Thought for the day

Most of these showcase events are two fold. Yes, they may have coaches scouting players. Yes, in most cases it is a fund raiser or money maker for the host(s). Understand that when you have 80-150 kids these coaches are not looking for players, they are looking to scratch players. Here is a break down of a showcase event:

These are not actual criteria- just examples:

Player #1 Name: Jimmy Jones Pos: OF
60yd Time: 7.0 or higher Scratch 6.9 or less Possible
Arm Strength Below X-Grade - Scratch Above X Grade Possible
Hitting: Power, hard contact, opposite field hitting, mechanics, teachablity, etc

For each posistion the criteria may be a little different.

A Coach may start with 35 Outfielders at the event. By the time he gets around to the hitting portion of the event, he has narrowed his list to 4 or 5 possibilities. During the hitting he will judge specific characteristics: mechanics, power, consistant hard contact etc.
A key element in the evaluation process comes across in the players appearance, attitude, hustle, body language. Is the kid goofing off when it is not his turn to perform. His hat is on backwards when he takes the field. All are possible reasons for a player to be scratched.
Keep in mind that many of these college coaches stay in contact with each other. If one coach has a lot of OF(and is not recruiting OF), he may refer your name to a coach that is looking for OF.
Play hard and make a good impression- the FIRST TIME.

 

You are being kind

 

Good point. A lot of people don't understand this when going through the process. I tell the story to a lot of players about a trip I took to Lakeland with two other coaches (who we would consider rivals). In our 11 or 12 hour drive, we must have talked about 60 players.

 

Let me give you an example of someone that was noticed. I attended the Belmont Abbey workout and there was a catcher that was struggling a little bit. He caught the eye of a scout that saw something he could fix easily. He pulled the young man aside and corrected the problem quickly.

The young man went back behind the plate again and demonstrated that he could make the correction. I know that the opinion of this player was elevated because he showed that he was coachable and showed he was willing to make the changes.

 

I always knew you were a little deviant, Coach
Incognito! That's cool.

 

Kind of the way he is in here....incognito, but taking notes and passing them on.

 

My thing was if you have players that a game players more than the showcase player. Let's take you and me. You and I using the scoring format that you showed are fairly equal. We both hustle, catch, throw, and everything that is expected of us. The thing is I am 6'2 and you are 5'7.

In a game you are everywhere backing up plays, being vocal and supporting your teammates. I just go with the flow. I hustle but you hustle more. This is in a game. Now, if we were to use just the numbers on a sheet from the showcase. I would come before you about nine times out of ten due to my height. You would finish second. If we used the game you would beat me out everytime. So how does a player shows that he is better in a showcase without a game played.

 

There is no magic formula. You have to have tools to play at the next level. Thats why showcase events are great. Most college coaches are egotistical enough to think they can take tools and make you a pretty good player. If all things are equal at a showcase and both players have tools, then a coach will probably go see both of them in a game situation.

 

As we have all seen. Players with a larger physique often have an advantage. But, Plate Dad is right. A coach rarely will take a player without seeing how he performs under game conditions. Showcase criteria are only to get the coach's attention. There is a great deal more to recruiting a player than what we see on a showcase field.

 

Thanks. We know that some players for whatever reason seem to jump over this barrier. Would we dare say a coach took a chance? It is one that I think is almost too much for some. Maybe if the small guys were looked at for their game play instead of size. Maybe, just maybe, roids would not be an issue. We say play the game but we are playing the game to standards that can not be meet. Being a big guy does not mean that you are a player. Soap box sorry.....