showcase question

Hey Dab,

I'm actually editing a DVD now that covers showcases and answers alot of questions like this. We've got some great guys discussing these questions...scouting directors, former MLB managers, and even Dennis Martinez (El Presidente) whose son is going through the showcasing/recruiting process now.

The thing to remember is that scouts, college coaches, and evaluaters from good showcasing groups are professional, are paid to evaluate talent. The results from a round of BP or a couple at bats in a game aren't that important. They look at the tools and imagine what the player should be doing - this is actually a quote from a scouting director in the film.

Hope that helps

Rick
http://www.prospectmovie.com

Thank you RichStep for your reply,

Based on the information you sent me regarding the qualifications of the evaluators, should one assume if not picked as a Top Prospect after going to his first showcase he does not have a chance?

dab-
Your question is a bit vague.
First, what do you mean by does not have a chance? A chance for what?
Second, depending on the showcase you went to (local, regional, national, what years were there, etc.) it is hard to comment on your top prospect comment.
Give us some more info.

jbbaseball,

I apologize for not being clear. By "chance" I mean, an opportunity to be invited to addtional showcases.
Second, it was an underclass regional showcase.

It was his first showcase (He is 15) and he was recommended to go by his summer coach. He played for an AAU team this summer as well as our town's Legion Team. He is will be going into his Junior year of High School.
Thank you

My son just did his first showcase (06RHP). It was an all state top 100. We thought that he did great. He faced 5 batters, got all 5 out. However, we know other kid there and they have received phone calls. One did poorly in hitting (nothing out of the infield), running (over 7.3 in 60) and did not field balls cleanly during infielding and he struggled pitching, giving up a hit and walking a batter. He has received 5 calls. Another did great in his position (catching) ran well and hit the ball great, he has had 2 calls. The third has gotten nothing like my son. It is very frustrating. He has had calls from DI schools since July 1, in fact from the school that he wants to go to, but nothing since then.
This is a very difficult time. You read that grades matter, don't believe that any more. Mechanics count, don't believe that either. It all boils down to who your summer coach likes and who the parents know. If your not the coaches pet or a connected parent, you better throw 90 every pitch, hit noting but home runs and run a 6.3.

Bags, I can't agree with that. The summer coach might open the door, but it takes grades, talent, and the college coach to let them in. My older son went through the recruiting process for golf. There were fluries of activity and there were times where we did not get much activity. For him it was early and then late (after Christmas). He ended up making a verbal in March of his senior year. Keep following the recruiting suggestions found on this site and for goodness sake don't let the grades slip. Poor grades reduce your options.

Guys relax, all is not lost. College coaches look at things that we as parents overlook. We look at whether our kid went 2/3 with rbi's and extra base hits. They look at mechanics and projections. Also they look at what they need for next year and the year after.
Having a son playing college ball, I can assure you that college coaches do not make recruiting decisions on what a summer coach or a parent says. My son went to about 2 showcases per year since the 10th grade. Sometimes we didn't hear from any coaches, sometimes we heard from 1 or 2, sometimes we got 4 or 5 recruiting letters. After his junior year we didn't get calls in July. All of a sudden in late Aug. or early Sept. he started getting calls. If you haven't been getting calls pick up the phone and call the coaches who have sent him letters. Ask them if they are still interested in your son because you and he are about to start narrowing your school choices and he intends to have a good idea of where he's going to college by the end of Dec. before his final season.
You will get alot of feed back and know where you stand.

quote:

Originally posted by bagsbaseball:
My son just did his first showcase (06RHP). It was an all state top 100. We thought that he did great. He faced 5 batters, got all 5 out. However, we know other kid there and they have received phone calls. One did poorly in hitting (nothing out of the infield), running (over 7.3 in 60) and did not field balls cleanly during infielding and he struggled pitching, giving up a hit and walking a batter. He has received 5 calls. Another did great in his position (catching) ran well and hit the ball great, he has had 2 calls. The third has gotten nothing like my son. It is very frustrating. He has had calls from DI schools since July 1, in fact from the school that he wants to go to, but nothing since then.
This is a very difficult time. You read that grades matter, don't believe that any more. Mechanics count, don't believe that either. It all boils down to who your summer coach likes and who the parents know. If your not the coaches pet or a connected parent, you better throw 90 every pitch, hit noting but home runs and run a 6.3.

quote:

This is a very difficult time. You read that grades matter, don't believe that any more. Mechanics count, don't believe that either. It all boils down to who your summer coach likes and who the parents know. If your not the coaches pet or a connected parent, you better throw 90 every pitch, hit noting but home runs and run a 6.3.

bagsbaseball, Don't lose confidence in your son and the formula for getting noticed.
One thing stands out in your post My son just did his first showcase (06RHP). It was an all state top 100

Bags, You can't plant one kernel of corn and expect a corn field. Keep up the work and good things will happen. Besides, getting all five batters out may be meaningless to college coaches if those five batters aren't college prospects. Contact Perfect game and see about getting your son in a better showcase in the near future.
Best of Luck,
Fungo

Slow down bags....

You are in the second inning in a LONG game that will not be over until November at the earliest and in three years at the longest. It is not a sprint for anyone except the blue chips, for the rest of us non-blues it is a long and often ugly and heartbreaking marathon.

Don't worry about this showcase...Although I believe that velocity does matter there are so many other things that go into post showcase calls ..size, "handedness", needs of school, personality of program, grades, geography, projectability, speed, velocity, pitch selection, genetics, Personal BIAS and many more...AND frankly..politics. But you're bigger than the politics Right?

You're doing just fine.

First of all you have to believe in your son's talent enough to know that at some point it will be appreciated. There is a fit for everyone. Don't ever stop believing. Be smart, adapt to the realities and the situations but faith is key.

Second, we have ALL been there. We had a long and very rocky recruiting process with our '05.
Including A dream school that told us was ready to offer then STOPPED calling after a showcase and when we contacted them said..."Just exactly what do you want from us?" Needless to say we are glad that dream school didn't work out. My '05 never stopped working or beleiving in himself or his talent through it all, we didn't either. No room for doubt, saps energy.

Third, Stop waiting, call that dream school, find out where you stand. You need to know so you can adapt, and adjust your strategy.

Fourth, count your self lucky for the calls you have received, know many this year who have received NONE. After 4 showcases. Use what you have got as a spring board and a adopt a new plan of ACTION based upon what you hear.

Fifth, Don't always believe what players parents tell you. The pressure of this process will make people do strange things. Nearly every player I know at DI is on a "Full Ride"....yea right. Also for all the good that it does, this web site can make it seem like every player out there is a blue chip, getting calls and offers. Every player signed for a full ride. They are not. They have not.

Sixth, calls are nice, we got them, but meaningless. Offers and Trips are meaningful.

Sixth. The right fit is worth waiting for. We did. And our offer came in late October after about the last shopwcase available. WE also got one 15 minutes before the silent period, just to confuse us. Schools get hungry at that point. DO NOT take youself out of the game so early. It's only the second inning.

Seventh, again it is a long game. November signing period. April signing period. Openings after the MLB darft and all summer as players sign. A top 25 DI West Coast school just signed 3 "05 players LAST WEEK.

Eighth, Do you want your son to go to a school where politics are more important than performance? I'll answer that for you...No, you don't.

Keep working...keep believing...as a parent YOU now have to embody all those positive messages that you have been feeding your son for the last 10 years!

GREAT post Observer and all very true.

observer

I do not agree that this site infers that every kid is a "blue chip prospect"

I think it is the other way around --most of the posters have kids who play baseball and want to take it to the college level--most are very good players, which is the majority of HS players not "blue chip prospects"

You make it sound like this is an "elitest" web site--I think you are totally wrong--you also need to keep in mind the many lurkers who read this site looking for help

AS I post this there are 33 registered members and 117 "lurkers" or guests---what does that tell you?

Dab,
purchase this movie and get real answers from scouts, coaches, players.
http://www.prospectmovie.com Its worth the money.

quote:

but faith is key.

Observer,
Good post.

We are in a similar situation with an '06, with contacts and communications...but will continue to wait on the 'right fit'.

I stressed over this for a couple of weeks, but have realized that you have to come to a point of peace in this process....and have faith that every thing will work as it should. Find some good September fall showcases, camps,etc. to get some more exposure at this point.

It is definitely a roller coaster ride!

Thnak you Iafmom and egalefan...

TRhit...Let me explain....I purposely and carefully used the words CAN seem to stay out of the absolute....

"Also for all the good that it does, this web site CAN make it seem like every player out there is a blue chip, getting calls and offers." The statement was not an attack on the site but rather an honest and empathetic effort to sympathise with Bagsbaseball and her frustration.

If I stated it too strongly and too much in the absolute I apologize. I was not insinuating that it was an elitist site. I was trying to say that at the difficult times in the recruiting process that yes, at times it can seem as if everyone's hard work is paying off except yours.

And I will stand by that AT TIMESstatement... For a Dad or a mother who is reading this site and doing everything they have been told and then watching his/her son not getting the recognition that they feel he has honestly earned and then coming back to this site and reading about all the wonderful showcase experiences and all the calls, and players signing.....Yes, I do feel that AT TIMES that can be difficult. Not elitist but difficult.

And, yes, I could be "Totally wrong". I have been wrong before. I will be wrong again...

I will leave to the individual posters here to look back at their own experiences and see if they can relate to those feelings during the more difficult times of the recruting process.



..

Bags......you have a PM

Observer44, a very good post. I have to agree with you. I have a friend that wears very thick rose colored glasses, whose son played high school baseball ball with my son. After three years his son has used up two years of eligibility at a local JUCO and is moving on to a mid-level D-1. He will walk on and attempt to make the team. Let me lay out how all this developed...
My son was a “blue’ chipper and his son was not. My son went to a large D-1 and his son went to a local JUCO. My son started as a freshman his son was red shirted. We talk frequently and he tries to compare his son to mine. I basically nod and grunt during our conversations and listen to the frustration in his voice.
Our goals had to be different, our routes had to go different directions, but the process is the same. If the role had been reversed I would have taken (his) son of average talent and showcased him, sent out letters, and made calls and unofficial visits to those colleges I thought he would fit. This father did nothing to promote his son, didn’t help him find options and couldn’t understand why nothing was happening. He blamed it all on his high school coach and his summer coach for not promoting his son. In the end his son had to accept the only JUCO offer he had. A terrible fit because that JUCO already had a strong player at his position. This young man could have had two good years at a JUCO and then been a starter at a small D-1 or an NAIA school. His future was formed back in high school when he (or his father) failed to lay out a plan to get his son to the next level. I saw all this unfolding years ago and knew what the out come would be. My son would have gotten offers simply because he was a blue chip player but this other player HAD to have some help to get to the next level...he never got that help and has had a very frustrating three years.
Fungo

COACHBLU25 I think I will purchase that video. I have heard that it is very good. This scouting/recruiting process is all so new to us. It was unfortunate that his first showcase did not go well.

Don't worry about it DAB. Get your son on a tough plyometric/agility program. Get him in the weight room as well. This will strengthen your son physically and mentally.
Find some quality instruction and if your son continues to work hard things will happen. I'm not a big fan of some Showcases while others are pretty good. Good coaches see mechanics
more than actual performance. Hitting can be taught. Its very important to have a good arm, footwork, speed at certain positions etc. Best of Luck.

Im up in Washington state and could use information on showcases that are on the West Coast that are worth attending for an '06.

Baseballtoday...

Check the "showcase forum" on this site. there is discussion going on there on your question that would be helpful. Good Luck!

thanks. i saw this showcase forum and never noticed the other one.

DAB-
Sorry for the slow follow up.
Now that you gave me some more info....
Your son is 15 and went to a Regional Underclass showcase....meaning there were probably a significant number of 16 and 17. Is your son and '08 or '09 grad?
What I have found is that most showcases TEND to place "older" kids on the top prospect teams.
You specifically mention the term "Top Prospect" team. That makes me think you went to a Perfect Game showcase. My son ('08) has been to 2 PG showcases. I have found that a YOUNG player has to be REALLY good to be named to their top prospect teams.
So.....
1) Don't worry that your son was not named to the Top Prospect team.
2) If you did in fact go to a PG showcase, feel confident your son will be invited to future showcases. One of the keys will be his PG rating and report. That will give you a great indication of what the evaluators thought of your son.

I know I mentioned a lot about PG. If your son didn't go to PG, my sincere apologies. If so, I hope this information helps.

GOOD LUCK!

PS...I fully agree COACHBLU25's comments about workouts and private instruction. Good advice.

jbbaseball did your 08 attend the Atlantic Underclass Showcase at Duke a couple of weeks ago? My 08 did and I remember seeing several kids from Virginia there. Just wondering.

Coach May-
My son did not attend the PG Showcase at Duke THIS year. However, he was there last year.
We would have liked to have him attend, but he also plays football and practices had started already.
This year the only PG showcase that fit into our schedule was the Sunshine East in Ft. Myers, which was held in June. He did a pretty good job there.

Thanks for the reply. We played the a team when my son was 12 at the AAU Nationals from your town the Astros. Did your son play for them?

DAB....my son is a senior this year in HS. Only 5'11. Good College and Pro Scouts who know the game well are looking for the fundamentals. They know what they are looking for in players mechanics.
At 15-18 years old, you do not know what a player will be when they are 18-20 years. But they do see if you players has those strong fundamentals,mechanics, baseball smarts and coach-ablity.(good base of a player)

Showcases are just that to show. Work hard and train in the weight room for baseball. Find the right person to continue to teach those small baseball fundamentals and mechanics. Long toss for strenght for your arm, hit those targets. Speed, run, run and run even if speed isn't the greastest in your player. Your player can play game after game after game, improvement will be slow. "Baseball players are made in the off season."

Take a lessons, work on hitting and DEFENSE in the off seasons. We have seen our son improve in his game 100% with work in his mechanics, and so-now are those college coaches.
Keep working......

Thank you again Coachblu25 for the advice.

dab

My son just started college today. We had a very frustrating recruiting process because of his size--5"9. However, he landed in an excellent school--a southern D2 in an excellent conference. The way he did that was by *Researching all of the colleges in the area of his choice--the South. *Narrowed down his options of schools ACADEMICALLY. *And then called the coaches at the schools in which he was interested. He ended up with a very nice offer--for both ACADEMICS and baseball. About twice as much money for academics relative to baseball. Scholarship money for baseball, while available, is minimal.

ACT/SAT scores and grades are important! Coaches need student-athletes capable of earning academic scholarships in order to stretch their athletic offers. We couldn't be happier. He will start as a freshman--he's not only small, but he's also young. Showcases are important, but in our case, because of his size, my son's picking up the phone and contacting the coach himself was hugely critical. I had never heard of the school prior to attending a local college fair, but we are so very glad we know of it now.

The college selection/recruiting process is a very frustrating, emotional, and stressful experience. But my "first-child-going-off-to-college-sadness" is not nearly what I thought it would be because I know he is at the right school, with the right baseball program. Good luck!

Observer 44, yours was a great post.

Thanks Play Baseball...do like your story. Doors close...doors open...things shift...there are surprises...

AND like the post above are saying so well, keep working, keep believing. My '05 was told that despite his obvious skills, he was too slow, too big, had the wrong body type. He didn't get mad, he didn't get down, he got even. The kid became a madman for fitness and hard work in the cage and on the mound. Paid off. Continues to pay off.

Dear jbbaseball, jackets and others,

This was my first post to the forum and it has been very helpful. I appreciate all the advice. It was a perfect game showcase jbbaseball. My son will be a ('07) graduate. So he is considerably young for his age. It is a concern. If only we knew "then" what we know "now".

Thank you again and I wish your boys the best of luck!!