chris44cs
Veteran  
Posts 51
Registered 11-18-2009 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 5-14-2012 at 06:48 AM |
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Independant leagues? Community college?
Hello everyone.. Im kind of lost here and i need some guidance. i fell in love with the knuckleball about 5 years ago and ive been throwing it ever
since. I have a very good kball a good 2 seam and a decent curve.Im 22 now. Last year i had the chance to play a game at fenway park because of the
company i work with (wb mason) and theo epstein and john henry happened to be walking around the warning track talking with one another . I was
warming up with the kball in front of the bullpens when theo happened to see me pitching and strolled over and began watching
. (to say i was a little nervous is an understatement)he was amazed by the kball i was throwing and called me over and asked me alot of questions
about the grip i use, how i learned to throw it, if i could throw that good all the time ect ect
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chris44cs
Veteran
Posts 51
Registered 11-18-2009 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 5-14-2012 at 07:28 AM |
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Well long story short he asked what school i play for and when i told him i dont play for a team yet he was shocked. He then went on to tell me i need
to start playing for any team i can to be able to get scouted ect.. Well there lies my question. I have no idea where to go. I dont at the moment have
enough time to be a full time student to play for a college so where should i start looking? Some independant league tryouts? Any suggestions would be
greatly appreciated. Also i live just south of boston. Umass have any tips since your from the area?
Thanks everyone
knuckleball for life
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GreenMonster
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| posted on 5-14-2012 at 04:02 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by chris44cs
Well long story short he asked what school i play for and when i told him i dont play for a team yet he was shocked. He then went on to tell me i need
to start playing for any team i can to be able to get scouted ect.. Well there lies my question. I have no idea where to go. I dont at the moment have
enough time to be a full time student to play for a college so where should i start looking? Some independant league tryouts? Any suggestions would be
greatly appreciated. Also i live just south of boston. Umass have any tips since your from the area?
Thanks everyone
UMass is probably to best source for leads about independent leagues, but the independent leagues (particularly the CanAm and Atlantic Leagues) have a
history of not being deathly afraid of the knuckleball.
If I remember, Joe Gannon was working as a scout not long ago--maybe UMass can get you in touch with him. (Gannon got his start as the AAA bullpen
catcher in Buffalo when Wakefield was there and wound up with a long independent league career with
two stints in affiliated leagues.)
"[Ring] One [Ring] Two [Ring] Three [Ring] Four? Four. Four Rings. Well, perhaps it is TWO postmen" -- Grover in the Monsterpiece
Theatre production of "The Postman Always Rings Twice"
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UmassKBaller
Knuckleball Elite
Posts 405
Registered 2-24-2004 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 5-14-2012 at 05:43 PM |
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The independent leagues are up and running right now. Most are in the "spring training" phases - where they bring in up to 20 pitchers to
fight for 11 spots during a grueling 2 week period. Breaking into the indy leagues right now would be difficult, but not impossible.
Indy leagues are full of "dime a dozen" pitchers (right handed guys that throw 89mph) or reclaimation projects (a guy that throws 96mph,
but couldn't throw strikes, or sliders in the affiliated minor leagues).
Now, indy leagues make their claim by "selling" their players contracts to MLB teams (you, as the player, don't see a dime of the 5
grand that is paid for your rights). So, managers and pitching coaches are looking for guys who have a chance.
Here comes the hard part... not many managers think the knuckleball is a viable way to get to the MLB. So, you could throw a "lights out"
round of live BP (which i have done many times in the past) and be told that there is no room for you. You must find a manager willing to deal with
it.
Plus, you must know that indy leagues have their own levels (A, AA, and AAA ratings) and you will most likely have to "climb the
ladder."
I'll list the indy leagues and their relative levels:
Rookie/Single A - Pecos League
High A - Frontier League
Double A - CanAm, Freedom, American Association, and North American League
Triple A - Atlantic League
As you move up the ladder, the pay gets better. It starts at $50/week in the Pecos League and is uncapped in the Atlantic League. Generally speaking,
you're looking at $800 to $1,000 a month.
The best place to start a career is the Pecos League. They are always looking for pitchers, but they don't pay for travel and you'd have
to get your butt to New Mexico or Western Texas where the ballparks are high and dry (elevated and in the desert). The Pecos league then promotes you
to higher indy leagues so, from there, you can end up pitching in the CanAm... if you put up good numbers. Put up bad numbers in the Pecos league and
you might be looking at the end of your career in indy ball altogether.
Indy ball is no place to develop. You need to be able to compete or you get cut, and bad numbers follow you like a millstone. So, pick and chose your
first action carefully.
What I would recommend is a drive to Buffalo to throw for Joe Gannon - an Indy ball legend that threw a no hitter in the Atlantic League after getting
to Triple A with the Orioles. He's a scout for the Blue Jays as well. He's retired from pro ball but offers pitching lessons out of a few
different indoor facilities.
So, what I would do, is pay for his time and see what he thinks. He'll let you know if you need to work on it or if you are ready. If you are
ready for pro ball, then him and I will help you land a gig.
We can get you in contact with indy managers and have you throw a pen or live BP before a game. The res is up to you.
But, no need to rush if you're 22. There is a league on the south shore, a wood bat league, that plays during the summer. I played for the
Rockland Cardinals when I was 23 and it helped me understand what it takes to compete with the knuckler.
Here's a link to the Cardinals website
http://www.rocklandathleticclub.com/cardinalshome
Email me, chris.m.nowlin@gmail.com, if you'd like to get a hold of Joe.
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UmassKBaller
Knuckleball Elite
Posts 405
Registered 2-24-2004 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 5-14-2012 at 05:46 PM |
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the name of the amateur league on the south shore is the cranberry league
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chris44cs
Veteran
Posts 51
Registered 11-18-2009 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 5-15-2012 at 02:04 AM |
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Hey thanks alot for the responces guys. Ill def email you soon umass. Im thinking for now ill check out the cardinals and see what happens but i would
def considered driving out to gannon . Really cleared up alot for me i appreciate it umass. Talk to u soon
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chris44cs
Veteran
Posts 51
Registered 11-18-2009 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 5-15-2012 at 02:10 PM |
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cranbeery league tryouts are this saturday! im rushing to get registered before its too late. ill keep you posted. Any advice before the tryouts? went
out an threw about 80 pitches this morning and the knuck was working great. great side to side jumping and alot of sink. One problem ive always had
with my fastball is after 7 or 8 kballs it seems my first few fastball are alllways high in the zone.
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eyeknucks
Prospect
Posts 16
Registered 3-25-2009 Location Ohio Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 5-16-2012 at 03:35 AM |
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Invest in a trip to Buffalo
I'll second meeting with Joe Gannon. I worked out with him weekend before last. He knows his stuff. Mechanically he can get you set straight.
He will also tell you if you have work to do or if you are ready for these leagues.
Landon
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