quote:
Originally posted by ClevelandDad:
Citrus - I'll give you my take.
The whole key to this whole thing is to come up with a plan. I believe a bottom up plan is the best approach. Find one program that wants you and work up from there.
If your plan is to wait for the phone to ring, then your career is almost assuredly over.
For starters, based off your own evalaution of yourself, you have more confidence in your hitting than your pitching thus imho, forget about pitching as that will only detract from your strength.
Secondly, if your only position is first base, you need to develop power. First base may be one of the toughest positions to break into in all of college baseball. Often occupied by guys who are big, can hit them a long ways, and can hit them often. If speed is part of your game, then perhaps you can entice a coach at some other position.
Assuming first base is it, contact every JUCO coach within a reasonable driving distance of you, and see if you can get a tryout or a meeting with them. Draw a circle on a map and do not miss one opportunity either in state or out. Do everything humanly possible to make these contacts and look for any showcasing opportunities that might present themselves. Follow up and keep following up on all leads. Each coach you talk to, if they tell you no, ask them if they are aware of any other opportunites. Follow up on any leads these might generate. Make it your plan to contact several programs a day until you have exausted all possibilities and then start over. Make it your mission to speak with every coach. Do not leave it as a message on an answering machine or a message with a secratary. Let them know you will be calling back until you speak with them.
In the mean time during all this contacting and following up, devise a physical improvement plan. Develop a solid long tossing program for arm strength. Don't let a day go by without working on hitting drills and following that up with bp or cage work. Develop a solid strength program designed to build power. Enroll in a speed program. This will help your athleticism and may lead to opportunities at other positions. Get your Dad or your friends to hit you some ground balls every day and make sure they hit them with some mustard on them. Work on fielding to the left and to the right in addition to right at you.
Basically what I have done is rattle off some suggestions. Put every waking hour into contacting programs, following up, and improving your skills. Most importantly, show every coach that you have the discipline necessary to get very good grades. The whole plan is for naught if you are slacking in school. Devise a plan like I have crudely outlined here and religously execute the plan. Do not leave your hopes and dreams up to any other individual on the planet. You are solely responsible.
Do all these things and more and you know what? To answer your original question, IMHO, yes you can play in college and above the club team level - if and only if, you set your mind to it and execute the plan. Now get busy and do it!
enough said... if you truly and really want it, you'll play at the next level
