Friday, November 19, is the deadline for Major League Baseball teams to finalize their 40 Man Rosters leading up to the Baseball Winter Meetings and the Rule 5 Draft.  Many players will be “protected” on their organization’s 40 Man Roster in the final hour leading up to the deadline, as a preventative measure, so that other teams will not be able to pry away someone who has Major League potential.

My eye is on Dynasty Athlete Representation client Clint Robinson, who is a part of the Kansas City Royals‘ deep and talented farm system.  Robinson accomplished the following this past year, as a member of the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals:

• Triple Crown – The third player in Texas League history to hit for the Triple Crown (.335 AVG, 29 HR, and 98 RBI).
• Led the Double-A Texas League in doubles (41), total bases (298), slugging (.625), and on-base-plus-slugging (1.035).  2nd in the league in hits (160) and runs (90).
• Texas League Player of the Week three times and Texas League Player of the Month twice.
• Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star.
• Northwest Arkansas Naturals Player of the Year.
• Northwest Arkansas Naturals Unsung Hero in 2010.
• Broke the Northwest Arkansas Naturals hitting streak after hitting safely in 20 consecutive games.

Many people have correctly pointed out to me that in the history of the Rule 5 Draft very few first-basemen have been selected, and while I always like to take history into account, how many of those Rule 5 eligible first-basemen just came off of a Triple Crown year?  And how many of them have the character of Clint Robinson, a guy who won the organization’s Mike Sweeney Award, which is given to the player that best represents the Royals organization on and off the field?  Maybe teams will take a pass on Robinson in the Rule 5 Draft, but do the Royals really want to wait and see?

I talk to Clint almost every single day, and he continues to reinforce the fact that he loves the Kansas City Royals organization and hopes to stay there.  He continues to say that to me even though he understands that other very talented first-basemen exist within the organization (Billy Butler, Kila Ka’aihue, Eric Hosmer).

Royals Assistant General Manager, J.J. Picollo, recently stated, “You try to play the guessing game a little bit,” in reference to choosing who to protect leading up to the November 19 deadline.  Their General Manager, Dayton Moore, said that he anticipates adding 3-5 players to the 40 Man prior to the deadline.  All of us at the Dynasty family are waiting with anticipation.  But whether Robinson is added to the 40 Man roster or not, he will be ready to play in 2011.

November 19 – 40 Man Roster Deadline from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

I also surround myself with like-minded people.  When I am looking to bring someone new into Dynasty, I look for passion, hunger, intelligence, but also selflessness.  Sure, all of us are inherently selfish to an extent, but we can also aim to enable future leaders with the knowledge and power to succeed.  There should not be a fear that they will surpass us someday.  They will.  Acknowledge it now.  Once they do, it would be nice if they remember who helped them along the way.

Anyway, I decided to write this post because I was copied on a Q&A between a student at Bradley University and Dynasty baseball agent, Bryan Swalley.  Before the student asked his questions, he wrote the following:

Dear Mr. Swalley,

I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about your job. I am in a sports marketing class at Bradley University in Peoria, IL. We are doing a project over a potential job that we would like to do with our sports marketing degree. I chose Athletic Representation. After searching around my own town I couldn’t really find many sports agents. So I went to the web and emailed out a couple things and your firm was the only one to email me back so I thank you for that. If you can help me with this interview, I will type the questions at the bottom of this page. If not, well thank you anyway for being the only firm for emailing me back!

Thanks!

We were the only firm to respond.  And Swalley did not just send one-liners back to the student; he sent in-depth answers.  I have copied the final Q&A below:

7. How do you get your firm known around professional sports? What are your advertising strategies?

One of the very first things I do when I get a new client is call their farm director (the person in charge of assigning and development of players) and inform him that I am player X’s agent. I feel communication with the farm director is very critical. If the player is in an organization you haven’t worked with before, it allows you to begin to form a working relationship with them. You also have to keep in mind the farm director is responsible for overseeing 200 players. Speaking with him every so often helps keep your client’s name fresh in his mind. Another element of communication with him is finding out how to better help your player. You are both working toward the same goal; getting your player developed and into the Major Leagues.

Dynasty has a very strong web presence. Darren promotes the company through very popular website he runs, SportsAgentBlog.com. We also promote heavily via social media (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.). As I mentioned before, players are a huge source for marketing. Players in the Minor Leagues talk a lot amongst each other. There are long bus rides and a little downtime in the clubhouse before and after games. I’ve been there, a lot of subjects are talked about, the happiness with an agent or firm is sometimes a subject of discussion.

A lot of people ask me how does one become successful in this industry.  I’ll answer with how to become successful in life: When no one else cares, be the only one to respond.

Shout When No One Is Speaking from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Let me preface the following bullet points by saying that I am in no way suggesting that Clint Robinson starts next season on an MLB roster.  In all likelihood, the Kansas City Royals will be protecting Robinson on their 40-man roster by the middle of November 2010, preventing Robinson from being grabbed by another team in the Rule 5 Draft.  The club wants him to play on a Royals heavy Puerto Rico Baseball League Winter Ball team, thereafter.  Robinson will likely then attend Major League Spring Training, but probably start next season in Triple-A, even if it is solely because of team arbitration strategy.

There is a huge distinction between being a player who has not yet reached arbitration eligibility and one who has.  That’s why many players hope to become super-twos and become arbitration eligible one year earlier than most of their colleagues.  Teams are smart, though, and may limit a star player’s MLB time when he is young, to prevent him becoming arbitration eligible as a super-two.

There are quite a few teams heading to the playoffs that would want to test his bat in the big leagues right now.  My case for Clint Robinson is to let his résumé speak for itself.

• Triple Crown – The third player in Texas League history to hit for the Triple Crown.  He finished the 2010 season with a .335 AVG, 29 HR, and 98 RBI.  His HR and RBI total set new records for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (homerun record previously held by current Major Leaguer Kila Ka’aihue).
• In addition to winning the Triple Crown, he led the Double-A Texas League in doubles (41), total bases (298), slugging (.625), and on-base-plus-slugging (1.035).  Clint was also 2nd in the league in hits (160) and runs (90).
• Texas League Player of the Week three times and Texas League Player of the Month twice.
• Selected to the Mid-Season All-Star Team and Post-Season All-Star Team.
• Named Northwest Arkansas Naturals Player of the Year.
• Named Northwest Arkansas Naturals Unsung Hero in 2010.
• Broke the Northwest Arkansas Naturals hitting streak after hitting safely in 20 consecutive games.
• Had a high AVG against right-handed pitchers (.341) and left-handed pitchers (.326) and also high on-base-plus-slugging against right (1.074) and left (.967) handed pitching.
• He is a clutch hitter.  His OPS is highest when there are runners in scoring position (1.080).  He also averaged a homerun per 14.6 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
• From August 6-12, 2010, he hit a homerun in five consecutive games (six homeruns in all).
• Led the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals to a first half and second half division title, and the most wins ever by a Royals affiliate.
• Recipient of the 2009 Mike Sweeney Award, which is awarded to the player that best represents the Royals organization both on and off the field.

Making A Case For Clint Robinson from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

If you had not been following Clint Robinson‘s season all year long and just followed yesterday’s game between the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and the Springfield Cardinals, you would still be wondering why Robinson is still in Double-A.  He is not the best on defense.  He will admit that, but he will tell you that he is practicing hard every day to improve on his weaknesses.

Last night, Robinson hit a 3-run homerun in the 3rd inning to put his team up 5-0.  It was his 26th homerun of the season, tying a homerun record for the team that was previously held by current Kansas City Royals big leaguer, Kila Ka’aihue.  Robinson was not done for the night.  In the 8th inning, he hit his 27th homerun of the season, breaking Ka’aihue’s record and giving his team an even larger cushion.  He also hit a triple in the game.  Talk to Clint today and he will probably tell you that he is just happy that his team won, and that will be an honest statement.

September call-ups are less than a week away.  Clint Robinson is not currently on the Kansas City Royals 40-man roster.  Until he gets added, he won’t be getting a call-up.  This is the kind of guy you would expect the Royals to protect on the 40, though, especially since he will be Rule 5 eligible in the Winter Meetings should the team not protect him.

Robinson leads the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals in batting average, doubles, homeruns, total bases, walks, runs, RBI, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage.  He is also leading the entire Texas League in runs, doubles, homeruns, total bases, slugging percentage, and on-base plus slugging percentage.  One might think that someone like that would also have to be prone to striking out, but that is not the case with Robinson.

And one thing to never forget about Clint is that he is a man full of character.  I love to brag that he is the recipient of the 2009 Mike Sweeney Award, which is awarded to the player that best represents the Royals organization both on and off the field.  He is confident, but not cocky.  Check out a Q&A from a recent interview:

Looking to the off season and a 40 man roster spot in reach…do you have to pinch yourself sometimes to how far you have come as a 25th round draft pick?

No, because this is something I have always expected from myself. My draft status means nothing to me….in my mind i’m just as good as any first rounder.

Clint Robinson Is Having Quite A Year from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Nava, whose contract was purchased by the Boston Red Sox from Chico, a Golden Baseball League team, back in January 2008, has had success since becoming a part of the Red Sox organization.  In fact, he slapped a Grand Slam in his 1st professional MLB at-bat.

Just as Nava did not have an agent when his contract was purchased by the Red Sox, Dynasty client, Pete Parise, was agent-less when his contract was purchased by the St. Louis Cardinals.  Parise graduated the University of Pittsburgh as the school’s all-time leader in hits.  The Slippery Rock Sliders of the Independent Frontier League did not care, and converted Parise into a pitcher.  Roughly two weeks later, in June 2007, Parise became a part of the Cardinals organization.  Parise had a strong chance at being promoted to the Major League team this season, but an injury to his shoulder set him back and eventually sat him down for the remainder of the season.

The path from Indy Ball to the Majors is not an easy road, but it has been traveled, and it will be traveled many more times in the future.  One player to keep an eye out for is another client of Dynasty, Ryan Platt.  Platt actually began his career in MLB affiliated baseball last year, as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers organization.  After being cut in the offseason, we found him a home with the Traverse City Beach Bums of the aforementioned Frontier League.  He’s only leading the league in wins (seven) and strikeouts (82) and is second in ERA (2.20).  Perhaps, in three years, MLBTradeRumors.com will be writing a story about Platt’s perseverance on his way to the Majors.

If you want information about Dynasty’s Professional Baseball Placement Service, please click here to email us.

Parise And Platt Hope To Follow The Indy To Majors Path from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

When you are a 6’5, 225 lb left-handed power hitter, and teams take a pass on you through 24 rounds of a draft, you might have a chip on your shoulder.  When you hear people talk about you and they say, “He’s a great player, but he’s a little old to be playing in Double-A,” you become motivated to play your way to a higher level.  Clint Robinson has had his doubters since being drafted in the 25th round (756 overall) in the 2007 MLB Rule 4 Draft.  Every year, he has shown that he is capable of being in the big leagues, but his 2010 season is truly something special.

Dynasty Athlete Representation signed Robinson as a client in the offseason prior to his 2010 campaign, where he would start at Double-A for the first time in his life.  The agency immediately found Robinson an equipment deal with XPROTEX, which has provided Robinson with everything he needs to excel offensively, and more.  Focused on being a solid contributor in the Kansas City Royals organization, Robinson went to work at the beginning of the 2010 season, and every day since, he is writing a new page in for a storybook season tale.

Before we look at the numbers, let’s not forget that Clint Robinson is also a model citizen and an excellent teammate.  The fact that he won the Mike Sweeney award (which recognizes a player best representing the Royals organization on and off the field) last season should not take anything away from the focus on Robinson as a ball masher.  Instead, it should only increase his value as a push is made for Robinson to make the big league Royals roster sometime in the near future.

But what about those numbers?  They have been enough to get Robinson selected to the Double-A Texas League All-Star Game as a starter (where he played the entire game), an invitation to the All-Star Game’s Home Run Derby, and recently named as the Texas League’s Player of the Month of June.

In June, alone, Robinson had a .409 batting average, .461 on-base-percentage, .796 slugging percentage, and an on-base-plus-slugging percentage of 1.256.  19 of his 24 hits (in 93 at-bats) were for extra bases – 10 doubles, 1 triple, and 8 homeruns.  He scored 24 runs and 22 RBI.  People assume that a power hitter cannot run, but he has already amassed 2 more triples in the month of July.

Robinson is starting July the same way he finished June.  On the year, Robinson is hovering right around a 1.000 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

Robinson was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, which is roughly 150 miles and about 2 1/2 hours away from Kansas City.  It may not be long until he is playing professional baseball near his birthplace.

Clint Robinson: A Royal Player In Double-A from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Halfway through June, and the 2010 Summer Internship Program at Dynasty is going great. Our interns are hard at work researching, analyzing, and doing everything possible to make it a better tomorrow for Dynasty’s clients. They still have a couple months to go in their internship, and I’m excited to see what they can do.

With it being mid-June, this also means that the Fall Internship Program is just around the corner. The inquiries, resumes, CV’s and everything else, have been flooding in; we almost need another intern just to help out with internship applications. To clear some things up, here is some very useful information:

The Fall Internship Program runs from September 1 – December 31, and can be used to gain college credit. Currently, we do not require our interns to relocate, allowing interns to continue pursuing education while still attempting to break into the industry. If you wish to be considered for an internship, you must send both a resume and cover letter to me, Justin Herzig, at HR@DynastyReps.com. The deadline for Fall submissions is August 1. Any further inquiries can also be sent to the email address listed above. For more updates on the selection process or tips on breaking into the industry, you can follow me on my brand new Twitter account at http://twitter.com/JustinHerzig.

Dynasty Fall 2010 Internship Information from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

In his last 5 starts for the Class-A West Virginia Power, Kyle McPherson has 39 strikeouts and only walked 3 batters.  The Pirates are known for placing strict pitch counts on their players in the farm system, yet McPherson has gone 7 innings in 2 of his last 5 starts.  That said, his K/IP ratio over that span is still an impressive 39/28.1 and his K/BB ratio is ridiculous.  For the season, the opposition is batting a low .221 against him.  Think it’s about time he gets a promotion to High A Bradenton Marauders?

Yesterday, McPherson went 7 innings without giving up a single hit and only walking 1 batter on his way to earning a win.  His friend good friend, who also happens to be a Dynasty client, Ryan Kelly, came on in the 8th inning and pitched 2 solid innings to close the door on the game.  Kelly struck out 5 batters in the 2 innings of work.  On the season, Kelly also has more strikeouts and innings pitched, and his K/BB ratio is 24/3.

For a team desperately in need of pitching, the Pirates have a couple of arms that they may want to consider bringing up the organizational ladder.  I am not suggesting that my guys are guaranteed success at higher levels, but there is no way of knowing if they are stuck at Class-A.

Here is an update on some other Dynasty baseball clients:

• Since being called up to Triple-A Buffalo, Johnny Lujan has notched 4 saves.  In 13.1 innings pitched, he has 19 strikeouts and only 3 walks.  Lujan has always been known for his ability to confuse batters, but an issue in the past was his control.  In the offseason, he worked hard on getting his control down, which is proven by his low number of walks allowed.  In Lujan’s last 4 innings pitched, he has struck out 9 batters.
• Clint Robinson is having a fantastic first season at the Double-A level.  His OBP is currently .374 and his OPS is .831.  He has been patient at the plate, walking almost as much as he has been K’d, which is a great sign for a power hitter like Robinson.  This past Saturday, Robinson matched a franchise record with 7 RBI.  He was 5-for-6 on the day.  1 of the 5 hits included a home run (his 5th on the year).
• Lee Roberts is not only enjoying himself playing overseas in Germany, the former Kansas City Royals organization hurler is also putting up very impressive numbers.  In 60.1 innings pitched, he has struck out 72 batters and boasts a 2.39 ERA.  A couple of weeks ago, Roberts was awarded the honor of Bundesliga Player of the Week.

Dynasty Baseball Update Headlined By Kyle McPherson from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Robert Smith

Robert will be partnering with Mr. Perry Ko, who owns Contact Pro Shop in Hong Kong. Bruce Falcon of Dynasty Athlete Representation (Smith’s agent) is very excited for the opportunity presented to Robert.  “We have gone to Hong Kong the past 2 years for clinics with Mr. Ko.  This just seemed like the next logical step.  The bowlers go crazy for Robert as well as all the PBA professionals that go overseas.  This will be a great experience.”  The initial deal is done for 2 years with a 1 year option after that.  Falcon added, “We will see what happens.”  Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

For more information email bfalcon@dynstyreps.com

Robert Smith To Take Teaching Skills To Hong Kong from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

We had assumed that Johnny would be starting the year with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, but as Spring Training came to a close, he was instead assigned to the Double-A Binghamton Mets.  The Mets organization’s bullpen impressed a lot of people during Spring Training, and unfortunately for Johnny, he would have to start the year at the same level that he ended last season.  He would not be in Binghamton for long, though.

Last night, after striking out two batters and giving up no hits or walks in one inning of work, Johnny was told to pack his bags, because he was being promoted to Triple-A Buffalo.  With Binghamton, Johnny had a 2.89 ERA.  In 6 games and 9.1 innings, he had 2 saves, 11 strikeouts, and only 3 walks.

Binghamton’s manager, Tim Teufel, had this to say about Lujan:

“It’s a matter of stuff.  I don’t care how long you’ve been in the game, if you don’t have the stuff, you’re not going to get the ball in the later innings. But (Lujan) has been one of the better pitchers out of the pen.”

Johnny becomes the third Triple-A player represented by Dynasty Athlete Representation.  We wish Johnny the best in his new home and hope that he is called up to the big league sooner than later.

Johnny Lujan Promoted To Triple-A Buffalo from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules