Showcase Ball - Pros and Cons????

A player's talent is going to be what determines which showcase programs he can try to be a part of, or determines which programs ask him to join. There's alot of discussion beforehand by almost every showcase program I know of whether a certain player can play at the next level, and what that level might be. It's not always about $$$ or even D-1.

 

Baseball finds the talent

Wow, a whole lot of mud slinging going on here! The bottom line is that the talent will rise to the top one way or another. I can guarantee that if player is good enough to make the Panthers, Canes or Dirtbags, the coaches of those programs will find you. Money alone will not get a spot on that level team. The bottom line is that they want to win so they keep getting the recognition and keep their reputations where they are. I would lay odds that the only real spot you could buy on any of these 3 teams if you did not have the talent is team manager or the bat boy!

 

I like it when our members "police" the board. It keeps me from having to do so.

I can assure you that Don Hutchins does not enjoy reading his name, good or bad, on TBR. It makes him extremely uncomfortable. The same is true for the leaders of all the other organizations. Certainly not every family is going to have a perfect relationship with an organization. Sometimes it is just not a good fit...much like a college choice.

If someone asked me, "Braves, if you had a choice, where would you like your son to play?", I couldn't tell you. There are 6 (maybe a few more) legitimate elite showcase programs and they all offer something different. So "fit" can be very important in the decision. But there is another side to that coin. With the influx of organizations in the showcase world, this has brought many outstanding coaches with them. And if coaching (the continued development of your son) is more important to you vs what "name" team your son joins, then that opportunity is the "right fit."

One of the concerns I have with showcase baseball involves some baseball parent's perspective. Instead of discussing how a team (and its players) did during a particular tournament, we sometimes lose our perspective by making the priority about "how many scouts were there." I understand that to some degree, but, personally, I don't care. I would much prefer reading about the accomplishments of the players vs how many scouts and what schools they represented. Showcase has been around for awhile now. Most know which one's are heavily attended and which one's are not (if you don't know, just ask someone.)

What most people reading TBR want to know are recaps of games and who stood out---that's true during HS season and summer and fall ball. Some of the most viewed threads involved HS team's summer ball---no scouts attended those.

It's not all about college recruits on TBR...it's about the players...no matter where they play. Who had a great game? What did he do? Yes, he might play in a backup role on his HS team, but on this day, he was the hero.

Sometimes we get jaded with all the attention we give the stars, but think about this: Let's say your son is one of those that just loves the game of baseball. He may not have been blessed with a lot of talent and he rarely gets to play, but on a particular night he got his opportunity and he "produced."

He and his parents heard someone posted his name on TBR and mentioned his heroic night. Now, parents, tell me....do you think that made him and his family proud that someone recognized what he accomplished and wrote it in print for all to see (including his grandparents that live in Oshkosh, Wis?" Of course it did...that's what TBR is about. It's about informing, entertaining, having a sense of humor, but above all else...it's about recognizing a good performance. No matter who, what, when or where.

Okay, off my soapbox and back to pro's and cons.

 

I tried that................to no avail!!!! First, I was fired by Andy Partin, then all of the Hill's at On Deck fired me, then my friend, Don Hutchins, politely asked me to step down. And the funny thing?....none of them returned my money. All they said was, "thanks for the donation!!!" Personally, I thought I was a talented bat boy.

 

I think Bat Boy is your true calling, but you need to stay out of that bird outfit in Statesville in the future!

 

So much for sticking to the Pros and Cons of showcase.... You guys are a riot! This is a great stress relieving site I have to say, so keep up the great post.

 

IMO

The pro's of showcase baseball is that it is available and you can elect to play it or not...............the con's are: yikes I can't think of any!

 

showcase legion

+1

 

many, many words.....

This is a debate that will never end or ever be resolved....because there is no single answer and no single direction. Folks have their preferences and there are advantages for different folks with different approaches. Most people aren't going to have their mind changed no matter how many words are pumped out on the subject. Here is a top ten list of things I think most people could agree on, in no particular order:

1. Showcase gets you on the finest venues and playing surfaces
2. Legion typically has the better team-oriented feel
3. Showcase is less elite than it once was
4. Legion is a nice exposure to the demands of college baseball due to it's nearly daily commitment at a time when some might rather have more free time
5. Showcase is costly due to team participation fees and heavy travel requirements for the player and often for family members (at their choosing)
6. Legion coaching is very good
7. Showcase organizations have motives beyond pure baseball that may include national or regional prestige, bragging rights, # of college placements, quality of college placements and in some cases financial profit. These motives are intertwined to sustain the organization and to continue to draw the top talent required to stay at a high level or climb to a higher level.
8. Legion is not a place to be seen by recruiters until you advance very deep into the playoffs....most legion participants who have the potential to play in college are already committed, signed or in college anyway
9. Showcase is the absolute premier means to be seen and evaluated against the best national-level competition if the player is very high caliber and has draft potential or is a strong candidate to gain a spot on a top-shelf college team
10. There are multiple tiers in both Legion and Showcase and with each tier you get different results. Top tier Legion teams, such as Cherryville, offer a complete experience and get the attention and respect they deserve.....it is a community supported experience and rivalries are deep and long-standing. Lower tier Legion teams struggle to field a team and don't have any real mojo. Top-tier Showcase teams are held in high regard nationally and have a direct pipeline to the high-end programs. Mid-tier and lower-tier Showcase teams don't deliver or attract as many top-shelf players and that is why they are still challenged to climb to the top tier.

10a. Showcase can be a blast and Legion can be a blast....but for different reasons.

 

Well thought and well said...great job L&S