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Riverview Ace's Dream Could Come True

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By ADAM ADKINS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 4, 2008

Updated: 06/04/2008 12:14 am

RIVERVIEW - There were plenty of times during Anthony Ferrara's time in a Riverview High baseball uniform when Sharks coach Bill Leiby couldn't help but smile.

After all, as Leiby said, "he would have to be, in his standpoint as a position player, pitcher and hitter, probably in the top tier that most high school coaches would ever be able to coach."

Chances are Leiby also will crack a smile sometime Thursday, the first day of the Major League Baseball amateur draft. Ferrara, a left-handed pitcher, is rated the nation's 189th-best prospect by Baseball America and is projected to be selected somewhere in the first six rounds.

Ferrara, the fiery kid with the electric left arm, also will have reason to smile, as that scenario will land him one step closer to playing professional baseball for a living.

"It's always been my dream," said Ferrara, a Tribune All-Hillsborough County first team selection this season. "It's probably every kid's dream when they started playing baseball."

Ferrara said that dream started to take shape at the beginning of his senior season, when he noticed plenty of extra eyes focused on him during practices and games. The professional baseball scouts came out in droves to get a closer look at Ferrara, who was once regarded by Baseball America as the nation's eighth-best prospect for the 2008 draft.

"It felt good that people were looking at me," Ferrara said. "It let me know that I had a chance."

The chance didn't exactly come at the perfect time. Ferrara had been out all summer because of a shoulder injury.

Originally diagnosed as tendinitis, Ferrara later learned he had a muscle imbalance in his left shoulder after a visit to renowned sports orthopedic surgeon James Andrews. The problem did not require corrective surgery, but Ferrara had to make changes to his stretching and weight training, and those steps were provided by Andrews. Still, two months of rehabilitation prevented Ferrara from working on the mound, and his mechanics suffered early because of it.

"It definitely took me all year, probably until the last four starts, to get back to where I was," Ferrara said.

It's likely, though, that Ferrara made a favorable impression once that happened. Ferrara's last three starts were among his best of the season.

He pitched six strong innings and struck out nine in a victory April 7 against Newsome. He followed that up eight days later with a complete-game, 13-strikeout performance against Chamberlain, allowing one run on four hits. Then, in his final start of the season during the district playoffs, Ferrara dueled Sarasota High superstar Casey Kelly, rated the nation's No. 19 prospect by Baseball America. Ferrara allowed two earned runs on eights hits while striking out five in a complete-game loss.

"I didn't do as well as I would have hoped this season. I kind of under-did it," said Ferrara, who went 4-4 with a 2.74 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 46 innings. "I think I did well enough to where they saw what I had, saw my ability and my projectability."

Projectability is a big thing for the draft. So is signability, which could play a factor in when - or if - Ferrara is selected.

Ferrara said he has come up with a dollar figure that would entice him to walk away from the scholarship he signed with the University of South Florida, and that the number has been made known to big-league clubs through his draft adviser.

Ferrara said the scenario "is kind of tricky," not wanting to deter clubs from selecting him because the figure is too high while still maximizing his signing bonus. But he said it was in his best interest.

"It's a win-win situation. I can't lose," Ferrara said. "There's no reason I should be mad to go there USF with the deal they got going on over there."

So now, he is just eagerly anticipating what unfolds on draft day.

"I'm excited. I really don't have a clue on anything. There's no telling what's going to happen," Ferrara said. "But it's definitely exciting; kind of nerve-wracking. I guess we'll see what happens."

Reporter Adam Adkins can be reached at (813) 657-4533 or aadkins@tampatrib.com.

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