Skip to main content

9 replies

Showcase mindset for non pitchers

ED Everyday Dad1,000+ posts

How should you approach a showcase? Have some general thoughts below.

Let me know your opinions good or bad.

Not sure what measurable of importance you would sacrifice by doing the below.

 

Thinking during your drills. You need to deviate from your normal mindset. 

 

Position player - Instead of your normal short quick release, wind up and throw harder. Nobody is running they are only timing your throw. 

 

Hitter - Swing much harder than you normally would. Forget hitting up the middle or the other way mindset. "Swing for the fences"

 

Running - Cheat at the start a bit so they don't start the clock on you too soon.

Certainly wear the right cleats for the turf or grass that you will be running on.

 

 

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Buckeye 2015Buckeye 201510,000+ posts
Position player.....yes, throw hard....within reason....lol.   Nobody will care if you throw it to the backstop or over the fence a couple times....as long as you don't do it every single throw. They realize that the player knows his velocity number is important.
 
Hitter....don't go crazy during BP trying to hit HR's...especially if you're not a HR hitter.  Most showcases will take a velo reading at some time...either off a tee or at the start of BP.  Go ahead and swing as hard as you can during that part of the hitting drill.   Now if you're a 6'4, 240# kid who can take it out of the park...by all means, do it, as that's likely what they're looking at that sized kid for anyway.  Smaller kids, such as MIF who try to swing for the fence, just typically end up popping a bunch of balls up....or worse yet, swinging and missing.
 
Running....yes, go ahead and cheat a little...but not so much that it's noticeable.  You don't want to be the guy who they make stop, come back and run again because you cheated too bad.  Easiest way is to just turn your front leg just a little bit...instead of having both feet in line with each other....they typically won't have an issue with that.
Last edited by Buckeye 2015
bballmanbballman10,000+ posts

I wouldn't go too overboard with all that.  The evaluators look at more than just HRs or velocity across the infield.  Here's an excerpt from my son's fielding and hitting portion of a PG showcase:

 

"Aggressive hitting approach, line-drive contact, squares up, can stay inside the ball, took a quality batting practice. Big arm in the field, soft hands, athletic, solid actions. Runs well, 7.00 sixty."

 

You can see that there is more to the evaluation than just how far you hit the ball or how hard he threw it across the infield.  This was during his Jr. year and his IF velocity was just 82.  He didn't muscle up for any of his throws.  He's a pitcher, but I think this gives a good idea about what the evaluators are looking at.

 

If you just do what you're saying, some of the important things like, quick release in the infield or stays inside the ball, etc might be lost and lower the rating.  Skills and mechanics matter as well as the pure numbers.

 

Also, many showcases including PG use electronic timing now, so it would be almost impossible to cheat.  Clock starts when you break the laser on one end, stops when you break the laser on the other end.

roothog66roothog6610,000+ posts
Originally Posted by Buckeye 2015:
Position player.....yes, throw hard....within reason....lol.   Nobody will care if you throw it to the backstop or over the fence a couple times....as long as you don't do it every single throw. They realize that the player knows his velocity number is important.
 
Hitter....don't go crazy during BP trying to hit HR's...especially if you're not a HR hitter.  Most showcases will take a velo reading at some time...either off a tee or at the start of BP.  Go ahead and swing as hard as you can during that part of the hitting drill.   Now if you're a 6'4, 240# kid who can take it out of the park...by all means, do it, as that's likely what they're looking at that sized kid for anyway.  Smaller kids, such as MIF who try to swing for the fence, just typically end up popping a bunch of balls up....or worse yet, swinging and missing.
 
Running....yes, go ahead and cheat a little...but not so much that it's noticeable.  You don't want to be the guy who they make stop, come back and run again because you cheated too bad.  Easiest way is to just turn your front leg just a little bit...instead of having both feet in line with each other....they typically won't have an issue with that.


Had a question on this, considering that I have little showcase experience as of yet. How do they start the 60? Sprinter's stance? Baserunner's stance?

Buckeye 2015Buckeye 201510,000+ posts

Typically in a baserunner's stance....like when you're leading off first base...with your feet on the line between first and second.  You can open up your front leg a little to give you a little more "push" with that first step.  Normally nobody will care....but if you jump way too soon, they may make you stop and start again...so you're not getting too much of an edge on the timer.

R Re2pect10+ posts

As in any business numbers run the show. I am looking for the coach that doesn't use number to make the decision. These coaches have job security and an ability to  look at non measurable things. I think this is why the showcase is a difficult thing unless you are a lefty pitch are 6'0 and rake.Stay loose stay happy and be coachable.

P PGStaff10,000+ posts

We can call it numbers or we can call it ability.

 

In addition to that are the other attributes a player might have.  And to nearly every one of those attributes scouts will attach a grade (number).  These numbers are based on opinion rather than something like a stop watch time.  Then every player is graded (given a number) based on his over all ability.  That grade pretty much takes everything into account.

Add Reply

Post
.

Membership Required

We're sorry. You must be signed in to continue. Sign In or Register
×
Are you sure you want to remove from your Block List?
×
Loading...
×
When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. Finally, you'll never receive email notifications about content they create or likes they designate for your content.
Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following .
×
Advanced Search
Advanced Search
Link copied to your clipboard.
×