Zach Lee On the Left
UPDATE- UGhH Related- See my later post Shreveport Sports Reporter Says Austin Ross Leaving LSU For Brewers
Los Angeles gives LSU a double whammy all in one week!!!
Well we could see this coming. Of prime concern is ZACH LEE out of Texas. The others were pretty much expected that had committed to LSU but were expected to go high in the draft.
See
Dodgers Might Steal LSU QB
LSU may lose quarterback who's drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers (This article also talks about Delino DeShields out of Georgia that signed with LSU Baseball but is also a potential LSU football player too that went with the Houston Astros with the eighth overall pick)
The Advocate has Did Dodgers Deal Blow to LSU Football. Also related Mainieri will have to fill void of departing Tigers who returned LSU to top of baseball
In other major draft news news RANAUDO PICKED: LSU pitcher drafted by Boston Red Sox in first round (PLEASE COME BACK!!!)
Overall the first day of the Draft could have been worse for LSU baseball but it is was still painful. It is doubtful a lot of these kids will refuse the money.
That being said I am not giving up on LEE. First I think his family is well off so it is not like he has been in the poorhouse. He seems to REALLY want to come LSU and play QB too. No doubt Les Miles and Paul Mainieri will be over in TEXAS telling him to forget the Dodgers for a while because he could become the most famous 2 sports Athlete in LSU history and thus expand his worth!!
Still the situation is not good. It is hard to imagine if the the Dodgers do pay out the rumored 3 million dollars signing bonus he is asking he would pass it up. Still will the Dodgers pay out that money?
People in the "know" seem to be split right down the middle with the view he is coming or no he is not now.
The usual reliable Dandy Don. I think was the victim of VERY wishful thinking when he said on his blog:
As for Zach Lee, I believe his heart is calling him to play baseball and football at LSU and that he will honor his comittment if Les Miles can make him feel like he is going to play as a true freshman, and not in just a mop up role, provided that he earns that right in Summer workouts and Fall practice. My personal opinion is that Zach Lee will be on the field when LSU plays UNC in Atlanta on September 04, but I realize this could be wishful thinking and that Les Miles is very loyal to his upperclassmen. Zach Lee has more ability than any of the quarterbacks on the staff. I also believe that Coach Paul Mainieri will have to assure him that he will be the ace of the staff as a freshman and there is no doubt in my mind that Lee can step in and be the Friday night starter in SEC play. Lee is 6'5", 200 and went 7-3 his senior season with a 1.42 ERA. In 59 innings he struck out 85 and only issued 18 base on balls. In football his senior season, Lee threw for 2,566 yards and 31 touchdowns and only threw six interceptions. Lee also rushed for 10 touchdowns and averaged over six yards per carry. Miles and Mainieri need to do a great job in letting Lee know that he is needed at LSU.
I know that many of you are thinking hear we go again with Zach Lee because of losing high profile signees to the MLBD in Van Rosenberg from Zachary and Brody Colvin from Saint Thomas More in 2009. The deal with Zach Lee is a bit different. Rosenburg and Colvin chose between either playing pro baseball or college baseball. Lee's choice is to whether play football and baseball at LSU or to play pro baseball for the LA. Dodgers organization. Lee will probable be offered between 1M and 1.5M to sign with the Dodgers. In my opinion, Lee can earn much more in the future by playing two sports at LSU.
I cannot imagine in my WILDEST dreams that ZACH Lee would be fully prepared and Les would put in out there in this huge OPENING game. But he is right no need to red shirt this kid.
As to other players Dandy Don says:
I believe Tiger fans can forget about Deshields and Bedrosian ever stepping foot on the playing field at Alex Box Stadium. Both players' fathers played several years in the major leagues and had great careers. I think it has always been the two players' dreams of playing in the major leagues.
As for Ranaudo, I believe he will sign with Boston. In my opinion, Ranaudo may have overreacted early in the season over his forearm problem and then never seemed comfortable on the mound after that. The draft will continue today and I expect Micah Gibbs and Leon Landry to be drafted early in the day. I also expect three or four more of LSU's high school signees to be drafted.
Regardless the football situation as to one player and another potential player just adds to the need that NCAA must seek some reforms to the Baseball draft. That reform dealing with shortening the time that players and organizations have to fish or cut bait.
Well we could see this coming. Of prime concern is ZACH LEE out of Texas. The others were pretty much expected that had committed to LSU but were expected to go high in the draft.
See
Dodgers Might Steal LSU QB
LSU may lose quarterback who's drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers (This article also talks about Delino DeShields out of Georgia that signed with LSU Baseball but is also a potential LSU football player too that went with the Houston Astros with the eighth overall pick)
The Advocate has Did Dodgers Deal Blow to LSU Football. Also related Mainieri will have to fill void of departing Tigers who returned LSU to top of baseball
In other major draft news news RANAUDO PICKED: LSU pitcher drafted by Boston Red Sox in first round (PLEASE COME BACK!!!)
Overall the first day of the Draft could have been worse for LSU baseball but it is was still painful. It is doubtful a lot of these kids will refuse the money.
That being said I am not giving up on LEE. First I think his family is well off so it is not like he has been in the poorhouse. He seems to REALLY want to come LSU and play QB too. No doubt Les Miles and Paul Mainieri will be over in TEXAS telling him to forget the Dodgers for a while because he could become the most famous 2 sports Athlete in LSU history and thus expand his worth!!
Still the situation is not good. It is hard to imagine if the the Dodgers do pay out the rumored 3 million dollars signing bonus he is asking he would pass it up. Still will the Dodgers pay out that money?
People in the "know" seem to be split right down the middle with the view he is coming or no he is not now.
The usual reliable Dandy Don. I think was the victim of VERY wishful thinking when he said on his blog:
As for Zach Lee, I believe his heart is calling him to play baseball and football at LSU and that he will honor his comittment if Les Miles can make him feel like he is going to play as a true freshman, and not in just a mop up role, provided that he earns that right in Summer workouts and Fall practice. My personal opinion is that Zach Lee will be on the field when LSU plays UNC in Atlanta on September 04, but I realize this could be wishful thinking and that Les Miles is very loyal to his upperclassmen. Zach Lee has more ability than any of the quarterbacks on the staff. I also believe that Coach Paul Mainieri will have to assure him that he will be the ace of the staff as a freshman and there is no doubt in my mind that Lee can step in and be the Friday night starter in SEC play. Lee is 6'5", 200 and went 7-3 his senior season with a 1.42 ERA. In 59 innings he struck out 85 and only issued 18 base on balls. In football his senior season, Lee threw for 2,566 yards and 31 touchdowns and only threw six interceptions. Lee also rushed for 10 touchdowns and averaged over six yards per carry. Miles and Mainieri need to do a great job in letting Lee know that he is needed at LSU.
I know that many of you are thinking hear we go again with Zach Lee because of losing high profile signees to the MLBD in Van Rosenberg from Zachary and Brody Colvin from Saint Thomas More in 2009. The deal with Zach Lee is a bit different. Rosenburg and Colvin chose between either playing pro baseball or college baseball. Lee's choice is to whether play football and baseball at LSU or to play pro baseball for the LA. Dodgers organization. Lee will probable be offered between 1M and 1.5M to sign with the Dodgers. In my opinion, Lee can earn much more in the future by playing two sports at LSU.
I cannot imagine in my WILDEST dreams that ZACH Lee would be fully prepared and Les would put in out there in this huge OPENING game. But he is right no need to red shirt this kid.
As to other players Dandy Don says:
I believe Tiger fans can forget about Deshields and Bedrosian ever stepping foot on the playing field at Alex Box Stadium. Both players' fathers played several years in the major leagues and had great careers. I think it has always been the two players' dreams of playing in the major leagues.
As for Ranaudo, I believe he will sign with Boston. In my opinion, Ranaudo may have overreacted early in the season over his forearm problem and then never seemed comfortable on the mound after that. The draft will continue today and I expect Micah Gibbs and Leon Landry to be drafted early in the day. I also expect three or four more of LSU's high school signees to be drafted.
Regardless the football situation as to one player and another potential player just adds to the need that NCAA must seek some reforms to the Baseball draft. That reform dealing with shortening the time that players and organizations have to fish or cut bait.
THIS IS THE QUESTION I HAVE!! From Tigerdroppings I saw this:
I heard on a local show yesterday that Miles and co expected Zach Lee to be on campus today with the rest of the freshmen for summer conditioning and summer school! Now, I must preface this by saying this was before he was drafted in the first round last night and I would think that he would not report like thought yesterday afternoon. But, lets just say that today he is on campus and he makes it to a class. Correct me if I am wrong but if he sit through his first class then he is untouchable by MLB until his junior year or he turns 21.
Correct me if I am wrong but was not Van Rosenberg sitting in his first day of classes last year when the Pirates say here is 1.2 million dollars come to US!! Maybe he was on the way to class when he got the call. Was there roll taken? What is the rule. This needs to be explored.
I suppose the fact that LEE is on a football scholarship changes all that though and does not factor in.
Needless to say lets HOPE LEE really likes Baton Rouge and the summer here.
Update-
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers, who have made Draft-pick signability a key prerequisite in recent years, made a surprising pick Monday in the first round of the First-Year Player Draft, selecting two-sport star Zachary Lee from McKinney (Texas) High School with the No. 28 pick overall. Lee is a right-handed starting pitcher, but he is better known as one of the best high school quarterbacks in the nation (31 touchdown passes last year) who has the leverage of a commitment to attend and play both sports at Louisiana State.
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Lee was considered to be a difficult sign going into the Draft and hardly a perfect fit for a franchise that supposedly has its eye on finances. He reportedly is seeking a bonus in excess of $3 million range, and if he doesn't sign, the Dodgers will be under fire for wasting a top pick. "People can think what they want, he was the best talent available and I want to sign him, absolutely," said Logan White, assistant general manager of scouting. "
I didn't take Zach to not sign him. You'll see as the summer goes along we'll make every effort to sign him, and I want to sign him. I know it won't be easy, but hopefully we'll get it done." The Dodgers were unable to provide media access to Lee, which is very unusual for the club. But here is what Lee told his local McKinneyNews.net when he committed to LSU in February: ""I've always wanted to go to college," he said. "I think getting a degree is very vital to being successful in life and any time you can get a degree and play a sport at the same time, it's always going to be a benefit, especially if you love sports like me. To have it paid for is a huge accomplishment and I'm proud of myself."
The deadline for picks to sign is Monday, Aug. 16. The last time the Dodgers failed to sign their top pick was 2005, when they drafted but did not sign supplemental pick Luke Hochevar, who became the first overall pick by Kansas City the following year and is in the Royals' starting rotation. The largest bonus the Dodgers have given a Draft pick is $2.3 million for Clayton Kershaw in 2006. Lee and Kershaw have the same advisers, Alan and Randy Hendricks from Houston. White said he had a preliminary conversation with Lee's representatives after making the selection.
Since taking over the Draft in 2002, White's first pick has been a pitcher eight of nine times, and a high school pitcher now six times. Two of those top high school picks -- Chad Billingsley and Kershaw -- are in the Dodgers' rotation. "If he focuses on baseball, I think he can move quickly, like Kershaw and Billingsley," said White. "A lot will be made of the two sports, but as a pitcher, he has a real good arm and delivery, a plus breaking ball, he has a feel for a changeup, and when I saw him he was 90-92 [mph] with the fastball and up to 95. The ball comes out of his hand easily. "The guy's a competitor, he's smart.
Put it all together and we really couldn't pass him up. He's worth the risk of not signing. I like him that much." Unlike many recent Dodgers top picks, the club did not hold a special workout for Lee. According to White, Lee was surprised to get the call. "He certainly was surprised," White said. "They didn't have a feel for what we were going to do. It's part of the gamesmanship of the Draft." Five of White's nine top picks have come from Texas. He said Lee's competitive nature reminds him of Nolan Ryan, while Lee's athleticism and feel for pitching reminds him of a young Roy Halladay.
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