Tonight, MLB Network debuts a new show called The Next Knuckler, in which Tim Wakefield and MLB Network’s resident goofball Kevin Millar will host a group of ex-quarterbacks, who they will try to teach the magic of the knuckleball, with the winner having a chance to pitch in a spring training game with the Diamondbacks. The ex-QBs include Doug Flutie, John David Booty, David Greene, Ryan Perriloux and, my guess on the odds-on favorite to win: Josh Booty.
Josh Booty? Who is this Josh Booty you say? Well, Josh Booty played quarterback for Louisiana State, and then was a third-string quarterback/practice squad member from 2001-2007 for the Seahawks, Browns and Raiders.
But before his football career, he was a baseball prospect. In fact, he was a big-time prospect, the fifth-overall pick of the 1994 draft by the Florida Marlins. He made it up for three separate cups of coffee with the Marlins:
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB | Pos | Awards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 21 | FLA | NL | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 169 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | /5 | |
| 1997 | 22 | FLA | NL | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .600 | .667 | .600 | 1.267 | 243 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | /5 | |
| 1998 | 23 | FLA | NL | 7 | 22 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | .158 | .273 | .211 | .483 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | /5 | |
| 3 Yrs | 13 | 30 | 26 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | .269 | .367 | .308 | .674 | 85 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 162 Game Avg. | 162 | 374 | 324 | 37 | 87 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 112 | .269 | .367 | .308 | .674 | 85 | 100 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
If you are interested, here’s how he did in the minor leagues at the plate:
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | Lev | Aff | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 19 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | Rk-A- | FLA | 14 | 58 | 52 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 12 | .231 | .298 | .308 | .606 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 19 | Marlins | GULF | Rk | FLA | 10 | 42 | 36 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | .222 | .317 | .306 | .623 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 19 | Elmira | NYPL | A- | FLA | 4 | 16 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .250 | .250 | .313 | .563 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 20 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | A–A | FLA | 105 | 434 | 396 | 39 | 74 | 20 | 1 | 7 | 43 | 5 | 4 | 30 | 130 | .187 | .251 | .295 | .547 | 117 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1995 | 20 | Elmira | NYPL | A- | FLA | 74 | 313 | 287 | 33 | 63 | 18 | 1 | 6 | 37 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 85 | .220 | .278 | .352 | .630 | 101 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1995 | 20 | Kane County | MIDW | A | FLA | 31 | 121 | 109 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 45 | .101 | .182 | .147 | .329 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 | 21 | Kane County | MIDW | A | FLA | 128 | 529 | 475 | 62 | 98 | 25 | 1 | 21 | 87 | 2 | 3 | 46 | 195 | .206 | .275 | .396 | .670 | 188 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 1997 | 22 | Portland | EL | AA | FLA | 122 | 480 | 448 | 42 | 94 | 19 | 2 | 20 | 69 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 166 | .210 | .254 | .395 | .649 | 177 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 1998 | 23 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | AA-AAA | FLA | 109 | 409 | 374 | 37 | 68 | 11 | 3 | 13 | 50 | 1 | 2 | 27 | 118 | .182 | .235 | .332 | .567 | 124 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| 1998 | 23 | Portland | EL | AA | FLA | 71 | 273 | 247 | 28 | 50 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 39 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 74 | .202 | .261 | .381 | .642 | 94 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 1998 | 23 | Charlotte | IL | AAA | FLA | 38 | 136 | 127 | 9 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 44 | .142 | .184 | .236 | .420 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 5 Seasons | 478 | 1910 | 1745 | 186 | 346 | 76 | 7 | 62 | 252 | 11 | 11 | 135 | 621 | .198 | .256 | .356 | .613 | 622 | 54 | 8 | 3 | 19 | 3 | |||||
| A (2 seasons) | A | 159 | 650 | 584 | 68 | 109 | 27 | 1 | 22 | 93 | 3 | 3 | 57 | 240 | .187 | .257 | .349 | .607 | 204 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| AA (2 seasons) | AA | 193 | 753 | 695 | 70 | 144 | 27 | 5 | 30 | 108 | 3 | 3 | 47 | 240 | .207 | .257 | .390 | .647 | 271 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 1 | ||||
| A- (2 seasons) | A- | 78 | 329 | 303 | 34 | 67 | 19 | 1 | 6 | 38 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 89 | .221 | .277 | .350 | .626 | 106 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Rk (1 season) | Rk | 10 | 42 | 36 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | .222 | .317 | .306 | .623 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| AAA (1 season) | AAA | 38 | 136 | 127 | 9 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 44 | .142 | .184 | .236 | .420 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||||
And so, since he’s, to my knowledge, the only guy in this MLB Network show who actually has played professional baseball, he should be considered the favorite.
The Baseball Continuum 
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