Joe Savery Completes Fallback Plan in Case “Baseball” Thing Doesn’t Work Out
By Justin Klugh
Today, Joe Savery returns to Lehigh Valley for what will definitely not be the last time. However, Joe has other plans.
Joe Savery will join AAA Lehigh Valley on Sunday. WIll first pick up recently completed sports management degree at Rice U grad ceremony
— Jim Salisbury (@JSalisburyNBCS) May 10, 2013
It was recently discovered that Joe has a whole life beyond the bus ride between triple-A and the promised land. Attaining this college degree, it seems, is one of them.
Apr 09, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Joe Savery (55) during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. The Marlins defeated the Phillies 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Joe’s time at Rice was very impressive from a baseball standpoint, but he is sadly one of the many examples of an elite college talent for translating into an elite professional talent. His stopover in Houston after leaving the Phillies to participate in the graduation ceremonies and receive his degree is well-earned.
At Rice, Joe took on the P/OF/1B platoon, making his debut in 2004 after a decimating high school career. As a freshman, he was not only the opening day pitcher, but was voted second and third-team All-American, as well as Freshman of the Year, Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, and Best Last Name That Could Also Describe a Delicious Turkey Dinner of the Year.
He did many other great baseball things there, many of them with the words “Best,” “Top,” or “American” at the beginning and “of the Year” at the end.
Who knows how strongly Joe wishes to pursue a career in sports managing? It’s hard to imagine him growing weary of this lifestyle – waiting for Phillies to get hurt, coming up to temporarily sit in the bullpen, get used if the Phillies are losing quite badly, then get shipped back down. It’s the life!