Former Tennessee baseball pitcher Chase Burns is enjoying some personal success as a pitcher for the Chattanooga Lookouts after transferring from Tennessee to Wake Forest.
His desire to be a full-time starting pitcher led him to leave Rocky Top for Wake Forest. That was something he believed he could not achieve at Tennessee, despite his success on the mound for the Vols.
"It is what it is," Burns said late last week. "At the end of the day, I had to do something to further my career, and it's been a year or two since that happened, so hopefully everybody understands it. It's cool seeing the Tennessee fans here, and I loved being at UT.
Burns has since been drafted by the Cincinnati Reds and is playing for the Lookouts, which is something he wanted far more than to stay with Tennessee and even win the College World Series with the Vols last season.
"Yeah, it was weird seeing them win it, but I'm thinking about the long-term goals," Burns continued. "It's awesome that those guys won the national championship, and I'm happy for them, but a national championship wouldn't have helped me develop and be the starter that I want to be.
"I'm talking about playing for 10 or 15 years in the big leagues. That's something I want to do, and I don't think a national championship can top a 15-year, big-league career.
"I wish I would have won a national championship, of course, but not everybody can say they went second overall. It plays hand in hand. I'm happy that they won that, and they deserve it all, but I'm also happy for myself and my hard work."
Burns' mindset when it came to leaving Tennessee and looking back at where he's at and what Tennessee did last season, winning a national championship, perfectly encapsulates the transfer portal mindset.
Players would rather leave a program over an inconvenience like not being a full-time starter instead of sticking with the team and helping them win a world series.
I understand it from a player's perspective. Ultimately, you have to do what you believe is best for you. It worked out for both sides as he was a top draft pick and the Vols won a championship, but it doesn't always work out like that for everyone involved.