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| Stephen Lumpkins pitching for the Bethesda Big Train last summer | * |
Lumpkins is set to break out his left-handed pitching arm again this summer, playing for the Laconia Muskrats (based in Laconia, New Hampshire) of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. He's looking to beat the performance last summer that got him on scouts' radar, where he struck out 11 batters in 10.2 innings while allowing four earned runs (these may be the most baseball stats you'll ever see on this blog). Of course, 6'8" left-handed pitchers probably don't show up in the New England Collegiate Baseball League every day, so I have high hopes for his chances.
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| This thing is fierce! |
Update: It looks like Lumpkins would be facing stiff competition as well - according to sbnation, in the first 13 rounds, the Royals picked 9 pitchers. Of the 9, 3 are left-handed pitchers (including Lump), and both the 12th and 13th picks are 6'8" (Kansas City Star).
According to Athlon Sports, every year that there's been a draft (with the sole exception of 1975), at least one 13th round pick has made it to the majors, most notably Albert Pujols (402nd overall pick in 1999). So, his chances aren't terrible, but it's also far from guaranteed. This is going to be a tough decision for him, and wherever he goes, AUHoops will follow (so these may not be the last baseball stats we see, in fact).
The AUeagles press release does hint that he will be back, citing the milestones he'll be able to reach next season if he stays on the hardwood. Last year, they gave no such indication, so read into that as you will. Although he sometimes got lost behind Vlad, Lumpkins is already in the top 20 in program history for rebounds, and top 5 all-time for blocks (19th and 4th, respectively). Next season, he could become the 11th Eagle to score 1,000 points and pull down 500 boards. Should I mention again how much of a hit it would be to lose him?
Ultimately, Lumpkins knows how much he means to this team. It's going to come down to how much he wants to be a professional athlete, and what he feels his chances are after he graduates. We'll keep our ear to the ground and keep you updated with the latest. In the mean time, vote in this week's poll to let us know what you think Lumpkins will do, and of course, share your thoughts in the comments.
One final silver lining - if Lumpkins does have a meteoric rise in baseball, he could likely finance the return of varsity baseball at AU, last played in 1986. We can dream, right?
If you want to catch Lumpkins on the mound (and happen to be in or around New Hampshire), the Laconia Muskrats will be playing their season opener at home against the Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide (what an incredible name) this Friday, June 10th, at 7:05 PM. The Muskrats' Robbie Mills Field is located at 15 Eastman Road in Laconia, New Hampshire.
Pro Deo Et Patria,
Josh
*Image courtesy Harvey Levine, SmugMug.com
Obviously I wish Lumpkins the best and as a 20-21 year old kid he deserves to do what he wants, but there's a part of me wishing he was spending his summer working on an 8-12 foot jump shot. All of his offense was in the post and at the rim, and defenders gave him space when he squared up from mid-range. If he had that jump shot, he'd be that much harder to guard and make it that much easier to replace Vlad's scoring next year.
ReplyDeleteBut nonetheless congrats to Lump!
lump has been removed by athletics from the roster on the official website, this doesnt seem too good.
ReplyDeletelets hope its a mistake by the folks in ath comm who manage the website
The AUeagles.com story about him being drafted has been removed from the front page of the athletics website as well. Uh oh.
ReplyDeleteLumpkins still is on the AU roster on the website.
ReplyDeleteI don't see him on the 2010-2011 roster. He is still listed on the 2009-2010 and 2008-2009 rosters, although even if he leaves now he should remain on 2010-2011.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the press release concerning his drafting has been completely removed from athletics' website. I wonder if they didn't expect him to take the offer? Still, this is odd for them to do, I've never seem them delete somethingthing they've already written.
Lumpkins era is over folks, per WaPo.
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/#!/joshbarr/status/78952210007986177
Whoops, spoke too soon. If you follow the link we already posted, they've updated their story to say that he will sign a professional contract:
ReplyDeletehttp://aueagles.com/sports/m-baskbl/2010-11/releases/20110607
They might just be waiting until it's totally official?
Article from AUEagles.com says Lumpkins will sign with KC:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.aueagles.com/sports/m-baskbl/2010-11/releases/20110607
It has apparently been taken down for the time being, but it sounds like his hoops career is likely over.
If Lump does indeed sign, I'd be stunned if the contract doesn't stipulate that he can't play basketball. I believe (bison or someone who, you know, knows things will correct me if I'm wrong) that he can be paid to play another sport and still be eligible for his last year, so long as it's not basketball that he's paid to play.
ReplyDeleteYes, he could still play basketball under NCAA rules, but I'm sure KC doesn't want him to. If he negotiated enough, he might get a contract where he could play hoops his senior year - but for a much smaller signing bonus. That would also set back his career somewhat.
ReplyDeleteKC is paying for his last year of college, according to WaPo, so the whole incentive of having the scholarship is a moot point now too. Whether or not that last year is at AU remains to be seen. Hopefully Lumpkins still gets to graduate as an Eagle.
ReplyDeleteAs far as basketball is concerned, it certainly looks like next year is going to be more of an uphill battle than we anticipated.
I can't hate on Lump. It's an opportunity he had to pursue. But he's really left us in a lurch. We could have used his scholarship to get some frontcourt help for next season; now, we are really going to be small. The timing just couldn't be worse. JJ is going to have to play fast next season, and I think we all know that's not his favorite style. Schoof and Kager are going to have to contribute in a hurry.
ReplyDeleteA couple thoughts-
ReplyDeleteCan we sign a Juco big guy if there is one out there? No Russians however!
i question the wisdom of this decision unless i am missing some draft savvy. I do not think the Lumpkins family is in tough financial straits like so many draftees into pro sports- who need to help out their families. To me Stephen's getting $ 200 k + incentives is really an insurance policy that he will NOT be a successful pro pitcher. Let us say hypothetically that he had gone to pitch this summer for Laconia and was one of the top pitchers in the league. Wouldn't his draft status go from a 13th rounder to a 4th rounder ? Of course there are the potential injury issues in playing in the college league and in playing for AU his senior season, but that can happen anytime and he is a big strong kid. If he pitched for Laconia and was just a pretty good pitcher, wouldn't he still be a 13th rounder ? Stephen said that not one other team showed any deep interest other than the Royals, and just wanted to wait and see. What does that tell you ? The Royals are not exactly the smartest organization over the past 20 years.
There were many times that Lumpkins did not show up in games and was MIA. Jones sat him down for long periods to try to motivate him. If he had a passion for AU Basketball and his teammates, then it seems to me that this decision to play pro ball now could have been made a year later. Can you imagine the money he could get if he tore up the College league and was a 1 or 2 draftee ? So he takes the $ 200 k because in my opinion it is more likely he will fail as a pro pitcher. If he was so super confident of his ability (and were the scouts) then he would have a bigger payday a year from now. Let let down his teammates, and our program. If he had such a passion for baseball then he should have chosen a college with a baseball program also. I think he and his family made a poor decision.
Bottom Line Boots as usual you have no idea what you are talking about. A 6'8" white kid in basketball is a dime a dozen. A 6'8" lefty pitcher who throws in the high eighties is a rare commodity.
ReplyDeleteWho are you to question a family who is trying to make an informed decision with their son about what's best for him in his career.
As you know Jones was interviewed for the GW job. If he had left do you think he would have cared about Steve. I think not.
Steve's prospects in basketball were limited to Europe and it is questionable how much he would have made there.
I applaud thier decision and wish him the best of luck.
BLB - Also consider his ability to negotiate with the team. Although his stock may have risen if he dominated the NECBL, this is more or less the last time he has the leverage of saying "well I'll just go play my senior year of basketball instead." Next year he wouldn't have that leverage, and there is no guarantee he'd be picked up by anyone after turning down a 13th pick. I just wish the draft had happened earlier so we could have put his scholarship to better use.
ReplyDeleteAnon- JJ did not interview for GW apparently according to ESPN due to him having surgery and no general interest. Not sure about whether or not he interviewed for the Mason job, though.
ReplyDeleteDo we honestly think if Coach Jones had been offered the Mason job he would have turned it down so he could come back to coach Lump and his teammates. Double standard to me. How can we second guess a kid who makes a decision he thinks is in his best interest. He will still graduate from AU and gets chance to play pro baseball. If he waits another year he is a year older and has less leverage. Hurts AU hoops for 2011-12 but give opportunity to Wroblicky Grafft, Fisher, etc. We should be happy for Lump and hope he makes it. Could be great story for AU as well.
ReplyDeleteBill and Anonymous'- Look guys i gave reasons why i FRANKLY thought the decision was in my opinion a poor one. If 88 mile an hour lefties are so hot why was only one of 32 teams interested in our kid and willing to put up some dough -until the 13th round ? he would be just as valuable next season if not more so, if he truly has the goods to contend for a career in baseball. I spelled that reasoning out. I do not question the Lumpkins' family right to make their decision. i just question their choice. That is the bottom line here. It would be a great AU and sports story if Stephen makes a big splash and makes a living throwing a baseball- after going to college on a basketball scholarship. I think he could just do it one year from now, as the $ 200 k would still be there unless he imploded in the College Summer League. Top left handed pitchers are not discovered any more on a small town sandlot. If he pitched for Laconia this summer and shined, there would be at least one or two MLB scouts at every game- then the $ 200 k would be tripled or more in the 2012 draft. He is a long, long shot and that is why he grabbed the $ 200k. Our loss for our basketball team. Again i ask if he ALWAYS had a continued passion to play pro ball then why didn't he go to a school with a decent baseball program, or play in summer leagues before last summer's cup of coffee with the Bethesday team ? I guess he just changed his mind.
ReplyDeleteJeff Jones did talk to the GW people, but there was no offer made to JJ, The GW job pays about $ 250 k more than the AU job, and the GW job was always Lonergan's. For JJ to look at making over $ 1 million more over 5 years is something we would all be interested in- especially when you do not need to uproot your wife's very successful and enjoyable career. It was Lonergan's dream job. JJ did not talk or was he contacted by the GMU people.
Let's hope that Wroblicki, Fisher, Graff load up with Ensure and Whey and get physically stronger in their inside games
QUOTE: " Let us say hypothetically that he had gone to pitch this summer for Laconia and was one of the top pitchers in the league. Wouldn't his draft status go from a 13th rounder to a 4th rounder ?"
ReplyDeleteNo. He would likely have gone up a few rounds but certainly not to a 4th rounder. The NECBL is a good league but certainly not on the same level as the top leagues.
QUOTE: "If he pitched for Laconia and was just a pretty good pitcher, wouldn't he still be a 13th rounder ?"
Probably. But by delaying his signing for another year, he would be a year further behind - which isn't good for a pitcher who is already so far behind.
QUOTE: "Stephen said that not one other team showed any deep interest other than the Royals, and just wanted to wait and see. What does that tell you ? The Royals are not exactly the smartest organization over the past 20 years."
I'm not sure why 20 years is relevant. Over the past few years, however, the Royals have been regarded as one of the smartest organizations in MLB. Many of the current rankings (Baseball America, ESPN - Keith Law, etc) have the Royals' minor league system ranked #1.
QUOTE: "Can you imagine the money he could get if he tore up the College league and was a 1 or 2 draftee ?"
Not sure if you mean him being a #1 or 2 pick or a 1st or 2nd rounder. In either case, it is irrelevant because there was no chance he was going to move up very much in the summer league he was playing in. Given that he has not really pitched for three years, the best he might have done is to move up a few rounds next year. HOWEVER then he would have no leverage in negotiations and would be lucky to get as good a deal as he got this year - which was well over slot if it really was 200K. Also he would have lost another year - thus taking a year off of the length of any possible career at the major league level.
QUOTE: "So he takes the $ 200 k because in my opinion it is more likely he will fail as a pro pitcher. If he was so super confident of his ability (and were the scouts) then he would have a bigger payday a year from now. "
No one knows how he will pan out in baseball - that's why he's a 13th rounder. About 95% of 13th rounders never make the majors, so why would he or the Royals be super confident about his chances? It's not a tough prediction by you, or anyone else, to say he will probably fail - given that almost all players selected in the 13th round or later will fail.
I disagree with you, Boots, and, to be similarly frank, I think it is in poor taste to criticize Lumpkins' decision in the manner that you have here.
ReplyDeleteThe prospects for Lumpkins to play professional ball, anywhere, are not good as far as I'm concerned. He was the third best center in the PATRIOT LEAGUE (behind Muscala and Mintz) last season. That's not particularly impressive and doesn't speak to much chance of taking his talents to the next level.
If Lumpkins thinks pursuing professional baseball is best for him, I think we owe it to him (for his performances the past three seasons) to be supportive, but that's just me.
Whether the Lumpkins family is in dire financial straits or not is irrelevant. Lump wants to pursue baseball (which is an opportunity a number of people who love the sport will never have), he has the opportunity to do so, from what I understand his prospects for playing college ball weren't great, so he did what he thought was best and decided to play basketball where he's given us three great seasons. Now he's again doing what he think is best.
I think the appropriate thing to do here is to appreciate the three seasons he gave us and not bemoan the one he isn't.
I think that JJ did indeed interview for GMU, unless this blog has it wrong. See: http://georgemasonbasketball.blogspot.com/2011/04/george-mason-to-interview-jeff-jones.html
Bison hit the nail on the head (even though it has been mentioned here before). It is all about leverage. No way he'd get near as much in a signing bonus next year if he waited even if he moved up a few rounds.
ReplyDeleteA few things to consider about Lumpkins and baseball. I was at Bethesda last summer when MLB teams were scouting him. According to Pirate scout who sat near us, he was at 90-92 the night I was there and struck out 5-6 hitters in 3 innings. Kinda looked like a man among boys to be honest. He was highly recruited in baseball out of high school until he decided to play basketball. Norcal preps a Calif website mentions Santa Clara, Cal, Notre Dame among schools who recruited him as pitching prospect. His main issue as a baseball prospect he is facing now is age. He has low milege on his arm but is getting older for such a raw but talented prospect. Ask any scout about a 6'8 LHP who throws low 90's and is a good athlete and they begin to salivate. I follow baseball more than basketball in the mid atlantic region but if you ask me, its a no brainer for him to sign now instead of waiting.
ReplyDeleteThe merits of Lump's decision as it pertains to basketball is outside my area of expertise--and, I suspect, outside almost everyone's on this site. So I will accept the notion that this was a unique opportunity for him that would have been hard to pass up. My concern is what this does for the program next season.
ReplyDeleteTrue, Lump isn't as good as Muscala, but he's better than every other big in the PL, and losing him is a huge blow. We are really going to be challenged on the glass next season. I think the only way we can play is fast, fast, fast. That means all hands on deck and everyone contributing, including Blake, Bersch, etc. I can only guess at a starting five now but the best one in my view would be WSII, Troy, Simon, Hinkle, Wroblicky, with Munoz/Jolivette, Grafft, Kager the first in reserve. Wow, this is going to be tough.
Why do you think Simon will start ahead of Munoz? Sounds unlikely to me.
ReplyDeleteNote: I was referring to Wayne Simon above - not McCormack.
ReplyDeleteIf Wayne can further adjust to the pace of the college game over the summer, he'll likely see big backup minutes behind Munoz (who, for all we know, could really blow us out of the water next season). Also, Wroblicky showed a lot of promise last season backing up Lump, although this will undoubtedly be a huge "trial by fire" situation for him. Grafft might make his way back into the lineup because of it.
ReplyDeleteMy predicted 5 would be:
Munoz, Brewer, McCormack, Hinkle, Wroblicky
Reserves:
WSII, Hill, Kager, Fisher, Grafft
Fact is, outside of the transfers, we're not going to be very experienced or very big next season. We might be fast, but we all know JJ doesn't like playing that way, and the inexperience might sink us. The biggest problem is that however much we lacked clear leadership last season, that problem is only magnified now. Let's hope the increased time some of the younger players get will help them gel as a team and foster that leadership eventually emerging somewhere. That's our only hope for 2012-2013 and beyond.
Because Wayne is better. I know he had some of the usual freshman adjustments and that Danny has an edge in experience, but we all saw last year the limitations in his game (and this is from someone who defended Danny consistently his first year). We can't go through another season essentially playing 4 on 5 at the offensive end. Danny is not quick enough even at the PL level to turn the corner and get into the paint, and he was far too reluctant to look for his shot. Even in his brief time on the floor Wayne showed he was a better creator and distributor. Hopefully he's mature enough to handle what is expected of him at both ends of the floor and will earn JJ's trust enough to start. The overarching point is that with Lump gone we will need contributions from everyone on the roster next season to have any chance to compete in the top half of the conference.
ReplyDeleteMunoz is held back by Jones. If Jones loosens the rope there is little doubt he is our starter. He should have been the starter last year just look at stats.
ReplyDeleteI was not impressed with Wayne's quickness. But he will serve as a capable backup.