Playing time at PG

Our experience at 2 PG events: Pitchers will normally pitch 2-3 innings. Playing time rotates around, but all of the players bat in a constantly rotating order. If you're on deck at the end of one game, you lead off the next. Players will get to play their primary position, but can also get into others if they're willing. My son recently played SS, 2B, LF, 1B, and P during 3 PG games. (if a spot was vacant/available, he jumped on it...)

My impression is that for defensive purposes, more attention is paid to the rounds of infield taken; the games appear to be more about looks at pitchers. I'm sure defense is noticed, but the focal point of the games seems to be on the mound.

Hope this helps.

TAR

You make a great point---we instruct the kids at our events to make sure they tell their coaches in the dugout that they play X number of positions and to keep reminding them so they get the playing time they should get in the three games.

We also talk with the pitchers to see if they want to throw two innings the first day and two the second or three or four in one outing.

A showcase should provide ample field time for all players, regardless of position and YES players have to speak up.

A showcase should be FUN !!!!

At the recent PG unsigned senior event, my son played 9 innings at 1st base and pitched for 3 innings over the course of three 7 inning games.

Played 4 innings at 1st the 1st game, 3 innings at 1st the 2nd game and 2 innings at 1st the 3rd game. The third game is where he pitched 3 innings.

There was 1 pitcher on the cedar team that pitched 4 innings the 1st day, but that is all he did. All the other primary pitchers pitched 3 innings. A couple of players that were secondary pitchers, pitched 1 inning.

The 3rd baseman played every inning of every game, cause I guess there were no other 3rd baseman.

They pulled a catcher from the Academic Showcase to play on our team, cause we had only one catcher and it was HOT, so they swapped every inning.

Just to add about the PG Showcase. It does appear to be all about pitching for the pitchers. My son pitched 3 innings and did fair and they rated him only on his pitching.

He played 9 outstanding innings at 1st base with some of best defensive plays I've ever seen him make, and got a couple of good hits, but not a word was mentioned about that part of his play.

Showcasing multiple positions can be challenging in a weekend showcase, so make sure you contact the organizers and understand the format of the event before you go. Also, then player needs to remember to write his primary position first on the registration form. This is the info that is turned over to the event evaluators & scouts and its true in some cases that you'll only get evaluate on your primary position. Also, players with pitching as a primary position will get the most innings, while having it listed as a secondary position may get the player few innings to show their skills.

I think it is hard for younger players(16 and u) to pick a primary position for showcases. My son pitches and plays a position. He is really coming on in his hitting and his pitching. It is really hard to showcase both ways. We've tried as a pitcher and he got no written eval as a hitter and very few at bats or time in the field. We are trying it the other way this time as we noticed that the secondary position pitchers got the same # of pitching innings as the primary pitchers. (for various reasons) I really wish the formats were more flexible for the younger ages groups.