Overexposed?

Here you go again with the negative approach !!!

Keep in mind that scouts/coaches do not compare players--they look at a player and ask themselves if he can play for their program and help them

If the player plays up to his talent he can never diminish his value.

Pop Up Hitter dad,

I have seen players that could be described as overexposed. This usually happens to a player with weaknesses that didn’t show up the first time or two.

I think over-exposure is a great topic. FWIW, I believe the better the player is, the more he actually should be over-exposed. In the end it works out better for everyone including the player. One thing that happens to every truly talented player in baseball is that he will be “exposed” over and over and over.

The more recruiters and scouts see a player the more “accurately” they can evaluate that player. If a player is not trying to hide something, he should never fear over-exposure. If a player really has what it takes, he should not fear over-exposure. If a player is looking for the truth, he should not fear over-exposure. The thing I’ve noticed over the years is that the very best players, top draft picks, top college recruits, are often the one’s that could be described as being the most exposed.

I even believe “over-exposure” is one of the main reasons we see so many more college players drafted than high school players. What happens in college? Players are exposed over and over and over. By the time they are draft eligible, scouts know them very well.

From a players stand point, over-exposure could very likely cost them a scholarship offer at a certain school. It could even cost them a potential draft position. If the player has been exposed enough to get an accurate assessment, that perfect fit is more likely to happen. Players would be where they belong rather than in over their head. They could go to the next level where they are more likely to play and develop. They are less likely to end up being a big disappointment to the coach who recruited them or the scout that got them drafted.

To me… Over-Exposure is a very good thing for everyone concerned. It is going to happen sooner or later anyway. I always get a somewhat negative feeling when I hear a player say certain things… i.e. I don’t want to hurt my stock! … I have had enough exposure! … I had a good showing at such and such event! … I’ve done enough!

Now, I’m not talking about spending tons of money attending showcases. I’m talking about giving the decision makers the truth. Sooner or later, there is no hiding in baseball. Sooner or later, every single player will be exposed for exactly what they are. There is every reason to be as exposed as possible. It helps everyone including the player who doesn’t want to fool anyone and is searching for the truth.

Those among the most exposed are often the very best. Here are some players who were definitely over-exposed in high school. The Upton Brothers, Delmon Young, Prince Fielder, Scott Kazmir, I could go on forever, but just check out all the early draft picks over the past several years. The vast majority of them were over-exposed. They are still getting over-exposed. There is no place to hide!

PUHD, I don't see it as diminishing value. It actually establishes true value. I don't believe in being seen too much. I actually think over-exposure is a very good thing! Yes, I do believe it has hurt some players along the way. Or in reality did it actually help them? I see no reason to try to fool the decision makers. JMO

PUHD,

PGStaff as always hit it out of the park.

Being over-exposed can only help the player find the right place to land. Colleges who bring players in that don't know or really appreciate the player is only doing them a disservice by recruiting them and bringing them on campus just to find that they do not fit in the program or really don't have the skills and in turn runs them off or just not play them.

That also happens to the scouts where some of the players who are drafted, I scratch my head to wonder what I missed just to find out the player is out of the minors after two year.

quote:

Sooner or later, there is no hiding in baseball. Sooner or later, every single player will be exposed for exactly what they are. There is every reason to be as exposed as possible. It helps everyone including the player who doesn’t want to fool anyone and is searching for the truth.

Great post PG.I tend to look at it as a good thing even if it lowers a players stock.Some kids get hot in one tourney and maybe they get a scholly and find out they aren't good enough to play at that particular school.I would rather have an honest, brutal assessment then a rosey colored one.I do agree that in college you get exposed over and over.I wouldn't want my kid in over his head.I tend to me more on the skeptical side of things when it comes to evals of my own player.

quote:

If the player has been exposed enough to get an accurate assessment, that perfect fit is more likely to happen. Players would be where they belong rather than in over their head. They could go to the next level where they are more likely to play and develop. They are less likely to end up being a big disappointment to the coach who recruited them or the scout that got them drafted.

Excellent! How disappointing for a player to get to college and after a frustrating season or couple of seasons, realize that he doesn´t have what the coach was expecting or needing. Much better to find that out before the college decision is made, and go where the fit is better.

Julie

I'll give you an example of how "overexposure" helped!

My 2009 Son was seen by a D1 college early in the Summer, which was his first Summer of playing top-level travel ball.
They saw him again at 2 more tournaments after that, and then in Jupiter this Fall.

He received some other D1 offers in the meantime, but hadn't accepted anything.

They invited him for a visit, made him an offer and he accepted.
One of the things the Coach told us was, " We saw how much he improved since June, and we think he can continue to get much better in our program"

All thanks to "Overexposure"!

PG great post!

Exposure many times is important. That's why I don't care for recruiting by video. I want the coach, the scouts to see my player play, not once but a few times. That doesn't make it right or wrong, but that is what worked for us.

This fall we had a player who had committed but the schools involved still came to see him play every weekend just to see how he was doing--overexposed? I think not!!!!

My son was far away from the coach who recruited him but we found out later that he had someone watching at his games (scout). He also came to see him pitch a few times before he entered school during the summer.
It wasn't just him, I know that he does this for many players. I think it's his way of watching to see what he needs to work on with that particular player. He already knows them before they set foot on campus.
This makes sense to me as to why coaches often visit players even after they have signed.

My son was noticed by Dartmouth after seeing him pitch a total of three innings at a showcase.

He was recruited by them after talking with a highly respected coach from Denver and a couple of scouts who had seen him numerous times.

I agree with PG and others that say it's hard to be "over exposed".

Wow, did we hit a good discussion here. I was really impressed with PG's detailed discussion. Son's school ball starts in three weeks, hopefully our weather holds up. Lately most of our rain has gone south to those "overexposed" California players. Pop ups son got recruited by a coach who saw him at the Area Code tryout. Funny thing, I didn't think he did all that well.

Great information! Overexposure is impossible to achieve --- PERIOD. However there is a variant of this topic that is seldom discussed ----- Exposure saturation. Many players become saturated with exposure and continue on the same exposure path with little or no personal benefit and in the process some actually forgo baseball in search of more exposure.

Think of a player being a car and the exposure being the accelerator (the gas pedal). Let's say we have a relative fast car and a relative talented player and they both want to reach their maximum potential for whatever reason. When you first provide exposure (gas) the impact of that effort is immediate and intense but after a period of time the car reaches near maximum speed and the increase becomes less and less until it becomes virtually nil. The player also realizes many benefits from exposure early but also reaches a point that the additional exposure adds little change. We talk about the player getting better and the additional exposure providing added benefits --- that is very possible if indeed they have improved as would a car if it just had a tune-up. But we also know that players have good days and bad days. If a player is properly exposed and accurately evaluated then --- he happens to be "exposed" on a bad day does he could lose some credibility. Buying more exposure may be moot, detrimental, or then again it may be important. It's your money and your son and each situation is different. I think buying and buying more and more exposure just hoping for the "best" shows lack of proper planning and inaccurate evaluation on the part of the parents.

When my son was entering the recruiting phase I purchased some exposure (not much) in the way of showcases and camps. I realized quickly that my efforts were being redundant and decided to pass on targeting exposure alone and allow summer and high school team participation to provide any additional exposure. My son did turn down some pre-draft workouts simply because I felt there would be no benefit and he could possible have a "bad day" and lose a draft slot. Thing materialized as I anticipated they would.
Fungo

Fungo, you put this in a better light than I did. Thank you.

quote:

Originally posted by Pop Up Hitter dad:
Wow, did we hit a good discussion here.

Great read, I had similar questions... Thanks for the 411.
GED10DaD
's love catchers!

Well, having one that went through the recruitment process and one that soon will, I would say that you should do EVERYTHING you can to get your boy's name out there up to and until the day they sign. Speaking frankly, my wife and I wish we knew then what we know now about the whole thing. Definitely would have done better to get his name out there. You almost have to do it in self-defense =).

Especially outside the traditional "powerhouse" areas, one needs to do what one can (summer travel tourney, showcases, etc.) to get the player's name out there. My boys' high school has a mediocre program in a strong district; if you don't find a way to get his name out there, he can easily get overlooked.

Lucky for us, his "franchise" team took on too many players in his sophomore year and he left to get more PT and caught on with a team in the Washington-metro area Industrial League. He had some success and it was enough to get an offer that turned out to be a great fit for us. With the way we lurched through all of it, however, we consider ourselves lucky.