quote:Originally posted by Pedropere:
So, leftysidearmmom, how did your son wind up where he is? Did he attend showcases, or play on an elite team in tournaments? And was there much interest from other schools?
I know leftys don't need as much velocity to attract attention, but if you were to post your son's velocity saying he was a hs senior and asking for advice, you'd be told that he didn't throw hard enough and that divison I isn't in the cards. How did he do it?
Funny you should say that because that is exactly what happened. We posted here and were told by some very well respected people on this site that he wasn't D1 material, even though they knew he was sidearm and lefty. But all his life, he's been told he wasn't tall enough, didn't throw hard enough, and wasn't good enough. The kid is persistent. In his Junior year of HS, his coach noticed that he was practically a 3/4 arm anyway naturally and suggested he make the drop. He studied players such as sidearmer Jose Vaquenados, a long time Red Sox player and last year made the MiLB International All Star team. If the big teams were using these types of pitchers with such success, it didn't add up that a D1 wouldn't also want one.
He had played on a showcase team for a few months in the fall of his Senior year but by then it was a little late for D1's and although it was a good team, they weren't an elite team and didn't get much exposure. He was never invited to any PG or similar events. He attended a couple of camps but he either had a bad day pitching or there weren't any D1 recruiters there other than that school's. That said, if you are interested in one particular school, that is probably the best way to get noticed by them. Understand though that it will take a leap for some recruiters that are used to picking the six foot tall guys that throw hard. You have to find a team that is looking for this kind of pitcher.
So how did he get on a D1 team? Hard work and a little bit of luck. He made sure he'd be an asset on the field and off. He studied hard and ended up with a 4.3 GPA. Got involved in community service to prove his character. All the while remaining focused on getting better at his niche as a reliever. He learned about the value of a "situational pitcher" and proved to his high school team he could play that role ending with the most appearances and an ERA of 1.27. The struggles to become respected on his high school team ended up creating an ability to overcome. This became very useful as sidearmers are often called upon to get a last out in a pressure-packed situation. Towards the end of his high school career I almost couldn't take it any more as every coach would wait to put him in when bases were loaded and the game was on the line. My poor heart! But he loved it and actually thrived on it.
Still no D1 offers came. After graduation, he was all set to attend another university and play clubball. All the deposits were in, we attended orientation and he'd met his roommate. He had offers from D3s but none were a good fit for him outside of baseball. It was a very difficult decision for him but he did heed the advice so often spoken here to make sure the school was a good fit first. He is one of those guys that has a true and deep love for everything baseball so this decision to not take offers to play was heartbreakingly difficult.
In February of his Senior year he had signed up for tryouts for the NC State Games...a long shot he was told. Being that kid that doesn't give up, he went and even though the other guys towered over him, he had a good day showing them some of his most nasty pitches. Still, he didn't make the cut. Fast forward to June and after all the graduation parties in which he explained to his family and friends why he wouldn't be playing college ball. He got a call from the state games coach. Someone had dropped out and they needed a pitcher...in two days. Would he be interested? That call changed his life.
At the games he pitched fairly well and per usual got a ground ball back to prove his fielding prowess. He was one of two players on the roster that weren't already signed. The phone didn't stop ringing for about a week. Seven days after his appearance in the games, he got the call he had been waiting for from one of his top 3 choices for academics, etc.
For others I'd say, don't give up! Go to camps that have a reputation for having many recruiters there or at the very least go to the camps at your top three schools. Contact the coaches. Leftysideson emailed and called the head coach. There was no doubt in their minds that he wanted to play there. Get on a showcase team with alot of visibility and do it before your Junior season. It seems the best showcases are at the beginning of the summer. Get good grades, Get good grades, Get Good grades. When you are the underdog, you need as many plusses in your pocket as possible. Demonstrate to a team why being a sidearm pitcher is a valuable asset. Look up to guys like Javier Lopez and Darren O'Day who just finished pitching sidearm in a World Series game! Learn to be tough in tough situations and play one pitch at a time. And yes, walk the walk.