Dear Tyler Kepner,

I recently read your article “In the Case of Kyler Murray, the A’s Bet Big and Lost” on the
New York Times. I strongly agree that the Oakland Athletics wasted their ninth pick in the
baseball draft. Besides from wasting their pick on a player that chose to declare for the NFL draft
on Monday, after signing a $4.6 million contract, promising to play only baseball after the 2018
college football season in June, they will not get a compensation pick for Murray’s betrayal.
As both a football and baseball fan I am very excited that Kyler Murray declared for the
NFL draft. He was so much fun to watch for the Oklahoma Sooners. He was a duel-threat
quarterback who won the Heisman and had more than 5,000 all-purpose yards and 54
touchdowns. With this year’s draft class, Murray should be a guaranteed first round pick which
would make him at least $10 million signing bonus included. If he ends up being a top ten pick
he could make up to $18.7 million.
At the end of the day, its Kyler Murray who made the decision and who has to deal with
it. Kyler Murray was going to be an outfielder and start off in AA or AAA, with many bumps in
the road to get to the majors had he chosen to pursue his baseball dream. In the NFL many teams
are looking for a duel-threat quarterback to make their franchise a better team. Even if he is not
drafted to be a starter, he is one quarterback injury away from having the chance to be the next
Tom Brady opposed to the trials and tribulations he’d have to go through to try to make it to the
majors.
Respectfully submitted,
Anthony Cerciello
Montclair State University