Perspective

Good post.  Our older son had plenty of measurables, he attended and it worked out well.  Younger son was a lot like yours, I saw no reason for him to attend and we used other resources (HS coach for one) that worked just fine.

Know your player.  Develop a plan that fits him.  Don't wish for a miracle, execute the plan that makes the most sense.

I'm a huge fan of Perfect Game and look forward to my son attending their showcases.  I think even for players that end up being D3 athletes, being able to get verifiable and reliable measurables is a valuable asset, as are the videos take at Showcases

I have been following this site for a number of years. I just signed up last night. I just wanted to say I have enjoyed reading everyone's comments through the years. JUSTBASEBALL yours are some of the best! 

justbaseball posted:

Know your player.  Develop a plan that fits him.  Don't wish for a miracle, execute the plan that makes the most sense.

This. This x 10. 

Good post RUSS. Good luck to your son next season.

JMMS Welcome to the HSBBWEB.

I would also add you need to be flexible and able to adjust.  Things won't be perfect every time. It  been said here before you need to be building bridges through the process not burning them. Character matters! 

and btw.. Holy cow Indians! Bottom 9th... Really!

My son as I have openly stated many times is a borderline baseball player.  He is good.  He could play college ball.  What level?  Who knows.  Extremely unlikely it could be D1.  He will likely play D1 football unless the wheels really come off.  So we have done no showcases of any kind and likely never will.  He could post a great exit velo and depending on the day may impress in BP.  That would be about it.  He is a very good pitcher but lacks the needed velocity to impress.  No reason to showcase.  So I have no reason to suck up to Jerry.  I just honestly believe he is the single best resource these boards have.  And I sure hope he reads some of these things and sticks around.  As for his antagonist?   Don't let the door hit you in the ass.  

Wow, what did I miss?  Hopefully didn't run Jerry off.  He is one of the best and most honest resources on this site.  I would hate to see him go.  Funny thing is, without even seeing the thread in question, I kind of think I have an idea of who the bad guy may have been lol.  If someone would PM me details I'd appreciate it

Buckeye 2015 posted:

Wow, what did I miss?  Hopefully didn't run Jerry off.  He is one of the best and most honest resources on this site.  I would hate to see him go.  Funny thing is, without even seeing the thread in question, I kind of think I have an idea of who the bad guy may have been lol.  If someone would PM me details I'd appreciate it

http://community.hsbaseballweb...owcase-invite?page=1

Wow, just went back and looked....and sure enough, I knew exactly who the bad guy was.  I hope he keeps his word....and disappears....and Jerry realizes that guys like realist are the minority here and decides to stay around. 

Funny, my son is a D1 player.  We're from Ohio....a long way from Lake Point.  My son played in the WWBA when he was 14.   His 13U team had broken up late and he and a couple other guys from that team found a new team to play on.  They weren't very good....in fact, they were awfully bad.  Their schedule was already done....they were going to Atlanta for the WWBA (before LakePoint).  They weren't forced to go....but the coach was a good baseball guy and he wanted to play the best.  We went, my son threw a complete game 4-hitter against one of the East Cobb teams.  We lost 2-0 because we couldn't hit or field a ground ball, but that's another story lol.  My son still talks about that game today.  Probably his favorite memory from 9 years of travel ball.   Fast forward to 17U.  He's playing for a very good travel organization here in Ohio.  WWBA again, this time it's LakePoint.  Great venue, great competition and an all around great week.  Did he get recruited based on what he did there?  Nope.  Did we care?  Nope.  He was a baseball kid....and the WWBA is baseball.  Did we complain that it was expensive...nope....did we complain about parking.....nope.....gate fees.....nope!!!  Why???   Because neither Jerry or any other Perfect Game guys or anybody else FORCED US TO GO!!!!    We went because we wanted to.  Would my son be playing D1 baseball without going??  Yep, the RC saw him at an event up here.   Knowing what we know now, would we do it again....load up the family and spend a couple grand each time to go to ATL for a week....ABSOLUTELY!!!!  

See ya later San Diego......nobody's going to miss you

The whole point is regardless how you feel about PG or Jerry Ford, the total lack of respect from those who hide behind a screen name. And that's easy to do when no one knows who you are. 

Personally, I know it can be frustrating when everyone elses son is getting attention and yours is not, but don't take that out on Jerry Ford. No one is forcing anyone to spend money.  If you don't have anything to show, don't expect things to happen.

But I get what he is saying. Totally.

BUCKEYE - did you at least think about complaining about the parking?

I suspect PGSTAFF will stick around.  Feels kind of weird that folks blame him for his success in putting together a product that clearly benefits hundreds of coaches/programs.  Most folks could probably get to a college program without ever doing a PG event, however participating in one at the appropriate time certainly has its benefits.  Some kids will play for a coach who can tell them exactly where they fit - and help them land somewhere.  Others do not have that benefit and may greatly benefit from an independent assessment.  If you are looking for an independent assessment - or perhaps are on the bubble between ponds - PG can help define/refine what your pond should be.  I hated the parking (LOL), but it was fun baseball.  I think it helped educate my 2017 as well as myself on the massive talent pool.  I do think it can get expensive, especially the related travel if you are not reasonable close, but as BUCYEYE stated, no one is forcing you.

All that said, some of the PG hype that you hear from parents does at times get old.  Spending thousands of dollars on lessons/training just so your kid can post a 90mph on PG is oftentimes not in the best interest of the kid if he can't pitch his way out of a paper sack.  And the all-tourny team designation - no offense but that designation should be abolished or somehow cut down by 80% or so.  Felt kind of bad telling my kid that it didn't really have too much importance and that he didn't need to go around telling everyone.  

2017LHP,

I agree about the hype that you hear from folks gets old, so does the hype from folks who have 13, 14 studs.

I always feel there is an issue when a parent reports that they have checked out every profile in their sons grad year. 

The process needs to be put in perspective.  Baseball is a game about numbers.  These days people are so caught up with numbers. It's about being better than the neighbors next door.  I find it sad.  You don't have to hit 90 to get a college scholarship, but you do have to focus on the right program to fit the players needs. Everyone wants to play in the better conferences. 

One PG showcase when the player is ready can answer a lot of questions.  Tournaments are and should be about playing good baseball. Sometimes the coach comes to watch a player and notices another. I know that happens. But remember the coaches decision will not be made on one performance, if it does, don't go there. 

Just wanted to add that in.

I will kick in my 2C on the PGSTAFF issue. There is a ton of great information shared here on this site. From my perspective, the postings, thoughts and insights from a personality with the experience of PGSTAFF are invaluable to those of us navigating the HS baseball experience.

My perception of many, not all, of the critics is that there are simply people out there who are unhappy, bitter & who thrive on conflict. These posters tend to exert every effort to be critical & offer next to zero useful information.  

I, too, hadn't read that thread in awhile and just went back to it. Wow. I would have to add that Jerry has been a tremendous help in our journey, even stepping in personally once or twice to help. While the industry is one that certainly has a few things to criticize, it is still, by far, a more efficient and useful system than what we had when I was a young player. Not even close. 

Wow, you take a break from the site for few days to get some work done and the next thing you know it seems that Toto has pulled the curtain back exposing the "great and powerful Oz". Unfortunately though, in this case, PGSTAFF brings and has always brought substance to this forum. I am not a big poster of responses and certainly not a Topic starter here but I do appreciate and value the insight from everyone that offers their perspective. I really couldn't care less where or who it comes from or their background because like anything we read or hear, it's the individual reader's responsibility to determine if its true or of value to them.

I have learned a great deal about high school baseball, travel ball and now recruiting over the last three years. I have watched my son mature through his phases of the game over this time as well. I found this forum on a whim. Three and half years ago, I was desperate for advice on how to deal with an abusive youth travel ball coach. I found myself searching the Internet daily for the proper ways of handling the situation so I would not embarrass my son and, at the same time, deal with a very difficult problem that was getting out of hand. I landed here and haven't stopped coming back for advice as each chapter of his baseball journey goes on.

Let's just be honest. Like it or not, the hostility, anger and resentment found in postings here, or on political websites, heck, even on our kids social media, are just a reflection of small sections of society today.  Unfortunately, well intended forums such as this are just avenues for their behavior to be exposed while their true identities remain anonymous for the most part.  As PGSTAFF has noted many times, Perfect Game's original business model did not look like its current business today (and I am sure hsbaseballweb's founders thought the same about this web forum!).  Just like anything that becomes successful, there is a tendency for some to be determined to destroy it. Rapid growth in business will always cause controversy and send some customers away through problems with service, price, and product offering. It's easier for some to accept than others. However, the hardest thing in to do in business is to provide a service that heavily based on observation, evaluation and feedback. Trust me, I was a management consultant for years!  Essentially, that is what PG is trying to do while providing an excellent opportunity for kids to play the greatest game on earth and possibly in front of people who can help continue to play as long as the game will allow them.

The bottom line here is hater's are going to hate.   I hope PGSTAFF sticks around. The one thing I have learned about being an entrepreneur is that you know you are doing  something right if your list of haters is growing! Remember, criticism is self-hate turned outward. I believe hate is often a sign of weakness, envy and fear. Haters hate on you because you’re doing what they cannot, will not or are too afraid to attempt.  The haters will disguise their vitriol and call it "criticism" and say everyone "needs thicker skin". Is it any surprise that a study done recently with psychiatrists said that diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder are on the rise?

Well I'm pleased most of you missed the action.  It was nasty and a good decision was made to close the thread.  Airing a view or grievance in a hateful way does nothing but sour everybody.  Occasionally we all have an axe to grind about something, but if it's every time with every post.....  

I should probably just keep out of all this but isn't this 'Merica, where it's ok to create a business model that makes a profit AND benefits a large percentage of those who use that product/service?  If you don't like the product or service, don't buy it.  I have found that the vast majority of information on here has been very beneficial and I can choose to use it/listen to it/believe it, or not.  I think it is good to have alternate view points and opinions and that is one of the great things on here.  There is not a one size fits all baseball model that works 100% of the time for everyone.  But, I believe that there are takeaways from this site that parents/players can use to maximize opportunity thru whatever avenue they choose to pursue.  I think different opinions and viewpoints are healthy and it is unfortunate that often times the internet encourages more group think than group discussion.  My hats off to all on here for their valuable contributions, even if they are contrary to my own.  Civility is a lost art and I hope that there may be more of that here moving forward, while still welcoming alternate viewpoints without personal attacks. 

Does anyone even let their kids enjoy playing baseball anymore? I mean, jeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.

It's a freaking kids game. Please don't forget that. 

We wonder why kids don't play in the sandlot anymore. 

ironhorse posted:

Does anyone even let their kids enjoy playing baseball anymore? I mean, jeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.

It's a freaking kids game. Please don't forget that. 

We wonder why kids don't play in the sandlot anymore. 

+1

ironhorse posted:

Does anyone even let their kids enjoy playing baseball anymore? I mean, jeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.

It's a freaking kids game. Please don't forget that. 

We wonder why kids don't play in the sandlot anymore. 

+1

Here's my perspective on the hoopla from this week.  In any system, there are politics.  In any system, there are motives and in the HS/college baseball "system" there are many motives.  Coaches are trying to get great players so they can win more games; Scouts are trying to spot talent for MLB; PG/PBR, etc. are trying to grow a successful business helping evaluate talent to feed into MLB/college; kids trying to get good enough to play in college; parents trying to understand how it all works and usually trying to help get their kids get a scholarship.  Like any system, it's not exactly fair all of the time.  This is life.  Why should the recruiting process be any different?  

This community -- at its best -- is extremely helpful and I've learned a lot and been inspired by so many of you.  This community is part of the system too.  That means that most of us have a motive for being here.  In fact, likely the only people on this site who don't have a motive are the people whose kids are grown up and they appear to be here to help the rest of us and share their experiences.

I haven't been here as long as many of you so I don't necessarily have the same historical perspective (or emotional investment), but this week was a pretty bad one on this site with unproductive and juvenile "behavior" by several people.  Let's understand that even despite our respective motives, we all care about our kids, about baseball and are all likely pretty decent people.  

A new week is an opportunity for a new beginning.  Can we please put all of this behind us and start over with good intentions?  

Melissa (Midwest Mom)

Good post Melissa