What do I do now

First relax and don't beat yourself up.  One bad outing doesn't kill you.  Look at the guy from the Dodgers today who get beat to pieces.  I don't think anyone has ever had a worse day in MLB history.  He's been sent back down but he still has a chance to overcome this outing.  He's going to go to work when he gets back to the ballpark and keep trying to improve and prove he's worthy.  This is what you need to do.

Learn from this situation - get there the night before so you can have a good rest.  I like your attitude "enough of the excuses" because you're right - it is an excuse.  Probably a good one but still an excuse.

You're young so I don't think it really matters if you go to another one or wait until October.  I think it depends on if you can afford them or not.  But my overall honest opinion is that you do go to another one just to build your confidence back up.  Even if you're lights out and have your best performance ever you're still young.  You may get on the radar or you may not but you need to get a good shot of confidence.

Good luck and keep us posted.

You can control what you can control, and you can't what you can't. Your next showcase, make sure you control what you can--your rest cycle, how you prepare, etc. and know full well that there are going to be things that you can't control that will force you to adjust your plans. Maintain your focus on your controllables, and adapt to (but not dwell on) those things you can't affect, and remember that some things that you have control over now, you won't on the mound. The bottom line is the only thing you can control at the time of the showcase is your next pitch, and the only things you can control between now and then are how you set yourself up for success, one pitch at a time.

Slider9,

First of all, you should know this... We have seen some of the very best prospects, even first round picks, stink it up on some days. There are players in the Major Leagues right now that we graded a 6 based on their performance at a showcase. Those performances didn't stop them and don't let it stop you.

i'm sorry you feel so bummed out.  I would like to know who you are.  Please email me, I will keep it confidential.   Just interested in how you progress.  I don't care if you attend another showcase this year, sounds like we will see you pitch in a tournament. I'd just like to know who to look for. My email: jerry@perfectgame.org

Best of luck.

Slider9,

Please make sure you take up PGStaff's offer and email him with your info.  I'm always impressed with PGStaff's willingness to reach out and help people on this site....Jerry, you're a class act.

Slider9,

Not sure if you know who this gentleman is but this is by far the best thing that could happen to you outside of you throwing 95 MPH.  Take him up on it.

Thanks for the advice guys.  I was just bummed because I put in a lot of work this year and you just want to do well when you have the chance.  Unless you go to a showcase or tournament there is not much chance for exposure up here. I will keep working hard and hopefully I can convince my mother to let me do another in August. It would be after summer ball ends and before fall ball starts up.  She is the one that showed me this site, and after reading through some stuff on here I see where my lectures are coming from. 

PgStaff- thanks for making me remember everyone has a bad day. you just don't want it to be you.  I just sent you an email. Thanks

Slider9-Don't feel bad for a sub-par performance, it happens to everybody at one time or another. 

My son also did a Perfect Game showcase this past weekend. Problem was he came down sick Thursday afternoon and stayed home from school on Friday. He decided to tough it out and go thru with the showcase. He reason was that you are not always 100% and nows the time to see how he could do under adverse conditions.

Overall he was pretty happy with his performance. Fielding drills he did well and felt good velocity on the throws. Real tired after that and it hurt his sixty. Two weeks ago he ran a 6.8 but could only get a 7.1 this weekend.

Batting wise he felt fine righty but weaker from the left.

It was a long hot day Saturday 94deg. and by Sunday he was felling really bad. Headache,chest and diarrhea thruout the day.  Pushed thru and pitched one inning on Sunday. Not sure what his velocity was, but he said it wasn't his best.

Bottom line is he's happy with his performance under less than ideal conditions.

Great advice and huge opportunity offered so far.  I will just add, I see where this is touched on but not directly pointed out - learn the lesson that you should take reasonable steps to assure you are at your best for the KEY showcases such as these.  That may require that you make adjustments to your other games scheduled the week prior.  It may also mean that you will be better off driving down/up the night before and getting a good night's rest. 

Being a 2015, time is on your side. Hang in there!

Your attitude is a powerful 6th tool. Never lose it.

Slider 9,

Last fall my 2015 LHP attended an exposure tourney in Iowa...many college scouts in attendance and playIng for a team where the kids are a year older.  In the first game he pitched in, he never made it out of the first inning...walks and hits.  I felt horrible, he felt horrbile and the 5 hr drive back home was full of "what's ifs" and "now what".  

Three days later 2015 received a text from his coach, providing the contact information for a Big 10 pitching coach who happened to be in attendance.  The college coach was impressed with his live arm, ability thrs 3 pitches, and MOST OF ALL, the way he kept his composure during the adversity on the mound.  

Son continues contact with coach and is set to have a college visiT this summer...and the coach will be watching him pitch at various  tourneys.  

Stay positive, work hard and you never know who is watching!

Best of luck to you!! 

Thanks Twotex,Jp24, and GoBlue.  I will keep going.  I was just worried if I did the same or worse this showcase than in past ones, if you are just written off.  Cabbagedad - that was  the plan when I signed up for the showcase.  We were going to go the night before, and games weren't supposed to start until next week. The team has been short handed because school playoffs are still going on. It's a new team for me with a new coach and I didn't want to seem selfish putting my personal stuff above the team so I stayed for the games. My fault I should have either done the showcase in the winter or the end of august when there is more free time.

slider9,

It happens.  My oldest son had one of those off days a bunch of years ago at a showcase which resulted in him not being pursued as hard by a few D1 schools.  Fast forward a few months later, and they became "re-interested" after seeing him shine at a different showcase.  There is no easy button for most recruits, so hang in there and keep after it.  Persistence is a virtue in this case.

Slider, you're a young man but I want you to know that I love your drive and determination. You have NO idea how far those 2 qualities alone will take you in this life. Not just in baseball. Never be satisfied with what you do yesterday. Always strive to get better - every day. You were just given most likely the biggest helping hand that a person could ever ask for. I'm glad to see you respond appropriately to that offer.

Until the day I die I will always tell anyone whether they ask or not that Jerry is one of the finest men that I've ever had the opportunity to get to know. His heart and willingess to help others is beyond any mere words that I could say here. Noble and honorable are only a few of the words that I can utter here and still don't do him justice. That is why PG is such a great success. Look behind it and see the man who runs it. I know he will point and deflect the success to others. That's him. But it stands on it's own feet today because of his vision and heart.

Thank you Jerry for just being someone that has been a joy to get to know and for always being so gracious to help others especially complete strangers on a site like this that you don't even know.

YGD

Slider9 - that is an honorable reason... perhaps not a smart one, but honorable

As others have said, that attitude will serve you well far more often than it will hurt you.

YoungGunDad,

Thank you!

Those are some of the nicest things anyone has ever said about me.  Over all I know I'm really not that important, but I do care.  There are a lot of people who truly care, including several that frequent this site. 

I wish it were possible to help every deserving young person be happy, but unfortunately it's not always possible.

Looks like I am going to get a chance to make up for my bad outing soon.  I just found out I am going to East Cobb next week. Hopefully the weather gets better there.  Just wondering does PG get info and velocities from all the pitchers at all the games or just some? 

Slider-

They gather from every game at all locations. 

Thank you Backstop dad

Best of luck To you

Class Act PGStaff! 

Slider9....You are young and you will have many opportunities ahead. You are way ahead of many others just by being a part of this great site.

FYI. My 2013 did his first PG Showcase after his soph year. Scored an 8, he was happy but wanted to do better next time. Worked hard all year, gained 4 MPH on his fastball. Attended another PG Showcase the following year to show his improvement. For whatever reason improved velo was not there, same as previous year. Ranking score did not change. He was bummed, but moved on.

I tell you this because that second showcase did not affect him getting the chance to play at the next level. I once heard that a RC said that he would rather see a player on his worst day as opposed to his best.

You are doing all the right stuff. Continue to work hard and get better. Also, continue to listen to those on this website, most of which are much more knowledgeable than me.

Good Luck! 

Thanks BackStop dad and Picked Off. Looking foward to this.

Everybody has bad days man.  If we could all go out there and play great everytime then we'd all be pros.  It's what you do to make sure you don't let it happen again that's important!  Good luck!  

Because baseball is basically a game of failure, it is very improtant that a young player learns to compartmentalize each AB, inning pitched, and game separately. How he bounces back or even reacts to short term failures will determine the kind of player he becomes.