Chico Escuela posted:Reviving this thread for two reasons (I hope folks don't mind):
1) Upthread a ways, someone asked if the new NCAA rule prohibiting "recruiting conversations" with D1s prior to Sept 1 of Junior year was affecting HF and Showball as opportunities for underclassmen to gain exposure. My 2020 son just finished a HF showcase. I have no experience from prior to the rule change, but I can say my son and I thought HF was great and he got a lot out of it. Players who have not passed the magic Sept. 1 mark were pretty much limited to introducing themselves to a coach and giving a few brief words about why they were interested in his school. That probably has very little recruiting value, but Son got the experience of having to approach and introduce himself to coaches, which was great. Post-HF, my son has heard from a few D1s with lightly personalized camp invites that say the coach saw him at HF. My sense is that schools generally aren't doing more than than that for players younger than 2019.
Keep in mind that the new rule does not apply to D3s, which are most of the schools at HF. I don't think D3s generally recruit players prior to the summer of their junior year anyhow, but at least D3 coaches didn't have to be on guard to avoid potential infractions of the new regime. My son told me some D1 coaches actually said words to the effect of "I don't want to seem rude, but I'm very limited in what I can talk with you about."
All in all, HF was a great experience for my 2020. I assume he will do HF or Showball in the fall when he is past the Sept. 1 mark, and probably next summer, too--and when he does those, I think he will be more relaxed because he knows what to expect and has some idea what the competition is like. HF also did a very good job explaining recruiting and inspiring teenaged boys to actively direct their own efforts to play college baseball.
2) My son is a PO, so he threw two innings on HF Day 1 and three innings on Day 2. ("Inning" here meaning he faced six batters, each of which started with a 1-1 count.) That came to about 115 pitches over two days, including 40+ on day 1. Not what Dr. Andrews would recommend and the boy had a sore arm, but he seems to be OK.
Showball's web site says that they have pitchers throw a bullpen in front of coaches on Day 1, then pitch in two games on Day 2. Coaches are watching all three sessions, so kids are going to try to throw hard. That means my kid would pitch not only on consecutive days, but three times in two days. I know it's just for the one weekend, but am I wrong to be concerned? Anyone else have experience with this that they can share please?
I share your concern. 2019 did HF in CA in June and that was fine - 1 inning 1st day, 2 consecutive innings 2nd day. That's fine. We saw Showball's schdule laid out as you described, and son's concern was heating back up for game 2 after having thrown in game 1 earlier, plus the max effort (radar gun) bullpen the day before. So that is the major reason he is doing HF again in Aug on Long Island. Just hoping MIT coach is there for that Aug 6-7 session to follow up on their meeting in CA. Thanks for the thread - always helpful to come on here for info and perspective.