Need help - Legion vs. Showcase

Great suggestion.

 

If you can play they will find you!

Don't forget, Showcase is a FOR PROFIT business people!

 

For Profit

Yes showcase is for profit, but Legion has all the politics of little league!!!

 

We were fortunate enough to play both legion and showcase.

With showcase you have to be careful, some are in it for the money, some are not well coached, not much practice time and some showcase teams give the most playing time to players they know will be recruited and use the other "bench" players to pay the bills. They then use the number of players they have recruited as a marketing tool. There is also politics (usually money driven and ak in showcase). If you find a good program and coaches that actually practice and contact colleges and are proactive in the recruiting process go for it. But be aware on a lot of showcase teams playing time is split up so everyone plays. Good showcase teams are out there you just have to find them.

In legion ball we found better competition. The best players played all the time (no splitting time as in showcase) and it doesn't matter how rich the kid’s parents are. Legion coaches are hired to win games it’s not a popularity contest. The legion coaches I know do not play politics with the players or the game; they may play politics to help benefit their team on the regional or national level. If a good legion coach has a player that is good enough for college ball he will talk to your son about which college he wants to go to and contact the college coach for him. Most of the college coaches I spoke with respect and value a legion coaches input on prospective players. As one college coach told me, the legion coach has no motive except to help his players and in most cases will not recommend a player and waste the college coach’s time because the legion coach’s reputation can be tarnished.

In our case the legion coach had a rule that you can play showcase as long as there are no conflicts with legion ball. I explained this to his showcase coaches (good showcase programs) who agreed to let him play showcase when available. My son played showcase on off days for the legion team or he may have played a morning showcase game and legion at night. In our case we chose to do both.

I have seen college coaches at legion and showcase games. I have seen more pro scouts at legion games.

The best of luck to you and your son.

 

Obviously a College coach would be the one to answer this question. I am not one. However while visiting Colleges for my daughter last summer my rising HS 11 grade son attended baseball clinics. The Coach at WVU spoke specifically on this question. He asked each of the 32 players (mostly incoming college Freshmen, few Juco) what Legion team they were on. He said they scout Legion games. Showcase is just that, A kid playing a couple innings and rotating out without concerned for competition. Advice was to play Legion and attend clinics at schools you are interested in.

 

Not sure where you are from, but not the case in alot of teams.

 

Legion Ball

Personally I think legion ball is very important in the developmental process for these players. In what situation do you get to go out and play 30 games in month and a half? The kids get to learn things on there own, become instinctual, add creativity to their game, deal with failure, deal with success. Legion ball in Charlotte used to be very competitive. It is starting to get that way again with mostly seniors and college freshman playing. There are some good coaches and some bad ones but for the most part all of these coaches are truly game managers. Setting up rotations, putting guys in the right spot. Legion baseball is awesome to be a part of and awesome to watch. Especially when you get to travel to Rutherford County, Caldwell County, Cherryville, etc. Go to those places and tell me legion isn't competitive. With the number of teams in Charlotte dwindling, Charlotte should be able to put together some outstanding teams. Legion is the perfect fit for Showcase players during the summer. They get a lot of practice during their showcase seasons and get the competitive/team games during the summer. Perfect combination. Practice all you want but you become a player by playing and figuring things out on your own. The mentality is key. You are playing with a bunch of guys from your area playing teams from different areas. There are bragging rights at stake, the best players play, and it is truly a TEAM game.

 

Sometimes I think it's the other way around on this. Around here, in Eastern North Carolina, there are some very good Legion teams, and the competition is very good. Most of the Legion coaches I know try to field the best team they can get from the available talent pool in their respective areas. Some good players that could really help the legion program opt to play showcase only, & then some players that don't make the legion team, try to find a showcase team to keep playing on. I've seen it both ways. There seems to be a resurgence recently in the really good ones playing legion, and that may have to do with the cost of being on some of theses showcase teams. For the most part, I think players can easily do both: legion in the summer & showcase in the fall.

 

I agree with Braves (which is very scary... ha ha) why not legion in summer and showcase in the fall.

My honest opionion.... if you are a pitcher, showcase is not the way to go in the summer. most will only pitch 2-3 innings for the week. I personally feel like you need to throw to batters in game situations, to really get better. More innings are available in legion.

postion players??? depends on team. are you going to split all the games because several guys at your position have paid to play???

usually there is more player developement in legion (in my opinion), more innings= more at bats, more ground balls etc. unless you are playing for one of the rare showcase teams that actually practice and do the little things right (like bunting, hit and run, etc) there are a few great showcase teams that work on these things.

exposure- better in showcase

price- legion

team unity and teamwork- most of the time legion (i know there are some showcase teams that have it, but a lot just show up and play)

I know this is my opinion only------ not here to make anyone mad or upset. I know there are exceptions on both sides.--- I know that everyone has their on opinion based on their experiences, and they differ. not here to get cussed or fussed at---just stating MY opinion

 

I see the merits on both sides. However some have posted misinformation about showcase. 1. Most showcase teams play 4 to 5 games per weekend, every weekend, so, in amonth and a half you play close to 30 games. All games are weekend and many practice 2 nights per week(a good question to ask since some are show up and play). Legion is playing 3 or 4 days a week, not leaving much practice time, and if you don't start, you watch alot and no time for practice.

Showcase has evolved greatly over the past few years. Mostly at college coaches reccomendations. Players and coaches are there to win and pitchers go as long as they are effective, just like legion. They bunt, steal, hit and run, hit behind the runner etc. The biggest difference to me is that if a particular college wants to see a particular player, the showcase coach will oblige him, where a legioin coach is more restricted since final standings can determine his employment status.

As far as pay for play, it is true, they are there to make a profit. However if they cannot improve the player and get him recruited, and cannot win his share of the games, he will not be there for long since no-one will pay him in order to play.