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A couple of years ago my son played on what I considered a showcase team. The team was coached by an older baseball guy, who had coached on several different levels - he was old school.

I called it a showcase team because of the fact they rotated all players and none of the pitchers threw more than 2-3 inning's. The events they played in DID NOT contain elimination's or playoffs or championships...

At one of these showcase events (not a tournament), we played a team that particiated in all of the big tournaments and was stacked in terms of D1 committments. Their starter pitched for 6 innings... Our coached became really irate when this team bunted with our third baseman, obviously, back. He also raised hell that the other team was preventing players from being seen as they had stopped play on several occasions to argue with the umpires and challenge rulings.

I saw a post recently where a webster was concerned: after his kid had committed to a summer team he advised they continued to "sign" multiple additional pitchers, more pitchers than he felt was neccessary to allow sufficent opportunity to be seen. It dawned on me that the summer team he had signed up for was more than likely a tournament team, probably competing to win in tournaments as opposed to a true "showcase team" and so they needed to ensure sufficient arms to compete/win.

In the above example it's clear, the coaches were coaching based on two different event philospohy's, one to win first, one to showcase first.

Definetly you can showcase through tournament teams, the PG tournament events are certainly loaded with recruiters and scouts.

Is there such an animal as a "showcase" team? Is this the wrong terminology based on the higher profile tournament events wherby teams are there to win first as opposed to showcase first? Are showcase and tournament teams the same thing?

Your thoughts.....
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I think it is the coach's attitude that makes a difference. The team that my son plays for is there to showcase the kids and plays everyone in the field. But if he has a chance to win in the last inning, he will do what it takes to win. I like this because it seems to be the best of both worlds. The players get to be seen and they also get to win.
There are coaches who show up at these events who there for the win and play their best the entire time and then there are those that are there to put all their kids in front of the coaches that need to see them. A side note: Different kids need to be seen by different coaches of different caliber. Mine is a 2011 and is getting the looks but it is understood that he may not pitch unless the right coach is there to see him.

There is also a difference in parenting for this. A dad stood beside me the other day and told me about his 2010 that throws 81-82 and was proud of the fact that he had pitched 12 scoreless innings. I do not keep up with those facts on my kid, but I do keep up with the velocity and control. All players, parents, and coaches are different.
We play in a showcase circuit in TX in which only three runs are allowed per inning, often pitchers are changed after 1, 2, or 3 innings regardless of how they're pitching, and wood bats are often used. While they do keep score it really means nothing since you are limited to the 3 runs or 6 if someone hits a grandslam after 2 runs are in. Our top centerfielder is already signed so he often plays left or right because there is a younger talented centerfielder that needs to be seen. Guys often play multiple positions especially catchers so they all get a look. Some games we bat 10 or 11. We play a different college campuses. To me this is a true showcase team.
I have seen both scenarios. In both a player has to not only demonstrate their talents, they also have to demonstrate their ability to win.

In the long and short of athletic competition, the goal is to win. To be the best.

Coaches not only want to see raw ability, they also want to see a certain tenacity. Some call it that extra 10% the exceptional competitor has the ability to produce.

We often forget that athletics is little more than bloodless warfare. One team or army pits their skills and strategy to vanquish the opponent.

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