Should Stratton come back?

[Foronce]

money wise I think it is a no brainer, but I was listening to the broadcast the other day and they were saying college baseball has so much better of an atmosphere than riding buses playing in front of people in minor league stadiums. So lets compare.

18th overall Sonny Gray in the 2011 draft to Oakland Athletics
as a jr 11-2 2.01ERA k'ed 115 walked 39
projected as a reliever
after draft
2011Rk Athletics ARIZ lg: 1g 2IP 2K 4h 1er 2k 4.5ERA
2011AA TL lg: 5gs 20IP 1ER 18K 6BB 0.45ERA
2012AA TL lg: 9gs 49.2IP 23ER 30K 21BB 4.17ERA
pitching on 7 days rest with 7411 in att:

3rd overal Trevor Bauer in the 2011 draft to Dbacks
as a jr at UCLA 13-2 1.25ERA 10 complete games .154 ba 136.667IP K'ed 203 walked 36
projected as a starter
2011Visalia A+ - 3GS 9IP 3ER 17K 3.0ERA
2011Mobile AA - 4GS 16.2IP 14ER 26K 7.56ERA
2012Mobile AA - 8GS 48.1IP 9ER 60K 1.68ERA
2012Reno AAA - 3GS 19.0IP 4ER 24K 1.89ERA

I was going to compare Sonny to Chris, just because you have to figure if sonny came back this year they probably are a national seed, wins SECT, and is headed to CWS. Do you think Sonny Gray wishes he would have stayed 1 more year?

I think if Stratton compares to Bauer and could go top 5 I think he has to go, Bauer could be up this year in the Majors if he continues to progress like he has. Basically, just trying to get a good debate on a tuesday

 

[8dog]

d

 

[CadaverDawg]

If he were to get hurt that would be brutal to know you left that kind of money on the table. That being said, what kind of money would a mid-first rounder be looking at these days?

 

[Hump4Hoops]

Better atmosphere, great development, more national exposure - it's just not worth the risk. For one, once you're a first rounder, your draft stock can only go down. Plus, say he ends up with an injury, that could cut his initial payday but outrageous amounts.

The only time I'd advocate a kid sticking around if he's a first rounder, in any sport, is a low first rounder in basketball who's playing for a perennial powerhouse.

All that being said, I'd love if he did come back. It happens every year in the SEC - the only conference where it could be worth the risk.

 

[Foronce]

Gray signed for a $1.54MM bonus, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter). MLB's recommended bonus for the 18th overall pick was $1.422MM a year ago, according to Baseball America.

 

[fishwater99]

[No message]

 

[jacksonreb1]

the better.............just sayin'

 

[BoDawg.sixpack]

Kid has a chance to set him and his family up for life. No sense in putting the entire scenario in jeopardy. If it was my son I'd be pissed if he decided to go back to school. And that would be the only time I wouldn't advocate doing that.

 

[Todd4State]

There is risk with any decision. Mark Prior was drafted late in the first round out of high school, went to Vandy and then transferred to USC and then became the top pick in the MLB draft three years later. So, you can go up.

But the risk reward obviously says that you sign.

If I were Chris and I wasn't drafted in the first round, I would come back because he legitimately is and should be a first round pick.

The only thing Chris would not sign for is to get a degree and be a top five overall pick. I can't recall anyone ever doing that though- so that should tell you something right there.

 

[RocketDawg]

Life is only bad for the minor league players who don't get big bonuses. They live a pauper's life.

If he gets $1.5M as a signing bonus, as much as I'd like to keep him, he should take it and also get a good money manager and financial advisor. He won't spend much time in the minors ... maybe a year, maybe less.

 

[Buford T. Justice]

Everybody in this thread is only talking about the money. There should be a lot more to this decision than just money. Many things go into making great decisions, and money is just one small factor in the equation. I hope he does what is best for him. Financially, Stratton should leave. If he makes the decision based solely on money, he is stupid.

 

[CadaverDawg]

meanwhile I'll take the 1.54 mil, see how it turns out, and if it doesn't work out I will go finish school, buy a company, and hire you to work for me. Sound better? Not all decisions are based on money, but would you turn down 1.54 million for a percentage of a scholarship for your senior year of college? He could finish his degree if his Pro career fails, but he probably wouldn't have to because some MSU grad will hire him because he's Chris mf'n Stratton. If he gets a financial advisor, 1.5 million can set you up nicely for the rest of your life. You would still have to work, but money would not be a stresser.

 

[Buford T. Justice]

I think you bring up great points. Those are factors to consider. I still say people are idiots if it's all about the money. If it was all about the money, I never would have had kids. They cost money. I wouldn't tithe to my church. I would have married based upon the income potential of my spouse, even if I hated the woman and was not attracted to her. I wouldn't have cable TV, attend MSU sporting events, or go out to eat. It's cheaper to stay home.

The point is that you don't know what goes through Stratton's head. There may be a girl he wants to hang around another year for (well worth the 1.5 million if it's someone he can be married to until death). He may have a sick grandma he wants to be near. He may want his degree now. He may have a goal such as College World Series. I remember the people that criticized Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck for sticking around. Everyone said they were stupid and ignorant. Money ain't everything. Can't take it with you when you die.

I hope he does what is best for him, regardless of the decision. And certainly money would be one of the factors in the decision.

 

[State82]

However, in the long run, he needs to go. Unless he has no desire at all to play professional baseball. In which case, he needs to stay. But I have a pretty strong feeling that he wants to play ball at the next level and this is the year to do it.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

Stratton should talk to Jevan Sneed, who could have been a millionaire and decided to come back to school. Bet he regrets that?

 

[Johnson85]

Stratton should talk to Jevan Sneed, who could have been a millionaire and decided to come back to school. Bet he regrets that?

While Sneed looked like an NFL talent for the second half of his first year playing at Ole Miss, he did not look like an NFL talent after his second year, and there's not much reason to think anything would have changed for his last year. He wasn't going to get better playing for a bad offensive line with a head coach that was already counting his buyout money.

Sneed made a good decision. His family needed money and he needed to take a crack at the NFL while his stock was high enough to get him good workouts. I'm not sure what he's doing now, but if he is really has the talent to make it in the NFL and all he needs to work on is between the ears, he can get other shots.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

He would have been drafted

 

[Bob Loblaw]

I doubt teams will break slot for players that they don't consider to be great values at the pick. Under the old CBA, I would say no way he comes back because a college senior has no leverage in negotiations, but maybe if basically every player gets payed "slot", then he could stand to benefit from even the slightest raise, meaning 10 places, in the draft order. But then again I guess a team could just offer him lower than slot because he has no leverage. So I guess I'm back to where I started. I wonder how the new CBA affects the draft.<div id="isChromeWebToolbarDiv" style="display:none"></div>