Info on David Ash

[Donald Boyles]

As most of y'all know, David Ash has been working out with Longhorn Pitching Coach Skip Johnson. The sticky part as of now will there be any room on the '15 roster for David Ash?? With 42 players on the fall roster(Not Including David Ash), the coaching staff must get down to 35 on the 1st day of the spring semester.

On Paper there appears to be no room for the '15 season for David Ash..

But, here's the deal as it was relayed to me, Head Baseball Coach Wayne Graham(Rice Owls) is ready to offer David Ash a baseball scholarship. Graham is willling to make room on his roster for Ash and is ready to start working with him..


This is how I see all of this working out.. David Ash continues working with Skip Johnson through the spring, joins one of the summer Collegiate League next summer, then becomes a member of the Longhorn Baseball Team next fall.

I need to touch base with someone to get some clarification as there are some movable parts here that need to be cleaned up..

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

What kinda stats did Ash have pitching for Belton in high school?  How hard does he throw, anyway?

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Thanks for the update Don.

 

[Randolph Duke]

I'd love to see things work out well for David. It would be a good example of how hard work and good character serve as a good plan "B" in case a student athlete's dreams don't turn out as they had hoped. 

 

[Marian Hinton]

I really, really hope he finds success. 

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Appreciate it, Don.

 

[Donald Boyles]

What kinda stats did Ash have pitching for Belton in high school?  How hard does he throw, anyway?

That's just it.. He hasn't pitch since little league days..

Word is he can bring the heat... he just can't hit the target.....yet..

 

[streettopeschel]

does he 'need' a baseball scholarship ? is he not still on football schollie?

 

[Chitownhorn]

That's just it.. He hasn't pitch since little league days..

Word is he can bring the heat... he just can't hit the target.....yet..

Given that he hasn't pitched since his little league days, how hard is it going to be for him to get to a point where he has a consistent release point for each of his different pitches? My guess is this is a big reason why he can't "hit the target...yet".

 

[doc longhorn]

This will be tough, if not nearly impossible for Ash.  I know this because of what my grandson is going through.

College baseball players, today, have usually been playing baseball since they were 5 yrs. old.  By the time they reach 10 years old they could be playing year round - if you include select programs.  Hard to believe, isn't it?  (Remind me to tell you how this affects their growth plates - especially the pitchers)

When they are about 15, they will be playing year around for sure and preparing to make high school squads that require they work out year around, as well.  The better players will be playing in premier select programs that play country wide and against the best the country has to offer.

My point being that David will be competing against these boys that are, virtually, seasoned professionals already - with YEARS of experience behind them.  It's a tough row to hoe.

 

[Randolph Duke]

does he 'need' a baseball scholarship ? is he not still on football schollie?

Charlie Strong is currently a defendant in a lawsuit filed by a former Louisville athlete who was unable to continue playing because of a medical issue. The athlete was on a medical scholarship and then joined the Louisville track team. NCAA rules stipulate that an athlete on a medical scholarship must be unable to participate in competition, not  that they are unable to participate in their original sport. When the athlete proved he was healthy enough to participate in competition, the university was obligated to pull his medical scholarship and there were no track scholarships available. The athlete sued Coach Strong and Louisville University. That matter (last I knew) was set for trial after the first of the year.

So, Ash will need a baseball scholarship. He can't be on a football scholarship and not participate in football related activities and he can't continue on his medical scholarship if he is physically able to participate in athletic competition. 

http://www.cardchronicle.com/2012/12/28/3811822/louisville-lawsuit-patrick-grant-charlie-strong

 

[streettopeschel]

Duke, that's good info. I didn't know how that worked.

 

[Randolph Duke]

Duke, that's good info. I didn't know how that worked.

I talked to the plaintiff's Atty on this and he had nothing but glowing comments about Coach Strong, so there is no blowback on this for Coach. Evidently, Louisville has indemnified him, so it is no big issue for him.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

That's just it.. He hasn't pitch since little league days..

Word is he can bring the heat... he just can't hit the target.....yet..

 

[monarch]

maybe baseball was his true calling along.  the road shall indeed be quite tough.. but if there is any player willing to offer persistence.. it is david.

 

[UTPhil2006]

The issue isn't necessarily the scholarship aspect, but the 35 person roster limit thats hindering him from playing this year.

 

[armadillo slim]

That's just it.. He hasn't pitch since little league days..

Word is he can bring the heat... he just can't hit the target.....yet..

don't think, meat.  just throw

 

[echeese]

Wish David Ash all the best. . . . though I also realized, him making a crowded roster boots someone else off. . . so good luck to all .. . . 

 

[Sirhornsalot]

This will be tough, if not nearly impossible for Ash.  I know this because of what my grandson is going through.

College baseball players, today, have usually been playing baseball since they were 5 yrs. old.  By the time they reach 10 years old they could be playing year round - if you include select programs.  Hard to believe, isn't it?  (Remind me to tell you how this affects their growth plates - especially the pitchers)

When they are about 15, they will be playing year around for sure and preparing to make high school squads that require they work out year around, as well.  The better players will be playing in premier select programs that play country wide and against the best the country has to offer.

My point being that David will be competing against these boys that are, virtually, seasoned professionals already - with YEARS of experience behind them.  It's a tough row to hoe.

I realize times have changed since I played, but . . . I came out of a small town which had none of the benefits you mention. I threw low to mid 90s but fancied myself as a pitcher using a wicked curve as the go-to pitch.

Two years chasing a hopeless college football stint ended at a baseball tryout at SFA. And like you said, there were about 180 or so there who were mostly from the Houston area and had all the bells and whistles you mentioned. My training consisted of throwing at a square painted on the side of a well house. I had to rebuild that damned well house three times, my dad threw fits. But I would spend endless hours doing that growing up, just because I loved doing that.

So when I stepped up and threw my first pitch at that tryout, it was a heater. Some coaches gathered behind me so I showed them that wicked curve. They quickly corrected me, saying "no, throw that heater again. Nothing but fastballs."

Point is, if you have the arm, it will draw a crowd. I've heard Ash has above average velocity. Like Mike said, if that can be channeled somehow, you got something. Some can and do, some don't. In baseball, it seems every stone gets turned these days.