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Reply to "Do Scouts value HS baseball enough for a player to toil In a bad program"

bacdorslider posted:
Backpick25 posted:
bacdorslider posted:

I would have rather-ed PG start a league in the spring with 8 teams playing at Lake Point than to play HS baseball.  HS baseball had it's place in the past.  As others have said the trend is for the more advanced player to get into soccer club, Baseball Academy  and so on.  Every tries to deal with HS baseball because the season is short. it's become a necessary evil for some players. And before everyone gets their nose out of joint removing the elite player   actually would make high school baseball what it should be a fun school activity. - I think you have to remove the emotion of being a 5%er from the equation. For an overwhelming majority of  HS players, HS baseball is THE pinnacle of their playing days. Your in HS once in a lifetime. That time should be spent as a high school student, taking in the various activities and getting involved. They will get where they're going soon enough and the ability to overcome adversity, making adjustments will only make them better.

I don't believe HS baseball was any better 30 + years ago. It was probably worse as we were left alone to simply play the game and figure it out without lessons and academies.......and  using the original BBCOR, lol, one piece spun aluminum.

Now I will give you the playing for your school, friends, city etc.... But for most elite players coming from populated areas, and having played travel ball since birth, the feelings are just not as strong for that as it might have been in the past. - I really think it sends the wrong message. The kids should play the game first for the love of the game. Too much emphasis on "winning the lottery", aka, college scholarships and draft. Those opportunities will come anyway for the upper 5%. 

There is no way that an elite player can get better playing HS baseball.  He is only making the others better and opening himself up for injury.   We  have them play travel ball in the summer for competition, the best they can play against and then bring them right back to mediocrity.  - Sure there is.......work on the mental game by battling through things a player CAN control and not worrying about the things they cannot. If a player can't handle the trials and tribulations of HS ball........college and pro ball will eat them up and spit them out.

I have literally heard 2018's HS coach tell parents in a parent meeting that travel ball is a big waste of money . - A matter of perspective really. Yes it is for 95% of all HS players.........IF they are playing for the "lottery". Not so much IF it's for the love of the game, the competition and  comradery.

It's no one's fault really... just the separation within the  sport. - 30-40 years ago.......the separation was there. The college bound players knew where they were going and in the Spring of their Senior year, draft eligible players knew they were being considered through personal contact and scouts at the fence. Back then they were still fish in a pond..............

MLB has seen the separation differently. COST to play the game, pay to play, pay to stay (listen to ABCA Ep71). When there is concern about exclusion due to cost, you can bet change is coming.

There is a movement in baseball to reach those in the inner cities creating opportunities, creating player scholarships to get the right athletes into baseball. Inner City Urban Youth Academies  just as they have in Latin American countries, an opportunity to play the game for free of charge with the best instructors and facilities money can buy. 

BDS - you got a fine pitcher. Don't sweat the small stuff, enjoy/embrace the now. He will get where he's going regardless of what others do, say or think . Remember there's 95% of HS players that WISH they were going where he's headed.

 

You know I agree  with a lot of what you posted.  I am beginning to think that my issue is not at all with hs school baseball . My issue is with this particular program that I have been a part of for the past 10 years. That's a long time. 

For instance, last season we had three SEC pitchers, 1 SEC catcher,  1 C-USA pitcher and two juco players going to a Texas juco.  I watched as this team and the players on it got worse as the season went along. The players did not enjoy it at all and could not wait for it to end.  I was  more than concerned about what would happen when these players went to school. 

As it turns out the SEC pitchers are going great, very proud of them. One is starting going deep in games as a freshman. One of the Juco kids was 0-35 last year in high school... now he is hitting .390 and 7 dingers ....I really believe the talent was there, but this coach has a way of killing it for the players.

many times the opposing teams parents will make comments about how flat and down and not really having fun ...and sadly it's true.  Of course these same players thrive in other environments be it travel ball, P5 , JUCO doesn't matter the level or the position once they leave this program they do better.  Last year with all that talent he was barely .500 and lost 12 games by a run.........

 My 2013 was the same way. coach never thought much of him , never really played him, but from summer he went Juco then D1. 

Now I have heard the coaches don't make anything for what they do, and I agree they should make more. Last weeks practice schedule. Friday short practice, sat no practice, sunday no practice, monday he calls off practice, tuesday scrimmage, and was upset about the errors in the scrimmage ( I guess) so has a 6:30 am practice Wednesday.... makes no sense.

Luckily , 2018 does not let it get to him as he is living in the moment.  It bothers him a little at the time but he seems to go over it fairly quickly.  I would be more concerned if it did not bother him at all.

So maybe its not the HS school baseball but rather the high school baseball in my town.

I get it. We all have pride and are proud of the players accomplishments and love to see great players do big things in the game.

Attitude and effort are the things players can control. Coaches can sometimes get in the way but  seldom determine the outcome of the game if the players control the controllables.

Bottom line,  we don’t have to like the HS program but we have to respect it and the folks that run them. I won’t get into pay....... that’s another topic as there are just as many or more bad coaches as there are good. The good ones realize that baseball information is not exclusive to the level of play and seek out the best information and resources.

 If you recall, I absolutely gave props to your sons HS facility,an amazing complex. What a great facility the community has managed to assemble for the kids. They are truly blessed.

Trust me, it’s tough to watch my 2018 play HS ball with one other teammate that played travel ball. The rest played local rec league. You know what? It’s all good! I’ve come to realize, I don’t make a big deal of it, neither will he. It didn’t alter his path no more than the player expectations and a perceived bad coach altered your sons path.   It’s all good with my son who gets to play the game and I get to watch him play. That’s something I know doesn’t last forever.  

 

 

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