THE TRUTH ABOUT BASEBALL SHOWCASES Why Exposure Isn’t Your Baseball Player’s Biggest Problem
I’m just going to be blunt here. Showcases make sense for only about 15%–25% of all baseball athletes who actually attend them. The top 5%–15% of all players do not need a showcase. These athletes will be noticed and get attention regardless of where they live. Therefore, showcases are actually a waste of money for the very top performers. Exposure is not your athlete’s primary problem. Your athlete’s problem is a lack of ability/skill. Spend your time, effort, and money developing those instead of attending a showcase. Showcases can be a very valuable service for those select groups who truly need exposure. Showcases can also be valuable as a test to see where your athlete currently stands with regard to his peer group. Showcases can also be a good experience to be placed under pressure to perform in front of very large groups of people who are watching, assessing, and critiquing. On the negative side of Showcases, I commonly see three primary scenarios.
• You are a top prospect, and you keep attending Showcases. Often, scouts are enthralled by a player on first exposure, but as they see him more, they begin to find flaws. • You are not a top prospect, and you do not have a particularly good showing, and subsequently, they write you off as a non- prospect. It is more difficult to overcome the resistance of someone who is already convinced you do not have what it takes than it is to convince someone who is neutral. • You are not a top prospect, and you are told by the “expert” at the showcase that you simply don’t have what it takes, that you never will, and you need to choose another path. This can really break a person’s heart, which is far more damaging than the simple truth that he is currently behind the specific peer group. You must be very clear on the specific goal(s) of attending the showcase in the first place. If your goal is exposure, I’d counsel you to assess your athlete’s skill before you attend.
OUR NEW OFFICE IS FINALLY FINISHED!
WHEN THE 1994 STRIKE CANCELED THE WORLD SERIES This Month in Baseball History For generations of baseball fans, the season has always ended with a World Series champion celebrating on the field. But in 1994, a historic players’ strike that began on Aug. 12 led to the cancellation of the big event for the first time in 90 years, and the second in all of baseball history. The season kicked off with longstanding tensions between players and team owners over salary terms reaching a boiling point. The owners proposed a collective bargaining agreement, but the players’ union rejected the salary cap and the elimination of their rights to negotiate their pay. The players made good on their promise to strike and end the season, resulting in the cancellation of 921 games and the World Series, millions of dollars in losses for the league and the athletes, and heartbroken fans. The strike lasted until April 1, 1995, making it the longest labor strike in sports history.
Yes, you read that right. Our new office is complete!
The original Ranch office was the very first building constructed on the property, so it feels especially fitting that our new office was completed on the 20th anniversary of our purchase of the Ranch. Although the project took a little longer than expected, the finished space was well worth the wait. It is a wonderful new home for our staff and provides a warm, welcoming first impression for athletes, families, and visitors to The Ranch.
We can’t wait for you to come visit!
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