Need an adviser?

What is the opposition to talking to an advisor? If your son still has college eligibility left, You won't sign a contract with one until after the draft and 1st pro contract is signed. And if they are calling you now it will get busier as he progresses.

I would at least interview them and do your homework as to what services can they provide your son (and at what cost) and which one might be a good fit for him when and if the decision does have to be made.

I view it similar to the decison we had to do in choosing a college... find the right FIT..

They all promise about the same things. Contract negotiation, marketing, providing equipment in the minor leagues, advising and help on other personal matters such as moving (ie you are called up to a new league, you have to deal with housing issues, moving a car, etc....) Tax preparation, some offer financial advice.

My idea is to see which ones keep their words now, and a consistent story, what promises are made and which ones seem to be realistic. Find out their business style. Are they the Buddy-buddy style or more business oriented. (figure out what style your son wants/needs also) Go do your own research on what have they done for previous clients especially, ones comparable to your son's status. See what matches best for your son. Be prepared ahead of time.

But, remember your son is growing up and you are now here just for guidance. If he's just out of HS, perhaps more so, but your son is now considered an adult and its his career, so IMHO the final decision must be his.

I definitely recommend an advisor if your last name is Dykstra.

PelicanFan,

Be careful who you choose. Seek representation from a group who is well-connected to professional baseball and has a good working relationship with them as well.

Also choose an advisor who has experience in professional baseball as player who can give individual instruction whether it be pitching or hitting because this bodes well with interested pro teams.

Remember this also, the better the player becomes in development before draft, the more value that player will command in slot money.
The more the player/prospect commands, the more the advisor makes so it's in the best interest of the advisor to help the player reach maximum potential and exposure with media and contacts across the board. Many representaives are overloaded and see players very seldom. Pick wisely to attain maximum possibilities. Pick a firm with agents with pro experience who will be there consistently for you. Shep's .02

PelicanFan,
Welcome to the HSBBW. It could be that the advisor would allow your son to focus more on his school and baseball by keeping everything in perspective. My son did use an advisor out of high school and out of college. His advisor out of college is now his agent. It is really a personal preference. If he were to do it all over again I'm sure he would use the same agent that advised him during his last year of college. The downside is the cost of the agent when the player signs. I smile when you asked:

quote:

Any advice?

Could it be that those that seek advice should consider seeking out an advisor....Just a thought.
Again, welcome to the High School Baseball Web!
Fungo

PelicanFan, Welcome to the HSBBW.
Great advice right here on this site.
Does your Son still want to play College ball?

You just gave yourself the best ADVISE.
We just want him to focus on school and playing good baseball and let the chips fall where they may. EH

Thank you for your responses.

I guess it is kind of funny and ironic that I asked for "any advice" at the end of my question.

I wanted to get back to this, because something new has come up. I have another question.

An area scout has been talking to my son. He wants to meet with him/us? about the Spring. He asked my son, "who is your adviser?" To which my son said, "I don't have one."

The scout asked if he was getting one. He seemed to be surprised that he didn't have one and said they usually work part of the process through an adviser.

The MLB-Players Association also contacted him and asked him to take a test online because "several clubs have expressed an interest in you."

A few thoughts come to our minds.
a) maybe my son's status is a little higher than I thought, but even if so or not
b) why would the scout seem to want him to have an adviser?

I just don't know what purpose they serve if you're not likely to be a pretty high draft pick?

quote:

Originally posted by PelicanFan:
The scout asked if he was getting one. He seemed to be surprised that he didn't have one and said they usually work part of the process through an adviser.

Surprising, many scouts tell you that you don't need an advisor.
No problem having an advisor though, just understand what his role may be. An advisor cannot negotiate on your son's behalf, his purpose is to advise you of the process and answer any questions that may arise.

quote:

and said they usually work part of the process through an adviser

Not true. As TPM says, an advisor cannot act as a representative for your son to professional baseball unless your son want to violate NCAA rules. As the name "advisor" implies, he is only allowed to "advise" you or your son.

quote:

The MLB-Players Association also contacted him and asked him to take a test online because "several clubs have expressed an interest in you."

Could that have been the MLB Scouting Bureau?

You may be right Fungo about the scouring bureau. I probably didn't pay much attention to who asked and am mistaken. And I hear your warnings about NCAA rules loud and clear. We will be careful in either case.

But my main question remains: Do you really need an adviser if you're not likely to be a pretty high draft pick?

Thanks in advance.

Can't answer your question, that's a persoanl decision.
If it were my son, I would take a wait and see attitude, HS season has not even begun. As the season progresses, you might get an idea as to where your son might fall, depending on interest as to whether he would be a high draft choice or not. I don't think you have to rush anything.

PelicanFan -
No you do not NEED an advisor, it is a family decision and should be based on the level of scouting interest. From personal experience, we found having an advisor to be very helpful for our family during son's HS senior year and felt he really minimized the stress of pro recruiting for all of us. Having an advisor gave Son a person he felt comfortable talking with who wasn't Mom & Dad, a person who was knowledgeable about the business and could answer his questions, who had been through the process personally, and who was a friendly face in the crowd of folks hanging around the backstops & bullpens when he pitched. I also found it helpful to have him & his company there for us parents, to get another perspective on our thoughts and concerns. We interviewed several advisors & companies and talked on the phone with many more. We met some great people and others that we would run from! As folks have said, if you go this route make sure you check out the individual who will be the advisor and their experience, the history & financials of company they work for, and what services they will offer to your son as an amateur and in the minors. Good Luck this season!

PelicanFan,

Just to throw my two cents worth in here, I agree with RHP05 you don’t NEED an advisor, and I also agree with TPM, only you can make the decision on whether you should get one or not.

BUT, if I had it to do over again, I would have gotten one. I found myself having to ask questions like the one you just asked over and over again. Many on here can attest to the fact I was a real pain in the ahh, neck. I would spend hours online trying to research this or that. I was a nervous wreck by the time the draft was over…lol…

You see I didn’t even read Baseball America until this year nor did my son go to Perfect Game showcases. Yes, there are still us ignorant people out there in the world that haven’t caught up with the times, yet.

Most scouts I met asked us if we had an advisor. Some would tell us we didn’t need one. However, there were some that thought we did. So, you may get different reactions from different scouts.

My son NOW has an advisor. What a lot of trouble I could have saved myself if I had gotten one in the first place. But, we didn’t have one before the draft and you don’t have to have one either. I would suggest you read some of the past topics on this subject and weight the pros and cons. Then, sit down with your family and make a decision. It is still early and you have time to decide if one is right for your family or not.

Good Luck to your son.

August 25th, 2006

quote:

PelicanFan,

Be careful who you choose. Seek representation from a group who is well-connected to professional baseball and has a good working relationship with them as well.

Also choose an advisor who has experience in professional baseball as player who can give individual instruction whether it be pitching or hitting because this bodes well with interested pro teams.

Remember this also, the better the player becomes in development before draft, the more value that player will command in slot money.
The more the player/prospect commands, the more the advisor makes so it's in the best interest of the advisor to help the player reach maximum potential and exposure with media and contacts across the board. Many representaives are overloaded and see players very seldom. Pick wisely to attain maximum possibilities. Pick a firm with agents with pro experience who will be there consistently for you. Shep's .02

This was the advice given to you by me, "Shep" when asked by you PelicanFan a while back.

Good Luck

I'd like to know, who deleted most of the thread and why it jumps from August to November.

FYI, the thread was locked a few days ago, to avoid further discussion. Whoever unlocked it, should have let sleeping dogs lie.

Although ,most likely done in the best interest of everyone, still seems that we have the same thing going on, just gone about a different way.