For those of us who will/may be experiencing this, maybe some veterans of the process can share what they learned, the overall experience, and the outcomes.
Flash Baseball
Posts: 1495 | Location: OHIO | Registered: September 16, 2005
Maybe the higher rounds or different geographic areas see more of the in home visits but I could count on one hand all my son had. We did have lots of phone calls from scouts and discussions with them at the ball games. The ones that did come to the house would chat, watch ESPN, eat my snacks ---- give eye and profile tests. I enjoyed the discussions. No big deal.
Fungo
Posts: 4818 | Location: Spring Creek (Jackson),Tennessee | Registered: December 26, 2002
Originally posted by Fungo: Maybe the higher rounds or different geographic areas see more of the in home visits but I could count on one hand all my son had. We did have lots of phone calls from scouts and discussions with them at the ball games. The ones that did come to the house would chat, watch ESPN, eat my snacks ---- give eye and profile tests. I enjoyed the discussions. No big deal.
Fungo
We must have had the same scouts.
Posts: 10788 | Location: South Florida | Registered: July 28, 2003
Well, we are experiencing the home visits ourselves for the 1st time. So far we have had 7 visits and 1 team has to call back for an updated appt. It is amazing how much difference each scout had to say overall. We have received valuable information from each visit so far. Sometimes it is nice to receive confirmation from "Professional Scouts" things you have hinted or said to your prospective sons. Not that you need that confirmation but it is always nice to have the outsider looking in confirm what you have hinted all along. This will be a very busy "Senior" season. I am so exited for all of you having a "2007" graduate!
Posts: 75 | Location: DFW | Registered: July 18, 2005
let's face it.it is cool to have somebody you don't know.sit in your living room, and talk about your kid.i think it takes a couple before you even hear them.lol. just be yourself.
i'm a light eater,when it's light out i eat. Tommy John
Posts: 1615 | Location: new hampshire | Registered: March 25, 2003
As 20dad said it is "kinda cool" at first. We had a few in 04 and in general it was a great experience for all of us.
We asked a lot of questions about the draft process, college scholarship plan, minor league life, health insurance, etc. The scouts we met with were very informative about these things.
They were much less informative as the draft got closer. This is the business side of the process. They expected some definite answers from us about round money, etc. but were very, very, vague about where their club was positioning our son. We learned a valuable lesson about this end of the business.
In the end my son chose college. In his case it was the right decision. He's eligible for the 07 draft and is now better prepared to deal with scouts, questionnaires, medical forms, psych tests, and visits.
Enjoy and good luck.
Posts: 151 | Location: Ohio | Registered: January 20, 2003
ha, just enjoy it while is lasts and be truthful and if your a good talker open up with them,if not just be yourself and answer their questions. I had about 15 visits from scouts and they were all great experiences, senior year is crazy, just enjoy it, it goes fast!
Posts: 227 | Location: Panama City Beach,Florida | Registered: February 20, 2003
well for me it was easy, i pretty much knew i was gonna sign before the draft as many scouts were saying i was gonna be taken in the 2-5 round range so i knew if i was in that range i would sign. ended up going in the 4th round and signed for about 250K, plus 6600 a semester for college after baseball so it worked out pretty well, wasnt too hard of a decision for me, but as for advice as far as signing, you gotta kinda look at it like this, Chet Lemon gave me some advice at the all american game about signing, he said that if all you've ever envisioned yourself as is a pro baseball player and your committed to it, then go for it, but if you have other aspirations aside from baseball, go to college. For me it was never really a money issue, i probably would have signed for 100K out of high school, i have just never seen myself as doing anything else besides playing baseball, sure i have had 2 pretty bad seasons, but the way i look at it, i'm only supposed to be a sophmore in college this year....so chances are this year would have been my first year with any real playing time at a D1 so its all a learning experience, and i figure in the 3-4 years it would have taken me to get through with college i can be 3-4 years closer to the big leagues, so to me it was a win-win situation. So i guess my advice is, if your in it for the money, go to college, you wont last in the minors, if your in it for love of the game and thats all u can see yourself doing, go for it! Just remember, baseball is a game that can humble you real quick, one minute your on top of the world, the next minute its got you in a sleeper hold trying to make you tap out, that was the biggest thing i had to learn coming out of high school was how to be humble and learn. Anyways enough of my ranting for now, good luck in your upcoming high school seasons!
Posts: 227 | Location: Panama City Beach,Florida | Registered: February 20, 2003
Thank you very much for sharing your story with me. My Son can only envision Baseball, so we will see if his goals will be reached in the yext 2 years. He is an '08. Thank you again and all my best to you. Hope you have an outstanding season this next year.
Posts: 829 | Location: Sunshine State | Registered: January 03, 2006
but as for advice as far as signing, you gotta kinda look at it like this, Chet Lemon gave me some advice at the all american game about signing, he said that if all you've ever envisioned yourself as is a pro baseball player and your committed to it, then go for it, but if you have other aspirations aside from baseball, go to college
*********thanks for your post, and a sincere good luck in your quest. We will track you.
The quote from this fine young man as well as his whole entire text of the post is simply the most efficient reply I have heard regarding the "college vs. pro debate" we all get involved in. Be proud kid, you seem to have it all together.
Flash Baseball
Posts: 1495 | Location: OHIO | Registered: September 16, 2005
As far as being ready, i FELT ready both physically and mentally, but was i? not at all, its a BIG step from high school to pro ball, i mean i was playing on the biggest stages in high school ball against the best players but it doesnt even compare to pro ball and the challenge of playing and working out all day, even a lot of the college players that i play with arent even ready for it, its just a totally different world, regardless of if you come from high school or college its going to be a trial by fire of sorts just because of the challenge of playing everyday and learning the ropes of the minor leagues.
Posts: 227 | Location: Panama City Beach,Florida | Registered: February 20, 2003
This is off topic, but following up on AHSpitcher17 post. I think the biggest challenge for my son is being away from home for so long.He leaves for spring training about March 1st and gets home end of Oct. He is heading out after New Years for winter work out and will be home for a couple weeks in Feb. You better have burning desire to play pro ball because you don't play baseball, you live it 24/7.. your getting ready for a game,playing a game or traveling to a game .You work with baseball plyers,live with players,eat with players and socialize with players...not much else
Posts: 1177 | Location: NJ | Registered: December 30, 2002
AHSpitcher17, qoute: Regardless of if you come from high school or college its going to be a trial by fire of sorts just because of the challenge of playing everyday and learning the ropes of the minor leagues.
I suggest to anyone if you live close to a Minor League ballpark And would be willing to be a Host Family for minor league ballplayer's. It's an eye opener. We've hosted for the last couple year's. We had live in Advisor's. LOL EH
Posts: 2449 | Location: northern california | Registered: December 17, 2005
We experienced our first in-home visit yesterday by a very nice young man(scout).
He was very informative, and it was also a pleasure to just keep quiet and watch my son deal with the situation by being honest, open, and very mature.
You do learn that you never know when they are watching(following) the player until they tell you directly. This particular organization started their follow as soon as spring of the sophomore season, and as many as 6 scouts from the organization have seen him play, from the local level scout to the national level scouts, to date.
It was a nice experience.
Flash Baseball
Posts: 1495 | Location: OHIO | Registered: September 16, 2005
