Recruiting questions

quote:

Originally posted by momandcpa:
...has indicated that they go after the pitchers first, catchers second, and then everyone else ...

Know our state coach's organization told us last year that top draft choices, in order, were left-handed pitchers, right-handed, pitchers, catchers, and then everyone else. Would make sense that colleges would follow the same format. Besides, we all know, that if you don't have pitching, nothing else really matters. Just look at the pro teams that don't have pitching for your answers!!

Had not really checked the majority of the posters and the positions of their sons, but again, it probably makes sense that the majority are POPs (parents of pitchers)!

I agree also, that recruiting of pitchers probably is a little different than the recruiting of other positions. Being in high demand, those are more than likely the positions that are recruited first. However, that doesn't mean that position players are last. Two of the boys that played with my son this summer, on summer team and several select teams, were both recruited from the beginning. They are a short stop and outfielder. In fact, at several colleges, four boys off the team were recruited heavily. These four boys have all verbally committed to the same school! What fun it will be to continue to follow them!

My 07 started his recruiting adventure as a pitcher last fall. While he's had good success in high school at pitching, his hitting has gotten more attention than pitching. So this spring, he decided to enter showcases and camps as a position player. Many of the coaches he originally contacted came to see him pitch. Didn't pay much attention to his hitting..obviously, they were pitching coaches. Now son's got to get a different kind of attention. We'll see.

TPM - Are you saying there's something wrong with pitchers' parents?

I once heard of a coach who said he wished he could figure out how to play the game without pitchers cause they ain't real baseball players.

My son was recruited as a pitcher at some schools and a position player at others and we didn’t see a big difference in the way the colleges recruited or the amount of the scholarships. I think the two biggest factors are the needs of the team (pitching weighs in heavy here) ---- and ---- what the player brings to the table. If you look at college rosters you will see a large number of pitchers. Colleges want lots of pitchers, but just because a player is a pitcher doesn’t mean he will get more from a college. Look at the transfers on Baseball America (over half the “disappointed” transferees are pitchers http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/news/262127.html

Gee.....I wonder if it's all that posting on this site that turns their kids into pitchers?

Fungo,
Why would anyone assume pitchers that transfered did so because they were disappointed? Sometimes there are circumstances that exist that we just don't know about. And you will see more pitchers in transfer because there are more pitchers.

I agree that just because a recruit is a pitcher doesn't mean that he will be given a better offer than someone who is not. Many times that is determined by the individual and not the position. Your son was a top prospect in HS, two way player, so you might not have noticed the diiference.

I was just wondering if there were different issues in the process between pitchers and position players.

I have an 07 shortstop. We have been on visits the last 2 weekends and going on another this weekend. Both places have had other recruits with us that were pitchers, catchers and centerfielders. So far our experience has been great! Have had comments from some other schools that want him for his hitting and will find a spot - might not be ss. Son doesn't care where he plays. It sure has been an exciting time and continues to be!

I really think it is hard to generalize what these recruiters do. A lot depends on the team's needs and who is returning. Yes, pitching is important but some of the D-1 teams seem to first go after the kids who can pitch & play a position - kind of two for the price of one. Nationally ranked teams that recruit larger numbers of kids seem to be willing to wait on Nationally ranked kids whereas some of the schools who recruit locally may throw out offers early. We had a hard time figuring out what was going on and them wham, everyone started making offers early. Seemed like they all knew what the other one was doing but then again... who knows. Expect the unexpected!

quote:

Why would anyone assume pitchers that transfered did so because they were disappointed? Sometimes there are circumstances that exist that we just don't know about. And you will see more pitchers in transfer because there are more pitchers.

I cite this example because everyone knows the vast majority of transfers are because the players are not happy in their current situation. While I agree with your claim that there should be more pitchers transfer, that number should not be OVER HALF of the total transfers. The ratio indicates to me that pitchers tend to be over recruited more so than position players. O.K. your turn to give me some obscure example of a transfer--- Give me an example of where a pitcher was completely happy with his baseball role and he transferred because he was in love with a beautiful Florida girl that transferred to another college for academics and he followed her just because he was in love.
Fungo

quote:

Give me an example of where a pitcher was completely happy with his baseball role and he transferred because he was in love with a beautiful Florida girl that transferred to another college for academics and he followed her just because he was in love.

It happened on my son's team this past season. A pitcher transferred to my son's school because that is where his girlfriend wound up. Since he had already transferred the year before, he had to sit out this past season due to NCAA transfer rules. I say that is giving up a lot for a girlfriend

And in another 6 months the relationship will wither and die and the boy is nowhere---have seen it too many times--and in many cases it not just a transfer but a huge loss of money because it won't be the same scholarship if any scholarship at all

Had to chime in here....I talked with a gentleman the other day who told me that his son left a school where he was getting a substantial scholarship (academic and sports) to follow a ga ga girl to Canada. After one semester there, they broke-up and his son is now living back at home trying to figure out the his next move.

I'm sure it happens the other way around where girl follows boy, but man what a scary thought....

Now, back to recruiting.

quote:

It happened on my son's team this past season. A pitcher transferred to my son's school because that is where his girlfriend wound up. Since he had already transferred the year before, he had to sit out this past season due to NCAA transfer rules. I say that is giving up a lot for a girlfriend

I bet his parents are just thrilled!

This is kind of off the topic. But I had an interesting experience. The coach of my son's long time RIVAL team called last night and asked if there was anything he could do to help with recruiting process.He said he'd not heard anything about where our son was signing and thought this was strange. Didn't matter to him that he was the opposing team's coach...he liked our son and wanted to help

Fungo,
Gee I never thought of transfering for girlfriends, good one!

Not being happy can encompass a lot,being homesick, health issues (arm), not seeing eye to eye with the coach you spend hours with, coaching changes,not keeping up with the academic program, money issues and of course lack of time on the mound. Some of those transfers on the list were from a school that changed divisions, there is another reason for transfering!

I know of a pitcher who was very happy where he was playing, but felt with his draft year coming up he wanted a bigger role. He went to a smaller program.

I also know of a player who thought he would see more time on the mound in his freshman and sophmore years, but he did his homework while recruiting and decided that not being the top starter and pitching 100+ vs. 70 innings was in his best interest in the end. He also felt that giving up mound time was worth it because he loved the school, his team mates and his coaches.

So it goes back to recruiting, do your homework, if you know it's very unlikely you will see much time on the mound and that's not what you want, don't go. If you can accept that fact that you most likely will not see much time until your junior/senior year, then go. I know it is hard to tell as a senior in HS, but look closely at the schools you are interested in it's apparent that they do things the same way, year after year. POP often come on here, saying they were surprised their pitcher didn't get more time as a freshman because he was so good in HS. Most likey he was, and is, he just has a lot to learn first as a college pitcher.

Everyone knows that pitchers are over recruited. Lots of HS stars now become relievers, closers and not given the start they feel they deserve. A good program works with their pitchers to develop, others don't do much for them, it's a what can you do for me now situation. Also many transfer because they don't want to redshirt.
The same as for position players, just more pitchers to go around, why you have half the transfer list as pitchers.
So maybe recruiting is different for pitchers than position players, lots more to think about.JMO.

Sorry to get off the subject!