I'm almost embarrassed to add my 2 cents to this list of Who's Who of the HSBBW community. It's kind of like hanging a paint-by-numbers picture up next to the Rembrandt's, Monet's & Van Gogh's ... but here it goes ...
When I pull myself back from being the too involved Dad, I guess the first question is to ask what "IT" is?
If "IT" is the physical talent and skills to play at the highest levels of the game, then that is still to be determined for SP_son. If "IT" is loving the game, having a passion and desire to play, and having the desire to go out and work hard to prepare and compete at the highest level he can ... then he has "IT", and has had "IT", at some level, since he was about 4.
Today, my guy is a young HS junior, who is also a late bloomer physically. Amongst his friends and teammates he counts guys who by all accounts (including PG's watch lists, and MLB scouts) have "IT". He is not there yet, but he has a few Coaches at top D1 programs telling him to keep doing what he is doing, and they will be watching closely.
In youth leagues, he was never "the guy" when they would pick teams ... but always seemed to become "the guy" who was the ultimate team guy, and came through for his team in the pinch.
He is a great example of what is illustrated in the book Outliers. He was a LL All-Star, in large part because he wanted to go to the field every day to practice hitting, fielding, and pitching. He just got to be a better player than many of the older, better athletes.
When the league age change kicked in in 2006, he was a repeat League Age 12 ... but he wanted to move up with his teammates. The only way to do this was to play full time travel ball for a team outside of the community, with kids he did not know. He chose that route. He got more practice and play against better competition than many of his peers, and he became better.
That led to doors opening to compete in some National tournaments, and his being invited to play for a National Travel Team. He chose to take that step up, and we supported him. Over the last few years he has played with and against kids who are early commits to top D1 programs, and a few who will almost certainly be drafted coming out of HS ... and he has played and produced on a par with these guys, and earning the reputation of being a "gamer" who just finds a way to help his team win.
These experiences have given him the confidence to work to become a top HS player, and to strive to become a prospect for some top D1 programs ... and holding onto the dream of going still further. Does he have "IT" to get there? Time will tell.
I believe Infielddad's tag line is correct that you don't have to be great to make it, you just have to be very good every day. I think that holds true in most things in life, and that is one of the biggest life lessons SP_son is taking away from his baseball experiences.
We are encouraging SP_son to chase his dream with all he has, for as long as teams will let him put on a uniform. He is learning that loving the game, and having some ability are not enough to reach the upper echelons of the game ... you have to be willing to do some very hard work to chase the dream. That is the "IT" that will prove most valuable in his life.
Eventually, the day will come where the glove goes into the closet, except for when he is playing catch with SP_grandson ... I'm hoping that what he takes out of his baseball experiences is learning to chase his dreams -- whatever they are -- with all he has, even when it hurts. Then I'll know that he has "IT".