Notre Dame coach talks Mancini and Connaughton

[wildcard]

My Goodness.   If you want to lift your spirits  just scroll to the bottom of this article and listen to Coach Mik Aoki talk about the O's two draftee from his program.

Great interview.  Enjoy.

https://www.pressboxonline.com/2017/04/20/orioles-trey-mancinis-college-coach-praises-the-major-leaguers-character

[terps19]

I hope Portland doesnt pick up his 3rd year.  

[Frobby]

8 minutes ago, terps19 said:

I hope Portland doesnt pick up his 3rd year.  

2.5 points per game, when he actually plays.    He's certainly expendable.    The teams will have one more roster spot next year, so that may save him.  

[sportsfan8703]

Don't get caught in the Connaughton talk.  However, after watching Garret last night one could think what if Connaughton did ditch basketball.  

[MurphDogg]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

2.5 points per game, when he actually plays.    He's certainly expendable.    The teams will have one more roster spot next year, so that may save him.  

And that was heavily buoyed by a pair of 15 and 19 point games at the very end of the season when Portland's other guards were injured or resting. Remove those games and he scored 1.7 points per game.

[Tony-OH]

The guy just likes to play basketball and not baseball. It is what it is. Even if his skills give him a better chance in baseball, he doesn't have the heart to play the game and that will cost him if he does decide to give it a real try.

[MurphDogg]

6 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

The guy just likes to play basketball and not baseball. It is what it is. Even if his skills give him a better chance in baseball, he doesn't have the heart to play the game and that will cost him if he does decide to give it a real try.

Is this based on any first-hand conversations or quotes that he has given or is it just based on the decisions he has made?

 

If it is the latter, one could argue that it is completely rational to play professional basketball for two years and bring home $1.5M and then switch to baseball when the NBA opportunities dry up. It isn't necessarily a matter of heart, or which sport he prefers.

He certainly seems like he still intends to attempt to pitch in the big leagues per this NYT article.

Likewise in this Baltimore Sun article from the same time period (last March).

"In my mind, I will pitch in MLB," Connaughton said Monday afternoon before the Trail Blazers' game against the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center. "I want to achieve that. That's a dream of mine. I don't know when it will be, but a lot of pitching is based on how many bullets are in your arm compared to your age."

[Tony-OH]

Just now, MurphDogg said:

Is this based on any first-hand conversations or quotes that he has given or is it just based on the decisions he has made?

 

If it is the latter, one could argue that it is completely rational to play professional basketball for two years and bring home $1.5M and then switch to baseball when the NBA opportunities dry up. It isn't necessarily a matter of heart, or which sport he prefers.

He certainly seems like he still intends to attempt to pitch in the big leagues per this NYT article.

Everything the guy has done by his actions says he loves basketball more than baseball. In fact, I'm pretty sure he's said as much in an interview. The guy thinks a lot of himself. He just thinks he'll play a little basketball, then pick up a baseball and pitch in the major leagues after not doing anything for years. He needs to just go to Europe and play his game.

[MurphDogg]

3 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Everything the guy has done by his actions says he loves basketball more than baseball. In fact, I'm pretty sure he's said as much in an interview. The guy thinks a lot of himself. He just thinks he'll play a little basketball, then pick up a baseball and pitch in the major leagues after not doing anything for years. He needs to just go to Europe and play his game.

He has said that he won't go to Europe, that he will return to baseball when his NBA opportunities are up. I'm not sure where you are getting that he thinks he will pitch in the majors quickly, I haven't seen anything that indicates he won't bust his hump in the minors trying to be a successful pitcher. He thinks, perhaps naively that the NBA time won't hurt his MLB development, but it worked for Mark Hendrickson.

[Frobby]

3 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

The guy just likes to play basketball and not baseball. It is what it is. Even if his skills give him a better chance in baseball, he doesn't have the heart to play the game and that will cost him if he does decide to give it a real try.

We've had this argument before.   To me, he made an economic decision to go for the bird in the hand rather than two in the bush.    He signed for $1.5 mm guaranteed, and will earn another $1 mm next year if Portland keeps him.   Meanwhile, he probably would have spent the last two years in the minors earning $25-30 k a year, and if he turned out to be good enough for the majors by now (which is no sure thing) it would still take him the next three seasons to earn the $1.5 mm he's already earned playing basketball.         

Now, I do think he would rather play basketball than baseball if the    guaranteed money were equal.    But it's not equal.  

[Frobby]

By the way, Connaughton was a 4th round pick in the 2014 draft.   So far, exactly one 4th rounder from that draft has made it to the majors.    

Some have said Connaughton was more like a 2nd round talent who slipped to the 4th round because of the possibility that he'd choose basketball.    Well, OK, exactly two 2nd rounders from that draft have made it to the majors. 

My point is, choosing the baseball path was very risky, and any possible big payoff likely to be years away.     He took a shot at making an NBA team and made a nice little killing.    And, he still can try baseball if the basketball thing ends (and won't have to live hand-to-mouth if he does).   He's delayed his development, but would still have a shot.

[terps19]

26 minutes ago, Frobby said:

We've had this argument before.   To me, he made an economic decision to go for the bird in the hand rather than two in the bush.    He signed for $1.5 mm guaranteed, and will earn another $1 mm next year if Portland keeps him.   Meanwhile, he probably would have spent the last two years in the minors earning $25-30 k a year, and if he turned out to be good enough for the majors by now (which is no sure thing) it would still take him the next three seasons to earn the $1.5 mm he's already earned playing basketball.         

Now, I do think he would rather play basketball than baseball if the    guaranteed money were equal.    But it's not equal.  

That makes a lot of sense.  

[ChuckS]

Gonna be rain in the area from 8 to 10 according to my forecast. Could get three in 7-8 and the last six from 10-12.

[MurphDogg]

14 minutes ago, Frobby said:

By the way, Connaughton was a 4th round pick in the 2014 draft.   So far, exactly one 4th rounder from that draft has made it to the majors.    

Some have said Connaughton was more like a 2nd round talent who slipped to the 4th round because of the possibility that he'd choose basketball.    Well, OK, exactly two 2nd rounders from that draft have made it to the majors. 

My point is, choosing the baseball path was very risky, and any possible big payoff likely to be years away.     He took a shot at making an NBA team and made a nice little killing.    And, he still can try baseball if the basketball thing ends (and won't have to live hand-to-mouth if he does).   He's delayed his development, but would still have a shot.

Yeah, as I said above, it is a perfectly rational economic decision.

[Rene88]

49 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

The guy just likes to play basketball and not baseball. It is what it is. Even if his skills give him a better chance in baseball, he doesn't have the heart to play the game and that will cost him if he does decide to give it a real try.

Been saying this since we drafted him. People calling him names bc he doesn't play baseball? Are you serious? First off, god bless him having the skills to play both professionally. Second, I respect him for playing what he loves over practicality. Let him make his own path.