quote:Originally posted by Midlo Dad:
In my observation, there are many who give up on travel ball because they are unable to find an affordable, class vehicle. And many of them go to Legion ball over their summers.
So, I genuinely appreciate the efforts of those like Coach Milburn who do their very best to make that a solid experience and to generate exposure for and interest in those players who may otherwise go overlooked.
But if you then go so far as to tar every travel program with the brush of being just for the country club set, that just ain't true. If it's all you see and all you hear about, your field of vision is not very broad.
There are in fact many low-cost options out there for players with college or pro aspirations. The only thing is, you have to make the cuts to be on those teams. And if you don't, it may well be that the only options left for you are those that force you to pay through the nose. At that point, it's up to you to decide whether the money is well spent, or whether someone is taking your cash to keep alive a dream that may or may not ever come to fruition. I have to admit, I do see that a lot, but the problem is not in the travel programs, it's in the minds of people who think that the only thing standing between junior and his scholarship is mom and dad spending enough money.
One thing that you should always do is begin with an evaluation from someone you trust but someone who is also candid. And then you have to be kind to that person if the news you hear is not as encouraging as you had hoped. The reality is that not everyone has the talent to move on to the next level. If you ignore every sign out there that your kid is in that number, then you are likely to be disappointed at the end of the day.
All that being said, if you want to spend money just to enjoy the opportunity to play baseball for as long as it lasts, have at it, you certainly have my blessing! But don't think that just because you paid thousands for instruction sessions and team fees that your son is getting screwed if he doesn't get a scholarship deal. If he doesn't hit well, doesn't run well and doesn't throw hard, it may not be in the cards.
Remember, most college players were dominant players at the HS level. If your son is just sort of average on his HS team, take that to heart. Let him enjoy the game here and now without trying to make it something it's not.
This post by Midlo Dad is spot on, so I wanted to copy it in the hope that everyone would pay attention to what he said.
Brickhouse, to answer your question, I don't really agree with you, though I understand what you're saying. College coaches and pro scouts select players based on their evaluation of a players ability to play the game. They look at his 'tools' and see how he goes about playing the game. High School batting averages and ERA are somewhat subjective, as the level of competition from team to team, and league to league, isn't consistent, nor are the decisions of scorekeepers. My son played on a high school team where during his senior year (which he missed due to an elbow injury) the scorekeeper was a reserve player who some of the starters really intimidated. That kid was terrified to call an error an error with some of our kids at the plate. He knew they'd give him hell if he did, so he'd call it a base hit when an infielder booted a ball. People who evaluate talent may notice a kid's stats, but only in a cursory sense, and they won't make any decisions based on those stats. They do make decisions by watching a kid play, and then learing more about him and his ability to compete at higher levels. No matter how much a parents spends, if the kid can't play, he ain't gonna move on, at least not very far.
Coaches at the higher levels and scouts too, have to see a player play, and they do select the best players to move on. It is not at all common for a truly skilled player to not find an opportunity to play college baseball. If he doesn't get that far, odds are overwhelming that he lacked skill; either on the field or in the classroom.