This poll was in response to this article... http://tinyurl.com/mfeq4y ...and the subsequent Twitter chatter it sparked. Essentially it's about a varsity baseball phenom, just 16, who plans to skip the rest of high school (do a GED) so he can be pro eligible earlier. (He does intend to go to college first.) One voter asked: "Is this the kind of debate we should even be having?". We think so. The tug between age, education and money affects not just baseball but other career paths, too.

Do you agree with the father-son decision? Would you do the same thing for your child? Which do you rank higher for your adolescent? How much would the money affect your decision?

We heard from many, almost every voter commented. We can only share a few here on both sides of the debate, starting with a couple from folks who know the player in question...

I've watched Bryce Harper play. I've seen him in interaction with his peers. He is a well rounded player and young man. His decision to skip high school is good for him, not every one can make that jump, but I think he can. He is the real deal.

This depends on the player. It is not for all players. Bryce Harper has been a phenom since he has started playing. He does not just walk on the field and is great. He is the hardest working player at the cage. I bet it is frustrating to work as hard as he does and not get anything to hit. High school ball is a waste for him and to his credit that he does not swing out of the zone just to try to get a hit. All the coaches in Vegas refuse to let him beat them so they pitch around him. When they finally pitched to him in the playoff he hit 8 home runs.  .

Others in favor...

Some times you have to jump at opportunities. Of course in a perfect world, the son would complete High School, go to college, play ball, get a degree and the go Pro. If you have a chance to make more money in a year than most people to in 10 or 20, then the decision is very easy.

1st round draft pick signing bonus is more money than most people make plus you can put extra money away toward 4 years of school.]

It's about the money. If this kid signs a multi year contract worth say a million a year, (Very realistic if he is a top pick!) he would probably never see that income that quickly going the college/work route.

I've been a working professional all my life and never had a chance to have over a million dollars all in one year. If a kid can get himself financially set for life right now, that's the obvious thing to do. He can always get educated later--especially if he has the bank account to pay for it. Or would you rather watch your kid study/party/ graduate and then have to look for a job just to pay off his student loans-- especially in this job market.


And those opposed...

Although you see it with tennis and even golf, I believe that kids need a chance to be kids as long as they can. The chances of making it to the Major Leagues is so small even for the most talented players and a lot of times kids do not make it not because they lack the talent, but because they lack the maturity to handle that talent. 

Raise your hand if you'd heard of Bryce Harper three weeks ago. I hadn't. Then came the Sports Illustrated cover. Then, Sunday, Harper's dad held a news conference to announce that his son, a high school baseball prodigy, maybe THE prodigy of the past 30 years, had opted to drop out of school after his sophomore year (at 16), take the GED, enroll at a community college - all part of an accelerated plan to qualify by 2010 for the Major League Baseball amateur draft. Ron Harper must have been feeling a bit embattled because he was quoted saying this: "People question your parenting and what you're doing. Honestly, we don't think it's that big a deal. He's not leaving school to go work in a fast food restaurant. Bryce is a good kid. He's smart and he's going to get his education." Who can say whether this will work out for Bryce. There are LeBrons and Tigers out there who make a strong case that some kids are going to be superstars sooner or later, so why not sooner? Yet when I hear about can't-miss teens, I can't help thinking about the ones who do miss. There are a lot more of those than there are LeBrons and Tigers. Eight years ago, I wrote an article for BusinessWeek about a golfing phenom, Ty Tryon. Tryon was 17 when he dropped out of high school, signed rich sponsorship deals with Callaway Golf and Target, and headed off for the PGA Tour. It wouldn't have been fair for Ty's parents to hold back their gifted son. He had that much talent. His prospects were so bright. Or so the story went. Ty is still trying to qualify for the PGA Tour.

16 yr old boys are just that, boys. Regardless of their physical appearance they still have a 16 yr olds mind. I'm sure there are many who will say how mature this kid already is. He might seem to be more mature than the average 16 yr old teen but I guarantee when he gets around the other teens he fits right in. Life experience as a 16 yr old is huge for developing life skills. There is no better classroom then the high school campus to learn these skills. My 16 year old boy playing baseball with 22 yr old men. No way, he can wait.

I think he becomes a marked man. He will have a bullseye on his back. Sometimes kids have to play within their age level to maintain social skills and have the ability to interact with kids their own age. 

Education is proven over and again to improve individual financial and macro-economic stability. athletics may provide a pot of gold now, but does not give the young person the ability to deal with life beyond sports. also, risks of injury, washing out, etc., are too high to gauge appropriately at that age.


We also asked a related question because this had to do with how the MLB draft works (i.e. he could not be drafted while still in high school). Do you think the split (dichotemy?) between set draft rules for players in US, Canada, etc. and the "open season" approach taken by MLB in Caribbean Islands and South America is fair?



The almost inevitable voter comment: "Whatever happened to America's Game?" In truth, that boat has sailed. Baseball is no more exclusively American than hockey is Canadian or soccer is Roman.