AJC > Sports > Football Recruiting > Blog > Archives > 2008 > July > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USFormer UGA recruit has no regrets leaving football
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Xavier Avery, who signed with Georgia last February but decided to play baseball after he was drafted in the second round, is playing outfield for the Baltimore Orioles’ rookie team in Sarasota, Fla.
“Until you just brought it up, I haven’t really even thought about football,” Avery said in a telephone interview. “My mind is 100 percent on baseball. I’m learning so much new stuff every day.”
Avery, who played at Cedar Grove, said Georgia’s coaches took it well when he told them he was going to sign with the Orioles. “They knew all along that it was part of the deal, that I might end up playing baseball,” he said. “They weren’t surprised. They just wished me the best.”
Avery has gotten off to a slow start in the Gulf Coast League, posting a .236 batting average through the first 19 games. He has struck out 24 times in 72 at-bats, and none of his 17 hits have been for extra bases. But Avery has been impressive with his speed, stealing seven bases in nine attempts.
“The pitching here is a lot better than I saw in high school,” Avery said with a laugh. “I’ll be fine. I’m working hard and getting better every day.”
Avery said he has lost touch with Georgia’s other freshman football players, but that he plans to attend one of the team’s games this season.
At Georgia, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Avery was projected to play defensive back or wide receiver.
Permalink | Comments (24) | Post your comment | Categories: UGA
Comments
By Ken
July 16, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this
Over the years, we’ve had a few recruits who passed up football for a chance at baseball. It usually did not work out for them. Hitting a baseball is not the easiest task in sports.
By snellville jacket
July 16, 2008 11:50 AM | Link to this
Good luck to him. Hemade a choice andis livinghisdream.Luckyhe had an option.
By D.Ellis
July 16, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this
With Avery and now Toby Jackson not making the test score the recruting class took a bit of a hit. good Luck to Avery! See you next year Jackson!
By mcdawg
July 16, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this
$$$$$$$$$$$
By Sid
July 16, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this
Reprimand the guy then tee it up !!! There is much worse that goes over the internet!!!
By Dawg Fud
July 16, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this
living a childhood dream - good for you, Xavier! just cheer for the Dawgs when can!
By FLA DAWG
July 16, 2008 1:28 PM | Link to this
While I’d have liked to see him play Between The Hedges, he had a Man Size Decision to make and he made it.
I wish the young man great success and hope he will eventually get his college degree somewhere.
By RANDALL
July 16, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this
It looks like the 2009 recruiting class will be much larger than thought a few months ago. maybe we can bring in even better reruits than the one’s we’re losing.
By P Dawg
July 16, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this
At least he was honest with everyone from the start. It’s admirable that he let everyone know from the start that if he was given the right opportunity, he would be playing baseball. All you can do is wish him luck.
By 3rd Ward
July 16, 2008 3:50 PM | Link to this
Best of luck woadie. Ya heard!!!! You do dat deh ya heard!!!! Represent that Uptown UPT Magnolia ya heard!!!
By JB
July 16, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this
Yes, we are cherry picking who we want, and two more lucky rivals top 100 players in the USA will now become DAWGS!
By sobedawg
July 16, 2008 4:52 PM | Link to this
I’m still p** that Avery cost us Omar Hunter, who signed with the Gayturds thanks to our lack of scholarships. Hopefully UGA will used better judgement in the future when signing football(slash)baseball players. It’s gonna suck if Hunter turns out to be a “playmaker” like Alex Brown or Jevon Kearse.
By Cha
July 16, 2008 5:54 PM | Link to this
I played against Avery and he’s a real good player. He’s also a very bright guy and I think he’s got a good future in the league.. Hope he does well!
By Cha
July 16, 2008 5:54 PM | Link to this
I played against Avery and he’s a real good player. He’s also a very bright guy and I think he’s got a good future in the league.. Hope he does well!
By SECCoachnDallas
July 16, 2008 7:17 PM | Link to this
Avery did not cost us Omar Hunter. Possibly you might remember a tight end from Fayettville, N.C. that stiffed us at the last minute?
Best of luck Avery. Dawg fans will follow your career with great enthusiasm.
By golden herd
July 16, 2008 8:23 PM | Link to this
Alex Brown and Jevon Kearse were DEs. Omar Hunter is a 300+ lbs DT. there is no comparision
By A-ville Ranger
July 16, 2008 9:55 PM | Link to this
In the world of real life if you sign a 1st round contract it worked out for you whether you make it to the bigs or not.
How much of Avery’s contract is guarantied ? and how long would it take to make that much after 4 years in college ?
I think we tend to look at these kids different but they face the same world we do and hundreds of thousands of dollars is a huge plus if it’s managed wisely.
By ES
July 16, 2008 10:46 PM | Link to this
I hope in the future we stick to just football players.Although given the choice I would choose baseball.Don’t mind the extra room for next year,since we have been filling up so fast.
By BB
July 16, 2008 10:53 PM | Link to this
Sobe- Maybe you should get your head out of your butt. If you had the first clue what you were talking about you would realize that Avery didn’t cost us Hunter AT ALL. Our coaching staff knew from day 1 that Avery was 99% going baseball. They took his committment on the off-chance that he had a bad senior season in baseball and would be forced to go the football route. And if that would have happened they would have had to find a way to make room for him via greyshirts or something of the sort. But make no mistake, the coaching staff NEVER thought Avery was coming to Georgia for football. He was NEVER in the equation when talking about scholarships being taken.
By BB
July 16, 2008 10:55 PM | Link to this
Sobe- Maybe you should get your head out of your butt. If you had the first clue what you were talking about you would realize that Avery didn’t cost us Hunter AT ALL. Our coaching staff knew from day 1 that Avery was 99% going baseball. They took his committment on the off-chance that he had a bad senior season in baseball and would be forced to go the football route. And if that would have happened they would have had to find a way to make room for him via greyshirts or something of the sort. But make no mistake, the coaching staff NEVER thought Avery was coming to Georgia for football. He was NEVER in the equation when talking about scholarships being taken.
By Chief
July 16, 2008 11:55 PM | Link to this
I wish him the absolute best in baseball. Admit it guys, if you had to make the same decision at age 18 you’d take the money and run too.
By Kendall
July 17, 2008 7:01 AM | Link to this
Hey BB…Sobe probably doesnt know what a grayshirt is. He just repeats something that some other dolt said. Xavier had NOTHING to do with Omar Hunter. First off, Omar had an offer early and didnt take it. Secondly, as you said BB, the coaches knew he was probably going baseball so they made number allowances. Thirdly, the kid that didnt know what the word commeitment means switched too late and that was that. It happens. We got D Tyson, who will be much better than Omar, who is undersized. I am happy. Read up Sobe…you will catch up to the rest of us if you do. Good luck Xavier.
By Paula
July 17, 2008 7:26 AM | Link to this
Xavier, best of luck with the O’s. If you get tired on baseball, remember Quincy Carter came back to the Dawgs— and you could too.
By 82DAWG
July 17, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this
Good luck Xavier. You absolutley made the right decision to go to pro baseball.
As for who cost us Omar Hunter it was that Piece Of S* Dwayne Allen. He can rot in ….