Back to the Rays Report

Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

 @RMooneyTrib
 TBO_Rays
Send us your questions

More Links:

• Schedule/Results
• Player Stats
• Team Stats

Most Recent Entries

• Gausman is Bowman’s No. 3 redemption card
• Topps previews baseball Update series
• Panini’s Prime Hockey will have extra treat
• Rays juggle rotation to get Cobb a start this weekend against Yankees
• Beckett opens weekly Wednesday chat room on Facebook page
• Rays @ Jays: Joyce update, Longo DH, Molina returns
• NFL Network report on Revis is revealing
• In The Game acquires Sport Kings LP
• Pasco WR Nate Craig (2016) up to 15 Division I offers
• Tampa Bay softball players honored by FACA
• Western Conference Baseball Teams
• Pasco baseball players Blaine Duncan, Matt Plourde headed to Barry, Daytona State respectively
• Maddon changes stance on Escobar’s home run guesture
• Panini previews Rookies & Stars football
• A peek at Panini’s 2013 Cooperstown Collection

More

• Bucs Report -Tribune staff
• Rays Report - Roger Mooney
• Bolts Report - Erik Erlendsson
• Bulls Report
• Prep Report - Hillsborough
• Prep Report - Pasco
• Prep Report - Region
• Prep Report - Recruiting Updates
• Prep Report - Football
• Go Fishing: On The Waterfront
• The Sports Bookie - Bob D'Angelo
• Gators Report - Tribune staff
• Youth Sports Report
• NFL Draft Report
• Go Ask: Frank's Tacklebox
• Bucified Bert Blog
• BUK Power - Bucs Fan Blog
• Pigskin Preacher - NFL Fan Blog
• Breakfast Bonus - Tom McEwen
• Highlands Sports

Monthly Archives

• May 2013
• April 2013
• March 2013
• February 2013
• January 2013
• December 2012

1st pick Guerrieri talks about the decision and the rumors

Posted Aug 16, 2011 by Roger Mooney

Updated Aug 16, 2011 at 07:01 PM

BY ROGER MOONEY
BOSTON Tyler Guerrieri said he woke up Monday morning and decided it was time to become a professional baseball player.

So the 18-year-old right-hander from Spring Valley, S.C., agreed to a $1.6 million singing bonus just before midnight so he could begin his planed path to the major leagues quicker than had he accepted the scholarship to the University of South Carolina.

“I feel like I can get through the minor leagues quicker if I can go and get an earlier start on it now then go to college for three years and have to start from the beginning there instead of starting three years earlier,” he said this evening during a conference call. “Hopefully I’ll be in the big leagues and be in the rotation by then.”

Guerrieri said he “flip-flopped” over the summer on the decision, but in the end the lure of pro baseball, something he’s dreamed about for a long time won out.

Guerrieri also cleared up the mysterious off-field incident that led to him changing high schools in the fall of his senior year and created a buzz in the internet rumor mill.

He said he was caught drinking “a beer” before a high school football game last fall but was never suspended, nor is there a police report of the incident.

His family decided it was in his best interest to move to another school, especially when that school – Spring Valley High – was closer to the South Carolina campus.

“That was pretty much what the whole stink was about,” he said. “It was something that a lot of people have done before. I got in trouble.”

R.J. Harrison, the Rays director of scouting, said he spent time with Guerrieri after the June draft and was confident the incident won’t be a problem.

Guerrieri said the same thing.

“It was a mistake. I learned from it. I regret that it happened. It won’t happen again,” he said.