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Burgess' Grandfather Is A Grand Influence

By ADAM ADKINS The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jun 6, 2007

TAMPA - Michael Burgess is the first to warn that baseball's first-year player draft isn't a sure thing. Despite being listed as one of the nation's top prospects, the Hillsborough High product knows it's no guarantee one of the 30 big-league clubs will select him during the two-day event.

However, should the draft wheel spin as expected and Burgess' name is called somewhere between the start of the draft Thursday afternoon and its conclusion Friday evening, there is one sure thing the All-American outfielder will do. He will turn to his loved ones and thank them for all they've done to make the day possible, with his grandfather, Sylvester Burgess, at the top of the list.

Burgess said finding the words to express his gratitude for his granddad, a man who means so much to him, could be more difficult than crushing a jaw-dropping home run, a feat on which the powerful slugger built his name.

"I wouldn't even know where to start," said Burgess, who continues to see his grandfather on an almost daily basis. "He's been like another dad, really. He's always been around when I needed him. He's been a huge part of my life. Without him and my mom, none of this would even be possible. I wouldn't even be in this position."

Burgess' parents never married, and though he sees his father, it was Sylvester who started chucking baseballs at a then 4-year-old Michael at a nearby park. And it was Sylvester who, after watching those balls soar over his head, one year later decided to sign up his grandson for organized baseball.

Sylvester has been his grandson's shadow ever since, shuttling Michael back and forth through the years - from the fields at Sulphur Springs and North Seminole Little Leagues, over to Wellswood for PONY Baseball, on to the AAU circuit and eventually to Billy Reed Field, home of the Hillsborough Terriers - and rarely missing a practice, let alone a game.

And as any proud grandfather, Sylvester has stories about his grandson's exploits on the diamond.

Like when Michael first started organized ball, there was the unceremonious switch to catcher because of his knack for being in the right place all the time.

"Every ball that was hit, he was the first one to the ball. He thought he was supposed to catch every ball," Sylvester joked. "So they made him a catcher to make sure the other kids learned how to catch."

Then there was Michael's first over-the-fence home run at age 6 - an event Michael can still recall vividly - when Sylvester went into the dugout to give him a hug. And the stretch of 12 home runs in 12 games during AAU ball when Michael was a teenager, the time when Sylvester began to realize his grandson's vast potential.

"I was always kind of measuring him with the rest of the kids on the field," Sylvester said. "He was always one of the best."

Maybe even more amazing is the fact Sylvester claims Michael is somewhat of a self-taught ballplayer.

"Every time I tried to show him something, he already knew it. It was like he'd been here before," Sylvester said.

But the best thing Sylvester sees in his grandson has to do with his character. Gone is the attitude Michael occasionally displayed as a youth; he once was ejected during a Little League game for throwing his bat into the fence.

Now, Michael is more known for his seemingly expressionless play. Whether he's trotting back to the dugout following a strikeout or another towering home run, his stoic, workmanlike expression remains the same.

It's a product of the values Sylvester sought to instill in his grandson: work hard, play hard, get proper rest and always do your best.

It has Michael in this position of facing a life-altering day. Thursday, a choice likely will have to be made: take the scholarship to Arizona State, or sign a contract and shove off to the minor leagues on the ultimate path toward the majors.

And while Michael wasn't able to come up with any words to express his appreciation for Sylvester's mentoring on short notice during a recent interview, he's certain that won't be the case when the time actually comes to thank his grandfather for all he's done.

"He's meant so much to me," Michael said. "I'm sure something will come into my head."

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

TOP BAY AREA PROSPECTS

*-All eight players are among the state's top 70 prospects according to Baseball America

2007 DRAFT

WHAT: First-year player draft

WHEN: Thursday-Friday

TV: Thursday, 2-6 p.m., ESPN2

ONLINE: TBO.com, keyword: Rays for our draft preview, including prospect profiles, the draft order and past picks.