), showcases, all-state/all-american recognition, size, speed, etc..., etc...These are some of the things we often place an awful lot of importance on. Some are measures, some are predictors, some are avenues. My own son did a lot of these things...maybe all (many would argue with the "baseball-savvy parents" phrase in his case
). I am here to present one player to you who fits none of these, absolutely none...and his accomplishments are unparalleled in some respects...and his dream will continue next season.His name is Alex. I've known Alex since he was about 9 years old. Alex always played on the worst team in our youth league...his father was often one of the coaches. Winning was never stressed on his teams...players played all positions and they lost and lost and lost some more. At 10, when they picked "A" and "B" all stars, I (as a Division Director) had to force the "B" team coach to take him. At 11, as the coach of the "A" 12-year old all star team, I took him as the 13th player on a 13-player team. Everyone thought I was nuts. He ended up starting every game in RF, batted 2nd in the lineup and played nearly every inning on a Section Championship team.
At 12, 13 and 14...his teams still were some of the worst. And at 14 he was left off the local all star team because that nutty kid Alex had a skateboarding accident. He's not dedicated to baseball, they all said.
Still other parents couldn't believe it when he headed off to the BIG POWERHOUSE HS with all the tradition in athletics..."he'll never fit in there.". 
He made that HS team as a freshman despite being on the smallish side. Oh, and he was the starting catcher too. Next year at JV, starting catcher again...but we all knew, we just knew that as a Junior he would ride the pine since everyone knew about the BIG STUD catcher who would be a Senior.
Senior year comes, some of his buddies from his POWERHOUSE HS and others in the area are signing their letters-of-intent. Not Alex. I see his dad, "no big deal, he's having fun," he says. As the season draws to a close, I check up on Alex...go to one of his games. He's having himself "a day." Grand slam, bases-loaded double high off the wall, 6 RBIs, no one is running on him. His team is crusing. I talk to his HS's former coach (now retired after ~30 years) who tells me that Alex is "the best catcher we've ever had at this school." Pretty good stuff from a guy who's coached Eric Byrnes, John Gall, Josh and Jared Lansford and a few others. Alex's dad strolls into the game during the 5th or 6th inning.
The season ends. I am disappointed to see the local paper has only named Alex "2nd team All-Section." So I start looking up his stats. Alex has led the league in hitting, RBIs and hits. He has BROKEN the league record for AVG. and tied the league record for Hits.
Now you say, "so what?" Well, this league happens to have a few "alums.". Barry Bonds, Pat Burrell, Eric Byrnes, Gregg Jeffries, Jim Fregosi, Tom Brady, Chuck Lofgren, Josh & Jared Lansford, Kevin Frandsen, etc..., etc... Year-after-year many D1 players come out of this league and next year this league will provide one of the top 5 HS players in the MLB draft (barring injury). And (as in past years), their league winner this past year was ranked in the top-10 by Baseball America. You get the flick.
Well, I'm happy to say that someone did notice as Alex will be playing Division-1 baseball next season where I expect once again he will be underestimated, yet starting in the OF or somewhere...quietly hitting .300 and having a good time. All of those things we often think are good "predictors" of future success go out the window with Alex.
They can for your son too. Keep livin' the dream if you love it!
