Perfect Game So Cal Top Prospect Showcase

There is a lot of good advice to be found on the Showcases link on the HSBBW home page. I've included an excerpt from an article below. To add to these, make sure your son is in baseball condition and his skills aren't rusty (especially important for winter showcases!). Pitchers should be rested, with sufficient days-off between starts. Have him get plenty of sleep the night before. He should take responsibility for being ready to play and do his own stretching/warm-up routines. Then, tell him to relax and do the best job he can. Remind him to have fun, its baseball!

quote:

BEFORE THE SHOWCASE:

Call all colleges you are interested in and let them know the dates, times and location of the showcase. Invite them to see you display your skills.

YOUR JOB AT THE SHOWCASE:

• Arrive early. Anticipate delays due to poor directions
• Dress before you walk up to the field. Nothing looks worse than a half dressed sloppy ball player
• Wear a shirt that has your name spelled on the back. With 100 other players on the field you want your name to stand out
• Appear relaxed and comfortable, even if you are not.
• Do not ask your parents to run errands for you. Get your own jacket from the car. Show responsibility.
• Listen to the camp/showcase directors. Be where you are supposed to be.
• Be attentive and alert. This is not a time to goof off with the guys.
• Wait until after the workout to ask for running times, arm grades, etc.
• If you are having a bad day, realize that there are other camps.
  Many times coaches and scouts will have seen you play before they know your skill level. They like to see how you react when things do not go your way. If you show a good attitude and composure when you are not having your best day you will leave a good impression in their minds. Anyone can have a great attitude when things are going well, but only true winners realize they are better than what they are displaying. Winners know there will be other days.

There are two things to look at when attending PG events. PG's staff will grade you and colleges will attend the event. Depending on what event you attend decides how many and what type of colleges will attend.

PG is well recognized for their player grading. Their showcases are very important in identifying and grading player potential. If you are rated high (top 250) by PG your recruiting life is much easier. Many top colleges rely heavily in PG.

So, with that being said, don't go to a showcase unless you are ready. Show well and it really helps you - show poorly and it can hurt you. Specifically, do one or more of the following - run 6.9 60 or better, throw high 83+ as OF/IF, throw 87+ as pitcher, throw 1.99 POP as catcher, hit well in batting practice - or it will hurt you in grading. Run 6.5, throw 90+, POP 1.85 or better, hit 5 bombs in batting practice with a wood bat and it can really help with PG.

The second BIG benefit is that colleges attend PG events. Play well (regardless of tools above) and depending on your level of talent various colleges will have interest. In some cases a lot of interest.

Good Luck!

This is what happened with our first PG event last week. Maybe summarizing the experience will be helpful to others.

The event was changed to a new location about a week or week and a half before the event was to take place. Then it became a two-day rather than a three-day event (maybe not enough people were registered, I don't know the reason for the change but it seemed rather smaller than what I thought it would be).

Not all the outfielders that registered showed up, so son volunteered to play outfield in the first of the three games they had, even though that isn't his position. (hmmm... what was he thinking?). He made a couple of dives while in the outfield and hurt arm some.

Next game, he pitched (did ok) but his arm wore out early on him, which always happens when you haven't played for a couple of months and when you are diving to show that you are a hustler, I suppose.

He later tried going in at outfield again but arm was too sore, so he just hit.

Modest showing at best.

My point isn't to be contentious with the organization, but this: son is a SS, 3B, Pitcher guy (listed in order of skill/experience).

He did not play infield at all during this event so therefore will be rated on OF performance, a position he has never played and doesn't intend to play.

I think he likely made a strategic error although I think he volunteered for OF to be helpful. Now he won't be rated at all on his infield skills and will be rated on a position for which he isn't really skilled.

He's old enough to make his own decisions and usually does pretty well, but this time I think he flubbed up.

Good thing there weren't droves of scouts or coaches at this one but I think he might be an example of a kid who hurt himself by attending.

ktcosmos

kt- if your son was listed as a primary SS on the form you turned in, it was his event coach's responsibility to make sure he got time at THAT position. Guys are volunteering to play other positions all the time, including going in to pitch when they haven't listed themselves as a P at all (in cases where pitching is running thin). That shouldn't have excluded him from at least a few innings at his primary position.

ktcosmos,

It sounds like your son is a good kid with a very helpful attitude, offering to play another position. But while that's the type of flexibility that should be appreciated by a HS or college coach whose team is shorthanded, you are probably right that it did not provide the most positive exposure for him at this showcase. I think my son probably would have made the same decision though - thinking like a team player rather than considering his own purposes for the showcase. I'd tell my son to learn from this situation and consider the possible downside at future showcases, but would he do it differently the next time? I don't know.

Did your son demonstrate good hitting ability? That might factor into his evaluation more heavily than defensive skills. And even if his arm tired early when pitching, PG may have seen enough to judge his projectability and potential. But if he ends up with a bad rating from this showcase, all is not lost! Try to get him to another one, and do whatever you can to ensure he gets a chance to play SS since that is his best position.

"Next game, he pitched (did ok) but his arm wore out early on him, which always happens when you haven't played for a couple of months"

kt, if you are saying your son had not played in a couple of months before this showcase, I think you have identified the major problem in his performance.

infielddad,

I think you are correct.

His last outing was at the Junior Sunbelt Classic in Oklahoma in June, then the remainder of his H.S. team's summer league schedule, which ended in late June.

He kind of lost his momentum early in the summer when his dad was diagnosed with the big C. Ordinarily he would have been playing on another team, but it was a pretty emotional time and he took about six weeks off. I can't fault him for that.

Basically, I don't want to sound like a whiner and that's enough about our personal situation. Mostly I posted for others to hear about some of what can and does happen at showcases if you aren't 100% prepared (mentally, physically, emotionally) and on your toes at all times.

I appreciate everyone's input...

Back to the present, he just chatted further with a couple of coaches who have been following him, so I think it will all work out in the end.

An addendum and kudos to PG personnel:

Following the event we attended, I thought a lot about certain aspects of it that hadn't gone as expected.

As parents, you always weigh whether it's a time to be silent or a time to speak up. I decided on the latter and sent some questions and feedback to the PG folks.

Within a day I had a very cordial and thorough reply from Steve James. His professional response to my email just reinforces what everyone on this list alludes to: Perfect Game is a topnotch organization.

ktcosmos

kt,

I wish you and your family the best as you battle the "Big C". We have been dealing with the struggles that come with cancer for the past couple of years - treatment, remission, recurrence, "treatment of last resort", etc. This has had a big impact on my son - sudden life change, dealing with disease and a frail father, mid-school year international move, new school, trying to make it in an incredibly strong high school baseball program. I wouldn't trade the journey though, we are much closer, he is a much stronger kid, I'm back in remission, and I am at peace. My son may not make it in high school baseball but I know he is well-prepared for life. And, he is the kind of person I want to be around.

If I can help with any of the challenges ahead please PM me.

Interesting take. We just attended an event up in Seattle for the top players in the Pacific NorthWest. My son signed up as an outfielder, but before the event asked if he could pitch an inning too. Lo and behold they had him listed as a RHP/OF in the program. He used to pitch then gave it up the last 2 years. He has always loved to pitch and thought about being a reliever/closer for his senior year.

Needless to say I was pretty upset that they gave him all of 2 at bats in 5 games. I consider him a position player first. I really wanted to say something to the "coaches" but instead coached my son to ask about playing the outfield. Still didn't change anything. They had him "marked" as a pitcher.

He did pitch but was limited to 2 innings total since he had no endurance from lack of pitching. He hit 86 on the guns and a pretty good local JUCO college said he could pitch for his team next season if JUCO was his choice.

But, still it was tough to watch him sit out and not show his position player attributes. Even though pitchers seem to get the most notice I would counsel him next time to tryout for his choice position and then volunteer to do the secondary position. Teams never have enough pitching.

These a good stories to share for other parents with son's headed to their first showcase. Remind them that the purpose is to highlight their baseball strengths . They should be aware that volunteering to play a position "just for fun" could back-fire on your showcase goals. Later in the event, once they have played their primary position, is the time to show how flexible they can be in other areas.