Bee, you're probably right, it was a bit of ice water, and soothing herbal tea would be better. On the other hand, as someone who can identify with this parent's reaction, I have had people use both methods with me, and frankly, the ice water route was the one that worked for me.
I will stand by my experience, and the advice I have been given as well: an initial letter, even if written in response to having been seen, means nothing unless it is followed by personal telephone contact and consistent expressions of interest. LSU has probably used up its quota of official visits already, furthermore.
Reams of us here on this board can tell stories of the "come on" letters our boys have received, after having been seen at a showcase, that made it sound as if the coach had our home telephone number on speed dial and was just sitting by the phone, drumming his fingers until he could push that button on July 1st: only to never hear another word from that school, except, as BeenthereIL so rightly points out, requests for money (in the guise of "prospect camps"). When I think of the hours my son spent, dutifully filling out those dang questionnaires, only to hear nothing or very little more, I'd like to...well, now that you mention it, scream!
I firmly stand by my belief that parents do not help by overreacting to these initial letters, even telephone calls. They tell you nothing, nothing mind you, about whether you are in a database of 1000 or an A list of 10 (even then, the odds aren't great).
In the kid's mind, it goes something like this: "Oh, Mom/Dad is SO excited about this letter, they would be so happy if this school offered me a spot". Then, kid gets not much else from school. "Oh, I must have really let Mom/Dad down" by not making it.
What we as parents are supposed to convey is: warm support, organizational help (making those folders, etc.) and a sounding board for the boy's questions. We are not supposed to be screaming as if we got a letter with a winning lottery ticket.
I would be absolutely delighted if this boy makes it to LSU or any other baseball program and I truly wish him and his parents the best. But it is important for parents to really understand the process, and to know that the first contacts mean very little. TRHit said it best, probably, and most gently. But I think that the point really needs to be made.