In light of some of the recent posts perhaps it would be beneficial to have people post what they expect out of a showcase---I think some might have misconceptions going in

Go ahead folks---what do you think you should get out of a showcase???? And please refrain from sniping--just express your feeling on what you expect

TRhit

75 degrees,no rain or wind,sun to our backs and a few hot dogs. But really all I would expect is a well orgainized event, a quality playing field, and a good representation of scouts. Also team numbers should not exceed 16 with 5 pitchers.

How To Run A High School Showcase

http://www.angelfire.com/vt/prospectwatch/index93.html

What do we expect? We expect an honest evaluation of talent. If he sucks tell him and the parent. We expect scouts to be there. We expect the evaluation to be in writing. We expect to be told what the player needs to work on. We expect the showcase to be run in a professional manner. Most important to us is honesty and respect. The same will be given in return.

www.warreneastbaseball.com

I can go back 2 years when my son was invited by way of Brian Rupe from Midwest Prospects to attend a showcase at Baylor to fill in for a pitcher who had hurt his arm.

The invite came by phone the week before and we had never heard of showcases per se...

Son was 16.

He went and pitched 3 innings and we were told he could read an evaluation on their site to soon afterward.

It was designed like a game....

Son was clocked on velocity and comments were made...and we learned he was throwing harder than we knew...and it was a HUGE measuring tool for us to gauge his skills and where he measured up with other players in and around the state.

He attended others the next summer which brought positive things our way or I should say his way...college interest because coaches did not know him and they wanted to see him pitch live..;

He came away from each wanting to improve and gained confidence...worth it all for us...

An Extremly well organized event, with little to no problems, a fair evaluation of talent with getting as much as a fair look as possible in a reasonable amount of time, an extraordinary playing field (weather permitting) unless it's an indoor facility. Other than that not too much

I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain't never been seen by this generation

TR -
Thank God someone finally asked us, the customer. You are a SMART businessman.

1. Realistic cost, inline with other showcases.
2. Fair, consistent, realistic and timely evaluation.
3. Written feedback on all aspects of a players game. More than a paragraph. Please include areas to improve, don't make us read between the lines.
4. For 16 and under showcases, don't hem pitchers into pitching only. That is too young to decide what you're gonna be. Let pitchers play the field and hit like position players.
5. Baseball is a game of failure. Players fail more than they succeed, even in the pro's. Give players enough oppty to show their stuff. I know it costs more to have more games, but you asked.
6. Smaller team rosters. No more than 14.
7. Coaches that want the kids on their team to succeed. Not just there to get a paycheck.
8. Give kids every oppty to show their best stuff. Give them a place to take bp, a place to warm up, a place to stretch.
9. Please keep the guns on for all innings a pitcher pitches and pay attention to their entire outing.
10. Say what you mean. If you need a recommendation, then make sure you get one and follow up on it. This impacts the level of talent that shows up.
11. Run the 60 in the best conditions possible. Be sure to consider wind direction, running surface.
12. Timely and acccurate confirmation and directions. If possible post on web so people can read before they get there.
13. Sometimes it's like pulling teeth to get info about a showcase. Some of us want all the details to know what we are paying for.
14. Be open to working around summer game schedules.
15. The usual pro and college exposure.

Nicely put hittheballover would like to hear the feedback from the heads of the showcases. TRhit bmx thanks you for the College Select invite but he was accepted to the Stanford Camp so he choose to head west.you gave him a humble evaluation which he under stood.He work hard all summer and brought his game back up to where it should be, He was having FUN He has received recruting info from D1-D3 So TRhit you got ball rolling for him and thanks

bmx05

You might want to think about the Binghamton event in August

I am glad we helped to get the ball rolling

hittheballover

I really meant it to be a tool for the newbies so they got a feel for what a showcase is all about.

I cannot apeak for others but I know for us we are striving to improve what we do every year, even if it is just one small thing--feed back from players and parents is always helpful and accepted gracefully. We know we cannot please all of the people all of the time but we sure as heck try. We like to think that we cover all the bases but sometimes we don't and other eyes see things a bit differently


To be honest though I thought I would have seen more responses here than we have seen

TRhit

TR,
I think some of the problems parents experience with showcases are self-inflicted, I know that was the case with us. IMO, a player needs to be sort of "matched" to a showcase, depending upon the player's ability to some degree, certainly a player's goals, and what the player and/or his family expect to accomplish by attending a showcase. I'm not in the business as you are, but I know there's no way you can be everything to everybody. And I believe that a player can benefit something from attending any showcase that's run by those in the business that are regularly discussed here, I know my son has. Most anybody will agree to the basic expectations: nice location for the event, well run, organized, decent talent level, opportunity to be seen, receive an evaluation and/or learn what areas need the most improvement, some live competition. I just think it would be of more benefit to players and parents than anything if they know what they're after and choose showcases accordingly.

eagle_fan

Your point is a good one-- what you point out is one of the reason I started this thread--- so that the first-timers know what to expect--go in with open eyes and not rose colored glasses

I suggest that those who are looking to attend a certain showcase call the people involved and get the details--ask questions-- I know that we have no problem with a call to get informed and I would think that others who run showcases feel as we do. We want you coming to our events knowing what is going to happen and have no surprises

TRhit

Bump...