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Rams rookie free agent WR Marquez has a nifty backup plan: Baseball
Elisabeth Meinecke
FOX Sports Midwest
http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/st...rquez-has-a-nifty-backup-plan-baseball-051315
Wide receiver Bradley Marquez is prepared to do whatever it takes to carve out a spot with the St. Louis Rams this season after signing as a rookie free agent following the NFL Draft. Should a stint in the NFL not work out, though, his potential backup plan is pretty cool: playing professional baseball.
The 22-year-old Marquez, who played college football at Texas Tech, is an outfielder in the New York Mets organization, carrying a .254 batting average over 36 career games with their rookie league affiliate, the Kingsport Mets in the Appalachian League. But last year, after spending the summers of 2012 and 2013 with the organization, Marquez decided to go all-in pursuing football.
"Just the opportunity that it brought, finishing my college career," he explains. "I was able, potentially, to play at the highest level. And that's been a goal of my entire life: just to play at the highest level, compete at the highest level of whatever sport it may be, and football presented that opportunity as of now. I just got to make the most of it now. Whereas baseball, I'm still a few years out, you work your way through the minor league system."
His decision to chase the NFL rather than fastballs makes sense in the context of his hometown of Odessa, Texas -- in the heart of football country. Marquez attended Odessa High School, whose rival, Permian, inspired the Friday Night Lights book, film and TV series. At Texas Tech, the 5-foot-11, 201-pound Marquez had 10 receiving touchdowns last year. He was considered a decent pro prospect, though it was not a huge surprise when he went undrafted.
"Maybe thought I could get in there in the later rounds," he says, admitting to "a little bit of disappointment" at not getting drafted.
Not that he had long to worry about it. Within 30 minutes of the end of the draft, he estimates, he signed with the Rams, and a few other teams were talking to him at that point as well.
"It just felt right," he says. "Just looking at it, top to bottom -- organization, opportunity."
Meanwhile, he's still under contract with the Mets, with whom he signed a seven-year deal in 2011. The Mets can release him from the contract, but Marquez says they've stuck by him despite his interest in football.
"They've been supportive," he says. "They just kind of want to see how everything shakes out."
Just don't expect him to be taking batting practice with the St. Louis Cardinals anytime soon.
"I don't know how the Mets organization would like that," he says.
Elisabeth Meinecke
FOX Sports Midwest
http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/st...rquez-has-a-nifty-backup-plan-baseball-051315
Wide receiver Bradley Marquez is prepared to do whatever it takes to carve out a spot with the St. Louis Rams this season after signing as a rookie free agent following the NFL Draft. Should a stint in the NFL not work out, though, his potential backup plan is pretty cool: playing professional baseball.
The 22-year-old Marquez, who played college football at Texas Tech, is an outfielder in the New York Mets organization, carrying a .254 batting average over 36 career games with their rookie league affiliate, the Kingsport Mets in the Appalachian League. But last year, after spending the summers of 2012 and 2013 with the organization, Marquez decided to go all-in pursuing football.
"Just the opportunity that it brought, finishing my college career," he explains. "I was able, potentially, to play at the highest level. And that's been a goal of my entire life: just to play at the highest level, compete at the highest level of whatever sport it may be, and football presented that opportunity as of now. I just got to make the most of it now. Whereas baseball, I'm still a few years out, you work your way through the minor league system."
His decision to chase the NFL rather than fastballs makes sense in the context of his hometown of Odessa, Texas -- in the heart of football country. Marquez attended Odessa High School, whose rival, Permian, inspired the Friday Night Lights book, film and TV series. At Texas Tech, the 5-foot-11, 201-pound Marquez had 10 receiving touchdowns last year. He was considered a decent pro prospect, though it was not a huge surprise when he went undrafted.
"Maybe thought I could get in there in the later rounds," he says, admitting to "a little bit of disappointment" at not getting drafted.
Not that he had long to worry about it. Within 30 minutes of the end of the draft, he estimates, he signed with the Rams, and a few other teams were talking to him at that point as well.
"It just felt right," he says. "Just looking at it, top to bottom -- organization, opportunity."
Meanwhile, he's still under contract with the Mets, with whom he signed a seven-year deal in 2011. The Mets can release him from the contract, but Marquez says they've stuck by him despite his interest in football.
"They've been supportive," he says. "They just kind of want to see how everything shakes out."
Just don't expect him to be taking batting practice with the St. Louis Cardinals anytime soon.
"I don't know how the Mets organization would like that," he says.
