If at first you don't succeed, try to play a different sport.
That's at least what 2009 second-round pick Pat White is doing. After looking out of place as a quarterback at the NFL and getting cut by the Dolphins last week, the 24-year-old has signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals.
"Any time that you can add an athletic-type player to your organization, you try to do it," Lonnie Goldberg, the Royals' director of baseball operations, said in a statement. "We know the NFL may still be an option and we have discussed that with Pat, but are excited that he is open to the idea of playing professional baseball for the Royals."
The move does not come out of nowhere, as White was a fourth-round draft pick by the Anaheim Angels in 2004. Instead of pursuing baseball, though, White went to West Virginia to play quarterback.
That turned out to be a good decision, as White threw for 6,049 yards and rushed for another 4,480 and led the Mountaineers to four bowl victories.
Even while he was taking snaps at West Virginia, MLB teams still hoped to lure him back to baseball. The Angels (2007), Reds (2008) and Yankees (2009) all spent draft picks on White, who eventually opted to pursue a career in the NFL.
He was expected to be a major part of Miami's Wildcat offense, but in his rookie season, he rushed for just 81 yards and was 0-for-5 passing. He also had to be carted off the Dolphins' season finale after suffering a vicious helmet-to-helmet blow from Pittsburgh's Ike Taylor.
