Softball: Two players drafted
Chicago Bandits Choose Nemitz, Findlay in Pro Softball Draft
Snippet:
Becoming the fourth Wolverine in program history to earn first-round selection, [Nikki] Nemitz was the fourth overall pick of the draft and the first pitcher chosen. [...] The Bandits returned to the Michigan roster to select [Angela] Findlay with the draft's 20th and final pick in the fifth round. Findlay, a 2007 All-American outfielder, has listed among U-M's most consistent and successful hitters over her three-year tenure. [...] Nemitz and Findlay are the eighth and ninth players in Michigan history to be drafted in the professional league. The two draft picks are the most for the Wolverines since [...] the 1999 WPSL Senior Draft.Great for them. This also got me thinking about the timing of drafts. It seems weird that a sport would draft players before their senior season, opening up to losses from injury, massive regression or progression in their final season of play, etc. On the other hand, it's nice to get it out of the way before the season starts. College baseball's draft happens right at the beginning of the College World Series. This seems like it would be a distraction to the top athletes involved as they are working with the MLB teams to negotiate contracts, draft picks, and the like. Just something interesting to think about with spring sports and draft timing.
February 11th, 2010 at 9:54 AM ^
I had no idea there was a Pro Softball league... good for them!
The timing is tough to figure out, since teams drafting baseball players need to give them a little advance notice before shipping them off to their minor league teams. If they waited until after the CWS, players might only get a couple weeks in the minors before the seasons started to wind down. Moreover, the HS and most of the College players aren't in the CWS so that isn't a huge deal for them.
As for Pro Softball, I have no clue when their season even is, but drafting players before they've played their last amateur season doesn't seem smart to me.
February 11th, 2010 at 10:11 AM ^
It would also benefit baseball in college if teams could know who they're losing before the season starts. Teams like Michigan aren't allowed to oversign in the BigTen. So years like the 08 season that saw several juniors leave for the MLB early left a void well after signing day that couldn't be filled with quality players we had been recruiting since the beginning.
Meanwhile, teams like UNC, Arizona, or Texas have 20 or so kids each class that they "sign". They get them on campus in the fall, and only a few of them will actually make the varsity squad. Some will never make the field at all; still, they are locked into attending the university. From there, they tend to transfer to smaller schools or another local D1 program after sitting out a year.
All the complaining that goes on about Alabama's (or any other SEC team's) signing history in football is nothing compared to baseball.
February 11th, 2010 at 11:26 AM ^
Don't hockey players get drafted years before they are expected to play in the NHL?
February 11th, 2010 at 11:45 AM ^
question yes, hockey players become draft eligible when they are 18... somre kids are good enough to play right away(ie: crosby) and some play in the minors forever...
February 11th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^
Yes, but aren't many of Michigan's current and former players drafted before they even show up to Michigan? I guess my question was in regards to surprise that a draft is done before a player is finished with his/her college career.
February 11th, 2010 at 12:20 PM ^
that hockey and baseball are the only 2 sports that can draft kids after they graduate from high school... IMHO they are able to do this is because they have an established minor league system... but there are kids that aren't drafted out of HS and end up getting drafted after they are done with college or at least sign a free agent contract...
February 11th, 2010 at 12:33 PM ^
Baseball at least has the rule that if you go to college, you must stay there 3 years before you can be drafted again, if I understand it correctly. If you sign the contract out of high school, you lose all college eligibility.
I don't think hockey works the same way. I think you can leave college whenever you want. Someone might want to have a more solid source than my admittedly sketchy recollection.
February 11th, 2010 at 12:41 PM ^
is what jd drew used to his adavantage... he wanted nothing to do with the phillies and never signed and went back into the draft after his JR year... FA you're right about hockey... those kids can leave at any time... to either go to the nhl or to the chl(ohl/whl/qmjhl)... but what i'm not sure about with the nhl is if you can go back into the draft after you had already been through one draft and not been drafted... IIRC john madden was never drafted and played 4 years at michigan and then new jersey signed him to a free agent deal once he had graduated...
February 11th, 2010 at 4:20 PM ^
if you can go through the draft again in hockey, but I'm almost positive I read somewhere (a while ago, so no link, sorry) when they were discussing how Summers was returning and how if he didn't sign with Phoenix by some date in 2010, they lose his rights. I don't think it involves more drafting or just free agency though?