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 For Giansanti, It's Books Over Pro Bucks
Aug. 14, 2009
By Larry Kelley, Special to the Montville Times: After he did the math, Anthony Giansanti's final year of education at Siena College was worth more than signing a professional baseball contract this summer. The former Montville High all-around athletic standout, a marketing major and All-Conference baseball star at Siena, wasn't willing to give up his scholarship, worth around $33,000 a year, to complete his senior year in favor of signing a contract for less money from the Oakland Athletics organization. Giansanti was drafted in the 49th round of the June Free Agent Amateur Draft but turned down the offer when the As declined to pay for his last year of education. "Education is extremely important to me," Giansanti said. "Having looked at the long term, it was clear to me it was more important to get my degree than it was to take a chance in professional baseball at this time. The opportunity I would have been given by the As was not as good as the opportunity I would be given by Siena to complete my education." Giansanti graduated from Montville in 2006 as one of the school's best-ever all-around athletes, earning The Day's Player of the Year honors as a football quarterback and baseball shortstop. He helped the Indians win their first and only state baseball championship in 2006. Giansanti accepted a scholarship to play Division I baseball at Siena College and has started all three years in the outfield. He slumped early as a freshman and finished with a .239 batting average. He rebounded with a solid sophomore season, batting .300, before blossoming as a junior to earn All-Metro Athletic Conference First Team honors by batting .348 with 14 homers and a team-high 21 stolen bases. Giansanti's package of speed and power made him a pro draft candidate when he became eligible. Amateurs are eligible after graduating high school or after their third year of college. The 5-11, 190-pounder was ultimately selected late on the draft's second day.
"I'm not sure what kind of chance I'd have to advance if I signed now," Giansanti said. "Playing a short time in pro baseball was not attractive enough for me to pass up my final year of college. I want to be able to use my degree in marketing for a lifetime." Giansanti will return as a Metro Athletic Conference Player of the Year candidate. He's currently playing well in upstate New York in a wooden bat league. "I'm putting up good numbers in my wooden bat league and if I have another great year as a senior it will show a progression in my game," he said. "My cousin, Gary Burnham of South Windsor, was drafted late as a junior out of Clemson, turned down the offer and then was drafted in a higher round after his senior year. He's playing major league baseball in Japan now for Bobby Valentine. I'm not giving up on my dream of playing professional baseball." But this dream, like heaven, can wait. |
