So it's the 4th pick in the 2011 draft...

[Arthur_Bryant]

His athleticism is so off-the-charts that anything is possible if he chooses to focus on baseball. With his attention currently on football, however, I would disagree that he is a safe bet to step in and start shooting through a system. On the mound, in the field and at the plate he has a fair amount of clean-up to do. But it wouldn't shock me if he made the necessary adjustments quickly -- there just isn't an easy way to determine the pace of his future development.

If pushed, I'd say he is more likely than not to succeed, and to do so quickly. He's incredibly competitive and I haven't seen many kids his age with the mix of athleticism and "now" talent, considering his divided attention. I'd consider him highest follow and a potential top 10 guy, but you may need to wait until April for him to get into full swing for baseball in order to determine just where you want to try and grab him and sign him away from Nebraska.

Bubba Starling is a legend around my area, a remarkable talent, but the word is that he really loves his football.

EDIT: His baseball abilities are all the more impressive when you consider how little time he must spend at the game. In this area, most of the serious HS baseball players are playing fall ball at this time. Starling is playing football. Starting around the end of this month, through early March, the hard core baseball players will probably be with private coaches indoors. Starling will be playing basketball, and since he and his HS are very competitive, the playoff season will probably lap over a week or two into the start of baseball workouts. He is a pretty good student, too, so studying must take up some time. If you told me that he didn't pick up a bat and baseball from late August until March, I wouldn't be shocked.

[Stotle]

Bubba Starling is a legend around my area, a remarkable talent, but the word is that he really loves his football.

EDIT: His baseball abilities are all the more impressive when you consider how little time he must spend at the game. In this area, most of the serious HS baseball players are playing fall ball at this time. Starling is playing football. Starting around the end of this month, through early March, the hard core baseball players will probably be with private coaches indoors. Starling will be playing basketball, and since he and his HS are very competitive, the playoff season will probably lap over a week or two into the start of baseball workouts. He is a pretty good student, too, so studying must take up some time. If you told me that he didn't pick up a bat and baseball from late August until March, I wouldn't be shocked.

At ACG he said he was considering ditching basketball this year, which would help him get ready a little earlier for baseball. But I'm not convinced he doesn't lace-up on the hardwood. I'm curious if Nebraska's conference change as affected the strength of his commitment, as he'll play fewer games close to home. Shrug...as I said above, he's on the "check-in on him in April" list for me. Hopefully he's cruising along and raking, because he has a LOT of evaluators that are hoping to get the chance to sign him and throw money at him.

[Arthur_Bryant]

At ACG he said he was considering ditching basketball this year, which would help him get ready a little earlier for baseball. But I'm not convinced he doesn't lace-up on the hardwood. I'm curious if Nebraska's conference change as affected the strength of his commitment, as he'll play fewer games close to home. Shrug...as I said above, he's on the "check-in on him in April" list for me. Hopefully he's cruising along and raking, because he has a LOT of evaluators that are hoping to get the chance to sign him and throw money at him.

I don't see a lot of HS players, so I may be too easily impressed. But he sure brought Josh Hamilton to mind when I saw him this spring. He's a righty, of course, but I'm thinking more about the overwhelming physical tools, the sense that he could do anything on the ballfield if he chose.

[Stotle]

I don't see a lot of HS players, so I may be too easily impressed. But he sure brought Josh Hamilton to mind when I saw him this spring. He's a righty, of course, but I'm thinking more about the overwhelming physical tools, the sense that he could do anything on the ballfield if he chose.

He's definitely impressive. Against the top HS players in the country, his athleticism and tools stick out a lot more than his performance, though. What really blows me away is his pitching. He can get it up into the low-90s, touching mid-90s, can also spin a solid curve, and has never really had any specialized coaching on the pitching side.

But as I said, he has a fair amount of clean-up left (though it may not take him long to figure things out once he's coached). He lacks carry on his throws, even though his arm strength is obvious. He isn't great reading the ball off the bat, but certainly solid right now. His swing at ACG wasn't as impressive as I heard it was at the Tournament of Stars -- good bat speed but his upper- and lower-half weren't working well together. All of that, and he was easily one of my three favorite players there.

[RandyM]

I don't see a lot of HS players, so I may be too easily impressed. But he sure brought Josh Hamilton to mind when I saw him this spring. He's a righty, of course, but I'm thinking more about the overwhelming physical tools, the sense that he could do anything on the ballfield if he chose.

Do you guys think of him as a possible top 5 pick?

This is probably the last year he could get a huge pay day in baseball right, due to the possible impending CBA. So if he would want to get paid big time in baseball, this would be the year.

He has two things working against him, the impending MLB CBA and NFL CBA. Assume the slotting of NFL will be out there the time he is eligible for the draft if he turns out to be that good.

Does he roll the dice hoping to hit it big with the NFL or take the quick decent money from baseball? Guess it also depends on what he likes best too.

[Arthur_Bryant]

Do you guys think of him as a possible top 5 pick?

This is probably the last year he could get a huge pay day in baseball right, due to the possible impending CBA. So if he would want to get paid big time in baseball, this would be the year.

He has two things working against him, the impending MLB CBA and NFL CBA. Assume the slotting of NFL will be out there the time he is eligible for the draft if he turns out to be that good.

Does he roll the dice hoping to hit it big with the NFL or take the quick decent money from baseball? Guess it also depends on what he likes best too.

I'm not qualified to compare him to other Top Five candidates, and it's a tough class anyway. I also don't have a handle on how good a football player he is.

I will say that if he were my kid, and if money and the ability to play into your 30s were a consideration, I would be pushing him to baseball real hard. But I'm prejudiced against football, always have been, for the physical toll that it takes. If he chooses football, there is a pretty good chance that he ends up with nothing at age 22.

EDIT: Should add, he doesn't need to go Top Five to get Top Five money. If ever a kid screamed big time overslot opportunity in the mid- to late first round, he is it.

[RandyM]

I'm not qualified to compare him to other Top Five candidates, and it's a tough class anyway. I also don't have a handle on how good a football player he is.

I will say that if he were my kid, and if money and the ability to play into your 30s were a consideration, I would be pushing him to baseball real hard. But I'm prejudiced against football, always have been, for the physical toll that it takes. If he chooses football, there is a pretty good chance that he ends up with nothing at age 22.

EDIT: Should add, he doesn't need to go Top Five to get Top Five money. If ever a kid screamed big time overslot opportunity in the mid- to late first round, he is it.

Yup, 5 or 6 mill right away and starting your professional career.

Or waiting a couple years in FB, praying that you don't have an injury and that you steadily improve and get that big NFL payday. I can't imagine that NFL payday will be the 40 mill guaranteed that guys are getting today 4 years from now for the first pick.

Assume he wouldn't be getting more than 10 mill if he went to college and in 3 or 4 years was the top pick in baseball the way CBA is looking.

Take the 5 or 6 mill if you are offered that and run unless you really love FB.

[Stotle]

Do you guys think of him as a possible top 5 pick?

This is probably the last year he could get a huge pay day in baseball right, due to the possible impending CBA. So if he would want to get paid big time in baseball, this would be the year.

He has two things working against him, the impending MLB CBA and NFL CBA. Assume the slotting of NFL will be out there the time he is eligible for the draft if he turns out to be that good.

Does he roll the dice hoping to hit it big with the NFL or take the quick decent money from baseball? Guess it also depends on what he likes best too.

I think the CBA argument is overblown. They aren't going to slash bonuses -- the worst I could see is hard slots, which will undoubtedly increase each year. So, if Starling were to go in the 6-10 range, he may be looking at .5 - 1.5 million dollar differential. Something along those lines.

He could certainly be a top 5 guy by the spring -- I wouldn't have him there right now.