Where is the NCAA when you need her/him?

Beenthere, could agree more with you. There are many many schools who "overrecruit", the student/athlete and parents MUST do their homework, look at last years roster, ask questions when they are on their official visit. I personally know a university that a friends son attends (incoming freshman) and they have over 50 players "trying out", and 15 have to be cut. Doesn't matter if you are on scholarship or not. Horrible. How can the NCAA allow this sort of thing to go on is beyond me. To keep 35 on the roster, only play 9, and travel with 25, is too much for me. People...YOU HAVE GOT TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

Sorry parents are just as guilty in the process, They just love to say my kid is going to this top 25 div 1 college.


Good example had 2 ball players from the same HS both division 1 prospects and got pro interest too.

During fall ball at a Top 25 college, Player 1 goes Nuts during BP and hits balls over the score board.

Player 2 throws 90 -91 mph.
College coach wants them both.

Player 2 looks at roster and sees 20 pitchers already on their roster, signs with another div 1 college, with much smaller roster. Receives about 50 % aid.
Player 1 also given offer from that college

Players 1 signs for $300 with the top 25 college. Find out later that college signed 7 players at his position. Not sure what his status is now, not on the roster

There is uaually 32-35 man roster and a smaller travel roster. We were surprised that you had to secure a spot on thye roster but that is generally true anywhere. Even if you make a roster spot you have to perform to keep it. That is sports.
Good idea to see how many incumbant players and how many will be fighting for the same position. If you are a pitcher see if the coach played freshmen last season and how many they carry.
The school we ended up at was not the best offer we had and knowing what we know now would not have made a differece in our choice.
No matter where you go you are always going to compete . Blink and your spot is gone. We lucked out and my son loves the coaches, the team and the school.
When he found out there were 43 competing for spots he was very concerned but I told him to do his best. I actually felt foolish after telling him that.
I was puzzled with youre reference to Freshmen trying out becacause I believe all players have to make roster not just the new guys. Also once you sign up I believe you are locked into that school atleast for the 1st semester and maybe the year. Your comment sbout some will go off to JUCO I am not sure you can do that. Maybe someone can expand on that.

The attitude here is that the colleges don't care whether your son makes their team...for them it is simply a numbers game.

Most of them realize that unless they are one of the premier D-1 universities that has a history of going to the CWS every year their chances of getting the A-1 grade BB athlete is minimal.

That leaves them to throw as many probabables into the sifter and see what falls out.

Colleges do not put a lot of effort into recruiting BB players. Most programs are run that way now out of $$$ necessity...and that is the reason parents should take a closer look at how they are spend that tuition dollar.

Unless your son is a grade A-1 stud BB player, top 1% at his position, and high GPA student you should be calculating how to get the most bang-for-your-buck.

Keeping in line with getting the most for your BB dollar...my advice, if your kid is more a ball player than a student, start him out at a JUCO for his General Education requirements, and see whether he can handle the edu load and play and/or if he gets drafted. If not then have him complete the 60 units needed to transfer to the best baseball program he can get the most playing time at an upper level college.

If your son is a good ball player but maybe not a A-1 stud type, it does no good for your kid to go to a Div-1 school and sit on the bench, if he has aspirations of playing at the next level. He is better off going to a JC/JUCO and getting to play alot, making the All-Conference Team and getting some interest from scouts and colleges there.

Similarly if your son is more of a student than a ball player than your effort for him should be to get him the best education with the best school he can qualify for and don't worry about the level of baseball, as long as it's a relatively decent program.

JMO

Wow. This is a great post, and some of the best advice I've ever read here. This has been our experience, too.

Thanks, Ramrod.

I think everyone has given good advice. The reason for the impotance of this website.

I agree with much of what has been said, but one thing to add.

Not all top D1 schools run their programs that begin in the fall with 48 and get cut back to 35. It is not a usual practice to do so. I had found in my experience, this could be common with some of the bigger state schools (with over 30K in attendance), the ones with loads of talent in their state to choose from, than the smaller state schools or private universities. The biggest problem, the biggest offenders are the mid-smaller D1 schools.
The best 9 play (most pitchers will get into teh rotation). And for those who do not believe me, most big schools need a stable of pitchers to get to playoffs. The really good coach, rotates his other players as subs, runners, DH, etc, so they will be ready to play the following year. Many of those bigger ones do look for transfers, especially pitchers because they may suddenly need players who are READY and most freshman are NOT ready to play on the higher levels in teh more powerful conferences.
I see the biggest problem (not parents or even coaches) as the MLB draft. Good coaches are constantly juggling getting the best possible recruits and losing them before they come to school. Coaches DON'T want to get caught short so they tend to over recruit. NCAA will never put restrictions on recruiting because of this, just mandate by spring they have the required 35 on your roster.

As long as we as parnets accept this and learn how to deal with the realities, it will make one less player less shocked when they are released. Its our job to educate as many as we can.

Number one probability:

It won't happen to me.