8:12am: Parker will announce he'll return to Clemson to be their quarterback as a sophomore, tweets Tracy Ringolsby of Inside The Rockies, but the Rockies can still sign him by August 16th. Jim Callis of Baseball America says Parker had given the Rockies a July 20th deadline to sign him to a baseball-only contract.
WEDNESDAY, 7:19am: Renck tweets that he's heard Parker will make an announcement today.
TUESDAY, 9:30pm: The Rockies don't have a deal with Parker yet, according to Renck (via Twitter). The negotiations are taking time, partly because the sides had a lot to discuss. The Rockies are willing to "be creative" and accomodate Parker's desire to play football (Twitter link), but they would offer a smaller bonus if they allow him to play football.
10:44am: Rockies first-round pick Kyle Parker is expected to agree in principle on a deal today, tweets Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. Renck believes the contract will be closer to $2MM than $3MM. Parker would join Todd Helton and Seth Smith as Rockies who played quarterback in college.
Parker was drafted at #26, where the slot recommendation might be below $1.5MM. Parker has to be paid extra to be lured away from three years of football eligibility and the starting quarterback gig at Clemson. He projects to land in an outfield corner if he chooses baseball.
and Russell Wilson, who is the best QB of the group
Good, we need him
Parker was a wayyy better QB than wilson and is better than him at baseball too
Smoltz, you are crazy. Clemson hardly wins a game without Spiller. Wilson has twice the athleticism and was the first freshman ever to be ALL-ACC first team QB. His numbers compare favorably to Phillip Rivers’ early career. Parker was adequate, but not great as a football player.
I don’t disagree about baseball. Russell has upside, but probably not more than as a utility guy.
That’s why Wilson consistently got chased down by defensive linemen, right? Parker is more athletic, a better passer, and a better baseball player than Wilson will probably ever be. Wilson’s freshman numbers compared to Rivers’, not his sophomore numbers. And Parker had nothing to do with the 43-23 beatdown in Raleigh, did he? Take off the red-tinted glasses for once.
I don’t want to simultaneously invest big money in a guy AND give him permission to keep getting tackled and concussed by giant men. $2 million means slot money plus a cool half mil to stop playing football.
First off Russell Wilson is a better QB than Kyle Parker. Wilson didn’t throw an interception until midway through his second season has starter. Parker on the other hand is a gunslinger and turns the football over at a high rate.
The Rockies have a knack for drafting QBs and getting them to work out in the Majors. Every organization tries this, but very few are successful.
Just in the past few years the Rockies have had Todd Helton (Peyton Manning’s backup @ UT) and Seth Smith (Eli Manning’s backup @ Ole Miss) transition to from the gridiron to the ball field.
Helton and Smith WERE just backups. It was definitely not their primary sport, and they never had any chance of a future their. Parker is different.
Tonight, Parker informed the Clemson football staff of his intention to play football for Clemson this fall.
He might be the second coming of Drew Henson?…
Russell Wilson’s sophomore stats were better than his freshman year stats and MUCH better than Kyle Parker’s, KTCarney. Try a 147 passer rating and 31 touchdowns. Wilson had more yards, a better completion percentage, a lot more TDs, fewer interceptions, a 26 point higher passer rating AND 100 more rushing yards than Parker. Every metric shows Wilson is superior as a football player.So if the “red glasses” you are referring to help you see facts and metrics, I suggest you try them on.