Finally...it has to be said (A TBR Classic)

After alot of thought and thinking about the repercussions of making this statement, it finally came to a point last week when I talked to a frustrated high school and legion coach who will most likely lose half his players off his legion team next year. Many of those were starting in the abscence of older guys who had quit him that spring.

Ok, here goes.....

Showcase baseball is overrated and for 90% of the people involved a waste of your money. I know this is going to cause alot of negative feedback and argument, but I can say from a college coaches perspective, you do not have to play showcase baseball to be seen and contacted by recruiters. If this is your main reason for playing you are spending money you should be saving to help pay the rest if his college expenses. if your son is good enough he will still play college baseball.

There are many good hearted coaches who are trying their best to get your son in as many tournaments as possible, but it is not necessary. I will say there are some kids living in very distant locals who may never get seen especially if their legion team lost out quickly but there aren't many of those kids playing anyways.

The fact of the matter is your love for your child is being taken advantage of. You want the best for them and are willing to spend the money to put him on the best teams. SAVE that money for when he needs another 10K to go to school.

If you add up all the expenses incurred over a single showcase season, including travel, food, hotels, emergency equipment purchases on saturday morning, etc it's amazing how much money is being spent. The end result is a lot of fun, memories, games that you can't even remember, credit cards maxed out. If college exposure was your goal, it would have happened anyways.

Just a point. I know alot of people will be very upset. Ask yourself if you are mad at my words or at the person who talked you into playing in the first place.

 

I have to strongly disagree with you. First of all, the competition in showcase ball is greater than that of Legion ball. Secondly, Showcase ball allows young men who are under the radar to explode onto the college scene. Legion ball does draw scouts, but not NEARLY as much as showcase ball. If you attend a quality showcase tournament there are probaly around 10-12 scouts at each. You just can't beat that when it comes to exposure and level of competition.

 

It depends on where you are. Legion ball in our area is weak. You will only be seen by the "local" college coaches that have "already" seen you in numerous HS games. If it is your desire to play at one of the local colleges then all is well and good. But, if you want to go across the state to another college, then the showcase route is the way to go.

 

I am in complete agreement with Mudcats synopsis. Showcase ball is becoming to HS Baseaball what AAU is to basketball. That is NOT a good thing. Flame away!!!

 

what will

at this rate, what will ALB be like 5, 10 or longer yr's from now?

 

IMHO - its the college camps and college showcases that can do as much for a player as anything. College camps not only get the player in front of the main school's coaches, but there are most always 2-5 other school coaches in attendance, helping with the camp, and scouting players.

Those players I personally know that play showcase ball and have "gone somewhere" were already on the radar guns of schools/scouts well before they were on the showcase team.

I know of 2 kids locally who weren't on a showcase team, but both were recruited by D1 schools, and have committed to a D1 school already - for them, it was college camps and State Games.

IMHO (again) I think maybe the people think the best reason to be on a showcase team might be competition level, but, in retrospect, the quality of players on the few showcase teams I've observed were not any better players than the players on Legion teams I've seen.

I agree w/Olefty....

 

Who is the Sonny Vacaro of the Prep baseball world?????? I am sure he/she is out there

 

Both have its own advantages..
In certain areas American Legion Baseball blows away Showcase ball...and Showcase ball blows away ALB in other areas...
for every positive Showcase reason there is one for ALB..

I dont think you can knock either one... of course i dont know nuthin..

 

This would be a good time to re-visit the interview with Austin Alexander about how to get exposure for your son.

 

For several reasons Legion is not an option for my son. He is playing for a showcase team and has said many times that it is by far the greatest group of guys he has played with. The travel is tough, the competition has been fantastic and he seems to have loved every minute of it. We have met many new friends and we would not have met them playing locally. The time I have left with him is short as he will be in college much sooner than I would like. This has provided us with many hours together and there is no way to put a price on that time. I understand that this is expensive, however it is my decision how I spend my time and resources and the value I have received can not be measured in dollars. I have spoken with many other parents both well off financially and not and they all seem to feel the same.
Playing with a high level showcase team has exposed him to much better competition and he is playing with a group of players with very high playing skills and very high character. This exceeds what we would experience locally and has and will continue to push him to be the best he can be.