prep baseball report showcases

While PBR is the home base of TT I think you're selling the showcase rankings a little short. I know several players that are not TT affiliated that have ranked highly.

In fact I'm pretty sure the #1 ranked 2012 Brett Lilek was never a TT player.

The player still has to get the job done at a showcase. The name on the hat doesn't cut it.

I do realize that there are politics in every level of sport including major league baseball.

That being said I have seen plenty of players ranked very high at pbr without ever playing for tt.

I have also seen Sean Duncan go out of his way for players all over the state to help them try to get to the next level.

PBR is a pricy but worth the $

Sean does help out kids outside the TT program and doesn't sugarcoat kids to college coaches.

Great asset to the area and if you have the $ it is well worth the investment in your ballplayers future.

OUCH!

OK...my son has been to a couple of these.....been fairly impressed with organization of the event as well as their new and improved website. I am still trying to get a feel for all of this recruiting stuff. After looking at various posts in regards to PBR I cant figure out if a majority of folks on here approve of PBR or if they find it to be a waste of time/money.

No....my son is not a Top Tier player and we live South of I-80...
Just wondering if anyone has had any recent experiences with PBR.
Hope everyone has a Happy New Year.

quote:

Originally posted by 2014 parent:
OK...my son has been to a couple of these.....been fairly impressed with organization of the event as well as their new and improved website. I am still trying to get a feel for all of this recruiting stuff. After looking at various posts in regards to PBR I cant figure out if a majority of folks on here approve of PBR or if they find it to be a waste of time/money.

No....my son is not a Top Tier player and we live South of I-80...
Just wondering if anyone has had any recent experiences with PBR.
Hope everyone has a Happy New Year.

2013 has never played for TT (and we don't live in a power conference) and has attended two PBR showcases. He broke into the top 100 in the recent rankings after having a very good showing at the most recent event. Any minor corrections that were ever necessary for his profile have been made immediately, and the videos and written profile have been very helpful to provide information to coaches.

As with any part of this journey . . . it's good to be on their radar but I don't think it's a dealbreaker. We have heard that Sean's opinion is well respected by college coaches, so we were sure to get 2013 seen by them. He (2013) includes the PBR links at the bottom of all of his emails to coaches, as well as his Youtube and berecruited links.

We consider it one piece of the puzzle.

I have not been to a showcase in a while and have questioned some of the pbr stuff in the past.

That being said I have watched Sean Duncan bust his butt for many players here in the state of Illinois and really works hard to get out and see as many players as possible in game situations.

He has helped many players move up to the next level regardless of what organization you play for and where you live.

jmo

I would think if you are serious about getting your kid to the next level you would take advantage of the network that pbr makes available to college coaches.your kid gets ranked and published on the web sight.he gets video and certified.I dont think pbr has to be dishonest to survive,,what is attractive to recruiters is the sense of HONESTY the videos and times etc do provide.When attending the iowa university showcae this past summer coach dahm made clear mention that he gets MOST of his players off of PBR..why wouldnt you spend the 250 bucks..I mad the mistake and did not get my son on pbr..I feel he has missed some exposure by NOT being on there.

BINGO WOGDOGGY!!! My kid was a 2011 and every single college coach that recruited him was aware of where he was ranked in PBR, both in state and out of state schools. Lot of times it came up in conversation, other times we asked how and why you had interest in my son. It is just another tool that they use. Some use it more, some use it less. Look at university websites under incoming recruits biographys. Some of them even mention "so and so ranked # whatever in the state of Illinois by PBR". You do not see it mentioned as often as a Perfect Game ranking, but it is mentioned, especially with instate schools. I knew the 2011 class real good and thought that Sean had some TT kids ranked too low as a matter of fact. I think he might actually go out of his way NOT to rank them too high so as not to lose his credibility with college recruiters. My son played with a different organization but you have to admit TT does attract some very talented players. I can also understand the other points of view expressed here to some extent. For myself and son I believe it was money well spent and highly recommend it.

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Look at university websites under incoming recruits biographys. Some of them even mention "so and so ranked # whatever in the state of Illinois by PBR".

You're absolutely right on that one, bama. If they are ranked by PBR, it's included in the player's bio and in the news releases about the signings.

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Originally posted by 2013 Parent:

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Look at university websites under incoming recruits biographys. Some of them even mention "so and so ranked # whatever in the state of Illinois by PBR".

You're absolutely right on that one, bama. If they are ranked by PBR, it's included in the player's bio and in the news releases about the signings.

It has been my personal experience that the bios on the college sites are written by the kids themselves (perhaps with a little editing and fact-checking), and they will mention every accolade they have accumulated over the years.

PBR rankings are not the tell-all and had NO effect on my 2009 or 2011's recruiting activities whatsoever, nor do I expect them to play any part in my 2013's. I never was a part of the "pay for a ranking" group. Better to let the talent do the talking and spend the dollars on development. IMO Perfect Game's rankings are better known and more respected if you choose to go that route.

Top D1 coach told me he finds PBR rankings comical. He says it's good for locals to talk and compare but useless in recruiting. If you've been around Top Tier and PBR there is a family and friends network, like daddy ball. At showcases Friends and family kids are fed fat pitches in bp and straight two hop ground balls and short one bounce fly balls to showcase fielding. Tod Fine is an expert in using a fungo bat at the Max. PBR rankings are not followed up with a kids progression by them, unless the kid is drawing interest and news. The newer showccase kids will be slotted in the rankings and kids will dropped back. Some of it is very dated. Just check videos and stats, which are harder to do now that the web site has changed. The rankings are very subjective not objective. PBR is on top of the what's happening in local baseball and are always wanting to bring the top news talent into the fold. Often making recruiting calls. It is a good deal if you want someone else to do the work otherwise you can post to berecuited or other sites, but be aware of what you are getting. At these showcases a very athletic kid who doesn't play baseball can show well. As far as a college player's bio the school is going to want a kid that someone else has ranked to verify their pick. I would rather have a kid who is all-conference or all state and would rate it based on the strength of their location and competition. In my day the local minor or college player would help for the love of the game. They got jobs in the off season. Now we have these guys creating a job for themselves based on parents dreams and rankings.

For what it's worth, my son is a 2011 grad and was the MVP for the 4th ranked team in the state last season. His senior stats included a .482 BA, .800 SLG%, and .579 OB%. He was named All-Conference, Pioneer Press All-Area, Chicago Tribune 3rd Team All-Area, and Chicago Sun-Times All-State Special Mention. Yet, according to PBR's "rankings", son wasn't even listed in their Class of 2011 top 150...really?

Might I add that son participated in exactly one PBR showcase event (2011 Top Prospects) the winter prior to his senior season. Based upon his performance then/there, son was named Top Hitter and Top Defensive Infielder. However, that was the extent of my financial contribution to PBR and Slammers. Son also declined an offer to play for Top Tier...draw your own conclusion.

In my opinion, PBR simply stands for "Pay to Be Ranked". While some may object, a whole lot of others would certainly agree. I, for one, am extremely glad that I'm done with all of this ranking ****. Bottom line...those that can play don't need a PBR paid endorsement. On the other hand, those that do are probably bound for a great deal of disappointment. As far as I'm concerned, your hard earned dollars can be put to much better use.

Maybe I got lucky but have had plenty of players ranked pretty high in the past with pbr that never played for them or attended a showcase. I think it can help get your son's name out there.

Would hate to just wait on some of the college coaches as have not seen any great effort with some of the colleges.

I have always said as far as Illinois players you sure get a lot of exposure for the buck at the stevenson showcase.

Coach,

My 2011... All-Area, All-Area Team Captain, All-Conference, All-State Special Mention blah blah blah. PBR ranking? Not.

Once attended a "Pay to Be Ranked" Fall League that Sean wanted $800.00 to play in and watched some underaged kid (surely a regular donor) get pummelled on the mound for 5 innings and said that's enough. You can always tell when people are in it for the wrong reasons.

BTW, am hearing through the grapevine that Slammers and Top Tier may be going their separate ways. Something about different "philosophies". Draw your own conclusion here.

JKennedy,

Enough of the tease about "different philosophies". Tell us what else you have heard. I need some dirt.

quote:

Originally posted by JKennedy:
BTW, am hearing through the grapevine that Slammers and Top Tier may be going their separate ways. Something about different "philosophies". Draw your own conclusion here.

Hmmmm, interesting...how could the CEO of both be going his separate ways? As far as I know, he's had the same prevailing "philosophy" for years....$$$$

Coach,

You have a PM

quote:

Originally posted by 2bagger:
Maybe I got lucky but have had plenty of players ranked pretty high in the past with pbr that never played for them or attended a showcase. I think it can help get your son's name out there.

Would hate to just wait on some of the college coaches as have not seen any great effort with some of the colleges.

I have always said as far as Illinois players you sure get a lot of exposure for the buck at the stevenson showcase.

i agree for the 75 dollar fee mr foster has the BEST showcase in Illinois.no 300 dollar fee will buy you in..your high school coach must reccomend you ..great showcase great exposure,,my boy was recruited because of this event..thanks Mr foster,,

Recent quote from a College Baseball periodical..

"This kid was only a highly touted recuit because of all the money that his dad fed to Todd Fine over the years. Fine owns Prep Baseball Report, Top Tier Athletics and runs talent combines. He also posts videos for more money and is a promoter for Under Armour. This kid was named an Under Armour All American and NEVER won a game in his high school career. ...truth be told is that ------- gave him an offer from a video tape and when the kid showed up on campus ------- saw that he would never contribute to the team and they ran him off.... highly touted recruit.....phooey !!!!!!"

"Pay to Be Ranked" doesn't always pay dividends...

Comment made by a reader OR the Author of an actual article. Sounds like sour grapes...

FOOD FOR THOUGHT...

'Perfect Game, Prep Baseball Report... gives a player an opportunity to be evaluated by the people who are simply the best doing it. They see thousands of players. They have seen thousands of players. They will not be around very long if they are not credible in what they do. It gives a player an opportunity to measure himself against the other players. It gives parents an idea of where their kid stacks up at the moment. It opens peoples eyes or it causes them to whine and cry.

Perfect Game, Prep Baseball Report... serves many purposes for players.

#1 It will let you and the player know what the experts in this field think of your son's ability. It will give him an opportunity to see for himself where he stacks up against other players from all over the country. It will also give the parent the same opportunity if they are willing to see it.

#2 If your son is a talented player then he will be in a data base that college coaches research. Yes they research the data base. Yes they want to know what PG, PBR... thinks. Yes they respect PG, PBR... Yes it will get your son the opportunity for someone to want to take a closer look.

#3 It is not the final word. It is a snapshot in time. If you get a 9.0 or higher does that mean you are set? No. You better keep working and work even harder. You sit around and think that did it for you and the next time they evaluate you you could be a 6.5. If you get a 6.5 great. You now know what someone else thinks. Someone that matters. So go to work on the things that caused them to rate you a 6.5. Use it as motivation to get better. Just like many players have done.

Everyone is not going to come away with a great experience. Everyone is not going to use the information to help themselves. Some are going to and some are going to attack the messenger because they didn't hear what they wanted to hear and what they thought they should hear. Remember this "You opinion of your son's ability is not as important as the opinion of the college coaches and scouts that see him perform." So use the information good and bad, positive and negative for your benefit. Or sit around and whine about it and tell everyone they are a scam because you didn't like the results you got for your money.

Your not paying to have someone tell you what you want to hear. Your paying someone to tell you and show you what you need to hear.'

~ with permission & modification... from a much wiser soul, than I

quote:

In my opinion, PBR simply stands for "Pay to Be Ranked". While some may object, a whole lot of others would certainly agree. I, for one, am extremely glad that I'm done with all of this ranking ****. Bottom line...those that can play don't need a PBR paid endorsement. On the other hand, those that do are probably bound for a great deal of disappointment. As far as I'm concerned, your hard earned dollars can be put to much better use.

quote:

It has been my personal experience that the bios on the college sites are written by the kids themselves (perhaps with a little editing and fact-checking), and they will mention every accolade they have accumulated over the years.

This is also true, in most cases a bio form will be included when player gets his National Letter of Intent.

There are recruiting sites...that have ways to have a players stats, info, etc. "certified" by a Coach, Athletic Director, Showcase / Camp Director... And not by a player or parent. And when the players info is verified & only then, his profile page will be marked with a bold red label saying: VERIFIED.
Sorry that you didn't have a good experience with it. Maybe, a re-read of the wise words of another, in the above post, would make you look at it differently.

quote:

Originally posted by CSG:

quote:

In my opinion, PBR simply stands for "Pay to Be Ranked". While some may object, a whole lot of others would certainly agree. I, for one, am extremely glad that I'm done with all of this ranking ****. Bottom line...those that can play don't need a PBR paid endorsement. On the other hand, those that do are probably bound for a great deal of disappointment. As far as I'm concerned, your hard earned dollars can be put to much better use.

CSG...sent you a PM.

quote:

There are recruiting sites...that have ways to have a players stats, info, etc. "certified" by a Coach, Athletic Director, Showcase / Camp Director... And not by a player or parent. And when the players info is verified & only then, his profile page will be marked with a bold red label saying: VERIFIED.
Sorry that you didn't have a good experience with it. Maybe, a re-read of the wise words of another, in the above post, would make you look at it differently.

Shelby - Who is your reply directed towards, not sure I understand your point.

quote:

Originally posted by CSG:

quote:

There are recruiting sites...that have ways to have a players stats, info, etc. "certified" by a Coach, Athletic Director, Showcase / Camp Director... And not by a player or parent. And when the players info is verified & only then, his profile page will be marked with a bold red label saying: VERIFIED.
Sorry that you didn't have a good experience with it. Maybe, a re-read of the wise words of another, in the above post, would make you look at it differently.

Shelby - Who is your reply directed towards, not sure I understand your point.

My guess is.. and I may be wrong.. That Shelby has invested some of her hard earned dollars for a PBR ranking.

quote:

Originally posted by CSG:

quote:

There are recruiting sites...that have ways to have a players stats, info, etc. "certified" by a Coach, Athletic Director, Showcase / Camp Director... And not by a player or parent. And when the players info is verified & only then, his profile page will be marked with a bold red label saying: VERIFIED.
Sorry that you didn't have a good experience with it. Maybe, a re-read of the wise words of another, in the above post, would make you look at it differently.

Shelby - Who is your reply directed towards, not sure I understand your point.

[ JKennedy original quote:]

"It has been my personal experience that the bios on the college sites are written by the kids themselves (perhaps with a little editing and fact-checking), and they will mention every accolade they have accumulated over the years."



*My previous post was to help bring a different perspective & way at looking at Showcases, to the ones posting, that seem less than enchanted with PBR or PG.

Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by JKennedy:

quote:

Originally posted by CSG:

quote:

There are recruiting sites...that have ways to have a players stats, info, etc. "certified" by a Coach, Athletic Director, Showcase / Camp Director... And not by a player or parent. And when the players info is verified & only then, his profile page will be marked with a bold red label saying: VERIFIED.
Sorry that you didn't have a good experience with it. Maybe, a re-read of the wise words of another, in the above post, would make you look at it differently.

Shelby - Who is your reply directed towards, not sure I understand your point.

My guess is.. and I may be wrong.. That Shelby has invested some of her hard earned dollars for a PBR ranking.

*JKennedy - sending you a PM

quote:

*My previous post was to help bring a different perspective & way at looking at Showcases, to the ones posting, that seem less than enchanted with PBR or PG.

The only thing PG and PBR have in common is the P.

quote:

Originally posted by CSG:

quote:

*My previous post was to help bring a different perspective & way at looking at Showcases, to the ones posting, that seem less than enchanted with PBR or PG.

The only thing PG and PBR have in common is the P.

CSG: You have a PM...and then, I am done with this subject

Changed my mind...

One more perspective, for the doubters, of what a Showcase can do for a player...even to what may seem late in the game...

http://www.perfectgame.org/Art...ew.aspx?article=6462

...now, I am done! I think...

Shelby..

No disrespect intended, but you seem to be wallowing around aimlessly here. Noone here is debating the potential rewards of attending a showcase, especially one held by Perfect Game, and therefore, I don't understand the whole "doubters" remark.. Am I missing something here?

quote:

Originally posted by JKennedy:
Shelby..

No disrespect intended, but you seem to be wallowing around aimlessly here. Noone here is debating the potential rewards of attending a showcase, especially one held by Perfect Game, and therefore, I don't understand the whole "doubters" remark.. Am I missing something here?

JK:
Unreal...this is what you post on the "public" wall...after my PM to you a couple days ago...
I guess I thought the purpose of this site, was to search this site, or "wallow" as you say, even "aimlessly" as you say...and find topics of interest that one could benefit from the knowledge, experience & opinions of others... And maybe occassionally interject your own thought or opinion into the mix. My mistake, since I must not have anything worthy of value to post. So, I will become like the hundreds of others that just wallow here on HSBW...in silence, and "post" no more...

I am a wallower too. Keep asking for help when you need it and if you have got something that others can learn from feel free to post it.

No need to shy away from a comment like JK's. It happens all the time. There are certain posters on this site that are experts at finding the wallowers, especially those that do it aimlessly.

quote:

Originally posted by Proud Dad 24:
I am a wallower too. Keep asking for help when you need it and if you have got something that others can learn from feel free to post it.

No need to shy away from a comment like JK's. It happens all the time. There are certain posters on this site that are experts at finding the wallowers, especially those that do it aimlessly.

Is inserting a "graemlin" emoticon count the same as a post?

Hi, Almost scarred to chime in but was just wondering if someone could share the publication name quoting the coach regarding his opinion of PBR. I'd like to read the article.

This thread usually appears a few times each year - with the "anti-PBR/Top Tier" folks always posting the same thing:

- PBR is only in it for the money
- PBR only ranks player's that paid for their showcases or plays on their teams
- The rankings are meaningless etc.

I particularly enjoyed sparky134's statement that PBR is a "family and friends network, like daddy ball. At showcases Friends are fed fat pitches in bp and straight two hop ground balls and short one bounce fly balls to showcase fielding. Tod Fine is an expert in using a fungo bat at the max." Inferring that the non PBR players are at some kind of competitive advantage.

I usually stay out of these banters. But I believe most of the anti-PBR posters feel slighted by PBR and that their sons were not properly ranked by PBR or were slighted in some other manner.

I had a son ranked years ago by PBR very high and he never attended any showcases except a by invite only Super 60 showcase. I just find it funny how this organization is so "polarizing". You never see the same animosity for the Sparks, Upper Deck or other similar organizations.

If you don't like what PBR does at showcases - don't attend. If you don't like their rankings - don't read them. IMO I really think Duncan tries to do a good and fair job which a lot over other posters seem to think too.

Things may be different now but my son never wrote his own bio for college. And yes the PBR ranking was included.