2012 Auburn Baseball Roster and the NCAA Rules Regarding Major League Draft
by aubtigerman on Jun 22, 2011 12:00 AM CDT
in Baseball
Email
Print
This time last year, it felt like the entire Auburn Baseball Team was going to the majors. The end of the best baseball played on the Plains in 15 years saw eleven Auburn players taken in the Major League Draft. Another five recruits were drafted bringing the total to 16.
That number tied an SEC record as well as tied UCLA for the most players drafted from one team in 2010.
Consequently, Auburn's 2011 season did not measure up to the 2010 Championship year. The missing players from last year's roster played a major role in the Tiger's finishing 29-29 on the season.
This year ten Auburn players were drafted including three juniors and four recruits.
Senior First baseman Kevin Patterson was drafted by the Blue Jays, senior RHP Bradley Hendricks went to Tampa Bay and senior star catcher Tony Caldwell has signed with the Florida Marlins.
This past week junior third baseman Dan Gamache was awarded a $125,000.00 bonus to sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dan's offensive punch will be missed in the lineup next year as he hit for a .337 average, with 16 home runs and 77 RBIs in his three years at Auburn
Gamache's decision to follow his dream leaves the following Auburn players with a tough decision ... play for Auburn or sign a major league contract:
* RHP Clay Holmes, (signee), Pittsburgh Pirates, 9th round
* SS Casey McElroy, San Diego Padres, 11th round
* RHP Derek Varnadore, Florida Marlins, 17th round
* OF Ryan Tella, (JUCO signee), Minnesota Twins, 34th round
* RHP Rocky McCord, (signee), Minnesota Twins, 39th round
* OF Colton Davis, (signee), Houston Astros, 50th round
Of particular concern for the Tigers would be the loss of McElroy. If Casey turns pro, he will be leaving big shoes to fill. He led the team in hitting last year (at .372) and was named first-team All-SEC; has a .330 career batting average, with 25 home runs, and131 RBIs.
Another big hit to the Tigers would be the possible departure of pitcher Derek Varnadore. He transferred in from Chattahoochee Valley Community College this year and quickly became "the Ace" of the pitching staff with a 3.68 ERA and a 6-3 record. He had 74 strikeouts in 88 innings.
Unfortunately Coach Pawlowski will have to wait till August 15th to have an idea which players he can count on for next year's roster. The 15th is the deadline for underclassmen to ink a contract.
On a related note. It's at this time every year that I get aggravated all over again with the NCAA's different set of rules regarding the amateurism of college baseball athletes.
While no one can begrudge any player from pursuing a professional career, I will never understand why the NCAA allows baseball players to participate in the MLB Draft. Players even have the opportunity to talk with MLB Scouts about signing contracts.
But if a football player even so much as looks at an NFL agent he will lose his college eligibility. The disparity in treatment between baseball players and other athletes has never made any sense - on several levels.
Not the least of which is what it does to end a student athlete's college education as well as the major roster management headaches it gives baseball coaches.
College baseball coaches are given the same mandate as their football counterparts - Win. The only difference is ...
The NCAA ties one of the baseball coach's hands behind his back.
12 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
The NCAA may hold baseball coaches hostage while players negotiate deals that may never happen...
But they hold every baseball coach hostage. It’s part of the game.
I’d argue it’s tougher for coaches at big name programs like LSU, Texas, UNC etc…It’s not enough for those guys to recruit the best highschool kids in the nation…They have to sign enough “borderline” stars so that they have some talent left in their incomming class if all of their stars go to the pros.
"I know the quarterback has a strong arm, but...I mean the ball's not gonna outrun ME" --PP7
Agreed
AubTigerman
"The reason you come to Auburn is because of Auburn people.This is a special place, from the coaches all the way to the fans" - Andrew McCain OT
It should not be part of the game.
Why can’t football players have the same opportunity to be drafted and then see what type of offer they get before saying yes I will go pro? I’m not saying its right, just unfair.
I think all college athletes should stay in school but if they have a chance to go pro, why penalize them for listening to a pro team’s offer. Bottom line is all college sports should have the same rules one.
I voted that they should have the same standards...
The collegiate athletic model should be the same at all levels, and for all sports.
Come and join me at http://trackemtigers.com
I voted No.
You can’t compare apples to oranges. High school football players are not ready for the pros but there may be some high school baseball players that are ready for minor leagues and in a year or two the majors.
Also if a baseball player signs with a college, he has to stay for three years or until he is 21.
Baseball players do not declare for the draft as do football. So they are still college players while the draft takes place.
Its two different sports and to change the way baseball works at the college and pro level would be bad for the game.
by GreenvilleAUfan on Jun 22, 2011 11:12 AM CDT reply actions
By Doing This, You'd Essentially Kill College Baseball
Baseball and Football, professionally are set up on different levels. Same with the NBA, but I’m not familiar enough with that comment. I’ll just stick to what I know I know, which is Baseball and Football.
No kid, no matter how much of a freak athlete would be able to compete in the NFL straight out of High School. That’s different from the MLB. Baseball is set up to develop talent, because it makes more time to do so. From Rookie Ball to MLB, the sheer number of players in Baseball Systems dwarfs the NFL. Because of that you have to feed the system.
The amateurism rules still exist, they are just different. No player is signing with anyone, they are just talking. As soon as they sign? They are done.
You can’t have the same model because they aren’t the same sport.
by PlainsmanParkingLot on Jun 22, 2011 3:34 PM CDT reply actions
I hear ya Kevin.
But the other sports could move toward the baseball model. Give junior football players a window to consider NFL offers without losing their eligibility.
AubTigerman
"The reason you come to Auburn is because of Auburn people.This is a special place, from the coaches all the way to the fans" - Andrew McCain OT
Window for football juniors?
“To consider NFL offers without losing their eligibility.”
Like Darvin Adams did this year.
Its something that should be considered..
Isn’t everyone here ignoring the obvious difference both in minor league baseball, and more importantly, the scholarship differences between baseball and football?
"Be polite to everyone you meet, but be prepared to kill anyone"-tc16cav
by otisnixon'sparty on Jun 22, 2011 9:01 PM CDT reply actions
To clear things up, since ...
I received a couple of emails asking about the end of the story and the polling question..
1) I like the baseball model for the MLB Draft. But I think the window of opportunity for players to sign with a pro team should be shorter so that the coaches are not hamstrung all summer trying to guess at their roster management ideas.
2) I feel like other sports (especially football) should have a similar draft model to baseball. Why should football players lose their eligibility to test the waters of their draft stock and then possibly be left out in the cold with no where to play?
Everyone has the right to disagree but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
AubTigerman
"The reason you come to Auburn is because of Auburn people.This is a special place, from the coaches all the way to the fans" - Andrew McCain OT
I can go along with that
Since I was one of the emailers, I just wanted to say I don’t think its a good idea to change the way the MLB draft works. but a shorter signing window for players should not hurt the game. You may be right that football draft should be structured a little differently, just don’t take away baseball’s draft model.
by GreenvilleAUfan on Jun 29, 2011 7:20 AM CDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
