what's the most important thing?

I will have to disagree with all the showcase teams in it to make money. True the ones that charge 2-3k to play is ridiculous but i believe that the showcase baseball does work. It is no knock on legion but legion is not the way it used to be. Its not a county all star team anymore. Players and parents want the best for their kid to play at the next level. Think of it from a college coach/ scout level. If you are going to watch games would you rather spend a weekend watching 10 teams play with all the players having potential for college or watch two legion games where they may be 8 players among all the teams that have the chance. Sure college coaches still go to legion games but it may to see a certain kid but the days of going and watching a team full of legion stars are over. College programs do not have the budget to travel every weekend to see a few players when they can see all of them at one tournament.

 

Most of us understand your not going to get very much baseball money.
Just because you make good grades and get alot of academic money doesnt get you on a baseball team.
But getting recruited and getting academic money and possibly a small amount of baseball money would make me go where the scouts are at.
I doubt there is anyone who wouldnt play for love of the game anytime anyday... but this is 2005 and you have to look to gain advantage for your future, and if playing baseball for the money is what you choose i have no problems with that.

 

1--It is NOT true that the college scouts will find the best talent every time. Andrew Morton of Lexington Post 8 is a prime example. This kid can pitch...& Wilkes CC is the best offer he had or has. Ridiculous. Why was he missed?? Because he played for a small school & never played in Showcases or State Games. He did pitch in Legion, but when was the last time you saw a college scout attend a Legion game just hoping to find an unknown prospect??

2--Playing to gain a scholarship should not be motive #1, but it is certainly has merit. My son worked his fanny off both on the field & in the classroom. His goal was to play at the next level. Reward time: Full ride (worth about $100,000). Yep, the money came from the academic side, but it would not have happened if he was not a baseball player being recruited by that school. Other schools worked equally hard searching for grants & academic aid hoping he would play for them. So don't relegate this to athletic scholarships alone.

 

To bring up an old axiom by Prepster, "Scouts will find you if you don't care which school it is."

I should be a politician because I am on both sides of this issue. It's a shame that there is Pay baseball. Kids shouldn't have to pay to play, but they do have a choice.

And I like some of the showcasing. To play in a National Tournament like Perfect Games is a wonderful experience. To play against many of the best HS kids across the country and being able to see where you stand with them is a great eye opener. Impact Baseball does a great job with their tournaments. To have 50-100 College coaches under one roof to watch you play...well that's priceless...and it only takes one tournament.

 

Great example of Prepster's wisdom.

Unless a scout is looking for a Cameron Maybin type of player, why would he go into the boonies to look at one prospect when he can attend one showcase and watch 50-70 teams, all loaded with college potential.

 

Whats More Important?

Its an family decision. Nothing more and nothing less. If the kid can play at the showcase level, has the desire to compete against the best, and desires to give himself the best possible chance to play college baseball, then no one should fault that player from playing showcase ball. Legion used to bring large numbers of college caliber kids together. Now the showcases do this function for the scouts. Its not the players fault that the dynamics have changed.

 

I dont care what the others say about ya Braves . Your pretty darn smart in my book...


and a good point made by BaseballMan also.

 

the right thing

i guess the reason a scout goes to the boonies is because he's a "scout". that's what they do isn't it? find talent.when the talent is all at 1 place then there's not much need for scouts anymore. if all it is is just sitting around while players are brought to you it would seem to me that scouts would soon be out of a job. i played pro ball and was a d1 coach i played because i loved playing period. i guess it's all about me now. why then play high school ball?
one of the main joys of playing is having teammates and friends that share your experiences and struggles as you strive for a common goal taht is to win a game or championship. how do you think the 2 experiences will measure up 10 years from now when they're no longer playing? the boy who played on his hometown team and the boy who basically is a mercenary selling himself to whoever or whatever can get him ahead an inch?

 

It's called Enonomics...When you only have X amount of dollars you have to get the most bang for your buck.

 

the right thing

i understand economics. i'm a slaesman and i love those folks who just say i want it and i'll take it. those kind of folks make it just enough to starve but to make the hard sales is what separates the good from the mediocre. it's easy to scout the fish in a barrell but do you think organizations want people ignored because they don't come to a showcase? what is that maybe 50% of the talent pool?