFL than for an off the radar, pretty good HS SS to play in MLB.
A MLB multi million dollar signing bonus today is better than the chance of multi-millions 4 or 5 years from now. The signing bonuses in the 1st round of MLB draft ranged from $14.1 to $2.1 million. 2nd round ranged from $2.5 to 850K. 3rd round from $2 to $125K. If MLB is going to pay him enough money, he can always come back to football if he does not make it--like Chris Weinke.
Although only a broken finger, I think the injury created more thoughts and concerns about a more significant injury.
I had a high school classmate named Casey Close who was an incredible athlete in football as a QB, basketball and baseball. His baseball talent was incredible so he gave up football when he was a freshman in high school. He threw four or five no-hitters in high school and his batting average was something crazy well over .600. Michigan signed him to a full ride primarily as a pitcher. He had a slight tear in his rotator cuff so he switched to outfield his freshman year and hit a Grand Slam that year to put Michigan in the final four at the College World Series.. To be brief he is one of the most decorated baseball players in Michigan history winning player of the year in the Big Ten and was the National College Player of the Year in 1986. and is still the leading HR hitter all-time. Despite all of this, he was only a 7th round draft pick by the Yankees. His first few years he hit with some power, but was hitting in the low .200's in AAA. He wound up with Seattle and hit 330 in AAA, but never made the big leagues.
My point is that there is no guarantee coming out of high school what level of success you will have. Kent Merker came through the same high school conference a couple of years later and had a high school career that I thought was a bit below Casey who was the better all-round athlete. Kent was drafted by Atlanta in the 5th round and turned professional instead of going to college. He wound up having a pretty good career in the majors although he went from team to team after Atlanta.
Things turned out ok for Casey as he was Derek Jeter's agent for his entire career and married former Miss America Gretchen Carlson.
I hope to see Justin play football at UGA, but he should probably try and focus on where is passion is.
From what Im hearing he's very raw baseball wise cause he isn't "focused" as the top guys and scouts wanna see him play this spring. As a father I think he should keep his options open.
Short-Term Baseball looks better but man the grind is deadly and besides that initial contract which will be higher than draft slot money wise because they are really banking on potential and paying him to not play football. Plus short term you know you arent hurt right now.
Long Term Football is probably the better route to go. He has a lot of good things in his favor.
@JoelSidneyKelly 247 moved Fields #1 because of his showcase showings over the summer. But Lawerence was always going to go back to #1 because his team was better, his stats are ridiculous, has 2 State Titles, and lost only in the playoffs. Plus Fields was hurt and didnt drop more than what should've been expected considering the teams each played for.