Question about Summer Teams

With limited knowledge of the situation, there is one thing that stands out to me. Team 1 is "focusing on exposure for his players to help them get to college" Team 2 is dressing them up real nice.

Now, that being said, I think you already know what is best and happen to be looking for confirmation for what you already know. It reminds me of a question I asked my players often over the years...Would you rather be the best player on a poor team, or the worst player on a great team? There is no right/wrong answer, I just wanted to know where their head was. If I had to generalize the answers over the years, it seems to me the better players always answered for the poor team because they wanted to play, and they knew the worst player on the team never gets to play. On the other hand, many players answered they would rather win with the great team than play for the poor team.

None of this may really apply to your kid, but ask him which one he wants to play for and steer him toward the one that gives him the opportunity to play the most. Your old coach was right in one respect, it's about AB's and reps. Exposure is kind of over-rated because I believe if he is good enough to play he will get noticed.

The Marucci name on the uni will get people interested and when the team doesn't perform up to the "A" team standard they will walk away unless you have arms 90+. The college scouts at PG do their homework and know a lot of the players already. Hope this helps a little.

What do you think is the best fit for you?

Name brand stuff won't make you look better in front of scouts.

In all honesty I think you probably already know what you think would be the best fit is for you. The first group gives you (in your opinion) better coaching, better exposure and a better team to work with. The second one gives you more stuff and a place to work out. Since you sound like you are serious about playing in college and maybe beyond I think you already know what you think your choice is.

The most important thing in your decision is what your goals are for the next level. My son's had played on a team with good coaching but they got very little exposure at the big events. When they moved to a team with a great reputation the exposure was incredible. One was on the "A" team and the other on the "B" team. The A team had big Division 1 schools looking at them while the B team had plenty of other D!'s but also had a big variety of other schools such as Ivies, Patriot and D2's.

IMHO it is the exposure your organization can get for you that makes the big difference in summer ball teams.

Which team will college coaches come to watch? Which coaching staff is better connected to college coaches? Which team has the coach where college coaches will take his call about you?

What you're describing is two options, neither of which involve coaches who have experience in the exposure circuit, general experience matching players up with colleges, or any indication that they have good rapport with college coaches that they can turn to your advantage. Both teams are going to involve coaches trying to build relationships from scratch in time to work things out for you and your teammates.

Given that, my first inclination is to suggest that you keep looking for a third option.

But if you have already determined that you are going with one or the other, then my rule of thumb is that you join the most talented team that will definitely have you on the field regularly. Talent draws scouts, so it's more important to be on a team with a lot of guys who're all attracting scouts, as opposed to being on a team where you are the lone standout. But you have to temper that by the fact that joining a team where you're going to ride the pine all summer is more hindrance than help.

Having not seen the players, I can't tell you which team that would be. My suspicion is that it is not the Marucci team, since (a) it's only drawing from one high school, and (b) the Marucci "A" team is going to skim off any truly elite guys your high school has to offer. Also I wouldn't be surprised if the Marucci "A" team "borrowed" your top pitchers and maybe others as the need arose from time to time, which could subject your squad to some really miserable tournament weekends.

Marucci's top team is one of the very best teams in the nation. They are heavily scouted every game they play at the WWBA Tournaments. Of course, that doesn't help answer your question.

You mentioned that both teams will play in the same WWBA Tournaments. I only know of one team that was mostly one high school that ever does this. (I suppose there could be more) That team is year in year out one of the best HS programs in the nation.

Truth is, either of those teams you are deciding on, will play games against other teams that draw lots of scouts. There are two things that draw scouts... The talent on your team and the talent on the team you are playing against. Both of those teams you mention will have to play against high level teams in your pool. It doesn't matter which team draws the recruiters and scouts, so long as they're there watching. Even at the games that aren't the bigger scouting draws, PG Scouts are constantly looking for talented players at every game. When those players show up, it doesn't take long before everyone knows it.

Last year we saw a player in a game without many in the stands, let alone scouts, that impressed our scouts in a big way. At his game the following day, the field they were at was crawling with recruiters and scouts.

I don't know if any of this helps you. But from a strict exposure point of veiw, it sounds like things might be fairly even between those two teams. Every individual will be seen, neither team sounds like a super magnet for scouts, both will play some teams that do draw scouts.

Follow your heart and have some fun. Bust your butt because there will always be someone watching who can make a big difference if they like what they see. Sure there are teams that are known to be loaded with talent so they get more attention because of that. However, we are interested in finding good players, and we don't care what team they are on.

Mainly what I am wondering is if I send a coach my summer schedule and say that I am playing for a Marucci team, is he more inclined to come see me play than if I say that I am playing for Team XYZ, which he has never heard of before? The tlent levels of the players on the teams will be about the same, but I feel like the name "Marucci" might appeal to him a little more.

If you are going to hit 8 or 9 hole on one team and 3 hole on the other go where you are in the prime spot.... Jmo

The next best thing to hitting on the best team in the number three hole is hitting in the three hole on the team playing them. Both situations will get you a look.

DLock,

There are teams here in SoCal that have multiple teams at each age level. The schools follow the team with the best players and do not follow any of the other teams. Parents think because of the name on the front of the jersey it will get the scouts there. It might if there are known players there. It would depend on how well the coaches send out information to colleges and how they market players to the level of college they player is best suited. We have about a team and half for our 2012s and 2013s. We have strong core of guys D1 guys and we try best to give other players evaluations on what level college the player is best suited. We keep all the level of colleges informed on our events.
There is a team out here in SoCal that is now the Team Marucci Dirtdogs and I really do not know who they are and we are rather up to speed on teams in SoCal.

The one thing that is most important....Either you are good enough or not. It just takes one college to love you.