All-state-team-Illinois

pop's
What about Mcfolling rf?????

JCA POPS YOU KNOW WHATS ASHAME. CRAVEN WON'T MAKE THE FIRST TEAM ALL AREA FOR JOLIET. HE WILL BE THIRD TEAM. EVEN THOUGH HES A BETTER DEFENSIVE CATCHER THEN THE TWO KIDS THAT WILL BE AHEAD OF HIM. JUST TO LET YOU KNOW. HE WILL BE PLAYING FOR THE SI BULLETS THIS SUMMER.YOU CAN GO TO THEIR WEB SIGHT FOR STATS ON HIM .

Although I agree there is no question that Brewer should get the shortstop award, I believe that any list has to at least mention Matt Davis from Prospect. He had an awesome year this year and was an offensive juggernaut. Brewer gets him on the defensive side however. Matt is a great kid who should contribute right away for Eastern Kentucky.

Quinn Ewert is 10-1 and hitting .444, and always comes through in the clutch for Crystal Lake Central, he has got to make All-State. Marshall from Barrington is 12-1 and is also an outstanding hitter. I have watched Powers play many times (20-30) and am crazy about the kid, and feel that he should be All-State as well, however what exactly makes him a 5 tool player? He never steals a base, and is very stiff as a fielder. He is an excellent hitter no doubt and a great kid, but please explain how you and The Truth judge a player 5 tool. Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by Benchwarmer:
Although I agree there is no question that Brewer should get the shortstop award, I believe that any list has to at least mention Matt Davis from Prospect. He had an awesome year this year and was an offensive juggernaut. Brewer gets him on the defensive side however. Matt is a great kid who should contribute right away for Eastern Kent

.baseballamerica.2005 Draft Scouting Reports: Illinois

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Illinois' best prep position players are SS Kevin Hoef (11) and SS/RHP David Cales (16), both of whom are more suited for college at this point. Hoef, who may punt for Iowa's football team, is a 6-foot-3 athlete with the makings of all five tools. Some scouts question how much he'll hit. Cales could be a two-way player at Missouri but will be an infielder as a pro. He has a nice swing and a strong arm, though he doesnТt run well enough to stay at shortstop.

wow pops you did a pretty good job in your prediction's

Ryan Anetsberger ,Dan Brewer never were rated by team one,just to name a couple.So because Powers isnt rated for team one means nothing. Sounds like your son was rated high in team one and not for the Truth Mag.

One thing I have learned and can pass on to parents/players is that the lists mean little. Is it better to be on the list than not for exposure overall, yes.
Will it help you get or preclude you from getting a scholarship, no.
A few that I've seen were borderline silly - giving high ratings to many kids who had very average/poor seasons but worked out at the "right" place and attended the "right" showcase.
Also, if these lists are trying to rate prospects they fail as well. Many highly rated kids are "full", that is there is no projection left. Their size,speed,velocity peaks have been reached - while those tools served them well in Il hs baseball they have likely plateaud and will watch other kids with growing yet to do pass them up.
Focus only on getting as good as you can and marketing yourself directly to colleges, the lists are nice for scrapbooks.

Well said dennisr400!

denisr400.....

ROCK ON!!!!! Like TAR said, "someone who gets it"!

It also seems that there are similarities amongst certain posters that continually promote the same players. They even change their mind after they make a list of players/positions that they originally thought are "THEIR" destined future stars!!!

Someday I'll make a list of all the screen names (about 8 or 10) that have similar messages, sentence structure, and even the same misspelled words, which includes the misspelling of their favorite players. But, that's for another time and maybe even, another topic.

Getting back to the previous few posts by TAR and denisr400, we all know 2 or 3 players over the last few years that were highly regarded as stud D1 players. They had the talent and ability, BUT, once in college, something happened. They didn't start, or didn't have good enough grades, or found a lady friend, or got caught-up with alcohol and drugs, or what ever!!! Now they don't play baseball anymore, or have transfered to another school where they really quit!

I'm not trying to start a controversy by saying that this is what happens in college to all baseball players / other athletes, but there has to be a de-empahasizing of this critical D1 or MLB "projectable" mindset. It takes a certain type of person that has the internal heart, passion, make-up, call it what you want, that can succeed at the next levels, where ever that might be. When your put on a pedastal at such a young age, and then are expected to be the next NCAA or MLB hero, well it just breeds the potential for failure.

I want some of the posters from the past few years to come back on these boards and share their college or maybe pro experiences with us. Was it, is it, what you expected it to be???? Are you still 'pumped-up' when you go to practice or get ready for a game? How are your grades? Are you losing interest? Don't like the coach that you thought was your friend? Don't like your teammates?

You know, I see all sorts of lists of players that are "projected" to be a D1 or pro prospect. What really matters is that you PLAY, and get a good education. Being a "benchwarmer" can't be much fun!!!!

Hey Boomer , Dennis ..

We all have to remember who is doing the evaluating . Even though my son was a 2 time all state player the offers he received were by and large either very minimal or the word redshirt was applied . One in state school even went as far to write back to his high school coach " not a player " .That made Jimmy even more determined to prove them wrong . I can now proudly say that after his extraordinary freshman year at Parkland , Jimmy is now attending Evansville on a FULL baseball scholarship . Oh and by the way, the school that rated him so lowly came back this year with a 60% offer .So as you all will see or experience each situation is unique and ultimately it is up to the player and the people who support him for the best fit in order for him to succeed.

jmjvj,

good write up...glad for your boy...it is what is in the heart that counts...going under the radar is a good thing some times...evaluations are not always what they are built up to be..

jmjvj......

This is the kind of information (feedback), that we need to hear about on these web pages. That is the point I was trying to make when it comes to evaluating future stars. Jim is an excellent player, but for some reason, he didn't get to go and play at a D1 school. Now, he has an opportunity, and a pretty good one, to play at a better level. He worked hard and turned it into something much more important and special. This is the "heart, passion, make-up" I was talking about.

I know for a fact that players who my son and I had the opportunity to meet, and he had a chance to work with, have done really well in their freshman and sophomore years at college. Unfortunately you don't always hear about it in the local papers. Kids like Bryan Tews, Dan Price, Griffin Baum, Matt Bolt, have utilized their own opportunities. Then there are the ones that were given such great chances to play at the college or pro level, and they just WASTED everyones time!!!!!!! Sorry, but it is true.

By the way, "jmjvj" I'm glad that you posted on this topic, I haven't had a chance to congratulate Jim on his NJCAA Division II All Tournament Team selection.
This is what I'm taking about, a player that has the 'make-up' to play college baseball.

Boomer

jmjvj,

Your post is what this website is all about IMHO. Every player is born with a set of tools. How hard each player works at those tools is entirely up to the player.

Great news jmjvj. I was stunned after seeing Jim play for 2 years that offers weren't rolling in.
Evaluations always work both ways, coaches/scouts are frequently wrong on kids & this demonstrates that perfectly.
I won't name names but I saw 2 kids play a number of times this year that were/are highly rated for some reason. Neither played well by any measure nor does either have any projection left. They were still highly sought and I'll guarantee they will not pan out at any college.
If your done growing and will not gain anything more in strength/speed/ or velocity for pitchers you have nowhere to go. If you struggled vs. Illinois high school teams at the zenith of your physical skills you have no chance at any college.
You can't control what others do or say but you can keep working as J. Viscomi so admirably did. Talk about getting the last laugh, great for him!!

Speaking of all-state Illinois players...it is ALL-STATE not just ALL-CHICAGO AREA. Maybe you should research south of I-80 or rephrase your topic next time.

Hoef was SS at Troy -- which is south of I-80