SHOWCASE vs AMERICAN LEGION

as Mr. Bill would say... "OHHHHHHH NOOOOO!!!"

 

Well the ONLY REASON I'm going to comment on this subject, is because Sportsmom makes a very good point,,, as much as this subject has been beaten to death over the years, new posters "should" be able to ask questions and get answers.

With that said, I like Collin's responses, because the way some of the original questions were worded, it was as though the person who asked the question already had his/her mind made up, and it was only an attempt to start a fire.

Braves and I have discussed this issue many many times, and like he said, it depends. It depends on the individual, it depends on where you live and what is offered in your immediate area, it depends on YOU. I have seen great baseball players who are now professionals, and some who are now out of pro ball, and they were seen playing legion. And the memories they have playing legion are something they still talk about years later. Yet with the advent of showcase and how's it worked, I understand how it works and that it DOES work too.

Theres simply no "this vs. that" argument,,, both sides are the same game, and both can be fun, and both can be rewarding and beneficial to an individual.

Let me close by saying I have talked to players/families who have done both and have regretted their decision also. So again, it depends on your specific situation.

p.s. Braves, leave this thread right here, thank you. Everything is actually civil over in legion land these days. We have the calm before the storm (playoffs) and it would be nice to keep it that way...

 

There may have been some bad things said on this subject in the past... but to me it seems like everyone is making pretty rational points and the thread seems to be under control. It's a good conversation to have, really.

 

I respectfully disagree with the premise that history does not govern one's actions. This question and the way it was framed was the reason I opened an AL forum. It polarized the board and brought tension, trashtalking and insults to both sides.

Why would I want this to happen again? Now if the question is asking if there a time and place for American Legion baseball vs Showcase baseball? Then that question can be answered intelligently. But when you ask a question and frame it in a derogatory way towards one brand of baseball, then you will not receive intelligent discussions.

I'm sorry if you don't agree, but my site has faced this question for 6 years and it has never been treated fairly, insightful or rarely intelligent. I trust my instincts that it will not be informative again (although Collin brought something new to the table). ...and to answer your question of posting links. Absolutely not on this subject!

Although I had to start the D1 vs D2 thread to move other posts from another thread, I knew what would happen. It became the most viewed and replied post in awhile.

Anytime someone wants to discuss something controversial it will be the most viewed. If I posted who are the coaches that deserved to be fired? This place would be buzzing. If I posted who are the players that are studs but have bad attitudes, it may become the all time most viewed.

My point is, I'm not a fan of those topics on this board....and since we have a history and knowledge of what topics polarize the board, we are mindful when they are posted. It's been my experience, through multiple PM's, that people will read those threads for the same reason they look at a train wreck. They can't help themselves. But for those of us that can stop that train wreck from happening...we try to.

As I have said before...TBR is not for everybody. I'll have just as much fun on here whether there is just two of us...or 2500

 

Because the one's that have been posting are rational people

 

You Called!!!!!

 

I totally understand the not wanting controversy and keeping trash talking and insults away from this site. I think my brief history shows that I am respectful and do not like the controversy that some other sites are known for. However, I was just looking for a possible solution for those who are ‘reasonable’ and want to continue to learn, that we can gain some knowledge from others.

Could a thread of ‘reasonable’ discussion about ‘taboo’ topics be linked? I don’t know exactly what all is possible with message boards, but could a past thread about a subject have the negative, inflaming posts deleted and only the good information remain so that others can gain needed information/insight?

I guess my philosophy is that it is a shame that those who don’t know how to be rational are keeping those of us who really want to become more knowledgeable ‘in the dark’.

The reason that I enjoy this sight is there are so many great baseball minds here that are for the most part respectful. I am sure that in the future others who have just as much to offer will join and I would love to have the opportunity to learn from them also on a variety of subject matters. However, if the moderators agree that certain topics can’t be handled without polarizing the board, maybe a list could be posted so ‘new’ posters will be aware of what areas to avoid.

I hope that you know that no disrespect towards you was intended. You have my respect. My frustration lies with adults who can’t carry on rational discussions about something like ‘baseball’ (even though I love it), that in the big scheme of things, is so trivial.

 

I promise you that's not the case. I'm not involved personally, but I do know some college coaches, scouts, and members of major league organizations. The idea that players need to market themselves has been sold by opportunists who want to make a buck either covering recruiting & the draft, or coaching such players. I know for a fact that Madison Bumgarner was already being discussed by at least one major league team when he was a freshman at South Caldwell, and that kind of buzz is pretty common even at that age. Scouts hear from their contacts about kids very early, and while colleges aren't quite as tapped in, they get that information as well.

No one ever "needs" to market themselves as a baseball player. That's just false. Kids just need to worry about developing their skills and getting experience. The latter is the one place where stuff like IMPACT actually does help, because coaches and scouts like to see what a guy will do against the best competition.

 

Most people that know me know that I think both can be done and is the best way to get your son ready to be seen....Legion in the summer and showcase in the fall....maybe not everyones opinion but it worked well for my son.

I'm not sure what area you are from but I don't see a comparison to "rec ball" coaches and see very few coaches with sons playing on the team in Legion ball. I will stack the coaching ability of Caldwell, Cherryville, Shelby, Pineville, Charlotte and many others to most "showcase" programs out there.......

Sorry guys but that one hit a nerve......

 

If you are Madison Bumgarner, sure, they will find you. But for players who aren't complete phenoms, there is a very fine line between kids who don't play in college and kids who do. There's a fine line between a D2 player and a D1 player. etc.

I believe that in today's recruiting process, if your kid is good enough to play in college but doesnt throw 95 MPH or hit the ball 500 feet, you need to market him in as many ways as possible. Again, this can come from both legion ball and showcase ball. Many legion coaches work just as hard for their players as showcase coaches do. But I just think that the promoting must be done by someone, or else the player can be overlooked.

A 5'8 player like Tyler Hanover would have a good chance to get overlooked if he never marketed himself. Tyler put up outstanding numbers in all 4 of his high school years. He rips the cover off the ball and plays an extremely solid 2nd base. But if he and his family never put him in a position to be seen by scouts, he could have easily been overlooked by D1 schools due to lack of size. Instead, he has played with IMPACT the past 2 summers and falls and will be continuing his baseball career at LSU. He won IMPACT baseball's player of the year as well as Gatorade NC player of the year. The Dirtbags recently even "retired his number" in their organization. Now, that may be taking it too far, but you get the drift.

Moral of the story is, you can have all the game in the world, and that's what ultimately gets you signed. You don't get signed simply by playing in front of scouts and marketing yourself unless you also have plenty of ability on the field. But if you have that game and don't put yourself in the right positions to be seen, you can get passed up on.