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

me,me,me its all about me. dont care about the community dont care about the team as long as it works out for me. yes times have changed. only my opinion but not for the better.

 

obviously i'm biased

but honestly its got to depend on the kid.

i really don't know much about the showcase lifestyle. i know a lot about the legion lifestyle.

i don't think kids are being selfish for playing showcase ball over legion ball. how could it not be fun to pitch in front of an infield thats the best of the best, or an outfield full of 4.4 guys with cannons.

playing legion instills in some kids something else. something bigger than themselves. i learned a lot coaching american legion the last 7 years (lord i'm getting old). one of those things is that the legion games we play we play for guys who aren't there. thats what american legion is about. we are very appreciative and supportive of the men who came home from the service, but american legion baseball is there to honor those who didn't come home. thats why that pledge is so important. thats why standing at attention during national anthem is so important. you are a part of a team, that is part of a game, that is a part of america.

will that get you into a bigger school? will that get you 45 or 50% instead of 35 or 40%? probably not. but once the ride is over and you get to reflect on where you've been, i'm not sure how it will compare.


of course if i were making 7 figures in the bigs my opinion may be different...ha

 

why

Baseball Man, why is AL awful at Fayettev.? coaching,? or have so many players left to go showcase that the talent level has dropped off?

 

Okay boys and girls...here's the deal. I work for a showcase program. I am a former all-american in college and played in the major leagues. I have played this game at THE highest level. I am fortunate enough to have many baseball contacts around the country. I have have many southeastern college recruiters in my speed dial. Your son's best chance for exposure is showcase ball. When you consider recruiting budgets, it doesn't make sense to attend a legion game, when you can head to a showcase tournament and many teams with many players. Those fighting for legion ball are simply holding on too tight. In bigger towns or cities, legion is a waste. For example, we recently added a legion player to our showcase team. This kid is very gifted, but is commited to an average collegiate program. There is no doubt in my mind that he would have had more offers on the table had he been playing with us all summer. Argue with me if you want, but remember my opening statements. Those statements were not said to pat myself on the back, but to validate my experience around this game. It is not only my opinion, but it is fact, if you want the very best opportunity for your son....find a quality showcase program that not only provides exposure, but development as well. The financial investment will be well worth it.

 

kv553- let me first say, welcome to the board. It's about time you found this site and started posting. You bring a lot of experience from many different levels...and I must say, my son's two favorite pitching coaches is the one that started this thread and kv553, both knowledgeable, candid and with very similar backgrounds.

But kv, you have to keep in mind, you are associated with one of the very few showcase teams that offer development. You guys are not just a team, but a program.

The point that olefty was making is that he has seen all of the showcase teams in tournaments and his recommendation from his perspective, as a recruiter, is that quite a few players that are on some of the teams would be better served by saving their money.

But, what he doesn't realize is that many parents commit to the financial part of showcasing to give their child a unique experience. Sure, they may not have college talent, but to play with and against some players they may see on TV one day and to have a chance to perform in front of college and pro scouts are memories that will last a lifetime...and the relationships they have built...well...they are priceless.

American Legion baseball is a rich experience as well. For those that play for a community that supports AL, it is an experience that you will not receive playing showcase ball. But as tj21 has said many times, one can do both at different times of their life.

Showcase baseball is great...but it has become diluted. There are only a few true showcase teams in our state...and that's all there ever was.

 

Legion ball in Fayetteville area is poor for several reasons. First, the organizations aren't very strong and basically revolve around certain HS programs so there is alot of favoritism. Secondly, HS baseball is not as strong in this area as some others so the talent is very diluted between four Legion teams in Cumberland County. The year my son played his team was tied for first about midway the season and some of the best players decided that going to the beach was more fun. By the end of the year, we were lucky to have nine to start the game.

 

Let me add this question from legion vs. showcase. Where are the best players in the state playing? Legion baseball. Madison Bumgarner who is projected to be a first round draft pick plays legion baseball. Check out the list of the best high school players in the state of NC and they play legion baseball. If you are good enough to play people are going to find you. Would you rather play for free or a small fee compared to paying thousands of dollars to travel and just to be on a team.

 

fayetteville legion

we played fayetteville in the area 2 final. they weren't weak. i thought they were very well coached as well. the kids from fayetteville weren't the biggest or most imposing but were very solid. the ss was a very good player. the team had a lot of speed and put the ball in play.

fayetteville's legion team made it to the state tournament this year. they made it out of a region that included whiteville and scotland co.

how is that weak?

my only complaints about fayetteville was how hot it was and the dog that kept barking the entire game in backyard of somebody that lives beside the field at 71st

 

Catcher25- you are kidding right?

 

Its amazing, that whenever this debate occurs, showcase supporters always talk about all the recruiters being in one place. Ok thats easy to figure out how everyone shows up at the same ballpark one weekend instead of driving miles to see one legion game. Understand that.

Folks listen, I ain't bashing showcase,,,,, but for someone to say legion isn't this or that,,,, I just don't think thats true either. We all know that while yes its more convenient for college recruiters to attend one showcase this weekend and watch 100's of kids play ball,,,, but we all know full well that when recruiters go watch 100 kids, he's really only got his eye on 1 or 2, and that recruiter would drive anywhere to watch those 1-2 kids he thought he could get. Last thing, which I think is very important and nobody hardly ever brings up, but this is true. I've had numerous college coaches tell me openly that they actually PREFER legion players for one simple reason. I know that may be a shock for some of you, so brace yourself, but its true, so I've been told more than once. And the reasoning is this, think about it, with legion ball the college coaches can watch these players play a 30-40 game schedule over 2 months which is very similar to a college season, and you can see how a player responds to slumps, wear and tear on the body, fatigue, etc.

If you will notice, I haven't said anything negative about showcases, I've only made a few points about legion. Both have their advantages.