Reds pick retired player!

[LoganBuck]

Way to do that background check guys!

17th round pick Jesse Craig

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/224863/

[NorrisHopper30]

Saw this yesterday..wow. I can't believe that guy is doing that for his wife. Take the money retire in a few years then spend the rest of your life with her...sheesh.

[Yachtzee]

I have no problem with them taking a 17th round flier on a pitcher with good stuff. Once that baby is born, he could always change his mind. Kids have a way of changing your thought processes.

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

I have no problem with them taking a 17th round flier on a pitcher with good stuff. Once that baby is born, he could always change his mind. Kids have a way of changing your thought processes.

Given that you never sign all of your players, this is a no risk, high reward pick. He may well change his mind and then his our's. If he doesn't, nothing really lost.

[Eric_Davis]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

I have no problem with them taking a 17th round flier on a pitcher with good stuff. Once that baby is born, he could always change his mind. Kids have a way of changing your thought processes.

So, does working for $30K a year.

[The_jbh]

not in the 17th round... maybe round 50...

thats throwing a draft pick in the garbage

[Red Heeler]

I understand that the guy wants to be around for his wife and child, but the solution is simple...move them. The signing bonus he would get would be a nice nest egg that would place him in a better financial position than the majority of recent college grads. Not a very smart or mature decision on his part.

[Team Clark]

Originally Posted by Red Heeler

I understand that the guy wants to be around for his wife and child, but the solution is simple...move them. The signing bonus he would get would be a nice nest egg that would place him in a better financial position than the majority of recent college grads. Not a very smart or mature decision on his part.

17th round money isn't that great. Although there have been guys who have held out and waited for clubs to give a little extra. If this was a 3-5th round guy I'd personally go drag him out of his house.

[Eric_Davis]

Originally Posted by Team Clark

17th round money isn't that great. Although there have been guys who have held out and waited for clubs to give a little extra. If this was a 3-5th round guy I'd personally go drag him out of his house.

Like Aaron Hathaway.

[TOBTTReds]

Originally Posted by Team Clark

17th round money isn't that great. Although there have been guys who have held out and waited for clubs to give a little extra. If this was a 3-5th round guy I'd personally go drag him out of his house.

He wouldn't get 17th round money though. If he was legitimately taken in the 17th round for whatever reasons, he would ask for 10th round or better money (if he wanted to play) because he is better than that and everyone knows that. You think Porcello is getting late first round money? I know you know this, just explaining for others that might not.

[Red Heeler]

Originally Posted by Team Clark

17th round money isn't that great. Although there have been guys who have held out and waited for clubs to give a little extra. If this was a 3-5th round guy I'd personally go drag him out of his house.

I'm willing to bet that 17th round money is a better signing bonus than what the majority of college grads will get at their first job.

[Triples]

I don't know what college grads are getting at their first job, signing bonus or salary; but a 17th rounder will be lucky to knock down $15k as a signing bonus. And, you can't raise a family on a minor leaguer's salary. Then again, we're assuming that the Red's didn't know he was "retiring". The scout grapevine works pretty well on these types of things, so even if the Reds didn't call him they may have known but decided a long time ago to take a flyer on the guy knowing he was a legit 5-10 rounder. They may dangle a signing bonus comensurate with a 5th rounder and see what happens. If it works WK and his minions will be brilliant and all their peers will be jealous; not to mention great fodder for RZ. If they're wrong, they'll still be great fodder for the RZ. If they really didn't do their homework then Castallini should castigate WK and his minions severely as I'm sure they will be here on the RZ.

Originally Posted by Red Heeler

I'm willing to bet that 17th round money is a better signing bonus than what the majority of college grads will get at their first job.

[Red Heeler]

Originally Posted by Triples

I don't know what college grads are getting at their first job, signing bonus or salary; but a 17th rounder will be lucky to knock down $15k as a signing bonus. And, you can't raise a family on a minor leaguer's salary.

After doing a bit more research, maybe the guy didn't make such a bad decision. I did not realize just how little a first year minor leaguer makes in salary. If you break it down to a 40 hour week, it is just barely minimum wage. I would have guessed it at about 2 to 3 times that.

[SandyD]

Maybe he doesn't want a ball players life for his family. I wouldn't say that's an unwise or immature decision. The answer is not the same for everybody.

[SandyD]

an earlier article

He's 24 ... wasn't drafted last year, or his last year of JUCO. He was drafted out of HS in 2001 (braves)

Who knows if his decision is changeable at all? If it's just about being there for the birth, that can be worked out.