How do you know when/if your kid is good, maybe better then good? I am not talking about me per say, as my son is only going to be 11 next month. A lot can happen - heck he may not even like baseball in a year or two (although you couldn't wipe the smile off his face when he jacked one about 235' the other day) - plus he is slow - he is a little on the pudgy side. But how did you guys/gals know you had/have something special?
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Don't know about the special thing but I can tell you that when my son got to the 60/90 field and was still better than most in his area I had a good idea he would at least play HS baseball.
for my son, it was about he was playing in the best possible league and tournaments within about a 90 minutes range. Generally he was one of the best 3-4 players on the field. That never really changed for him
Let your youngster continue to play the game, be encouraging and supportive of playing, honing his skills. His high school years will give you an indication of where he fits and special talents can be assumed but will be validated by coaches and recruiters.
Enjoy the ride.
From what I've observed as both a parent, coach and interested bystander.....
When a kid is special at a young age, you can tell (i.e., has the real tools, speed, instinct, bat speed, IQ, etc) and those "typically" stand the test of time. Things that will derail that promise are injury, disinterest in the sport (burnout, the 3 G's), growth stunt, lack of work ethic. For me, kids that show this level of talent early are easier to project as someone who has the potential to play at the next level (whatever that level is for them). Not saying that a stud early won't be a dud late, but more often than not, the five tools are the five tools.
More difficult are those kids that develop later, particularly as pitchers. I have seen many, many kids that I would have thought challenged to make their HS team flourish in their mid to late teens. One in particular that was an average player in those early teen years and is now the Friday night starter for a major D1.
Things will definitely sort themselves out as kids advance through puberty.
So basically, you can typically see a kid who has the potential to be good early and be right more often than not. You can't rule any kid out until they have really grown through the lionshare portion of puberty and are on "equal" footing with their peers.
First, what are you defining as good. For high school? For college? For pro?
Both my daughter (oldest) and son played college softball/baseball. When my daughter was a preteen there was absolutely nothing athletically special about her. She was a competent 12u travel softball player. She was timid. It hurt her in any sport with contact. It didn't hurt her with softball. She was the true late bloomer. She grew fourteen inches in eighteen months heading into high school. At 5'10" she became strong, aggressive and in your face. A kid I saw as likely to play high school ball quickly became a four year high school starter and college prospect. She also made varsity basketball as a soph after not being good enough to make middle school teams. She also played volleyball. She loved the sports. When she physically developed she put that together with her knowledge of how to play the game.
My son was the top athlete in his grade from day one. As soon as he started playing sports I heard "you won't have to pay for college" in whatever sport was in season. He was faster and more athletic than everyone. Size wise he was a late bloomer. When his size caught up with ability his travel coach told me he's a potential pro prospect. He also could have played college soccer. He was a better soccer player than baseball player. The high school coach had him pegged as the future goalie when he was ten.
The key is just keep playing, practicing and getting better. Keep asking "is there anything I can do to be even better?" A player can't control where he fits in a ranking of players. He can control optimizing his ability. It may make him #1. By the end of 8th grade and summer ball you will have a good grasp of how well he has transitioned to the 60/90 field. Then the challenges become greater as the funnel narrows. There's more talent and less roster spots. Survival now starts to be just as much mental as physical ability for some players.
When a kid gets to college ball from quality D3 programs to D1 almost everyone was all conference in high school. In D1 ball most of the players were all everything (conference, city, county, state).
Dadof3 posted:How do you know when/if your kid is good, maybe better then good? I am not talking about me per say, as my son is only going to be 11 next month. A lot can happen - heck he may not even like baseball in a year or two (although you couldn't wipe the smile off his face when he jacked one about 235' the other day) - plus he is slow - he is a little on the pudgy side. But how did you guys/gals know you had/have something special?
That's a question that had often plagued me, particularly when my son was at that age. And it still does as I look at the next level for playing. If you tend to be a skeptic, as I am, then it's even harder to objectively come to "know" that. . . particularly since parents tend to feel their own children are "something special"... naturally. But I feel that how one really comes to know your child, or anyone for that matter, is "something special" is in retrospect. One might see things that hint of something special, but you don't fully realize just how special until some time later.
The only way I could figure how to find out if I had "something special" (as a few people were suggesting that I did) was to keep raising the bar see the outcome. Even by doing that, it's not until you evaluate the past and try and compare it to what might be considered average. But then, it seems to me that it depends a lot on just what you're comparing something against. As the bar is raised, the preceding bar doesn't seem as "special" as it did before. But when you look at the odds for reaching the higher bars and when they are attained, you've got to realize in retrospect. . . that was something special.
It doesn't seem to help in trying to come to "knowing" you've got "something special" now. It's the journey that makes it special, IMHO, and that journey can end at any time for any number of reasons. As a parent, I feel we simply need to help provide opportunities as best we can that our children may explore the opportunities for becoming "something special."
Hmmmm??? Am not sure that addressed your question well in that ramble, but I hope it helps in some way.
I think when people who are qualified to evaluate talent say that a kid "could" be special, it's a pretty good indication that he/she may have a chance to play college ball.
Those types of statements usually don't happen until a kid is around high school.
Dadof3 posted:How do you know when/if your kid is good, maybe better then good? I am not talking about me per say, as my son is only going to be 11 next month. A lot can happen - heck he may not even like baseball in a year or two (although you couldn't wipe the smile off his face when he jacked one about 235' the other day) - plus he is slow - he is a little on the pudgy side. But how did you guys/gals know you had/have something special?
Regardless of age.....oldest son loved the game, always wanted to get better, and did well against competition at each level growing up. You'll see talent come and go, but it is the kids that love what they are doing and hungry to improve that usually prevail. I've got two sons that liked the game a lot and another that loved it. You can tell the difference.
Thanks for all the reply's. Some great insight I am gaining.
At 8 the kid hit his first over the fence (200 ft) HR. People started talking then. It never really stopped, but the talk was about potential. Which really is all you can do until a kid gets to 17/18, because there are just so many things that can happen.
Puberty threw a curve, as will happen. The kid went from being big (tall,stout), fast, and strong to tall, skinny(er), and slow. The slow part really hurt when it came to recruitment. Puberty has been somewhat of a drawn out process for him. That runs in my wife's family as her brother grew 4" in collage. At 17 the kid has grown a couple of inches (6' 3" now) and really put on a lot of muscle mass. Went from throwing low 80's on the mound preseason last year to right at 90 now.
OP, you might enjoy this thread: http://community.hsbaseballweb...now-you-had-a-player
Fun thread. I'd say for position players, really special kids on the small diamond whose ability is not entirely or mostly linked to SIZE, are likely to shine on the big diamond. Provided they work hard on growing baseball skills and knowledge and not just rely on athleticism, love the game, etc. But you can also look to their parents much of the time. A 12 YO phenom with 5'8" and 5'2" Dad and Mom is probably going to be a "size-limited" (looking at college level and above) but you never know. Same kid with a 6'2" dad who played collegiate ball, yeah, likely going to keep on shining.
But all bets are off for pitchers it seems, I've seen many klultzy, chubby kids turn into beasts on the big diamond.
We knew the summer and fall after freshman year of High School. Colleges started reaching out and scouts started talking to my son. Also, travel programs offered spots on their team without a tryout. It was all driven by third party validation.
Prior to freshman year I think there were hints and those were primarily things he could do that other kids were not able to do. For him, as a pitcher it was having great downward tilt and a true 12-6 curve.
I have seen a lot of ball players and I would say the observable attributes vary considerably from player to player but I believe there are some general attributes that can help people identify the potential. I will start with a general thought about "Good" and "Better than Good". Almost every player I have seen that puts in the time is capable of making a High School Freshman or JV Team, unless you play in Huntington Beach Ca or similar in which case it is more like D1 College attributes required. I tried to place some boundaries around the attributes in parenthesis such as...to play college you need to love the game and you need some athleticism...That is because the demands of college baseball are hard at all levels, crazy hard at the higher levels. Now for the disclaimer...No, every player will not fit this mold...Yes, there are lots of exceptions and your child might be one. With that said here are some general attributes to keep an eye out for both positive and negative.
Positive
Negative
There are a great deal more attributes and this is not exhaustive or all encompassing. In addition these attributes are seeds of greatness not a guarantee. If you see several of the positives and none or few negatives then the grind begins. tens of thousands of swings, tens of thousands of balls fielded, refinement and correction and improvement... Best of luck for you and your son!
A player needs to choose his parents wisely. The son of two college or pro athletes is more likely to go further. Does anyone know how old Garciaparra and Hamm's kids are now? What are they doing athletically?
On the flip side a friend is 6'4". He was an All American for an SEC. He made it to AAA. His son grew to 5'10". He didn't make varsity in high school. My friend once privately joked he polluted the family gene pool with his first wife.
Add: I looked up Garciaparra and Hamm's kids. For those who don't know Garciaparra was also a college prospect as a soccer player and football kicker. He kicked a 50 yarded in high school. They have twin 8yo girls and a 3yo boy.
As world class athletes, how do you approach sports with your kids? Do you feel any pressure to push them toward soccer or softball or baseball?
Hamm: The only thing we want them to do is be active for the health and wellness aspect that sports provides. How they do that is up to them. Right now our daughters are into whatever they’re playing because their friends are doing it. If they find out a friend is signed up for soccer or softball or something, they want to do it. That makes it easy.
All we ask is that if they do join a team they complete the season, show their coach and teammates respect, and try their best.
Sports were a passion for Nomar and me. We know what that passion looks and feels like and if we see it in our children, great. If not, we’re sure they’ll find something else that they’re passionate about. We have one daughter who’s very artistic, and I worry about how I’m going to help her nurture that. Art isn’t in my background.
Garciaparra: I love that our kids play everything right now. Whatever season they’re in is their favorite. Last fall it was soccer. Now it’s softball. It’s perfect. The kids are at that age where they should be trying new things all the time.
The one thing I won’t do is ask them to play with me. Whether it’s catch with a softball or kicking a soccer ball around, I wait for them to ask me. I want them to want to do it, not feel like they have to play sports with daddy because he asked. But man, when they do, we have the greatest time.
- See more at: http://magazine.inspirato.com/...sthash.ccgC9Bbn.dpuf
Dadof3 posted:How do you know when/if your kid is good, maybe better then good? I am not talking about me per say, as my son is only going to be 11 next month. A lot can happen - heck he may not even like baseball in a year or two (although you couldn't wipe the smile off his face when he jacked one about 235' the other day) - plus he is slow - he is a little on the pudgy side. But how did you guys/gals know you had/have something special?
I saw it with my son when he was 6 y.o. (yes, I'm serious). Having said that I knew that having the innate talent and making something of it are two separate discussions.
This post (below) by Fenway South is 110% true....seeing players in high school now who have the talent but are burned out and don't want to be there!
Regardless of age.....oldest son loved the game, always wanted to get better, and did well against competition at each level growing up. You'll see talent come and go, but it is the kids that love what they are doing and hungry to improve that usually prevail. I've got two sons that liked the game a lot and another that loved it. You can tell the difference.
I think true elite Kids often Show their Talent early. However People underestimate how much Talent it takes. I have heard former youth coaches talk about a career AAA Player (who got a Cup of coffee in MLB) that that kid was the best Young kid they have ever seen.
and better just doesn't mean to dominate because of superior mechanics or size but because of Tools that blow everyone away. that kid will literally throw 10 MPH harder and hit the ball 100 feet farther anyone else on the Team or any Team in town.
other Kids will also be the best Player on their Team but they are not that much better, they just have more Training, better mechanics (travel and hitting/pitching lessons since Age 8) or more size but there are still one or two Kids on the Team throwing about as hard as them but not being as polished due to less Training (they might throw just as hard but lack the skill to locate it or consistently hit line drives). those Kids still can become good Players but those are not outstanding talents.
Dadof3 posted:How do you know when/if your kid is good, maybe better then good? I am not talking about me per say, as my son is only going to be 11 next month. A lot can happen - heck he may not even like baseball in a year or two (although you couldn't wipe the smile off his face when he jacked one about 235' the other day) - plus he is slow - he is a little on the pudgy side. But how did you guys/gals know you had/have something special?
When do you know your kid is better than good...when someone who matters tells you.
I've been told MANY complimentary things about my son's baseball ability, even from some knowledgeable people, and while they were nice to hear I can't stress how much puberty changed everything!
My son was that 11u kid who could jack the ball over the fence, track a ball in the air and catch it every time, and seemed to constantly come up with the ball wherever he played... but he was on the pudgy side and slow. He's 13 now, and looks like he was stretched on the rack! He grew 14 inches in 12 months and pretty much had to re-learn everything he ever knew about baseball (and walking for that matter), and yes, he even got fast. He just won the 400m track race with a 1:02 time last weekend. Is it an epic time, no, but considering 2 years ago we were all terrified to send him from 3rd on a passed ball this shows you how much that puberty stick changes everything.
My son had a friend that at 11U was a "pudgy" slugger. I once saw him knock back plate of Spaghetti with a side of mashed potatoes. Sopped up all the gravy and sauce with buttered bread. That was lunch, he really hit it hard for dinner.
His Dad and I used to hang on the fence together. One time his son hit a absolute rocket to left field, that was picked up on one hop and thrown to first base by the LEFT fielder to nip him by 5 feet. We both kind of turned to each other and he said - that's bad. All I could say was ...yup.
He never made it to the big field and played guard on the Football team in HS.
fenwaysouth posted:Regardless of age.....oldest son loved the game, always wanted to get better, and did well against competition at each level growing up. You'll see talent come and go, but it is the kids that love what they are doing and hungry to improve that usually prevail. I've got two sons that liked the game a lot and another that loved it. You can tell the difference.
I am not sure if you REALLY know until you are able to look back. But, like Fenway said, the child has a passion for the game that does not diminish. Several of keewartson's friends have stopped playing baseball in college, and I can look back and see that the induring passion for baseball just wasn't there. Most were terrific athletes who just found "other passions".
As a young child, my son would mimic what he would see on TV....he loved Chipper Jones. In elementary school, he would drop his backpack before he came inside and go to the hit-a-way to get in some swings. He would sleep in his brand new Little League Uniform. He would not miss games. We would plan vacations around baseball, rather than miss All-Stars, touraments, or WWBA.
He made the decision to not play his "other sport" in high school so he could do off season workouts. He continued to play the other sport in rec league, however.
We did not throw money at individual showcases, but rather played on the best travel team he could that went to events that showcased him and his team.
He was realistic on where he could play in college, if he wanted to continue to be on the field.
To paraphrase Bill Clinton, it depends on what your definition of "good" is. Looking at freshman, the ones who I think are really good are, I guess, good on a national scale -- they've played on a US national team or have been an alternate for it, some have committed to PAC-12 or SEC schools as freshmen, or for pitchers they throw 85+, etc. That's my (completely subjective, largely unreasonable) standard -- and using that standard, to answer the OP, I don't know.
At that age, you really don't know. Two examples of kids that I saw play at that age.
One kid at 11 was unusually big for his age and hit bombs (parents are normal sized - dad 5'9"). So, I guessed he was an early grower and would end up average in size and come back to earth. Kid continued to grow to 6'3", still hit bombs, and got drafted out of high school.
Another kid was above average in size, but very physically mature and at 11-12 also hits bombs - superior athlete at that age. His parents are above average in height (Dad 6'1" big frame, Mom is also above average in height). So, I guessed that this kid would grow to be well over 6' and dominate. Grew to 5'8" at the most and peaked at age 13 - average high school player at best. Younger sister is an inch taller than him now - go figure.
You just never know.
RJM posted:A player needs to choose his parents wisely. The son of two college or pro athletes is more likely to go further. Does anyone know how old Garciaparra and Hamm's kids are now? What are they doing athletically?
On the flip side a friend is 6'4". He was an All American for an SEC. He made it to AAA. His son grew to 5'10". He didn't make varsity in high school. My friend once privately joked he polluted the family gene pool with his first wife.
Add: I looked up Garciaparra and Hamm's kids. For those who don't know Garciaparra was also a college prospect as a soccer player and football kicker. He kicked a 50 yarded in high school. They have twin 8yo girls and a 3yo boy.
As world class athletes, how do you approach sports with your kids? Do you feel any pressure to push them toward soccer or softball or baseball?
Hamm: The only thing we want them to do is be active for the health and wellness aspect that sports provides. How they do that is up to them. Right now our daughters are into whatever they’re playing because their friends are doing it. If they find out a friend is signed up for soccer or softball or something, they want to do it. That makes it easy.
All we ask is that if they do join a team they complete the season, show their coach and teammates respect, and try their best.
Sports were a passion for Nomar and me. We know what that passion looks and feels like and if we see it in our children, great. If not, we’re sure they’ll find something else that they’re passionate about. We have one daughter who’s very artistic, and I worry about how I’m going to help her nurture that. Art isn’t in my background.
Garciaparra: I love that our kids play everything right now. Whatever season they’re in is their favorite. Last fall it was soccer. Now it’s softball. It’s perfect. The kids are at that age where they should be trying new things all the time.
The one thing I won’t do is ask them to play with me. Whether it’s catch with a softball or kicking a soccer ball around, I wait for them to ask me. I want them to want to do it, not feel like they have to play sports with daddy because he asked. But man, when they do, we have the greatest time.
- See more at: http://magazine.inspirato.com/...sthash.ccgC9Bbn.dpuf
On the topic of choosing parents wisely, Andre Agassi's and Steffi Graf's son plays baseball. He's a 2020 who has hit 81 mph (per PG profile).
You don't know anything until they actually move to the next level.
Regarding the last two posts...
1) The Agassi kid can swing it too.
2) I think for the most part you can start to figure out what you have at 14. I said for the most part because you have some 14 year-olds playing in a 17 year-old body and some who don't have any real muscle development yet and are still growing. But, separation is starting to happen from what I am seeing.
SultanofSwat posted:You don't know anything until they actually move to the next level.
I think Sultan makes a very important point. We might be able to tell some things from a physical perspective in terms of the "present." As we know, PG, Headfirst, the Stanford Camp, and others, have important businesses in doing that and making projections into the future.
However, each step up creates a mental change and challenge, with none being more formidable than from a HS senior to a college freshman, for so many who have the tools. Also, as our sons progress as players, what they can do often is not as important as what others view they "cannot do."
I could be wrong on the percentages but it would not surprise me if the mental make up is not the part which separates at least 50%, if not more, of the players once they get above HS.
Consultant likes to refer to it as the 6th tool, the one which is the toughest to recognize and "measure." It is so often true that you don't know anything until they fail and we get to see how they manage failure. College baseball certainly creates plenty of opportunities for failure. Unfortunately, plenty of players contribute to those opportunities when they get on a college campus.
Beau Burrows, who was drafted out of high school 22nd over all in the 2015 draft, was drawing crowds when he took the mound at age 10.
Perfect Game had him at the highest velocity in the nation amongst high schoolers when he was a Junior. (96)
But even he gained 14mph from 15 to 17. He was sitting 82 as an incoming freshman.
Everyone that saw him when he was younger would have told you he was one that would be great, but if he doesn't make those jumps after maturing he would have been an ordinary 82mph high school pitcher.
So, I think you can see it at a young age but there is still lot that can happen along the way.
http://www.perfectgame.org/Pla...ofile.aspx?ID=292349
How about for non-pitchers. I would think pitchers would be fairly easy to recognize, but what about hitters?
I think it may be a little tricky for hitters. First off, the level of pitching the kid regularly faces should have a lot to do with whether there is real potential (i.e. mashing off really good pitchers) or whether a kid is simply much better than the pitching he is facing. Once you determine that good pitching is in the equation, I think a kid who has a solid swing, repeats his swing, regularly hits the ball hard, hits to left, center and right and can at least partially discuss his current swing mechanics versus his ideal (when it's good and when it's bad), then you are off to a good start. What sets a kid apart from a pure hitting perspective is probably impossible for 99.9% of folks to see - getting noticed for just hitting (apart from maybe regularly clearing the outfield fence) is probably tough.
2017LHPscrewball posted:I think it may be a little tricky for hitters. First off, the level of pitching the kid regularly faces should have a lot to do with whether there is real potential (i.e. mashing off really good pitchers) or whether a kid is simply much better than the pitching he is facing. Once you determine that good pitching is in the equation, I think a kid who has a solid swing, repeats his swing, regularly hits the ball hard, hits to left, center and right and can at least partially discuss his current swing mechanics versus his ideal (when it's good and when it's bad), then you are off to a good start. What sets a kid apart from a pure hitting perspective is probably impossible for 99.9% of folks to see - getting noticed for just hitting (apart from maybe regularly clearing the outfield fence) is probably tough.
Okay, let's say we remove pitchers. How many of the five tools does a player HAVE to have in order to play at a decent high school? College? MiLB? MLB? Teaching Elder I'll save you the time by stating in this hypothetical that "they all have the 6th tool".
Some of my old scout buddies say it takes at least 2 above average tools to play in the Big Leagues. Of course much depends on which 2 tools.
I'm not sure "tools" is the right word to use with 12u kids. However the natural ability is noticeable and the ease in how they do certainly things is very noticeable. It is a good indicator that they might develop the tools.
And to be clear there are a ton of HS and even college players with no average tools. You can be a very good player without any standout tools. You just can't be a good prospect without any.
PGStaff posted:Some of my old scout buddies say it takes at least 2 above average tools to play in the Big Leagues. Of course much depends on which 2 tools.
I'm not sure "tools" is the right word to use with 12u kids. However the natural ability is noticeable and the ease in how they do certainly things is very noticeable. It is a good indicator that they might develop the tools.
And to be clear there are a ton of HS and even college players with no average tools. You can be a very good player without any standout tools. You just can't be a good prospect without any.
+1
1+ a maybe for one more; 2 for MLB; 1 above average tool for the higher level colleges plus academics.
My two cents. When a young player:
He may be special.
But you'll only know for sure when real baseball people tell you he is.
I'm going to pee on the parade a little. The original poster is the dad of a young player. Now that the thread has developed I see other pre college posters asking "What about this? What about that?
For the been there, done it crowd it's really easy to look back. But in those moments all we were seeing is passion for the game and potential. There's no way of knowing the passion will continue. There's no way of knowing the potential will develop. There's so many distractions that can derail the train.
The reality is you will know your son is a good college prospect when travel teams come looking for him. You will know he's a college player when he sticks, gets on the field and produces. You will know he's a legit pro prospect if he's drafted in the top twenty rounds.
94% of American MLBers were drafted in the first twenty rounds. 84% were drafted in the top ten rounds. Being drafted later means the player is seen most likely as single A roster filler.
Before anyone gets upset with the last statement there are late bloomers and scouts do make mistakes. But to quote a friend on why his .290 (following .330 in AA) hitting son wasn't called up and a .240 hitter was ... "I'll give you 700,000 reasons why he wasn't called up."
The one called up was a second round pick. His son was selected in the thirty-eighth round.
The only approach is never stop trying to get better. Even if a kid gets to college ball they recruit 10-15 potential replacements each year. In pro ball they draft 40 potential replacements.
I saw a kid go from freshman starter, to soph platoon player, to junior bench player, to cut senior year. Don't waste time looking back. Someone is gaining on you. Push forward.
RJM posted:I'm going to pee on the parade a little. The original poster is the dad of a young player. Now that the thread has developed I see other pre college posters asking "What about this? What about that?
For the been there, done it crowd it's really easy to look back. But in those moments all we were seeing is passion for the game and potential. There's no way of knowing the passion will continue. There's no way of knowing the potential will develop. There's so many distractions that can derail the train.
2018 is studying abroad this year in Europe. Wants to play in college (baseball or hoops). Figured HS would be his only opportunity to do a year abroad, much less a semester, if he were lucky enough to play ball in college, so he has been gone since last August returning June 1st.
Will be very curious to see where the heck he is at, baseball wise. He's been playing a lot of hoops over there with club teams. In baseball he aspires to be a pitcher, so he has been throwing a lot of bullpens and long tossing against fences in parks with only soccer fields and small dogs to be seen.
And yes, there are "distractions." Many of them, the 16-year old drinking age being one. Will be very interesting to see what he looks like come June 1. We will see just how badly HE wants to play at next level. After all, it's not about "How do WE know?" Gotta be about THEM knowing. If his baseball skills survive and even develop after a year in Europe due to his sticking to it, and getting beyond any perceived distractions? Then I think it's safe to say, "He will know."
hshuler posted:Regarding the last two posts...
1) The Agassi kid can swing it too.
2) I think for the most part you can start to figure out what you have at 14. I said for the most part because you have some 14 year-olds playing in a 17 year-old body and some who don't have any real muscle development yet and are still growing. But, separation is starting to happen from what I am seeing.
His parents could hit a ball pretty well too
. can't have better genes than that. still of course that is no guarantee.
So the reason I ask, not so much now as to being able to identify later if he even chooses to continue with the sport. I am a pretty realistic person, but some of the things he has done have even made me (inwardly) go wow. When I say next level, that, I suppose, could mean anything, maybe even a standout in HS. Speaking of which. We happen to catch part of a jv game the other day. To say I was unimpressed would be an understatement. If my 10 soon to be 11 year old (in a couple of weeks) made some of those errors I would be disappointed. The hitting and pitching weren't much to talk about either. Is that typical? There were dropped balls, missed grounders, close throws to first that were off target and in the dirt.
I think a lot depends on your goals. Since most of the talk here is about getting to college level let's say your goal is to play D1 or a really good school at another level. To keep numbers simple let's say there are 3500 spots open for freshmen every year. The average size state (sort of like mine) has about 2% of the nations population. So 2% of 3500 is 70. All things being equal 70 kids from my state will earn that honor. But now we have to consider some of those will go on football rides or basketball or something else. Some will opt for the major university lifestyle even though they can't play there. Some will get drafted and sign. Some won't have the grades etc. then you have to judge where your state falls on the continuum. So let's just say my state is a below average baseball state. But when we consider all the reasons some may opt not to play it brings us back to average. 70 spots. So my kid has to be one of the top 70 players in the state and STAY there (or get better of course). I can't help it I am a numbers guy all the way. It's the only way I can make sense of it all. When he does showcase - if he does - he will get a state ranking from a neutral source. I guess that's when we will get an idea. Til then we can try our best to be objective and make a guess.
