Showcase concerns

Come on, don't be naive. If a new team shows up and happens to have an elite young player, there is an excellent chance that player is going to find his way to a better showcase team.

 

Because they get recruited away.

 

While there will always be some loss of players due to a myriad of reasons including the one mentioned bu BaseballMan. I believe most players enjoy playing with their teammates and prefer to stay. What causes exodus is if a team is poorly coached, poorly organized or teammates that don't share the same commitment. But kids, in general, tend to be loyal.

 

Well said Braves! I agree 100% on this one. I know Moose and his Devils team is made up of mostly guys from the National Champion AAU Mooresville Racers team from a few years ago. These boys (the core) have played together for years and with Moose directing them, not only will they be well coached, fun will be had by all!

 

Most players and their families are looking for good competition, qualified instruction, strong organization, serious effort (no goof-off teammates) and a fair opportunity. It's a hard mix to find for many and that is one reason so many players bounce around. The "over-sold program" cycle is: the promise, then the falling short of the promise, then the unsatisfactory result, then the search for a new team. There are also cycles for the "over-sold player" and for the "expense vs. return analysts". The "over-sold player" never works as hard as he did during the tryout, yet he and Dad thinks he is D1 material, but they will need to find another team to foist their pipe dream upon. The analyst will weigh the gasoline, hotel and food bills against their son's 3 innings on the mound at a run down high school field where the only ones scouting were the Dads checking out some of women in attendance. When the cost analysis works out poorly then they will look for a better fit (less $$). So there will always be more turnover than stability, because most are chasing a goal or a dream and they are impatient if their current situation doesn't align with their vision.

 

Oh so real

I see you found he HAMMER to hit the nail on the head. Nice job.

 

Not many fall in that category.

I was involved with Showcase intially. There were only 4 teams in the state that were full time:

- On Deck
- Megastars
- Red Sox Scout Team
- Impact Baseball, in the fall only
- Uhwarrie Anglers

That was it. You had to be invited to join; there were no tryouts. There were not problems with players shifting teams. Now, with Showcase exploding with so many new teams, it's not surprising that it follows the same problems that travel ball baseball faced. "If you've got the money, your on the team"

 

Forget me not

How quickly we forget: Stretchlon Stars

 

Were you guys doing Showcase ball in 2002-03? I'm sorry that I don't remember

 

I think the Showcase concept is getting rapidly diluted as per your comment "If you've got the money, your on the team". Many of the teams are just USSSA grade teams and their play shows it. It is disappointing to draw one of those teams and play through till the run rule kicks in. The real showcase teams are well known, but even the Perfect Game events and others are growing in size by adding teams ($$) who are out of their league competitively. This will ultimately give rise to more invitation-only events where the playing field is more level for the benefit of all involved. There will always be teams that are stronger than others, but competitive balance is important.