Skip to main content

Ah, now I understand. I'll have to get my associates up north to help me out a little bit when I'm not sure about what to say and what not to say. I talk with at least two of them who live in Chicago several times a day about baseball happenings and prospects. They are big White Sox fans and have season box seats. Lucky!

Thanks again TPM and I will work on my lingo in my future writings here Smile peace
This topic has been quite interesting for many. I think most agree that if you are indeed a Top 50 prospect you will be seen either at a PG showcase, tournament, or other venue and most likely find your way to a Top 50 school. However, the debate still rages for what to do with the rest of the quality players who would like to play in college mid-low DI, D2, or DIII. All of you who have shared your experiences, good and bad, give those of us who are now getting caught up in this process a perspective to consider. For that, I thank you. For us, the few showcases that he has participated in so far have been positive, but in reality they are just a snippet of the player on that day. Unfortunately, you rarely can gleen some of the "intangibles" of a kid-his work ethic, attitude, hustle, etc., from a one-day event. However the reality is you have to start somewhere, so if a kid shines at a showcase then he gets a deeper look.

I think for us, we will continue to carefully choose which showcases he does. Most will probably be at colleges where he has been invited to their camp/showcase that he is interested in attending for academics and where the coach thinks he might fit athletically. He is trying out for a fall team, and some coaches who have seen him at showcases have expressed interest in coming to see him play. I think that we are at the beginning of what will be a longer process than the "Top 50" guys, but he will find a fit. We are a little late to the game because of his own development and perhaps our ignorance, but he is a good quality player, with a passion for the game and a great work ethic. With a little luck the right coach and school will meet our son for his match. The "Golden Thread" PATIENCE has been a terrific source.

So for all of the posters to this thread- thank you! Your "lively" debate has given us much to think about!!
I am going to suggest that this thread be moved to another area after it winds down.
By looking at the number of views and posts, it obviously is a serious consideration for many parents, how much do I spend trying to get son into a good school where he can play. And where do I spend it.
If most parents are good business people, they look for return of their investment towards this goal. The investment being how much they spent over the years for a scholarship. And sometimes if you are not on those "lists' you feel you have to spend more, and you most probably will.
After having a son in college for two years I have found that free tuition is just a small piece of the costs. There is much else to consider as well, as I can tell you that cost of living, gas, food, travel(don't forget new ipods, new computers Big Grin) is sky high these days. The real spending begins when they set foot on the college campus. Eek

As always I do believe that the first goal in going to college is to further one's education or at least get a jump start on it. Players and their parents that keep that goal in mind usually end up the winners. Being able to play after college is an added bonus to their journey. And very often, you do not have to attend the best of the best programs to get drafted. Your son's talent will in the end speak for itself, no matter where you go to play.
Will added exposure outside of HS ball help, you bet it will. Will attending the premier showcases and tournaments add value to your son's scholarship, maybe. I think that for many us all that is pretty evident, and shouldn't be an issue. How you spend with what you have, I do believe, is why Fungo began this discussion.

And remember, showcases, travel ball, summer ball, lessons, tournaments,area code, aflac, etc. have little meaning if your son cannot keep up in the classroom, if he wishes to play ball in college. Smile
Last edited by TPM
Oh, great, a really good thread is back on target.

For a moment I thought, with all the sister and brother stuff going on here, it was going to turn into a discussion of pro wrestling or an episode of Jerry Springer.

For the record, I have a second cousin in pro wrestling. But I am not well-versed on the subject.

Sorry, I just couldn't help myself.
A voice of reason for the season. Good post OldVaMan. Where you been lately anyway? Your valuable input is needed here. Other than the brother/sister stuff, what do you think about the Cost of being recruited? Since you couldn't help yourself, share your wealth of knowledge. Parents and prospects need as many opinions as possible to think about in the decision making process. Be one of our heroes. Help the help seekers and give us something we can use instead of Springer comments Big Grin peace ole va man, Big Grin Shep
Last edited by Shepster
The best showcase is the one that exposes a ball player to a coach that wants him. Finding a "fit" does not always come from the highest ranked showcases. My son loved the PG events because of the competition and comraderie, but he didn't play in one until he was already signed and had set up his college future. His opportunity came from the only real showcase that he participated in prior to signing, that I wouldn't recommend to anyone. It's over-priced and I nievely signed him up because it was his first invitation. But he was in the right place at the right time which is something that just can't be planned. You could be a fabulous hitter and travel to a PG event and go O-fer, or as a pitcher, not be able to throw a strike. The night before my son was offered an invitation to Arizona for the Junior Olympic Finals, he badle blew a save and I was hiding so no one would know he belonged to me. Fortunately "no one" was looking. You can't be sure that the right people are looking at the right times no matter how much you invest. Keep yourself and your son happy and enjoy your time and always know that no matter the outcome, you and your son are both just doing the best you can.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Will:
As with all things there a some people who will find a way to seperate people from their money.[/QUOTE

Will, I beleive this could be true. However in the business of recruiting regarding showcases and tournaments, etc, it is up to you as a parent to learn to seperate the good from the bad. Not everyone is out just to get your money.
Parents should consider recommendations and see if others experiences were worth the time and money and in the end, how you or your son felt about the experience.
If you felt you received good results or he learned from the experience, then it was worth the investment.
Last edited by TPM
This has been a very informative thread and for the most part very constructive on all sides. I, like Beezer, have a 13u and am curious how his talents measure up. I haven't considered a showcase this early on but have often wondered if he were placed on an "elite" team for one "big time" tournament how would he fare. I appreciate all the input here. It gives much food for thought for those of us looking off into the future.

At Bat
Last edited by bkekcs
this has been a very informative post.but the question of how much money should you spend may want to be how good a talent are you?
most ,not all parents aren't great at evaluating their own kids talent.he would have should have could have,hit 400.so how do they find out should i spend any money on a showcase.
i don't believe in the they will find you theory.unless your on a top 100 in the country list.chris lambert is a top example.what happens if he doesn't go to the showcase?
if the goal is college you need to qualify with acedemics etc. what do you do if the player can't play d1 baseball because of his grades? we not being acedemic didn't even know about that until it was to late,i'm sure their are other parents out there in the same boat.
the first showcase is the most important,only because it lets the player know he can or can't compete.it may be the first time some one besides his dad has an evaluation of him.
i'm curious how many kids went to pg events and NOTHING happened to them?thie pg events appear to be for elite type players,this may just be my interpitation.
i have learned so much from this site that i couldn't use because it was to late for my oldest .this is the greatest source of information i have found.and don't be afraid to ask,you may get a growl from some old timer but they don't bite.
Well, I'm glad to see someone FINALLY mentioned the word - grades. It really doesn't matter how good your kid is if he doesn't have the grades to play D-I. You can showcase all you want but if you're expecting a D-I scholarship to come out of it then you first want to make sure your son has that 2.5 GPA. Otherwise, it was money spent for naught. Not everyone can go the D-I route.

We had the D-I dream too, but our son did not have the grades to go with it. We didn't realize that not all their grades counted so he was alittle bit lower when we took the grades that count toward NCAA clearinghouse approval. We then realized that all the showcasing in the world was not going to get him into a D-I program. Luckily, we had not spent a fortune on showcasing. I was laid off the summer after his jr. year so we simply didn't have the money to spend and later realized it wouldn't have gotten him a big scholarship anyway. It's great to have the talent but they need the grades too.

He did one big showcase at Wm and Mary but did not really see anything from that. Played in the Carpenter Cup (regional showcase) for the hefty price of $35 and got more exposure from local and some out of area colleges. Luckily he found a D-III that was a good fit both academically and baseball wise and has started since his freshman yr. No athletic money involved but they have been ranked as high as 2nd at times in the D-III polls. He's now going to be a jr., has a better GPA than in HS and could play at a D-I probably but he's happy to be starting and he'll have his degree in another yr. He actually got the attention of the school, 1 of several, through word of mouth from Legion and HS coaches from opposing teams who'd seen him play thru the years. Thank goodness it worked out because I can remember stressing that summer after his jr. yr. because I just could not swing getting him to the PG events since they seem to be the ultimate showcase to attend. Even if we could have gone, he still wouldn't have walked away with a big scholly at a D-I.

Only real point is, make sure you know where they will fit in academically along with the baseball before you spend alot of your hard earned money when it may not be in the cards anyway.
quote:
Originally posted by PAbbMom:
Well, I'm glad to see someone FINALLY mentioned the word - grades. It really doesn't matter how good your kid is if he doesn't have the grades to play D-I. You can showcase all you want but if you're expecting a D-I scholarship to come out of it then you first want to make sure your son has that 2.5 GPA. Otherwise, it was money spent for naught. Not everyone can go the D-I route.

We had the D-I dream too, but our son did not have the grades to go with it. We didn't realize that not all their grades counted so he was alittle bit lower when we took the grades that count toward NCAA clearinghouse approval. We then realized that all the showcasing in the world was not going to get him into a D-I program. Luckily, we had not spent a fortune on showcasing. I was laid off the summer after his jr. year so we simply didn't have the money to spend and later realized it wouldn't have gotten him a big scholarship anyway. It's great to have the talent but they need the grades too.

He did one big showcase at Wm and Mary but did not really see anything from that. Played in the Carpenter Cup (regional showcase) for the hefty price of $35 and got more exposure from local and some out of area colleges. Luckily he found a D-III that was a good fit both academically and baseball wise and has started since his freshman yr. No athletic money involved but they have been ranked as high as 2nd at times in the D-III polls. He's now going to be a jr., has a better GPA than in HS and could play at a D-I probably but he's happy to be starting and he'll have his degree in another yr. He actually got the attention of the school, 1 of several, through word of mouth from Legion and HS coaches from opposing teams who'd seen him play thru the years. Thank goodness it worked out because I can remember stressing that summer after his jr. yr. because I just could not swing getting him to the PG events since they seem to be the ultimate showcase to attend. Even if we could have gone, he still wouldn't have walked away with a big scholly at a D-I.

Only real point is, make sure you know where they will fit in academically along with the baseball before you spend alot of your hard earned money when it may not be in the cards anyway.


Great point..........my daughter just graduated from HS and she has a 75% scholarship to Stephen F. Austin State University to catch for them. Because she thought that she was all that, (All-State, District Def. Player of the Year, etc.) she didn't think the grades thing was that big of a deal. She only got an 840 on her SAT and with her GPA, she is 40 points short on her SAT score in clearing the NCAA Clearinghouse. She will have to go to a Community College this fall and retake the SAT until she gets those 40 points she needs. At least the coach is holding her scholarship for her and we're hoping she'll be able to enroll in January and not really miss much.

The point is, had she made only 1 other A anytime during her HS career instead of one of her C's, she would have been fine.

We're hoping she has learned her lesson.
Last edited by Old Pitcher
Old Pitcher

If your daughter works at it in juco, she'll be fine. If she continues to play and play well, some scholarship will be there when it comes time to transfer.

I don't want to sound anti-grades here. But if you don't have the baseball talent, you won't play in college. Simply having good grades won't get you a place on a roster.

If you don't have good enough grades, you won't have some options you might otherwise have had. But if you have the baseball talent, and are willing to work harder on the grades, it still can be done.

Grades are the most important thing when it comes to getting into college. Talent is the most important thing when it comes to getting a baseball scholarship.

To remain specific to the point of this thread, sure, dropping a few bucks for a tutor might be money better spent than an extra showcase, or a college camp, or some extra private lessons.

But if you can't hit, throw or run, the college coach isn't going to care about your GPA.
I agree with shortstopmom. I am not sure that Fungo created this topic for showcase bashing or any other bashing.

Just some input on the process and how some felt that they spent their money wisely and how others didn't will help many as they go through the process.
Smile
Last edited by TPM
for anyone that is not drafted in the top 10 rounds showcases are overpriced. 500 to run a 60 play a few scrimmages is ridiculous, could you imagine if little league cost that much it would be 50000 dollars per season, the only people that get a true return on investment are high round picks that wouldnt have got paid otherwise
What I think is being missed by many parents is that a showcase is meant to asemble the better players from an area.

A parent should know the child's time in the 60 and whether it is in the competitive range.

A parent should understand and prepare for the showcase format. Be familiar with such things as SPARQ testing. Know what will garner a positive rating.

A showcase should be on a par with a Triple Crown event.

It is expensive because a good, well attended showcase can allow for opportunitites not normally available in that local area.

Become knowledgeable before you go to town to lay your money down.
Last edited by Quincy
Wavehog,

I don't mean this to sound critical of your post, but just to offer a different opinion about the cost vs. value of showcases.

I'm sure that there are some over-priced showcases out there, but your point about the number of innings or time spent at the showcase comparing to $50K for a little league season is comparing apples to oranges.

My son attended a Perfect Game indoor showcase when he was in HS (indoors because it was the end of the snow season here in the the northern states, but we saved on travel costs by attending one nearby). I think the cost was something like $395 or $495 for about two hours of time that he actually participated, and it was some of the best money we ever spent on baseball. I don't mean for my post to be just about PG, but that was the only showcase he attended in HS (other than college camps) and our family got such a favorable impression of PG. My son learned so much from that few hours. He was inspired and very motivated by pitching and hitting against D1 and pro prospects, but we also got a realistic idea of the best college baseball "fit" for him (he ended up at a D3). That knowledge alone saved us so much money on chasing opportunities that would not have been a match for him. And the "fun" factor - my husband and son both enjoyed watching the pro prospects up close at the showcase.

You might wonder though, why a brief showcase costs "so much". To be fair about that question, you need to think about the fact that this whole thing doesn't just spring up the day of the event and then cease to exist. A major organization like PG has a huge paid staff to coordinate and support their events, and to be available year round to answer inquiries from college coaches and pro scouts, and to run the quality of events that those coaches and scouts flock to. So there is a lot more to it than the couple of hours or couple of days a player spends on that mound or field.

Julie
quote:
Originally posted by bkekcs:
I haven't considered a showcase this early on but have often wondered if he were placed on an "elite" team for one "big time" tournament how would he fare.


bkecks - my son was invited to join a team for Elite 24. He was already committed to his team for the Major WS but it would've been interesting to see how he did or at least see some of these others in person.

I think we need to form a HSBBWeb team!!
Help! Okay just when we think we have a game plan figured out for our son for these showcases, he gets a call today from a showcase being held in our area this weekend. The person tells him that coaches requested him and list the schools, three D1s and some DIII's. The cost is >$350.00, but it is a two-day showcase with limited position players/team. They told him that they had sent us an invitation (they didn't)prior to this call. They have guaranteed that over 20 colleges will be there. What should we do?
MD21,
I am thinking that this is where we seperate the men from the boys as far as showcases go.

Sometimes it is not all about attendance but where those results will end up. Will those results be available if a coach couldn't make it or calls in? Will you be able to get the results? Who will be evaluating your son at the showcase? How can they guarantee attendance, is it their first showcase, is it an established firm?

Remember, we often pay for what we get in the high cost of showcases, we pay a lot and it was worth every penny or we pay a lot and get nothing. I think it all falls back onto the organization who is putting on the event and their track record!

Maybe you might want to follow iitg's advice, ask who will be there and then make a call.

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×