Overated v. Underated players

I don't think there's a kid out there who is ALWAYS productive in games or NEVER productive in games. Just as I don't believe there are kids who ALWAYS showcase well or NEVER showcase well. If a scout hear's about this high profile can't miss prospect and goes and sees him tank it in one game, I don't think he shuts the door on the kid. Same with showcases. If an unknown comes out of nowhere and has a huge showcase, the scout isn't going to throw a contract in front of him on the spot. In both cases they need to see a larger sample, or body of work before they commit one way or the other. Anyway, those are my thoughts.

You may may not think the player did well but coaches and scouts see things you do not---just relax

I had some great belly laughs watching the recruiting videos of some of the top prospects in the MLB draft.

Players listed as great hitters were shown swinging feebly and striking out in their video at-bats.

Strong and sharp fielders were shown making throws to first that either pulled the first baseman off the bag or were uncatchable. Other strong fielders were shown making errors on the warm up grounders hit for the video.

After attending a few minor league games, I came to see that the videos outdid the hype.

If the current crop in the Florida State League is the MLB player of the future, the game may become an oddity.

I find it really sad when the majority of MLB All Stars are playing for countries other than this one in the World Championship Series.

Do we lack talented ball players or do the scouts and recruiters have another agenda that they are promoting?

BOBO

There are very few "great" hitters and they are in the bigs

There are no great HS or college hitters---the good ones are solid hitting prospects--and who knows what will become of them as the move up the ladder

There are no great hitters in the bigs. A great hitter can hit in all facets of the game.

These kids should be hitting .400 or better to be considered a good hitting prospect for the bigs.

It really isn't about talent as I have learned. A kid like Shane Robinson should not have seen 165 players drafted before he was. The kid who hit 18 home runs in Pasco County got little to no mention.

It's all about the hype and the hypsters. I look at the current crop in Joplin looking to represent this nation in international play. Five and six errors a game does not imply in the least that these kids are the best ball players this nation has to offer.

If a talented kid does not pay the hypsters, he gets no notice. Scouts and recruiters have to get out and see the real world and not only the showcases.

How does a kid pitch two years in a row winning the highest level classification in the high school state championship not get noticed?

The system is broken and baseball is suffering for it.

I have always said that there is more hype in baseball than reality.
I don't think there is an agenda but scouts are human and it is hard to judge talent. You are often only as good as your last outing in most cases.
Most scouts look at the long ball and preach singles. I would rather face a long ball hitter than a contact hitter as a pitcher. Personally the emphasis on LB hitters is exciting but overlooks the contact guys.

The trend for scouts to go to showcases is going to hurt baseball. They no longer scoure the country to look for talent. This is a sign of the times. Usually the scouts go to look at a few players and then they leave.
If there are very few talented hitters well there are also very few talented scouts. I have been at tournaments where the good old boys retire to the beer tent and don't emmerge for hours. Some do take their job serious but they are the few.
I can't agree that the hitters should be all hitting 400+. They are facing great pitching and that will dampen the average.

The pitching they have been facing is either high school or college pitching which should pale compared to MLB pitching.

If they aren't hitting at least .400 and knocking the cover off the ball, how does one justify a million dollar signing bonus?

In those thrilling days of yesteryear, scouts would have contacts in many areas who would give a call or send a telegram if they saw a good prospect. It's a shame that high school coaches have lost either interest or credibility in the minds of the scouts. (Or they are not serving the right refreshments)

BOBO

Simple question for you--how many hitters in the "bigs" have hit over 400 in a season ?


And you want to use that as a parameter ???

Let's get real BOBO--it just doesnt happen

I would prefer .500.

Using the theory of diminishing returns, we seem to be assuminmg that the average of a hitter will drop the higher up the ladder they climb. This works out fairly well when the starting average is .300 and then drops with each successive promotion until the level of incompetence is reached.

BOBO

you are such a dreamer---get real

Who would you assess as the better hitter?

a high school senior hitting .350 or

a college senior hitting .350

Somehow the common sense of this is not shared by the powers that be.

BoBo if life were that simple.
I assume that most players improve otherwise don't bother running and working on your game.
I knew HS pitchers who would set down the best HS hitters. I also know hitters who hit poorly at the beginning of HS and were drafted in the 1st 4 rounds.
My son pitched bullpen to a guy who was drafted in the 1st round. There were 14 scouts watching and my son threw 60-70 pitches and he fouled off 3. No hits. The guy got 1st round and a bonus of 400+. He did have a great swing though. 2 years before that he was not even a blip on the radar screen. He was even cut from a rep team. I admire the work he put in to get better.
Another guy who my son faced 3 times in a game. Struckout, walked and grounded out. 4th rounder. They tell me he is a great hitter. Hit for the cycle against Duguesne U as a` 16 yo. I am not knocking this guy or the other one. I just think that there is a lot of hype. The scouts jump on the band wagon.
I once read a scouts comments on a pitcher and he said he had 12 Ks against ABC team. Anyone who knew the team would never put that in print.

WillieBobo,
You make good points if you buy into the thought that "they should find me" mentality. I could be the best car salesman on my lot, in my city, and maybe even in my State. But, unless I go to the National car shows, strut my stuff, and "hobknob" with the big fish I will not be noticed for the "bigtime". Baseball, car sales, reality, or any other occupation that is result driven with a mutitude of candidates requires that an individual has to have a level of self promotion.

quote:

A kid like Shane Robinson should not have seen 165 players drafted before he was. The kid who hit 18 home runs in Pasco County got little to no mention.

Did Shane go out and compete in events that compared him to others that were drafted ahead of him? If he did, maybe those professionals that who judge talent did not see what you profess he has. If he did not make that effort in self promotion, he should look in the mirror on who is to blame.

quote:

If a talented kid does not pay the hypsters, he gets no notice. Scouts and recruiters have to get out and see the real world and not only the showcases

It's a big real world out there and not enough scouts to look in all the corners. As a business you try to run efficiently and that is done by consolidating your products, finding the worthy ones, and follow them. In baseball that consolidation is done through events. There are those who fall through cracks but with 50 rounds on a draft, and if they have game, they will be picked. Where you get picked depends on how you promote yourself.

quote:

How does a kid pitch two years in a row winning the highest level classification in the high school state championship not get noticed?

Maybe it's a "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" issue or that player has not gone outside the box to prove himself.

quote:

The system is broken and baseball is suffering for it.

One small cog in the wheel says it's broke, the rest of the wheel thinks everything is fine and wheel still turns. Bottom line, if you want something bad enough you will work within the system and find a way to make it work for you.

Someday your issues may be addressed, but at this time the system is running smooth and the owners uses a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. Baseball is played at a higher level from corner to corner of this country and is expanding outside the borders daily while scouting numbers have remained relatively constant. A player that wants to be noticed has to make the make that world initially smaller and that is done through the showcases and events.

Shane Robinson was a star outfielder for Florida State. I'm sure he got plenty of exposure in that forum. Clearly I think his size, fairly or unfairly, made him slip in the draft. He's like 5'9", 165 lbs.

Yet Torrey Langley, a prep catcher listed at 5'8" 170 lbs. went in the third round. This kid has been hyped, probably rightfully, since Little League.

I misread WillieBobo post and thought there was a different Shane Robinson from Pasco County.
As far as why he slipped every team had a bunch of chances for him but they all had some type of an issue. In the end they are the ones who sign the checks.

I guess being named college player of the year last year by the NCAA followed by a senior year of batting .351 for FSU is not promotion enough for the one guy.

The other kid is a winner. Two years of winning the 6A state championship in Florida is a fine feather in ones' cap.

Woe unto those talented players who do not pay the hypsters.

As long as the fans continue to accept the inferior product that is being served, there will be no change. I agree with that.

The system is broken. Just look at the high priced talent on the Durham Bulls.

BoBo I have asked that question many times about a great college player going latter than a great HS player. It does make you wonder but you have all these teams who assess the talent and their needs. It is not mechanical.
Shane Roberts is a star and my son was impressed with him.