In Your Backyard

Clare sent a video clip of the girl who pitched herself into a scholarship last weekend atg the Valpo camp.  Holy Cow, did she hum that pea!  If players dream of something like this happening, coaches do, too.  One minute, you’re just trying to get through the day with a bunch of wannabes and then, Pop!  Who’s throwing so hard?  And two years from now, your pitching needs are all taken care of.  Even better, it didn’t cost a dime in airfare to check the prospect out.

The pros don’t bank on such serendipity, although in a way, I wish they did.  Teams send scouts half way around the world to look for anyone who can pitch or hit, but in Chicago they don’t care much about the talent around Chicago.  Consider that Jim Thome of Peoria was drafted in the 13^th round (!) while both the Sox and Cubs passed on Gary Gaetti (from downstate Centralia) when either of them could have drafted him in the first round.  And then we have the Cubs passing on Chicago’s own Kirby Puckett in the first round to take the immortal Troy Afenir.

If Jackie Robinson had played for the Chicago American Giants instead of the Kansas City Monarchs, he still would’ve broken in with the Brooklyn Dodgers.  It’s just the way we do things around here, regardless of color.