What do we do now?

Yes you are getting nervous too early

Has his coach talked to the schools that you think have interest? That can be key

Oh that's good to hear.
Yes,the coach has had preliminary talks. He says "we have to turn interesting into interested". they have all said they want to follow him. I am not sure what that means.
He is a well respected coach/scout. The High School coach is no help.
thanks should we do anything else?

What about his travel team coach? Has he been talking to colleges for your son?

if you wish please feel free to phone me---it is easier to talk about things on the phone than typing words here

Tom Rizzi
800-782-3672

Thank you. I will call.

Thank you. I will call.
Oh and BTW his travel team coach is a great guy and has been talking to schools for him.

btbballfannumber1 you have a PM

quote:

The only reason you are nervous is because you have read this site and have seen other announcements thus far.

ClevelandDad, it seems you know us '08 parents pretty well!

yes, I think that's true. too much information! Maybe so. I think ClevelandDad is right about the FB. but he is getting bigger and better everyday. who knows by October?! right?
Thanks for all the help. I have to stop reading.My friends who don't read this site seem much more relaxed come to think of it...

Based on what I read, you need to be more proactive. If you are waiting for 10 offers to appear and want to be able to sort through until you find the best fit, you could well be disappointed. Your son needs to figure out where he wants to go to school first of all. Then, you need to DISPASSIONATELY decide if that is a place he can play. Once you get a school or reasonable group of schools selected,show those schools you are interested.Go see them or at least send them information on baseball skills and grades. It'a a process, not a spectator event. Good luck, it is truly very early.

quote:

Thanks for all the help. I have to stop reading.My friends who don't read this site seem much more relaxed come to think of it...

masterm, IMO it is perfectly okay to be anxious. You want your son to have options for college and it is clear you are hoping that happens at a top quality academic and baseball school.
With an 82mph fastball, an issue for DI coaches is how to project that at the next level. There are going to be coaches who find every reason your son can't succeed. There are going to be coaches with the opposite view.
Just my view, but I think,especially this year with the NCAA changes occuring, it is very important to continue to read this site and to do everything you can to showcase your son and his talents, to increase communication with coaches, and to broaden your horizons if need be.
College baseball recruiting is less than perfect. Coaches make mistakes all the time. By being proactive, you will minimize the chances it happens with your son.

College baseball is a wonderful experience for your son. It is worth every bit of angst you might be feeling and it goes way too fast.

masterm,
I agree with those that say it is still early in the recruting process.

LHP hitting 82 with 3 good pitches. Does he hit 82 continually? What velocity are his other pitches?

In my experience consistant 82 hitting a few mph higher on the FB can definetly get you a spot on the D1 roster, but not necessarily the best offer. I have seen most of these pitchers used for relievers and in mid week games. I consider them a teams secret weapon against those who regularly see 90+. They throw off their timing and I sometimes found those opposing guys annoying because we lost many times due to those lefties. As they mature many of them become weekend starters for smaller D1 and mid D1 schools.

If the reports back to you they are watching, they most likely are, just do the best you can and relax, all good things happen, not when we want them to, but they happen.

This whole thing is affecting everyone, pitchers are not excluded in all of the new changes.

JMO.

I think we have been very proactive and we are not waiting for 10 offers. Just one great one. He does hit 82 consistently and has hit 85. Change is at 71, I believe. He is good. He has good instincts as a pitcher and knows how to play the game. I know we have to be patient. All of your advice is great. I am sure he will be fine and we are looking forward to watching him pitch in college. I am sure that the new NCAA rules are tough on all the coaches and the players. Like all baseball parents, like all parents, just want our kids to be happy and to reach their greatest potential. Leaving for a showcase tomorrow and next week is the PG Northeast Showcase. Each step something new and interesting. I will keep you posted and thank you to all. I am sure this info is helpful to many other anxious parents.

By the way. Grades, Stats,SAT scores and bio's have been sent to all the schools he is interested in. He has emailed back and forth with many of them an we are trying to see as many as possible. Thanks for the tips.

I am looking forward to seeing him pitch in our Warwick Tournament

Thanks Tom! looking forward to meeting you!

This is a long process. Many peaks and Valleys. From what I'm reading here your son will be fine.
See you in Wareham.

Thanks Coach! I hope you are right and I am sure you are. We have had many, many great peaks with his baseball career and we have to get through the valleys. This is not a valley it's a small gully.

quote:

He would have played at D6 Hodunk State (now defunct) if that is all we could have found for him

It wasn't a bad program till the AD, um, "resigned".

Back from Richmond, Headfirst Showcase. It was great. Very, very Hot!!!! Hottest day in 77 years in VA. Fun! Lots of coaches and good talks with many. Off to PG showcase this weekend and than to RI for College Select. It's all good. See you there!

quote:

Originally posted by fritzy:
Then, you need to DISPASSIONATELY decide if that is a place he can play. Once you get a school or reasonable group of schools selected,show those schools you are interested.Go see them or at least send them information on baseball skills and grades. It'a a process, not a spectator event.

I agree 100% here, go after what you want, let the coaches know you are really interested in going there, visit often, if you can, but visit them. But spread it out some between D1 to JUCO.

Our plan was to start at the top and work our way down, but you need to set your own plan. GOOD LUCK.

I'm sorry I have no advice to give you on this subject but I am very interested in seeing how this works out, good luck.


"Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall"

I really hate to state the obvious here but if he turned that 82 into 85-86 that will help him out a lot...And I believe any growing kid can gain 3-4 mph by april. Dont feel like you have to commit by november.

Yes this is what we have been told. If the velo goes up everybody will be looking. That is what he is working on. He is working very hard. Just a few MPH on the fastball.( any suggestions about this would help too) It will be very tough not to take an offer in November if it comes.
A big school on the top of his list has invited him to go to their fall camp. We are trying to decide what to do. It's very far and he will be in school. What I hear you all saying is that it is very important to visit. The pitching coach emailed him today and told him to come.
Or should we just wait until Jupiter? when the weight and velo should be up.
They have seen him, but no offer yet, but they are interested according to the pitching coach.
This is a very tough process.
Breath... Breath... Breath...

Go to the camp if that is where he wants to be

My son even took a day off from school to drive several hours and attend the baseball fundraising banquet for a program he was very interested in.

I think attending the camp would be beneficial for several reasons:
(1) It would allow the coaches extended time with your son so they can objectively evaluate him and project where he can end up velocity-wise.
(2) It would allow the coaches to have unrestricted conversations with your son about the things he is working on to improve velocity. (They may even give him some tips!)
(3) It would allow your son the opportunity to become more familiar with the program and the coaches' personalities and coaching styles -- in order to ensure a good "fit."

If he goes and detects little to no interest, that is actually a good thing too. This summer, my son attended a camp showcase at a school which went to the super-regionals this year. (The recruiting coordinator had emailed him and specifically invited him to this showcase.) There were about 80 campers there and it was obvious pretty much from the start that he was not one of the "favorites." There were 5 or 6 kids who were getting tons of attention from the coaches. The coaches were joking with them, offering to let them run the 60 again, letting them play extra innings in the scrimmages, etc. The favored ones all had 30-40 pounds on my son and were hitting the ball against the wall. My son played pretty well, but he is a late bloomer and just doesn't have the bulk and power to compete with them -- at least not yet. It was a good wake-up call, letting us know that we needed to move on and look at other programs. The sooner you find out about your son's realistic chances at this school, the better.

My oldest was a tall lefty in the same velocity range, and he had a number of D-I's tell him "we want to see how you develop", which we took to mean "we want to see if you pick up velocity". They were interested somewhat, but he wasn't near the top of their lists. Right about now, he started to get a lot of D II interest and eventually signed with a D II.

Listen for schools who like how he pitches now, with control and 3 pitches, and be very careful with those that say they'll add velocity. He may well pick up velocity with time and strengthening, but "quick fixes" should be looked at somewhat suspiciously. My guy was eventually changed from almost straight overhand to a little above sidearm. He gained some velocity, but struggled greatly to regain what was his bread and butter before, control and a changeup. Look closely at the experience and track record of the coach that actually works with the pitchers; you don't want a newbie trying out his experiments on your son. Check and see how pitchers have developed at the schools that are of interest to you. You want a solid experienced pitching coach.

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Hokieone,

Great advice...

...pretty well mirrors what we have experienced. The over-the-top or not thing was/is a major consideration for ours. Changing is a huge decision and if, when and particularly who changes it it is critical...have weathered coaching inexperience at the college level and it likely cost many, many months and tons of PT...

How did yours turn out? Stay lower or back to original slot?

44
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My guy is the 100% do what the coach says type, not a bad thing, so he jumped into the change and worked very hard at it, dropping down to a little above sidearm. This started the winter of his freshman (redshirt) year. The result: he did pick up some velocity, got to where he could throw consistently around 86, but his control, previously a given, was shaky, his favorite pitch, the changeup, had to be totally re-worked, and worst of all, his confidence took a big hit.

He didn't develop as rapidly as they hoped (and sure didn't reach a level consistent with the money he was getting) so his sophmore year, he was more or less ignored (pitched 1 inning in a blowout), and he transferred. His shoulder began to hurt occasionally and he tells me he is sure a doctor will need to work on it once he's out of school. He's a full time first baseman, no longer pitching at all. He still has a deep passion and love for the game, but when it's done, his college career will not include much actual field time. He is greatly enjoying his second school, and if they ever vote for an "All Dugout" team, he'll be there hands down.

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Don't want to Hijack the thread but....with masterm219 JR a successful 82MPH lefty...he's very likley to get suggestions/demands to drop as well...and I am sure that other posters have had/will have this choice...

Hoikieone...interesting...Both mine went through similar experiences...full bore effort...control and injury issues...without going into detail one had nighmare results...the jury is still out on the other...I am big on making sure that the coach is really on top of and experienced in such changes...difficult as such changes are often done by lower paid, lower experienced assistants.

44
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Funny my son has been told to bring his arm up!
Pitching is a very strange thing.
The pitching coach at the school he loves seems very experienced, competent and knowledgeable. We also like him as a person. We just aren't sure there is an offer on the horizon. But obviously there is not an offer until there is an offer. Right now there is interest and possibility so I think we will go.