There was a large gathering of MLB scouts at the California All-Star Games this past weekend (Jan. 26-27), including no fewer than a dozen clubs that had a major draft decision maker in attendance.  When we say "decision maker" we mean someone that is a West Coast Crosschecker or above.  In addition to many West Coast Crosscheckers that were in attendance, there were a handful of National Crosscheckers and at least four Scouting Directors that attended this event. 

 

Clearly it behooves the top California seniors to participate in the CA All-Star Games, especially if they have interest in the upcoming draft and boosting their draft prospects.  Some of the seniors that were in this event will get big heat following them all spring; players like Nick Noonan, Brett Krill, Dan Duffy, Christian Colon, Victor Sanchez, Cole Cook.  This event was a chance for the scouts to see them all in one location, over one weekend, something that will not happen in the spring season.

 

Most seniors will not get a chance to play in front of that many MLB scouts all spring, and certainly not in front of that many draft decision makers at one time.  What that means is that the CA All-Star Games is, in many cases, the best opportunity for most seniors to establish themselves as prospects to be followed this spring.  Those that have pro aspirations and did not attend, they did not do themselves any favors.

 

Sometimes players do not attend an event like this because they just don't believe us when we tell them what kind of opportunity it presents them (professionally), especially if they show well.  The same thing occasionally occurs when we present the opportunity for players to perform at PG National or in Jupiter at the WWBA Championships. That is too bad for those players who pass on the opportunities, for one reason or another.  All we can do is try to impress on players and their parents what we know to be true.

 

Some players/parents just don't believe us when we tell them about the level of MLB scout coverage.  There are those that balk at the cost of an event, not understanding that the fee provides them an opportunity they likely will not have again.  Some players have high school coaches that prohibit the players from attending... for instance, there were a few kids that did not come to this event (though they wanted to) because their high school coach said that if they did attend, they would be removed from the high school team.  True.

 

Then there are players that signed up but simply did not attend and gave us no prior notice or explanation.  That reflects negatively on the player and leaves us, the event organizers, having to explain to scouts why a kid didn't show.  Then there are some advisors that tell their players not to go.  Why?  Well, maybe they are afraid that their player will not perform well and hurt whatever draft status they attained last summer and fall. 

 

In that vein but going the other direction, one advisor did a great job of contacting dozens of scouts to get them out to see his player pitch; LHP Dan Duffy from Cabrillo HS in Lompoc CA.  Duffy made some noise late in 2006 but there were many scouts that had not seen him yet, particularly the crosscheckers.  Well, long story short, we contacted the player and his advisor about the event (Duffy had not been in a prior PG event), hoping to have him there.  When he committed to coming (after the advisor explained the benefits) the advisor then contacted us, asked if his player could pitch first, and we said yes.  He got the word out to the MLB organizations, they showed up, and Duffy was lights out. 

 

Duffy will now enter the spring as one of the top California pitchers on the draft depth charts and will get every bit the attention as the top prep left handers from across the nation.  That is an advisor working for his player, working with PG and the scouts.  It all worked to the benefit of the player.

 

Hey, we understand that if a guy is not in shape to pitch and isn't likely to show well, that is one thing.  We don't want to see a kid physically hurt himself or his draft status if he is not in shape to perform.  But for the top prospects, particularly the position players and the pitchers that are in shape, getting out there and showing the desire to compete every chance they get to in front of draft decision makers speaks volumes about those players... even if they don't have the best showing.  Sometimes it is simply about competing and showing the desire to do so.

 

In any case, we had a great turn out of scouts and very good players and we are thankful to all of them for coming.  We did have one team made up entirely of underclassmen, including many of the very best '08 players in California.  Those players will return to the CA All-Star Games next year knowing the opportunity that the CA All-Star Games will provide to them.