As a young player there are so many choices to make when it comes to playing sport and the question they have to ask at a young age is “what sport am I best suited to play and where do I want my career/life to finish at?”
Once this is sorted out and the choice is made, it’s all about getting the right training, understanding what it will take and when to rest so you don’t burn out?
In the case of Langley’s Brett Lawrie it was simple as his sport of choice from the start was playing baseball and going as far as he could.
Naturally, it’s important to have the support of both parents or in some cases in today’s world a single Mother or Father.
The minor league career for Brett Lawrie began to kick-off when he was playing ball for the Langley Blaze tenure with the Oakland Athletics is going to go down as a short one.
Lawrie was selected 16th overall in the 2008 draft by the Brewers and is the 4th highest Canadian player to be drafted only behind North Delta’s Jeff Francis.
After only one year with the team he was moved to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for two minor-league pitchers J.B. Wendelken and Zack Erwin.
While with the Athletics, Lawrie stayed off the disabled list for the first time, while setting a career high with 16 home runs and 60 RBI’s for a .260 batting average.
Sadly he also posted a .299 career-low on-Base Percentage with strikeouts and playing defense that had some questioning his ability.
The A’s made two more moves in hopes of boosting their pitching staff by acquiring a pair of minor leaguers from the White Sox for Lawrie and also agreeing to terms with RH John Axford on a two-year $10 million contract.
His signing will be pending a physical as he spent 2015 with Colorado, but saw his season start with a Family issue all due to having his (2-year-old) Jameson was sent to the hospital at spring training in Arizona after being bit on the foot by a rattlesnake.
As any good Father would do, he spent time with his Son and missed more than a week to be with his Son.
Heading to the Athletics is Wendelken (22) who is a reliever that reached triple-A for the first time this past season (6-2) with an ERA of 3.20 across three levels.
In addition the 21-year-old Erwin (southpaw) who was taken in the fourth round of the 2015 draft getting off to an exceptional start going 2-2 with a 1.34 ERA in 15 appearances.
Lawrie was a member of the Canadian Junior National Team at the 2008 World Junior Baseball Championship where he undoubtedly led the tournament with a .469 batting average, 3 home runs and 16 RBI.
He was also selected to play for Canada at the 08 Summer Olympics.
According to MLB Trade Rumors he (Lawrie) is expected to earn $3.9 million in arbitration for 2016 and therefore be under team control for the White Sox through 2017.
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