Parker turns heads on diamond and gridiron

CLEMSON — When history happens in Technicolor, it often cannot be fully appreciated at first, requiring time and context.

Even so, Clemson hitting coach Tom Riginos is pretty sure he is witnessing a historic talent in Kyle Parker.

"We are sitting here watching something that, five years from now, we'll say 'holy mackerel this was something special,' " Riginos said. "What he did (last Saturday), he comes off the football field after throwing for 175 yards to a standing ovation. It doesn't faze him. He has an RBI base hit, a home run.

"You just don't see this."

This is a package of power arm, power bat and poise.

And it is Parker's swing, its natural lift, his exceptional eye and hand coordination to square a pitch, which could be a concern for the football staff in the summer of 2010.

Since the end of spring football, Parker has gone 11-of-18 batting, smashing three home runs. He has raised his average to .322 and is tied with a team-best eight home runs. Two of the shots came following the spring game Saturday, when Parker convinced 24,000 he had the lead in the quarterback derby.

Riginos said the "snap" is back in Parker's bat like it was last season when he earned freshman All-American baseball honors as an 18-year-old. Parker said he feels refreshed following spring football, a disconcerting prospect for Virginia Tech arms this weekend.

Parker could be an early pick in baseball draft next June when he becomes eligible — with three years of football eligibility remaining.

If Parker ends up winning the starting quarterback job, it would not be in Dabo Swinney's interest to have a major league team throw a six- or seven-figure signing bonus at Parker.

Could it factor into the decision of which quarterback to invest in?

"Absolutely not," Swinney said. "We'll do everything we can to win games this year."

Parker says he has not traveled down the road of a football vs. baseball decision — yet. The son of former NFL receiver Carl Parker said the football staff hasn't pressed him about his baseball plans.

"I really haven't looked that far into it right now," Parker said. "(Two sports) can be done. God blessed me with the ability to do both. I'm going to continue to do that."

Jeff Sauve is the only player in Clemson history to be drafted, play professional baseball in the summer, and return for fall football.

It was a less daunting task for Sauve, a place-kicker, drafted in the 11th round of the 1995 draft by the Red Sox. Sauve pitched 15 innings for Utica in the Low-A New York Penn short season and returned for football.

A more recent high-profile example is former Notre Dame receiver Jeff Samardzija.

Samardzija signed for $250,000 as a fifth-round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs in 2006. He played short-season A ball in the summer and returned for his senior football season.

As far as quarterbacks go, Oregon's Dennis Dixon played pro baseball in 2007 and returned for his senior football season.

The historic example is John Elway, who played a summer of minor league baseball, returning to quarterback Stanford in 1982.

However, following their draft selections, they had one year of football eligibility remaining — Parker would have three.

Cash is the fear for Tiger football. Samardzija said no to the NFL when presented with a $2.5 million signing bonus and five-year deal worth up to $16 million from the Cubs.

Said one National League scout: "In the Samardzija case there was very real chance he could be an NFL wide receiver. In that case you have to pay him if you really believe."

Parker has yet to play in a college football game. But his talent is very real, and he might have a choice to make. So just where might his future be?

"It depends on who you ask," said Parker's high school football coach Darrell Sutherland said. "A football coach or a baseball coach."

Reach Travis Sawchik at tsawchik@postandcourier.com and check out his Clemson blog at postandcourier.com/blogs/tiger_tracks.