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Push For Pete

Pete ParisePete Parise was not drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals.  In fact, he was not drafted at all.  Pete played in the Independent Frontier League before having his contract purchased by the Cards in 2007.  Only 2 years later, Pete has made his way up to AA with the Springfield Cardinals and has shown that what round you are drafted, or whether you are drafted at all, does not always matter.  He is currently 2nd on the AA Cardinals in ERA (3.03), only trailing big time prospect, Lance Lynn, who was a supplemental 1st round selection by the Cardinals in 2008.  Lynn is a starting pitcher and Parise is a reliever.  Pete is 2nd on the team in holds (6) and leads all relievers in innings pitched (32.2).  This is Pete’s first year with the AA team, after having a strong season last year in the Florida State League.  Out of all pitchers on the Springfield roster, Parise leads the team in WHIP (1.13), not including David Kopp, who only has one appearance on the year.

The best part about Pete is that he is a great clubhouse guy.  All of his teammates love him.  He is the most personable guy from the Bronx that you will find.  Another added bonus is that Pete was a position player in college.  In 3 out of his 4 seasons with Pittsburgh, he had a batting average over .300.

Let’s make a push for Pete to make it to the next level and eventually to St. Louis!

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.