Showcase Baseball... too many teams???

Here is a topic to think about. I have been coaching for several years in the summer, and have coached with 2 different organizations that do a very good job with different approaches to showcase baseball. Both meet the needs of the kids that play in their organizations, both have their advantages and disadvantages. However, the competition seems to be watered down... You have teams forming left and right (in fact there is an ad on this site for a new team out of W-S area). I go to tournaments and see teams that really don't belong because of a lack of talent. This is not attractive to college coaches. We have discussed Legion ball being watered down in parts of NC, but the same thing is happening here (Braves you mentioned this a long time back, but I wanted to address it again)... Teams are formed for various reasons, but if too many teams are formed then it will be just like the rest of the different avenues of summer baseball...

Something to think about.... several organizations are cutting bacxk on the number of teams they have de to a lack of pitching / quality players to have 1 strong team or an A team and B team....

Post your thoughts here and I will read for a while...

 

I agree that to many teams are formed. I think its a lot to deal with players not getting the playing time and their daddy taking it upon himself and start a team to make sure lil Johnny gets at the playing time he wants. You have teams like On Deck, The Dirtbags and a few more to that list that come to play and are more than likely the two teams playing for the championship.

I played with On Deck back in 04 and playing Impact was great games but then there would be teams that it wasn't fair for them to be on the field against us. It was some of the best high school talent around Charlotte area playing kids that would struggle to win JV games.

I think there needs to be rules or guidelines set because its getting out of hand and its taking away from the quaility teams that are put together

 

Expect showcase teams to continue growing, just as AAU exploded in the last 5-6 years. And USSSA is exploding. Any Dad with a bucket of balls and a checkbook can start a team. The key in the future will be finding a quality team.

 

obviously they need to charge more money if there are too many teams

 

That could be done but why penalize teams like On Deck and Impact for being around so long and establishing competitive teams.

Why not have an upper AAU and lower AAU, so teams that can play and have college talent can play each other and teams competiting for starting positions on JV can play in the lower division.

 

more and more teams

I too notice all the new teams being formed and playing in the showcase arena. Of course the established programs will naturally get the best of players from all areas and the scouts will come to see them. The other newer teams at least are giving a chance for more kids to play and even if only 1 or 2 kids get noticed from those teams it is still good for them to be playing. A good thing would be if the tournament host director schedules the games according to talent level. Pit the best against the best and make the others play each other until one team proves worthy of playing the big dogs. The new teams are still beneficial to the greatest game on earth.

 

The only way to control the level of talent is through Invitation only tournaments. But if it's not an Invitation or a PG, EC, Diamond Devils or Impact tourney, it will consist of basically the same teams playing every weekend.

Unless teams are willing to travel to Ala or Fla. There are good tourneys down there also. There are way too many teams and it has cheapen the concept. One day it will backfire with the college coaches attendance

 

The persons putting on tourneys should place a limit the number of teams and if it is a premier invite only tourney then invite teams not organizations. Here is one to chew on awhile. I have often wonder why you would play go play in a tourney with let's say 07's that have offers and are going. I would think you would want to showcase your unsigned talent. Granted that there maybe a pro-scout there. Why are they even there? If you showcase a group. It should be the same type of group (age/grad date). Now, this I feel could be managed by the showcase groups themselves if they wished. Braves the idea of traveling to other states to play is great. I think that would be what the signed players would want to do. Get the best exposure to the pro scout or out of state colleges. I posted "What makes a true showcase?" I was refering to venues and not teams. Maybe that should be the question and with that what would be a good format or term for the event. As for the AAU and USSSA orgs. This maybe were some of the problem started. My son started in 95 at that time you entered and age group and that was it. You played who signed up. As time went on the branched out to get more teams and started with major and minors. It has grown from that to full circle. I do not think it is a bad thing to expand the showcase group. I think the term is used to loosely and that is what make things bad for everyone.

 

This would be great. Question: Who would manage or decide when you are good enough to play the big dogs? Since some showcases are ran by the same org that has teams also. How would you work that. These are just some of the questions that came to mind.

 

commish

I can see it now, a Showcase Baseball Commissioner. Any takers?