Money Game: Baseball at the next level

That's why I've always emphasized academics.

More money there than for baseball scholarship.

I guess the good news is, for the O'Connors it paid off. The families I feel bad for are the ones who are spending all the money HOPING for college $$ and never seeing a dime. I've personally told a number of parents they'd be better off spending the money on tutors to get the grades up than on countless showcases and travel teams. Not many have changed their course of action though.

You know what, all that money I spent on lessons was worth every penny even if my kid never plays one game at college. What is the cost of drug/alcohol rehab? Kids with something constructive to do, a goal to reach for, a dream is better than one who doesn't. The time I spent out in the front yard working with my kids on all that baseball lesson stuff.. is time that we will both look on as the best days of our lives. I'm not down on academics at all, but many boys need a release of all that energy and for some kids, "no sports" is a real recipe for disaster. Come spend a day with me at high school. I feel every dime I spent was worth it!

Well Said

Didn't spend as much as some, but was worth every cent.

Bottom line it takes talent, not money, to get to the next level. I do know that spending money on showcases and camps improves the visibility of a player’s talent and therefore improves his odds of being seen but does very little to improve his talent. I think many get lulled into thinking that a player can spend lots of money at showcases and this alone will result is a great scholarship and that’s not the way it works. I might add that playing at a big D-1 school doesn’t necessarily mean the player has succeeded, it just means that is the location of the baseball field where they will TRY to succeed.
Fungo

I do not think you can look at it in dollars and sense.

I always looked at as time with my son and days/evenings at the ball park with good people
He never had lessons
He never travelled around the country playing ball
He just did what he had to do to make himself better

Whatever he/we did it worked because he, a NY kid, ended up playing playing Division I baseball at New Mexico State University on
scholarship.

AND YES!!! He had talent

Everyone who has posted so far, seems to have a good grasp of what it took them to do, to help their son get to the next level. Spending alot of money, or a little. But, much depended upon the players skills, makeup as a ball player, desire to work extra hard, and choose a school that fit their educational and baseball needs, sometimes in reverse order.

It's not a knock on anyone to do things differently than someone else. My son wanted to play at a D1 school. It didn't happen. His grades were great, and graduated with many honors, and ranked 15th in a 890 graduating class. So why no D1? Size and maybe some skills! O.K., no problem, but he couldn't understand how some kids, who he played against, got the opportunity to go to the school he wanted to attend, when it was clear that their talents were not as good as his. Was it size? A different need by position for the coach? Don't know, maybe it was a "legacy" thing, or an internal, political thing???? It's not 'sour grapes', it just a process to where you have to investiagte all your options and decide if you want to play ball and get a great education, or get a great education and play ball.

Yes, we spent some money for college camps of interest, and several showcases. It gave us a basis for knowing where he was at in his skills development, and what he needed to work-on. We also learned via these boards and through phone conversations with the likes of TRhit, BeenthereIL and Fungo, that no matter what, the education has to come first, period. Which lead to his ultimate choice of which university to attend. And, if you have the right body type, skills, you can play just about anywhere, and I must emphasize "play". We all know of the stud players who we have watched or heard about, fall-by-the-wayside and stop playing all together because of poor grades, bad habits (drugs and alcohol), girlfriends, coaches, or just not enough time to concentrate on school work.

Our son received alot of scholarship and grant money, almost 50%, to attend his school of choice. His fall baseball workouts start the first weekend of school at his D3 university. If, at some point, he doesn't play baseball anymore, he will have one hell of an education!!!! And, he really didn't have to agonize over maintaining his grades at a D1 school. After all is said, D1 schools practice and play more than twice as much as a D3 school.

No, it's really o.k. that he isn't at a D1 school. Size or talent, or whatever, our son is happy, we are happy, and that's what counts most of all. We hope you are happy as well. JMHO

Travel ball allows your son to play at a high level and can open his and your eyes to his ability level. The better player he is, the better team he can play for.

At 16,17 and 18 the travel teams on the "local" or "national" level will not only allow for development and improving his talent level, it can and should help to zero in on his "real" opportunities.

Lessons are without a doubt good for the same type of evaluation, as much for the player as for Dad. I have seen more than one player attain great success in D1 and beyond, largely due to the high level of confidence achieved through working with the right instructor. Thats right, no matter his success in HS or summer/travel ball, the confidence gained through instruction can be a determining factor.

The HS program can be huge...just look around at the local player's that achieve some degree of prominence. They are,in large part coming from the top 15-20 programs.

In my mind there is only one showcase that is a must if your son wants to truly evaluate/compare himself to his contemporaries. That is the "PG National Underclass Showcase" in Ft. Myers Florida every January. It's costly, but it really tells the tale!

After that it's a matter of common sense as to what showcases may be helpful to your son's future. Keep in mind, as Fungo pointed out, these showcases are about visibility and the opportunities that can come from that visibility. They are NOT about improving your game....that is for the long hours of practice with HS and travel teams as well as the time spent with instructor's.

As for playing at a top program (or any particular program) or signing a lucrative pro contract, that is for each individual family to decide upon.

I agree (shockingly) with TR...it's not about the money, it's about the love of the game. And...more importantly the love of your son. When I was asked to be interviewed for this article, I was a little hesitant to talk only about the money involved. Whatever the price, the long weekends and evenings I was able to spend with my 5 boy's was truly a labor of love that I would gladly repeat.

I don't think any of us would ever trade the time spent on baseball with our sons, both by being involved and by getting them the best instruction, etc. to help them maximize their talent. If you believe that you wasted money because they didn't get money
to play D-1, then maybe you did it for the wrong reason.

Boomer made some great comments....who can say why one gets more offers than another? How much of it has to do with stereotypes and the fact that one kid was promoted better than another? Sometimes it's obvious, other times not so much. At our school we have a kid who is publized more than others, is invited to all the showcases, and all of us who have watching for years wonder why because we have seen nothing that would justify it. We have another who gets the same recognition, but in his case it is deserving. Maybe we just don't get it. Like Boomer and Beenthere said, more money for grades than baseball.

Just playing is the best thing......if your son does for his sons what you've done for him, it was all worth it.

Boomer Good call!!!!Andy does not lack the talent. He is a great ball player. He was over looked on our team in my mind. I wish he could have played 2nd for us. He can play many positions on the field. that does not mean he is not a great outfielder. I would have to say a great friendship developed between our sons.Oh and Boomer I would have to say andy got all his talent form you cause your wife still has hers!!!! Good luck Andy

Keep it up and you'll be writing love stories for brokeback novels, inc. you are making me cry with all the love your throwing out there....everyone in WSC knows who should have been at second base and who should have been the DH on our team.....it's tadihito but he's been busy on the world champion white sox.....keep the peace..much love to andy and good luck at URny, b t w what is the mascot for them?

sox....

Great post!!!!

Soxnole, TRhit, Boomer, sweaty, LT, Fastball, Beenthere, all agreeing!!!!!

Unbelievible!!!!!!

Thanks LT22catcherdad!!!


Sweaty.....It's a yellowjacket. Had to copy Georgia Techs until I can get an avatar from UR.

Boomer I think Sweaty wants the job. Could you see that, Sweaty in yellowjacket costume yelling at the umpires.

now, i write all good stuff about you and you come after me like that....man o man. i'm already applying to be the big redbird so, i won't have time to bee both...bee both get it? anyway, if ISU turns me down, i'm in at UR...and just to open up the can of worms that LT is about to start...they might NOT have a costume that big...i get it, im calorically challenged alright...

quote:

Originally posted by soxnole:
And...more importantly the love of your son. When I was asked to be interviewed for this article, I was a little hesitant to talk only about the money involved. Whatever the price, the long weekends and evenings I was able to spend with my 5 boy's was truly a labor of love that I would gladly repeat.

Which is exactly why your sons are and will have very succesful lives. NICE ARTICLE AND THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DO IT.

Sweaty, I can just see you in a Big Bird costume dyed ISU red…..