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Before I begin, please don't mind my username as this account was not made recently and I was not thinking about a more appropriate way to name it. Anyhow, I am a 2020 RHP/SS who recently went to an underclass Perfect Game showcase. I ran a 7.45 60 with a 1.77 10 SPL (not the best runner). However, I had a good round of fielding during the workout and topped at 82 mph across the infield. I didn't boot anything either, and all my throws were relatively accurate. I didn't have the best round of hitting; I fouled off 4-5 pitches before I hit the other 5 very well for line drives pretty deep into the outfield. My exit velo, unfortunately, later came back as a not-so-brilliant 74 mph. Finally we played 2 games: in my first game I made 2 nice plays in the field but struck out and beat out an infield hit at the plate. The next day, for our second game, I pitched 4 innings, topped at 81 mph from the mound, had 6 Ks in those 4 innings, and I showed a curveball at 67 mph and a changeup at 72 mph that both worked very effectively on the day. An article was written about my pitching performance:

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"Feel for the mound, had a three pitch mix that could all be thrown for strikes.  Changeup is his go to pitch which had late drop and missed barrels.  Threw 4 innings with 6 K's"

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I had the best fastball velocity of anyone in my grad class and the second best infield velocity. I was told the director of the event really liked the way I pitched, and I also received multiple emails the day after I was done with the event from various coaches inviting me to certain places due to seeing me at the showcase. 

My question is, do I stand a chance at making the Top Prospect List for the event and/or getting an 8 or higher PG Grade?

Thank you so much for taking the time to read through and give some thought.

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My guess based on your sixty time & exit velo as a SS is you will be given a 7 but that might be bumped up to a 7.5 based on the 82 across the infield.   Would the 82 mph fastball and strong pitching performance bump you up to an 8?   Maybe, I'll be interested to find out

Here is the thing though: even if you get a 7 or 7.5, as a 2020 you have time to improve those measureables and get a higher score.  Keep working on getting faster & stronger.

What is your size?  (Height & Weight?)

Dingerswag1223 posted:

I'm a primary pitcher, and I'm 6'0" 150 lbs. I was hoping that given I'm mostly a pitcher and nothing much else, they'd look past all that and focus on how I did pitching (I'm hoping that's an 8).

The feedback you received on your pitching is a very very good sign.  At 6'0" 150 they will look at you as having a "projectable body".   Are you done growing or will you likely get taller still?

Maybe you will get an 8.   I hope when you find out you'll let us know as I'm genuinely interested in how they grade you.   No matter what grade you get, just keep working and take care of that arm.   You are just beginning the Fall of your Sophomore year, plenty of time for further development ahead.  

Last edited by 3and2Fastball

I have a 2020, the advice he is receiving is to play to his strengths in order to get to the next level.  You are in 10th grade, do you truly see yourself as a 2 way player or are you a pitcher? 4 innings with 6 strikeouts, and having command of 3 pitches?  It sounds like you are pitcher to me. What made you go in as a two way player?

The answer I would give is that I'm still learning. Until last weekend I hadn't seen such a talented group of hitters and fielders compared to me, and as you say, it does look silly that I'd even go in as a 2-way player. I 100% agree with you. I now view this event as a reality check, and it does make sense that I should probably stick to pitching entirely. Thank you for your response and kind words!

Dingerswag1223 posted:

The answer I would give is that I'm still learning. Until last weekend I hadn't seen such a talented group of hitters and fielders compared to me, and as you say, it does look silly that I'd even go in as a 2-way player. I 100% agree with you. I now view this event as a reality check, and it does make sense that I should probably stick to pitching entirely. Thank you for your response and kind words!

I didn't mean to imply you looked silly, sorry if I made you feel that way.

 I have a son who swears he is an outfielder that can pitch.  Every coach that has seen him pitch seems to forget that outfield bit and proclaim him a pitcher.  We are all asking him to really examine what will get him to the next level.  He's a good outfielder and hitter but, like you, he's an outstanding pitcher.  That's what is going to get him up the ladder he wants to climb, so he needs to focus on that.  Sounds like you do too.

Oh no, I didn't mean that you made feel silly at all. I legitimately feel that I made a silly move myself going in as a 2-way player now seeing all the talent I would have to beat and I was not trying to imply that you meant just that.

If anything, your words were encouragement to go out there as a confident pitcher haha, so thank you for that! Good luck to your son as well.

Hi Dinger,

Sounds like you had a nice showing!

I wouldn't focus too much on the rating or awards at this stage.  But I really like the analysis as it gives you some sound feedback.

My oldest did a PG event and was named a Top Prospect and a top 100 at his position nationally.  It made him and us feel good and it was nice to share with college coaches nationwide.  My youngest never did a PG event.  Both my boys play in college.

What I love about PG is the experienced, detailed feedback.  They see so many kids and have such a great feel for where a player stacks up.  And if a player has a PG rating, college coaches will use PG's analysis as a trusted third party assessment. 

You may ultimately get a 7, 8.5, or 10 or are named a Top Prospect.  PG is a valued opinion.  And  yet (IMHO for the majority of players) college coaches will want to see you play live.  So the PG ranking is not the be all, end all, nor do they profess it to be.

Where do you want to go to college?  Are you being seen or have a gameplan to be seen by the coaches on your vetted (academically and athletically) list of schools?

Are you doing the things now (as a 2020) that put you in the best possible position as a rising Junior and rising Senior to get offers from the schools on your vetted lists?  Building strength.  Getting great grades.  Pitching instruction and development.  Successfully competing in games.  Preparing for standardized tests.  

These things are really important for a guy entering Sophomore year.  You have time to get so much better!  Good luck!!

I'm really looking into going Ivy, any other high academic D1, or high academic D3. My grades are exceptional and I do a good amount of volunteering as well. I will be playing on a showcase team this fall, and one of the events they go to is at Brown University. I believe the exposure I will get will continue and improve as I get older. I also think I'm doing mostly all I can to put myself in the right position to achieve these goals. Thank you very much for your thoughts!

Please don't change your screen name!

Here is same advice I have given other's that have posted in a similar spot. Work hard to get as athletic as you can and play hard!  

Sounds silly when I write it, but college coaches look for athlete's.  An SEC coach told me he likes his pitchers to run a 7.0 or better 60.  He said 10 of his 16 pitchers can do that.

Good luck and thanks for posting. Keep us updated. 

Last edited by Go44dad

Congrats on making the top prospect list. Keep up the good work in the classroom.

Some unsolicited advice:

If you're gonna pitch, there is no substitute for a good pitching coach. And if you're serious about college ball it's a must have. A great pitching coach will help you w/ mechanics, Core training , Exercises and most importantly arm care .

As you grow and your velocity increases , your velocity numbers are going to determine what level of college ball you play at . For NCAA recruiting of pitchers  , it's all about the 'gun'. The magic number for a RHP for top D1 ball is 90 mph . 88 mph at mid-level D1 . Once again , find a good pitching coach that can help direct you towards these numbers in a safe methodical way.

If you're not sure where to find one. Go to your local University or Community College and go to the baseball dept. and tell them you're looking for a good pitching coach.

They'll hook you up.

Congrats on your good showing and getting awarded Top Prospect!!

My son was named a Top Prospect at his PG showcase.  He is a primary pitcher....but did so well in OF and hitting...that put him over the top at that showcase.  Funny...because he also gets pigeon-holed as a pitcher only.  

If your velocity increases a lot...go to another PG showcase right before the summer after your junior year if you have not committed anywhere.  If your velocity has not increased, don't waste the money.   

We highly recommend Headfirst Camp.  My son has received about 10-12 inquiries just from that camp.  Best money we have spent so far.  He was nearly perfect in that showcase....so do your best and you will get responses from great academic schools.  We will go on our first college visit in a few weeks...and he has a few more visit invites he has yet to respond to.

I have to agree with Branson, don't worry about PG's number or the top prospect list. Here is why:

1) You received contact from colleges following your PG Showcase. You got this attention because coaches were in attendance and actually saw you. That is the value of Perfect Game. They get college coaches to the park because they attract players who want to play at the next level (and who can play - but many show up who cannot).

2) Nobody ever got offered a scholarship, or got drafted, based on a PG score. Not one.

3) PG scores are subjective, it's what that particular person writing your report saw and thought about you. Some are highly qualified and make great reports. Some are longer than others, more detailed.

4) The nature of the PG Showcase is to give you an evaluation that gives you and others an idea of how you stack up against other players who Perfect Game has seen. I've seen kids go to PG events as a position player and not get a single hit and still come out with scores as high as 8, 8.5. Ultimately, just go "ball out" and the chips will fall where they fall. Don't expend too much thought or worry on the number and lists. Get in front of those coaches and work hard. Your measurable look solid for your year group.

Some good points with the exception of #2.  While it might take more than a grade, ranking or report in most every case... The truth is that "many" colleges subscribe to crosschecker where they do sort players by grade.  They also pay very close attention to the rankings.  Every player that has ever appeared in a good spot in the rankings or received a high grade knows how much interest it creates.  Both with the colleges and the MLB scouts.

We have had players recruited, even by highest level colleges, without that college ever seeing the player.  We have had players drafted just based on our word.  No NOT ONER, but many.  A couple years ago there was a situation where a MLB club was 15 minutes from their third round pick.  Most everyone on their board had already been selected.  So VP of scouting called me personally to talk about a player they knew very little about.  He was originally a junior that graduated early to be eligible for the draft. They saw we gave him a 10 and had him ranked fairly well so they called for additional information.  After discussing the player for a few minutes the VO of scouting said,  we are up in a minute or two, just tell me... would you draft him in the third round.  I said yes!  Then as I hung up I heard the announcement, they picked him.  BTW, he has done very well, think he is in AA, maybe even AAA right now.

I really do wish people understood that we have a very strong reputation for being credible and dependable.  Odd how some seem to know  more than the actual truth. However it is true there is no sense in worrying about anything except getting better.  Everyone needs to get better.

The other thing a great PG grade can get you, which I haven't seen mentioned in this thread I believe, is invites to play for some of the very best Travel Teams such as the Houston Banditos or Evoshield Canes in the top tournaments.   That is another avenue for the top flight players to get in front of not just scouts but the right scouts.  Getting a "10" grade from PG can get you on almost any travel team without even needing to tryout.   Even a "9" can open a ton of doors that were previously closed

Last edited by 3and2Fastball
3and2Fastball posted:

...Even a "9" can open a ton of doors that were previously closed

I will personally attest to this. Some years back, my son attended his first PG showcase the end of August between his Freshman and Sophomore year. Did well, received Top Prospect List and Top Prospect Team and got graded a 9. Within a week, he had very respected travel teams hitting his e-mail box and phone to play with them. He ended up going to Ft. Myers with one of them that October and Atlanta the next July.

Count me as a believer.

Just wondering how many people on this board would share if their player was offered a scholarship or drafted without ever meeting the coach or having him see your son play? Seems like something that is easy to say if you don't drop names, but nobody can confirm that. Anyone care to share if their kid was drafted or offered a scholarship sight unseen just based on PG or another coach's recommendation?

Would also love to know which MLB team has that much faith to put all of their eggs in the PG basket with a 3rd round pick. If true, those scouts must have absolutely slept during the off season, and the season before...

I don't think it is necessary to name names without their consent. I would hope reputation alone would be enough. There is nothing you will ever find that I have ever posted that is untrue.  I would never take a chance on that.

But just to prove a point, seeing you have indirectly accused me of stretching the truth... Roy Clark, at that time with the Washington Nationals, was the scouting exec that called. Usually these calls before the draft are more about what we might know about a certain players makeup.  Sometimes about what we might have seen.  After all, many of these players we have been following for years and have actually seen them more than most scouting departments.  This player, Drew Ward from Oklahoma was a junior that reclassified to a senior before the draft.  Being a junior he was not followed as closely as the top draft eligible players.  Everything else written about that incident is factual.  In fact, Roy called me a couple years later and said your draft pick is doing very well.  Kind of an inside joke. BTW, Washington didn't have a first round or second round pick that year. so their third round pick was their first pick. 

I will give one player example... He was a late add on recruit at Clemson when Sully (Now Florida head coach) was the recruiting guy at Clemson.  Sully asked if we knew of any pitcher capable of helping them because they needed to fill that roster spot at the last minute due to unforeseen reasons.  We suggested a kid not many had ever seen from an area rarely scouted in far northern Wisconsin.  They (Clemson) took a chance on that kid.  He was a 6 foot RHP named Jason Berken.  I believe he was an All American at Clemson and he ended up pitching in the Big leagues for a few years.

Trust is earned over many years. People would be shocked if they knew how many questions we get from Scouting Directors and College recruiters.

PGStaff posted:

I don't think it is necessary to name names without their consent. I would hope reputation alone would be enough. There is nothing you will ever find that I have ever posted that is untrue.  I would never take a chance on that.

But just to prove a point, seeing you have indirectly accused me of stretching the truth... Roy Clark, at that time with the Washington Nationals, was the scouting exec that called. Usually these calls before the draft are more about what we might know about a certain players makeup.  Sometimes about what we might have seen.  After all, many of these players we have been following for years and have actually seen them more than most scouting departments.  This player, Drew Ward from Oklahoma was a junior that reclassified to a senior before the draft.  Being a junior he was not followed as closely as the top draft eligible players.  Everything else written about that incident is factual.  In fact, Roy called me a couple years later and said your draft pick is doing very well.  Kind of an inside joke. BTW, Washington didn't have a first round or second round pick that year. so their third round pick was their first pick. 

I will give one player example... He was a late add on recruit at Clemson when Sully (Now Florida head coach) was the recruiting guy at Clemson.  Sully asked if we knew of any pitcher capable of helping them because they needed to fill that roster spot at the last minute due to unforeseen reasons.  We suggested a kid not many had ever seen from an area rarely scouted in far northern Wisconsin.  They (Clemson) took a chance on that kid.  He was a 6 foot RHP named Jason Berken.  I believe he was an All American at Clemson and he ended up pitching in the Big leagues for a few years.

Trust is earned over many years. People would be shocked if they knew how many questions we get from Scouting Directors and College recruiters.

I appreciate your willingness to name names, but you are saying these guys never laid eyes on these players before a draft of offering a scholarship? I just find that implausible that is the case. This is a kid that just a quick look at your website shows that he was on your national radar from June of 2011 at your junior nationals with a grade of ten. He was in two national games and two junior national showcases. What you are trying to get me to believe is that the Washington Nationals never had a scout lay eyes on him in those 4 showcases, but drafted him based on your recommendation with their first pick of the ? And nobody on their staff attended any of the 8 Perfect Game events that he participated before being drafted? None of his staff attended the 2011 Area Code Games in which he played for the Chicago White Sox team? None of his staff noticed the 6'4" 200 pound kid playing shortstop in the 2011 PG National Games in August 2011 and PG Junior Nationals 2011, same in both events in 2012? It's just a little hard to believe.

BTW, Washington had a 2nd rd pick by the name of Jake Johansen they took that year ahead of Ward in the 3rd round, just to refresh your memory.

So, out of SEC Hopefuls 5 posts on this board in her 3 1/2 months here, 4 are attacking Perfect Game.

All of the top college coaches I have spoken to along my sons recruitment recommend PG. Not all are fans of all of their events, but overall, they highly respect their scouting assessments, showcases, tournaments and website layout.

I think I'll take their recommendation, thanks SECH.

 

FFXfireman posted:

So, out of SEC Hopefuls 5 posts on this board in her 3 1/2 months here, 4 are attacking Perfect Game.

All of the top college coaches I have spoken to along my sons recruitment recommend PG. Not all are fans of all of their events, but overall, they highly respect their scouting assessments, showcases, tournaments and website layout.

I think I'll take their recommendation, thanks SECH.

 

and I think you are quite the defender of Perfect Game. Are you on the payroll? You sure seem to be willing to look past the revisionist history of that player that PG Staff seems to think was on nobody's radar before he got drafted just based on his recommendation because the National's scouting department was inept. That's essentially what he just called the entire Washington National's scouting department in 2011/2012. That slips right through.

Last edited by SEC Hopeful

Nice, so none of you question the claims of Perfect Game? I still haven't heard anyone come on here and say their kid got a scholarship on their PG score alone? Why is the CEO of Perfect Game even on a chat room forum? Does he own this website? It sure would benefit him to have a forum like this to sway public opinion and perception of the value of Perfect Game in the recruiting of baseball players. I question that this is truly an open forum. I think we are all being duped. I bet a glass of shutup juice that PG owns this website.

I know of an 8th Grader who received an SEC verbal commit just based on his showing at a PBR indoor Showcase (that and his travel team organization head speaking highly of him).   

Understand that a verbal commit is a huge accomplishment but means little until the NLI is signed.  

SEC HOPEFUL, this place is a tremendous resource with a ton of useful info.  PG STAFF has been posting here for over a decade.   There would be no reason for him to damage his reputation by posting lies or half truths.   It is a big world out there, there are hundreds of college opportunities

SEC HOPEFUL,

You wanted names, against my better judgment I gave you names.  I gave you the truth, sorry I forgot that Washington had a pick in the second round.  If you look at the last report (below) we did on Drew Ward you will see he was listed as a 2014 grad.  Not until very late did he reclassify for the 2014 draft and most scouts just didn't bear down on him as much as the actual draft class.  The reason they called was because they knew we knew a lot about him.  The phone call went exactly as I posted.  It has nothing to do with calling the Nationals scouting department inept.  They had at that time one of the top scouting departments in MLB.  Why wouldn't they want to know as much as possible, that is what good scouting departments do. Furthermore, some of my best friends in baseball are in charge of MLB scouting departments.  They know that we see many of these kids more than they do over a much longer period of time.  We have had over a thousand MLB players attend PG events, that means we have seen over a thousand as young undrafted players.  I think anyone that has seen that many would have a good opinion as to what they look like.

Drew Ward

SS   6-4 210  L/R

Drew Ward is a 2014 SS/3B with a 6-4 210 lb. frame from Leedey, OK who attends Leedey HS. Big athletic build, extremely strong. 7.13 runner, moves well for his size, very soft hands at the ball, quick release from low arm slot, ball carries well, future position third base. Left handed hitter, balanced stance with big leg raise trigger, weight back, long powerful swing, very patient hitter, maybe too patient at times, ball explodes off the bat when squared, big power all over the field, best contact now left centerfield, high ceiling young hitter. Good student

All the other BS you spew just pisses me off.  You have lost your Shut up juice bet.  I don't contribute here to promote PG.  You can easily go back and look at many years worth of posts, the vast majority have nothing to do with PG.

What is your agenda?

SEC Hopeful,

You don't sound like any mom I have ever run across.  Are you being truthful? A few years ago we had someone similar attacking us on here.  The person that does own this site was able to track that person.  He was an employee of a competitor.  He had an agenda and after reading your past posts, it is very obvious that you do to.

SEC Hopeful posted:

Nice, so none of you question the claims of Perfect Game? I still haven't heard anyone come on here and say their kid got a scholarship on their PG score alone? Why is the CEO of Perfect Game even on a chat room forum? Does he own this website? It sure would benefit him to have a forum like this to sway public opinion and perception of the value of Perfect Game in the recruiting of baseball players. I question that this is truly an open forum. I think we are all being duped. I bet a glass of shutup juice that PG owns this website.

No, I don't.  Sounds like you have followed the board for a long time.

I am pretty sure that the 10 my son received from his first PG showcase got him a  90% scholarship because after that he was seen by Sully at Jupiter his junior fall and heavily pursued until he said " yes to the offer".

One thing about a PG showcase grade, it is not about that particular performance, but future potential.

I don't want to get into another revived discussion going on in another topic, but anyone can improve their grade. I think it can become a great motivator if the player is really motivated. Although son received the highest grade, he still worked on becoming the best player that HE could be.

As far as the story with Jason Berken, it's true, because he was sons teammate and close friend (still is).  It was his location that hurt him.  Not his lack of  ability.

Last edited by TPM
Dingerswag1223 posted:

I'm really looking into going Ivy, any other high academic D1, or high academic D3. My grades are exceptional and I do a good amount of volunteering as well. I will be playing on a showcase team this fall, and one of the events they go to is at Brown University. I believe the exposure I will get will continue and improve as I get older. I also think I'm doing mostly all I can to put myself in the right position to achieve these goals. Thank you very much for your thoughts!

High academic programs probably value 2 way players, not sure.

My opinion is keep doing what you are doing until someone tells you otherwise. You will eventually settle in on your strength by Coach inquiries. Keep working on being the best player you can, on and off of the field.

I have been here for a couple of years and I have gone back and read many many old posts (probably to the detriment of my job!) and I will have to say that PGSTAFF has always been honest, forthcoming,  and very kind  in response to peoples questions on this site.    I always stop to read his replys because I know he knows what he is talking about.  Furthermore,  without  PG tournaments to play in, my son would  not even be on anyones radar.   I will even go so far as to say that no where else in America on a Thursday afternoon in July,  at a hot highschool field, for a PG consolation game, would you find 5 + D1 RC watching a bunch of 16 year olds playing baseball.   The exposure alone is worth every penny spent.    

My son's first PG grade was about what I expected him to get, honestly, an "8". I couldn't say that score has opened any doors for him, because I have no way of telling. Nobody came knocking on our door saying "we saw you got an 8 and want to offer you a scholarship." He made the top prospect list, and again I don't know if that got him on anyone's list because I have no way of knowing. We get so much email from schools, it's hard to say what is legit and what isn't. I did have a dream last night that Tulane (of all schools) offered my son via e-mail...does that count?

I have been critical of PG events in the past and have drawn the ire of many on this community for it (including from PG Staff), but I will say when I had a problem with my son's stats from a PG event, he stepped in and got it corrected (thanks). That is the value of having a guy like him on here is invaluable. But these are my opinions. SEC has her opinions, and to basically threaten her for questioning him doesn't seem like what this community is about, at least in the time I have been here. 

 

 

SEC Hopeful posted:

Nice, so none of you question the claims of Perfect Game? I still haven't heard anyone come on here and say their kid got a scholarship on their PG score alone? Why is the CEO of Perfect Game even on a chat room forum? Does he own this website? It sure would benefit him to have a forum like this to sway public opinion and perception of the value of Perfect Game in the recruiting of baseball players. I question that this is truly an open forum. I think we are all being duped. I bet a glass of shutup juice that PG owns this website.

Getting an offer based on score alone is rare.  PG would agree with that.  However, I personally know a TON of college coaches who rely on PG's evaluations.   Why?  Because they have a track record of being right more than they are wrong.  Coaches and scouts want data from people they trust.

As for Jerry Ford, he has been a part of this forum for years but he does not own the site.  This place is about  baseball talk and helping young players, not pushing an agenda. 

With that being said, I'll raise your glass of shut up juice with a can of "You Have No Clue".

One thing I will say...  My son is a 2018 grad (went to PG National, etc).  PG just redid the 2018 class rankings.  As someone who has seen most of the top players at this age group (I'm also a coach), PG's national and state rankings are very nearly dead on with where I would have ranked them--with only a handful of exceptions.  And I could very nearly guess most players ratings from showcases based on how they performed (I had my own kid at a 9.5 after PG National and that's what he got).  

I'm very impressed with the work that goes into what PG produces--and very happy that Jerry Ford is part of the contributing members of this forum. His posts have been very informative over the years--and he has been honest about what PG and what it isn't.  He's not a braggart or a salesman.

Not brown-nosing, since I don't have a dog in the fight or anything to gain at this point (I have pointed out from time to time things they could do better--and a lot of it has been improved by PG too).  My son got interest/committed due, in large part, to PG tournaments, but the showcases provide you with a good, unbiased measuring stick about where you're at.  Just giving my own unbiased perspective as someone who has been through this.   

 

CaCO3Girl posted:

I'd like to remind everyone that this post was by a 15 year old who is just starting out and excited by the PG event he attended.  Can we all dial it back a bit?

CaCOGirl, the 15 y.o. poster came on, handled himself quite well, was complimented and given great information, then showed appreciation - all very good.  It was another new poster who came on and criticized and questioned a few of our long time contributors, then criticized others and continued, even though PGStaff initially addressed the questioning politely, thoughtfully and thoroughly.  

"Why is the CEO of Perfect Game even on a chat room forum? Does he own this website? It sure would benefit him to have a forum like this to sway public opinion and perception of the value of Perfect Game in the recruiting of baseball players. I question that this is truly an open forum. I think we are all being duped. I bet a glass of shutup juice that PG owns this website."

How do you expect this type of post from a new poster to be responded to, particularly given consideration to the long track record of PGStaff as someone as honest and helpful as he has been so often and so consistently here? 

Yes, the 15 y.o. poster IS excited by the PG event he attended and it is just plain wrong for him to be given the impression that a key figure of that organization is some sort of liar who lacks integrity when it couldn't be further from the truth.  I'm not sure what you are suggesting.  I may be misinterpreting your comment.

Last edited by cabbagedad

I wish I were much smarter.  I am a baseball nut, not a businessman.  Yes, I own a baseball business that some would call successful, but that business is run by good business people.  But being a baseball business the baseball part of our business needs baseball people.  That is what I am.

My involvement here has absolutely nothing to do with business.  It is because this is IMO the very best site in all of baseball.  The people here, most of them, know what they are talking about.  They know baseball!  More  than 95% of everything I talk about here has nothing to do with PG.  It would be even less if the PG questions were never asked.  To be blunt, we just don't need to promote PG on this website, things are going very well. And if the intent was to promote PG on this site I sure wouldn't use PGStaff as my user name.

So being a dumb shit rather than a good business person, I get pissed off when people accuse us/me of ever doing anything underhanded when it comes to baseball.  Not everyone loves PG, I know that.  We are not able to help every single player as much as we would like.  Nobody can do that.  But think about it, why in the world would I jeopardize my reputation or PG reputation by being untruthful to thousands of people.  Baseball is a small circle, word travels like wild fire.  We make mistakes, but we never make mistakes on purpose.  That would be a recipe for disaster.

Sorry, I didn't get the impression that the poster was 15 years old, just like it didn't sound like someone's mom. Did I threaten that person?  I hope not, that should never happen on here.

SEC Hopeful posted:

Nice, so none of you question the claims of Perfect Game? I still haven't heard anyone come on here and say their kid got a scholarship on their PG score alone? Why is the CEO of Perfect Game even on a chat room forum? Does he own this website? It sure would benefit him to have a forum like this to sway public opinion and perception of the value of Perfect Game in the recruiting of baseball players. I question that this is truly an open forum. I think we are all being duped. I bet a glass of shutup juice that PG owns this website.

As a moderator, I have gone back and read your posts.  It seems you are obsessed with attacking PGStaff on this site.  This isn't a flaming site and so, if that is your agenda, you'll find you stay here short.  

Not only has PGStaff not used this site to promote himself but also, he has been a stalwart on this site for membership.  He has helped many including myself when he and I and others came under attack a few years ago.  He has been there for the owner of this site when the site went through changes.  He has never asked for anything that I know of.   I struggled with leaving some of your attack posts up but did so because they serve to notify others of your agenda.  I do believe that you are not here to glean any useful information but rather to attack a competitor of your employer.  At least in my experience, I have not come across some "mom" who is so outraged at PG that they are obsessed to the point of coming here to attack him.   I do know that the players I have coached and of whom attended his events benefited.  I've had several attend.  While many of them played for various TB Programs, most played for the St. Louis Pirates.  

Finally, there is noting wrong with bringing questions to a site such as this and asking for other's experiences.  There is also nothing wrong with the occasional venting.  However, continued attacks on members in good standing on this site is not representative of what this site is about and won't be acceptable.  

stayfocused posted:

I have been here for a couple of years and I have gone back and read many many old posts (probably to the detriment of my job!) and I will have to say that PGSTAFF has always been honest, forthcoming,  and very kind  in response to peoples questions on this site.    I always stop to read his replys because I know he knows what he is talking about.  Furthermore,  without  PG tournaments to play in, my son would  not even be on anyones radar.   I will even go so far as to say that no where else in America on a Thursday afternoon in July,  at a hot highschool field, for a PG consolation game, would you find 5 + D1 RC watching a bunch of 16 year olds playing baseball.   The exposure alone is worth every penny spent.    

Was this tournament the WWBA? The reason I ask is that this is a lot different from our experience in playing PG events. I'm not here to bash on PG, but I am curious as to how our team's experience has been so different from everyone else's on this forum.

PGStaff I sent you a PM about a different topic. Would you mind taking a look at it and responding if possible?

cabbagedad posted:
CaCO3Girl posted:

I'd like to remind everyone that this post was by a 15 year old who is just starting out and excited by the PG event he attended.  Can we all dial it back a bit?

CaCOGirl, the 15 y.o. poster came on, handled himself quite well, was complimented and given great information, then showed appreciation - all very good.  It was another new poster who came on and criticized and questioned a few of our long time contributors, then criticized others and continued, even though PGStaff initially addressed the questioning politely, thoughtfully and thoroughly.  

"Why is the CEO of Perfect Game even on a chat room forum? Does he own this website? It sure would benefit him to have a forum like this to sway public opinion and perception of the value of Perfect Game in the recruiting of baseball players. I question that this is truly an open forum. I think we are all being duped. I bet a glass of shutup juice that PG owns this website."

How do you expect this type of post from a new poster to be responded to, particularly given consideration to the long track record of PGStaff as someone as honest and helpful as he has been so often and so consistently here? 

Yes, the 15 y.o. poster IS excited by the PG event he attended and it is just plain wrong for him to be given the impression that a key figure of that organization is some sort of liar who lacks integrity when it couldn't be further from the truth.  I'm not sure what you are suggesting.  I may be misinterpreting your comment.

My comment was made in the hope the adults could dial it back some.  In a perfect (no pun intended) world we would all just ignore trolls or perhaps mock the post in jest.  

There will be haters about everything on the planet, no one will change their mind about PG and/or Mr. Ford, but it doesn't change all the good PG and Mr. Ford have done.  By acknowledging and defending we give the troll power to disrupt the thread and board.

The kid was excited, he did well, he got well deserved kudos, I wish the thread would have ended there, that's all I was trying to say.

Texas 2 Sons posted:
stayfocused posted:

I have been here for a couple of years and I have gone back and read many many old posts (probably to the detriment of my job!) and I will have to say that PGSTAFF has always been honest, forthcoming,  and very kind  in response to peoples questions on this site.    I always stop to read his replys because I know he knows what he is talking about.  Furthermore,  without  PG tournaments to play in, my son would  not even be on anyones radar.   I will even go so far as to say that no where else in America on a Thursday afternoon in July,  at a hot highschool field, for a PG consolation game, would you find 5 + D1 RC watching a bunch of 16 year olds playing baseball.   The exposure alone is worth every penny spent.    

Was this tournament the WWBA? The reason I ask is that this is a lot different from our experience in playing PG events. I'm not here to bash on PG, but I am curious as to how our team's experience has been so different from everyone else's on this forum.

PGStaff I sent you a PM about a different topic. Would you mind taking a look at it and responding if possible?

Texas 2 Sons,

JMO but have you asked that question to your sons coach?

cabbagedad posted:
CaCO3Girl posted:

I'd like to remind everyone that this post was by a 15 year old who is just starting out and excited by the PG event he attended.  Can we all dial it back a bit?

CaCOGirl, the 15 y.o. poster came on, handled himself quite well, was complimented and given great information, then showed appreciation - all very good.  It was another new poster who came on and criticized and questioned a few of our long time contributors, then criticized others and continued, even though PGStaff initially addressed the questioning politely, thoughtfully and thoroughly.  

"Why is the CEO of Perfect Game even on a chat room forum? Does he own this website? It sure would benefit him to have a forum like this to sway public opinion and perception of the value of Perfect Game in the recruiting of baseball players. I question that this is truly an open forum. I think we are all being duped. I bet a glass of shutup juice that PG owns this website."

How do you expect this type of post from a new poster to be responded to, particularly given consideration to the long track record of PGStaff as someone as honest and helpful as he has been so often and so consistently here? 

Yes, the 15 y.o. poster IS excited by the PG event he attended and it is just plain wrong for him to be given the impression that a key figure of that organization is some sort of liar who lacks integrity when it couldn't be further from the truth.  I'm not sure what you are suggesting.  I may be misinterpreting your comment.

I agree with you Cabbagedad, I don't blame Jerry for being upset. 

No one else was nasty, and FWIW, the OP handled his inquiry with intelligence and maturity. Great job!!!!

TPM posted:
Texas 2 Sons posted:
stayfocused posted:

I have been here for a couple of years and I have gone back and read many many old posts (probably to the detriment of my job!) and I will have to say that PGSTAFF has always been honest, forthcoming,  and very kind  in response to peoples questions on this site.    I always stop to read his replys because I know he knows what he is talking about.  Furthermore,  without  PG tournaments to play in, my son would  not even be on anyones radar.   I will even go so far as to say that no where else in America on a Thursday afternoon in July,  at a hot highschool field, for a PG consolation game, would you find 5 + D1 RC watching a bunch of 16 year olds playing baseball.   The exposure alone is worth every penny spent.    

Was this tournament the WWBA? The reason I ask is that this is a lot different from our experience in playing PG events. I'm not here to bash on PG, but I am curious as to how our team's experience has been so different from everyone else's on this forum.

PGStaff I sent you a PM about a different topic. Would you mind taking a look at it and responding if possible?

Texas 2 Sons,

JMO but have you asked that question to your sons coach?

I'm not sure what asking our coach would have to do with it. Maybe you can elaborate on what you mean by that. I asked the question I did because we have not played in the WWBA and this seems to be the only PG tourney that has those kind of results from what I've read on here. 

Last edited by Texas 2 Sons
Texas 2 Sons posted:
TPM posted:
Texas 2 Sons posted:
stayfocused posted:

I have been here for a couple of years and I have gone back and read many many old posts (probably to the detriment of my job!) and I will have to say that PGSTAFF has always been honest, forthcoming,  and very kind  in response to peoples questions on this site.    I always stop to read his replys because I know he knows what he is talking about.  Furthermore,  without  PG tournaments to play in, my son would  not even be on anyones radar.   I will even go so far as to say that no where else in America on a Thursday afternoon in July,  at a hot highschool field, for a PG consolation game, would you find 5 + D1 RC watching a bunch of 16 year olds playing baseball.   The exposure alone is worth every penny spent.    

Was this tournament the WWBA? The reason I ask is that this is a lot different from our experience in playing PG events. I'm not here to bash on PG, but I am curious as to how our team's experience has been so different from everyone else's on this forum.

PGStaff I sent you a PM about a different topic. Would you mind taking a look at it and responding if possible?

Texas 2 Sons,

JMO but have you asked that question to your sons coach?

I'm not sure what asking our coach would have to do with it. Maybe you can elaborate on what you mean by that. I asked the question I did because we have not played in the WWBA and this seems to be the only PG tourney that has those kind of results from what I've read on here. 

Oh OK, gotcha.

I don't think it's the only tourney where you might see results. WWBA in Atlanta and Jupiter probably the premier events, more coaches and scouts for sure. 

My son went to his first PG event after Freshman year in high school. He did all of the tests and received an 8.0 grade based on his speed (7.2 at the time) and throwing velocity as a position player. He has been to two WWBA championships and other tourneys since then. He has been named to WWBA all tourney team twice as well as top prospect lists. PG made him an Hon Mention All American twice but never changed his grade in his profile, inspite of the fact he runs 6.5 and his velocity is up significantly from the field. Which is to be expected from Fresh year to Sr year. 

No one gets offered based on their PG grade alone, so I havent contacted them to see if they still feel he is an 8.0. But the recent updates on the 2018 class, I believe, are more indicative of players who participated in showcases vs PG actually watching them play in meaningful games against some of the best competition in the country. I would think the All Tourney list from the WWBA Championships should have some weight to the profile on PG. It certainly has more weight to the college recruiters who watched him play and contacted him based on watching several games against top competition. 

nxt lvl posted:

... PG made him an Hon Mention All American twice but never changed his grade in his profile, inspite of the fact he runs 6.5 and his velocity is up significantly from the field. Which is to be expected from Fresh year to Sr year.  

My impression is that the 1-10 grades only come as a result of PG Showcases and the Underclass All American Games. If he wants a regrade, he needs to do another PG showcase.

I'm very late in saying this but since you all are interested, I got an 8 grade. Probably very close to an 8.5. I hear if you get 8s in each category (or X number in any category), they'll round you up to an X.5 or even X+1 overall. I got 8s in hitting, power, and pitching. I was surprised to see I got a 6.5 in fielding, and I'm sure that's what kept me from getting an 8.5 overall. Not sure though. Also surprised my hitting and power were the same as my pitching.

Dingerswag1223 posted:

I'm very late in saying this but since you all are interested, I got an 8 grade. Probably very close to an 8.5. I hear if you get 8s in each category (or X number in any category), they'll round you up to an X.5 or even X+1 overall. I got 8s in hitting, power, and pitching. I was surprised to see I got a 6.5 in fielding, and I'm sure that's what kept me from getting an 8.5 overall. Not sure though. Also surprised my hitting and power were the same as my pitching.

Congrats on the 8!  Maybe they are trying to tell you to focus on pitching?

Don't let PG score or any other showcase result get you down.  Take it for what it's worth, a set of numbers of how you compared with others or in the eyes of the staff.  Ultimately every time you play in a showcase or tournament you are giving 100% in both play ability and how you conduct yourself.  If anything use  the scores and results as a way to monitor your advancement and improvement.  If you can increase the numbers (relatively speaking)  you are on the right track.  The RC want you as a player not a set of numbers, though the numbers do reflect your ability to some degree.  My son started as a PG 8, finished as a PG 8.  He attended the college of his dream on a scholarship, and is still playing.  As long as you do your best you don't need extra pressure.  Trust in the process.....

It's my understand that you only get a grade based on showcases....WWBA, etc, won't get you a grade.  My son was honorable mention all american and also on 2 all tourney teams and never got a grade. He did end up in a great spot in their state rankings both overall and position, though obviously they don't see every kid from Ohio, so the rankings aren't necessarily perfect, though after 2 years of college, a lot of the guys he's ahead of that probably thought they should be ranked higher and quite a few who were ranked ahead of him seem to have fallen off the baseball radar

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