Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Posted: 12:27 p.m.Updated: June 15, 1:32 p.m.
By Dave ZeitlinCSNPhilly.com Contributor
Will Davis was on vacation with his high school friends in Florida without any Internet service when he got a text message. It was from his father, who was monitoring the Major League Baseball draft to see if Davis would be selected. The message read: We still love you.
I figured at that point that was gonna be it for me, said Davis, a former star catcher on the Penn baseball team.
It wasnt.
On Saturday morning, two days after going undrafted, the 2011 Penn graduate woke up to see a missed call from Phillies scout Eric Valent. When he called him back, Valent told Davis the organization was looking for some catchers and asked if he was interested.
He was.
And so Tuesday, Davis returned to Florida, where he signed with the Gulf Coast League Phillies, his first professional contract.
MLB
Its been like a whirlwind of emotions, Davis said prior to signing.
Perhaps the most remarkable part of Davis wild week is that hell once again be teammates with Paul Cusick, the Penn pitcher who was drafted by the Phils in the 29th round. (Another Penn pitcher, Vince Voiro, was also selected in this years draft, by the San Diego Padres.) Its rare for Penn alumni to continue their baseball careers professionallyincluding Cusicks and Voiros selection, only eight Quakers have been drafted in the last 20 yearsbut its hard to argue with the newest Phillies credentials.
Cusick was the Ivy League Pitcher of the Year and a strikeout machine, while Davis, a lefthanded hitting catcher, hit a career high .304 this spring before leaving school as the programs second all-time home runs leader with 25. Both were recently named All-Big 5.
And of course, having made up an outstanding battery over the past four years, the two players know each other extremely well on and off the field, which should make their transition to pro ball easier.
Im in uncharted waters, so its nice to have someone to lean on while Im down there, said Davis. Its funny how it worked out. The universe just wont let us separate.
Clearly, the universe likes two pals running around wearing nothing but spandex, an activity Davis and Cusick enjoyed during their time at Penn. As very good friends and housemates, both managed to avoid the stresses of being a student-athlete at an Ivy League school by having a lot of fun together and doing things, Davis said, most people wouldnt do in public.
Paul and I were probably the two biggest goofballs on the team at Penn, the catcher added. Now that were playing for paychecks, I think well tone back on the shenanigans for a bitat least until were more comfortable with everyone.
One shenanigan Davis was tempted to pull off this week was wearing a David Justice jersey upon arriving at Phillies camp. While Cusick has always been a diehard Phillies fan, Davis grew up a Braves fan in Atlantabut the catcher decided showing that off in Clearwater would probably be a mistake.
I figured if there was one way to make sure I dont get a signing bonus, that would be it, Davis laughed.
Besides, Davis might want to get used to wearing Phils gear as both he and Cusick hope to take the Doug Glanville path from Penn to the Phillies. Davis, Cusick and the rest of the Quakers got a chance to listen to ex-Phils outfielder Glanvilleas well as another Penn alum in the majors, San Francisco Giants utility man Mark DeRosaat different points over the past couple of years and took their advice to heart.
Davis also recognizes that he can fill a unique role as a lefthanded hitting catcher with power, something he hopes to use to make his way through the farm system, with the power-pitching Cusick by his side.
I dont want to make any LeBron prediction or anything like that, Davis said. I only hope that one day we can play at Citizens Bank Park, wearing pinstripes.
E-mail Dave Zeitlin at djzeitlin@gmail.com
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