Two for the Show

It might as well be called the American Dream. Collegiate athletic success produces fame, glory, and­—most of all—a shot at the fabled big leagues.

And it takes hold even at Harvard.

In a summer that saw the rise of Ryan Fitzpatrick ’04 to the St. Louis Rams’ active roster and the U.S. Open breakthrough of James Blake ’01, two of Crimson baseball’s own became professionals.

First, on July 2, Zak Farkes signed a free agent contract with the Boston Red Sox, forgoing his final year of NCAA eligibility and bringing an early conclusion to the most prolific power-hitting career in Harvard history.

Then, in August, classmate Frank Herrmann, the ace of the Harvard pitching staff, followed suit, signing with the Cleveland Indians after a summer ball tour in Hawaii.

Even reserve John Wolff—who impressed Chicago White Sox scouts enough that they used a 47th round pick on him in June’s MLB Amateur Draft—joined the act, signing just last week.

All three retired within Harvard’s Ivy-laden gates this fall after productive vacations on the field.

After the ink has dried and the long winter has lifted, all three will fulfill their professional contracts by reporting to spring training, instead of preparing for Harvard’s Ivy title defense.

All three took different routes to the ranks of Harvard pro athletes.

But the dream—that American, Big League Dream—remains the same.

ZAK FARKES

For the most visible dreamers, the ones who appear on ESPN riding sky-high bonuses and brand new cars, the Big League Dream is symbolized by the glitz that comes with it.

As a new member of the Boston Red Sox’ Class A affiliate, the Lowell (Mass.) Spinners, Farkes found something different altogether.

“It’s a game every single day in the summer,” he says. “Long road trips. Hotels from Super 8 to Holiday Inn and all the way around.”

Farkes, however, found exactly what he was looking for.

“I know [the minor league life] is not for everyone,” he says. “But it’s the thing I love to do.”

As a regular in Harvard’s middle infield for three years, Farkes made a name for himself as a record-breaker. During a historic stretch at the end of the 2004 season, Farkes belted four home runs in four games against division rival Dartmouth, shattering Harvard’s single-season and career home run marks.

Farkes, a Boston native and lifelong Red Sox fan who grew up in the shadow of Fenway, turned down a chance to join his favorite team after being selected in the 39th round of the 2004 draft, a decision he would later regret. After an injury-plagued junior campaign in which his numbers nevertheless recovered during a white hot April and May, Farkes went undrafted in June. He signed with the Red Sox as a free agent in July.

Immediately, the infielder set out to make up for lost time.

“Whether you’re a free agent, a first-round pick or a 50th-round pick,” Farkes says, “once you get in the system, it’s all the same.”

For him, the choice was pragmatic.

“My main goal was to get experience this summer,” he says. “If I deliberated, waited until next year, I might’ve missed 100 or so at-bats. The wheels would’ve been going too fast. It would’ve been my first spring training—with no pro experience.”

Farkes acknowledged he “was pressing” during a short season at Class A ball this summer. His stint with Lowell—which finished just short of playoff contention in the New York-Penn League—somewhat resembled his junior season at Harvard, in which a slow start was topped with a season-ending hot streak.

Farkes hit two home runs in the season’s final week, but finished with a disappointing .174 average in 132 at-bats.

“You learn a lot about yourself,” he says of unfulfilled expectations. “But [the minors are] not really about stats. It’s more about learning to play the game.”

Despite the rough summer, the Red Sox were impressed with Farkes’ finish.

After working towards his Harvard degree this fall and living with roommate Frank Herrmann in Eliot House, he will report to spring training in March.

FRANK HERRMANN

Frank Herrmann ended his junior year at Harvard with no intention of signing a professional baseball contract. He was excited about pitching this upcoming season, and besides, the 2005 Draft had come and gone long ago.

But in mid-August, the Cleveland Indians organization came calling.

And Herrmann found that when a dream knocks on your door, you open it.

While playing with the Oahu Paddlers in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League, the senior pitcher drew the attention of scouts on the strength of his rejuvenated right arm. In the past, the Rutherford, N.J. native had suffered from tendinitis at the ulnar nerve, hindering both his health and velocity.

But this summer, finally “truly healthy” for the first time, Herrmann—who went 5-1 with a 3.09 ERA last year—was hitting 93 MPH on the radar gun.

After being considered by the Kansas City Royals and the Red Sox, the starter was approached by Indians scout Don Lyle, who offered him the best deal.

Herrmann, who stands 6’4, 220-lbs., calls the time he spent mulling over signing and thus leaving Harvard baseball the “toughest three weeks” of his life.

“I talked to everyone,” he said. “I talked to my family, friends. I talked to Zak, Coach Walsh, Coach Hyde.”

The notion of “What if?” ultimately proved too glaring for Herrmann to ignore. He figured that if he pitched for the Crimson in 2006 and did poorly, or got hurt once again, the prospect of another contract coming along would be slim.

So the Indians threw out a number, offered to help pay for school, and included a signing bonus. Former Boston Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette—whom Herrmann played for in the New England Collegiate Baseball League two summers ago—helped negotiate the deal for him and his family.

“I was a part of the best team ever in my opinion,” Herrmann said. “But I might never get this opportunity again.”

Today, Herrmann is back at school, living with his roommates and readying for the fall semester.

He’ll practice and work out with the team, he says, and then head to wherever the Indians send him in March. He is “99.9 percent sure” that he’ll return next fall to get his degree in government.

“It’s definitely a bittersweet feeling,” Herrmann summarized. “The team’s here, and our chemistry is incredible. It was perfect, and I wanted to be a part of that. I really can’t fully enjoy this.”

But for Herrmann, in the end, this is might be the only logical step in a progression that has seen him ascend from seldom-used pinch-hitter to, just last year, team leader and Harvard staff ace.

In 2006, his friends wil be scrambling to find someone to fill Frank Herrmann’s shoes in the rotation. And he knows that.

“But I had to think with my head, not my heart,” Herrmann said.

That door can’t go unopened.

—Staff writer Pablo S. Torre can be reached at torre@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Alex McPhillips can be reached at rmcphill@fas.harvard.edu.