Rankings--

[Gtrips07]

I would be willing to bet coach submissions are the main way they happen. DD’s coach asked me if I wanted him to submit her for next year and I told him to wait till she was in HS at least..

I have no information one way or the other on the pay part..

My main concern is what happens to a 13 YO kid mentally who is ranked 10 one year and drops to 30 the next?They are just kids and seemingly small things to us adults can seem like the end of the world to them… Hopefully their parents are grounded enough to help them handle it properly but who knows..

I think there's been a story how this has impacted a player and her development.

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[lostcreek1]

How many players make these list, that don’t play on a team that cost thousands of $$ per year to play on?

 

[Gtrips07]

How many players make these list, that don’t play on a team that cost thousands of $$ per year to play on?

That's a great question

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[angispeds]

How many players make these list, that don’t play on a team that cost thousands of $$ per year to play on?

How many players on local teams play enough competition to evaluate their talent? I’m sure there are a few but little Sally’s 500 batting average playing even local A ball likely wouldn’t stand up on the bigger stage. It’s a tough job and maybe shouldn’t be a thing for that reason. My kid is ranked has been since EI started. We have never paid anyone and we certainly aren’t known people in the travel ball world. Honestly after watching all of these years of high level travel and large school high school ball I know quite a few kids on this list and quite a few who’s parents think they should be on the list and the kids on the list are infinitely more athletic than the ones that aren’t on the list. Mine has been up and down on the list over the years and I remind her that the only ranking that matters came on 9/1 and will culminate in November. Then she’ll have to continue to earn it and prove it until her career comes to an end.


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[Vertigo]

Eh, I have known a few local players in the top 100 on that list over the past few years and they don‘t/didn’t even play for their org’s top team; therefore, are/were not playing on the big stages. I‘ll just continue to take the list with a grain of salt.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

Eh, I have known a few local players in the top 100 on that list over the past few years and they don‘t/didn’t even play for their org’s top team; therefore, are/were not playing on the big stages. I‘ll just continue to take the list with a grain of salt.

I agree. We had a girl my daughter played with who was ranked in the top 100 as a second year 14U player. She barely played her first year of 14U because her father, who was the coach, blew up his team after nearly having a fist fight with his assistant in the dugout.


The running local joke was how much he paid to have her ranked.

 

[Gambler Bob]

Eh, I have known a few local players in the top 100 on that list over the past few years and they don‘t/didn’t even play for their org’s top team; therefore, are/were not playing on the big stages. I‘ll just continue to take the list with a grain of salt.

I agree that the rankings are not very accurate in some cases. There was a girl on my daughter's team that was ranked a couple years ago, she played very little once we got into bracket play. She had 2 hits the entire fall season, we probably played about 50 games that fall. I would estimate she played in 30 of those games. They did not return to the team in the spring/summer season.

This was back when EIS would have 300-400 players ranked in the top 100.

 

[lostcreek1]

How many players on local teams play enough competition to evaluate their talent? I’m sure there are a few but little Sally’s 500 batting average playing even local A ball likely wouldn’t stand up on the bigger stage. It’s a tough job and maybe shouldn’t be a thing for that reason. My kid is ranked has been since EI started. We have never paid anyone and we certainly aren’t known people in the travel ball world. Honestly after watching all of these years of high level travel and large school high school ball I know quite a few kids on this list and quite a few who’s parents think they should be on the list and the kids on the list are infinitely more athletic than the ones that aren’t on the list. Mine has been up and down on the list over the years and I remind her that the only ranking that matters came on 9/1 and will culminate in November. Then she’ll have to continue to earn it and prove it until her career comes to an end.


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I’m not saying the girls on the list are not good softball players. I’m just saying, I would guess most of them come from families with more disposable income than the average kid. Of the major sports it seems money matters more in softball than any of the others.

 

[Tazman]

How many players make these list, that don’t play on a team that cost thousands of $$ per year to play on?

From what I've seen this can be the primary issue. Large organizations with good marketing engines tend to get a lot of looks and probably over representation in EIS. It's clear to me that some of these brand name teams submit many players while many (even top talent orgs) aren't even aware of these rankings. Just the process of seeking out the opinions of top organizations and colleges subjects the rankings to a bit of selection bias and group think. That said, it's impossible to get to perfect on something like this so I think you take it at face value as one of many data points (and I think EIS is reasonably humble about the imperfections). The reality is this same thing happens in college recruiting. Everyone has limited time and despite the advances in information availability rankings of any sort at this age are far from perfect, but better than nothing IMHO. If I were to make a suggestion it would be to proactively approach coaches of teams that finish top 10-20 in big tournaments with no players submitted. I think that could efficiently turn up quite a few diamonds in the semi rough.

 

[_MIA_]

OK you guys have convinced me. I found 5 dollars on the ground the other day. Going to send that to EIS along with my scouting report of my kid (arm needs improvement, prep step gets wonky at time, warning track power) and see if I cannot get my little darling ranked..I’ll report back.

PS: nobody tell DW I sent in the 5 dollars. I promised her I would buy her half a Starbucks drink with it