THROWN A CURVE
The Dodgers did all they could to appease the US Navy to sign Charlie Connolly. What gives?
The United States Navy has done Charlie Connolly wrong, just as it has to so many other former Navy baseball players over the years. Connolly had a simple and seemingly reasonable request. He wanted to sign a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who selected the hard-throwing pitcher in the 20th round of the Major League Baseball draft last month.
Connolly made it clear to his superiors that he did not want to join the Dodgers organization in a playing capacity and that he intended to fulfill his service commitment after being commissioned as a surface warfare officer.
However, signing with the Dodgers was a crucial step toward Connolly eventually achieving his goal of playing professional baseball. Had the contract been signed, the Los Angeles organization would have retained Connolly’s rights for seven years.
After much stalling, Navy officials recently informed Connolly he could not sign with the Dodgers. According to Connolly’s agent and an executive with the Dodgers, the reason given was that doing so violated Navy rules and regulations involving off-duty employment.
That is a complete crock and cop out because what Connolly was asking to do did not constitute employment. He would not have been working for the Dodgers in any capacity.
Furthermore, the Navy does allow off-duty employment provided it is approved by a commanding officer. Former Navy football player Joe Cardona played for the New England Patriots of the National Football League while simultaneously serving as an officer stationed at the Naval Academy Prep School.
Obviously, Cardona received permission from his commanding officer to pursue off-duty employment with the Patriots.
Billy Gasparino, vice president and scouting director for the Dodgers, used the words “frustrating” and “disappointing” many times when discussing the organization’s dealings with the United States Navy while attempting to sign Connolly.
“I feel a sense of disappointment and almost shock because not only the Dodgers, but also Major League Baseball, really made a huge effort to make this work,” Gasparino told The Capital.
“We basically told the Navy: You set the parameters, you set the contract language and we’ll agree to it. We want to do what’s best for Charlie and are willing to support his commitment to the Navy.”
Had the Dodgers signed Connolly, he would have been placed on the military reserve list for an indefinite period. Gasparino told Navy officials verbally and in writing the Los Angeles organization would not in any way interfere with Connolly’s service commitment.
Connolly is currently on temporary assignment duty at the Naval Academy and has spent the summer helping indoctrinate the plebe class. He is scheduled to report to the USS Russell, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer based in San Diego, at some point in November.
“We were going to put wording in the contract that specifically said Charlie would be honoring his commitment,” Gasparino said. “We offered to put anything in the language of the contract that stated this does not constitute employment.”
Before going any further, let’s provide some background.
Connolly is a talented pitcher who throws a 94-96 mph fastball. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound right-hander also possesses above-average breaking pitches to complement the heater.
Having heard very favorable reports from scouts about his MLB draft prospects, Connolly submitted a request delay his active-duty service for the purpose of playing professional baseball.
Connolly was hoping to take advantage of a new Department of Defense policy, outlined in Directive-type Memorandum 19-011, that allows service academy graduates to pursue professional sports immediately.
That policy, which went into effect Nov. 8, 2019, was publicly endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
However, Connolly and former Navy football player Cameron Kinley were informed three days before Naval Academy graduation that their requests to delay active-duty service had been denied.
There was an appeals process, however, and Kinley chose to proceed. The Board of Correction of Naval Records, after reviewing his petition, recommended his request be forwarded to the Secretary of Defense. Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas W. Harker endorsed and complied with that ruling and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III subsequently rescinded Kinley’s commission and transferred the 2021 Naval Academy graduate to the Individual Ready Reserve with enlisted status. An important stipulation of the Department of Defense policy is that former service academy athletes taking advantage of Directive-type Memorandum 19-011 must still complete their military obligation.
Following the Board of Correction of Naval Records ruling, Connolly was offered the same opportunity as Kinley — to resign his commission and enter the Individual Ready Reserve.
That offer came before the MLB draft was held and therefore Connolly declined, having no idea at the time whether he would be chosen or not. It seemed unlikely since Connolly’s agent had previously informed all major league organizations that he would not be allowed to play pro ball immediately.
However, the Dodgers decided to take a chance on Connolly — he was the final pick of the 20-round draft — even though they knew he could not join their minor league system for at least two years.
There have been numerous instances in which the Air Force, Army and Navy have allowed service members to seek early release after two years on active duty. Former football player Eric Kettani was the most recent Naval Academy graduate granted that request, exchanging his final three years of active duty for a lengthier period in the reserves.
Former service academy athletes must be signed by a professional sports organization in order to request early release after two years of active duty. Connolly had hoped to sign with the Dodgers in order to keep that option available.
“Charlie has done everything in his power, both verbally and by his actions, to let the powers that be know he wanted to honor his commitment. He just wanted to sign so the Dodgers could hold his rights,” Gasparino said. “It’s really confusing to me as to why the Navy leadership did not understand this.”
Perhaps most frustrating for Dodgers executives is the fact discussions with the Navy were proceeding smoothly and they were given every indication Connolly would be allowed to sign. That tone abruptly changed, and the Navy began stalling — eventually stating it could not complete the process in time to meet the major league deadline for signing draft picks.
“In the early stages, we all seemed aligned on the same page, and it appeared this would work out,” Gasparino said. “At some level it got to someone with the Navy who just did not want to go forward with this. I have no idea who that was. It was basically on track and it abruptly halted.”
That Aug. 1 deadline came and went without Connolly receiving permission from the Navy to sign. However, Major League Baseball granted the Dodgers a rare extension because of the unique nature of Connolly’s situation.
No longer able to delay a decision indefinitely, the Navy informed Connolly he could not sign.
“We did everything we could to make this work, and I still don’t completely understand why it didn’t. That’s been the puzzling part,” Gasparino said. “That’s why we drafted Charlie in the first place, because we thought that was Step 1 toward eventually having him play for the Dodgers.”
MLB will likely declare Connolly a free agent and he will be eligible to sign with any organization. However, since the Navy did not allow the pitcher to sign with the team that drafted him, it is unlikely to allow him to sign as a free agent.
This is not the first time the Navy has done wrong to a former Navy baseball player. Mitch Harris, a 2008 academy graduate, was drafted and signed by the St. Louis Cardinals. The right-handed pitcher sought early release after two years of active duty and was denied. The Florida native was required to serve his entire five-year military commitment.
Harris returned to professional baseball after retiring from the Navy and made the major leagues as a 29-year-old rookie. He was the first Naval Academy graduate to reach the majors since Nemo Gaines in 1921.
Harris reaching the majors after serving five years as a surface warfare officer and reaching the rank of lieutenant was one of the best stories of the 2015 baseball season. It brought positive publicity to the Navy, even though the service had done nothing to help Harris.
Catcher Jonathan Johnston, an Oakland Athletics draft pick in 2007, suffered similar treatment — being denied early release on several occasions. There are other examples in addition to Harris, Johnston and Connolly.
It has become painfully obvious the Navy does not consider professional baseball as valuable as professional football in terms of promotional value, for whatever reason.
Gasparino said Connolly likely would have been a “top-10 round” draft pick had the Navy initially granted his request to delay commissioning to pursue pro baseball. Bottom line, Connolly had the talent to reach the major leagues and now may never get that opportunity.
“It’s a very poor process as far as allowing Navy baseball players to achieve their dreams of playing pro baseball when their skill level is good enough,” Gasparino said. “I’m by no means an expert on this topic or the history, but it just seems there is no pathway for a Navy baseball player to become a professional.
“Even if we do follow all the rules as laid out in the Department of Defense policy, there is still a chance the Navy still says no.”
Sarah Kelm of the Lacertus Group represents both Connolly and 2019 Naval Academy graduate Noah Song, who was a fourth-round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox two years ago. Kelm said it was “heartbreaking” to have the Navy denying talented baseball players an opportunity to play professionally.
Kelm called Connolly “an honorable man who wants to serve” and said he will be a great leader “no matter where his life journey takes him.”