Big decision ahead for Bedford’s Maher

Friday, July 1, 2011

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Joe Maher has a big decision to make this summer.

But before he can make his decision, the New York Yankees have to make one of their own.

On June 9, the Yankees selected Maher in the 39th round of Major League Baseball’s amateur draft. While it was a surprise to many, Maher knew there was a pretty good chance he’d be taken.

“I did know, but a lot of people didn’t, so I started blowing up,” he said.

Of course, everyone wanted an answer to the same question, which got old after a while.

“It’s kind of cool, but it’s a little bit annoying to be honest,” Maher said. “It’s the same question over and over again. What are you going to do? I don’t know.”

The recent Bedford High School graduate, who had planed to pitch for Northeastern University next year, won’t likely know for sure what he’ll do until sometime in August, after the Yankees have had a few more chances to see him pitch.

“The way it works, they have until Aug. 15 to make their offer and they’re going to follow me throughout the summer,” he said. “Between now and then, depending on how I pitch and what they think of me, they’re either going to negotiate something or they’re going to just send me off to college. Either way, it’s a win-win.”

Craig Blahnik, Maher’s coach at Bedford, sees it as a win for the baseball program, and the town.

“How many kids are in Bedford, they’re going to see Joe Maher in the majors someday and say ‘hey, he’s from Bedford,’” Blahnik said. “That’s awesome, to have somebody to look up to.”

No matter what decision Maher ends up making, Blahnik sees it as a positive toward continuing his career.

“He hasn’t gotten the training that they’ll give him in college or the majors,” Blahnik said. “His speed will go up and he’s going to get better. It’s a great decision, but it’s a tough decision. I would want to have that decision. He’s got a number of positives either way. Whichever decision he makes, I’m behind him a hundred percent.”

As for being drafted by the Yankees, Maher is just glad that he was taken, no matter what team it was. A few others – the Nationals, Angels and Brewers to name a few – had also scouted Maher at some point over the last year.

“Over the summer, I went to Yankee Stadium, and I talked to a bunch of guys with the Yankees,” Maher said. “That mentality is something I can really appreciate. It’s all about winning and going out and doing what you have to do to win. Have the Yankees always been my favorite team? No, but I can learn to love it.”

While he’s dreamed of playing professional baseball for as long as he can remember, Maher got his foot in the door last summer when he played Area Code Baseball, a program run by MLB.

“I got invited for the tryout and nobody knew who I was,” he said. “I threw the ball hard. I didn’t expect to make that team, but since then a lot has changed.”

No matter what happens in the next two months, Maher knows it will be a good change.