By
Chris Martin
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Ben Diggins has a decision to make.
The All-American pitcher has a chance to become an instant millionaire with the Los Angeles Dodgers or return to school at Arizona.
Diggins is currently enrolled in classes this fall at UA but was still in negotiations with the Dodgers yesterday.
If the talented right-handed pitcher steps foot into a classroom today, he is back in a Wildcat uniform and will be one of top candidates for the NCAA Player of the Year award.
The Dodgers and Diggins are about $100,000 to $200,000 apart, as Diggins seeks a 2.2 million dollar deal, the same deal No. 14 pick Beau Hale, a right hander out of the University of Texas, received from the Baltimore Orioles.
Ben, let me be frank - what are you thinking?
Let's see: 2.2 million dollars. That would get you a house, car and pretty much assure you that your children will have their college education paid for someday. C'mon.
I can appreciate the fact that Arizona is a special place - otherwise I would be somewhere else - but I would play in the seventh circle of hell for 2.2 million right now. I could kiss those credit card companies goodbye.
To his credit, Diggins has clearly shown that money is not his driving force. After graduating from Bradshaw Mountain High School in Prescott, Ariz., Diggins passed up a 1.2- million dollar contract from the St. Louis Cardinals to attend UA.
Being a pitcher means risking significant injury on an everyday basis. Turning down a major league contract to rely on future earning capacity puts a major pressure on the lanky junior.
Pitchers blow out elbows and shoulders all the time, Ben. Why risk it?
Ever heard of Tommy John surgery? If I were Diggins, the name Tommy John would cause me severe fits of paranoia.
Even more, if Diggins is successful in the future (which is a pretty safe bet seeing how he dominated the Pac-10 this spring), there will be many more millions visiting his bank account in the upcoming years.
The Dodgers, one of the biggest spending teams in all of baseball, would surely spend premium dollar on a flame-throwing starter like Diggins once he established himself.
And unlike the Wildcats, the Dodgers will likely be competitive with players like Kevin Brown, Shawn Green and Gary Sheffield.
So take the millions, spend a year or two in the minors, and go take your shot at getting a World Series ring.
It sure beats class, Ben. Take the money and run.
