At 25, David Shinskie Leaves Baseball Career to Be QB at Boston College

An alarm clock.

That was one of the first purchases 25-year-old David Shinskie made as a college freshman. The days of sleeping until noon following late night minor-league baseball games have been replaced by 6AM weight-training workouts and two summer classes at Boston College.

"The college scene gets kind of hectic at times but it's starting to become routine," Shinskie told FanHouse.

"It was a little awkward at first but also fun at the same time to listen to what these guys have to say. I feel comfortable. It's going well. My mom always has said things happen for a reason. I was released and now I am here at Boston College trying to make this team better."

It seems to be perfect timing for the Eagles and pitcher-turned-quarterback Shinskie.

Shinskie, a former star at Mount Carmel High School in Pennsylvania who spent the past seven years playing minor league baseball, is expected to compete for the starting quarterback job at BC.

Dominique Davis, the lone quarterback on the roster who had any starting experience, left school in June after he was suspended for academic reasons. That move left first-year coach Frank Spaziani without a quarterback who had ever thrown a pass at the Division-I level.

Will Shinskie's 90-mph fastball from the mound translate into football success behind center?

"I expect to go into camp, learn the offense and compete for the starting position," said Shinskie, who has four years of eligibility.

Shinskie, who hasn't played football since the East-West Shrine game in June, 2003, had originally signed a letter of intent to play football and baseball at Delaware but was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the fourth round that year (just a few slots below Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon).

Shinksie, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound right-handed pitcher, went 24-30 with a 4.61 earned-run average in 162 games over nearly seven minor-league seasons. He was unable to rise above Double-A during his career before being released in May, 12 games in his first season in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. Shinskie had hoped to be picked up by another baseball team, but that telephone call never materialized.

His telephone did buzz, however.

"Football had always been in the back of my mind in that it was something I would like to do," Shinskie said.

"I'd throw the football around in the off-season, but I was focused on baseball. I thought I get a [baseball] call pretty quickly after I was released but that wasn't the case. When I got home I talked to my high school football coach and he said people were on the horn asking about my interest in playing college football. The thought of playing college football wasn't realistic a couple of years ago -- until now."

Mike Brennan, Shinskie's former high school coach, made a telephone call on Shinskie's behalf to Boston College. Shinskie traveled to Boston and met the Eagles coaching staff. No promises were made, but Shinskie liked what he saw and what he heard. While Rutgers and Pitt also expressed interest in Shinskie, he felt his most realistic shot at actual playing time was at BC.

"This seemed to be the perfect fit," Shinskie said.

Shinskie will compete with Codi Boek, a former junior college transfer who played fullback and on special teams last year, and Justin Tuggle, the son of former NFL star Jessie Tuggle who redshirted last year but didn't separate himself from the pack last spring. Also in the mix are redshirt freshman Alexander Atiyeh and true freshman Mike Marscovetra.



Other quarterbacks who had positive results in college football after ditching their professional baseball careers following high school include Florida State's Chris Weinke, who led the Seminoles to a national title and at age 28 became the oldest player in history to win the Heisman Trophy. Weinke spent six years in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, rising to Triple-A, before signing with FSU in 1997 at age 25.

Weinke, a baseball infielder, said his most difficult transition from baseball to football involved his throwing mechanics.

"I look back now and watch that film and I was really rusty," Weinke told FanHouse.

"My mechanics were so bad. But while I was going through it and practicing, I didn't think I was that bad. So what happens is there's a false sense of confidence. I'd complete a pass I thought I was doing everything right. But when I watched the film, I looked like a fish out of water.

"Mentally, I was fine. But to be able to get out there on the field and practice day in and day out and be physically and mechanically sound was the toughest part."

Shinskie admits his transition will take time, but he does feel good about his opportunity. He has been weight lifting and conditioning as well as participating in 7-on-7 throwing sessions with his teammates. Shinskie is enrolled in two summer courses (psychology and philosophy) and recently passed first quiz since high school.

"My arm feels strong and my timing has been good with the receivers," said Shinskie, who started 47 career games at Mount Carmel and led the Tornadoes to a 15-0 record and a state title in 2002, completing 160-of-250 passes for 2,524 yards and 26 touchdowns with 13 interceptions.

"It's going to be the other stuff that will be more difficult in terms of making the correct reads, learning the system and protections, jumping back into full pads and (live) contact. The college scene has been definitely different, but I definitely like it.It's fun. Like anything, it's going to take time."

Times have certainly changed for Shinskie. His alarm clock is a daily reminder.

"In baseball you are used to sleeping in," Shinskie chuckled.

"Now I am in the hot tub at 5AM before weight training and in the cold tub when we're done."