August 1, 200521 yr Posted on Thu, Jun. 09, 2005 MIAMI-DADE Baseball players show off skills to college scouts At the Team USA-Miami Showcase last weekend, players, coaches and parents shared a common love for America's favorite pastime -- baseball. BY ELAINE AYO eayo@herald.com Last Sunday morning, about 40 eager high school and college baseball players gathered around coach Ralph Nicolas Sr. With half wearing red and the others donning blue, the players formed a circle as Nicolas told them what baseball and college could do for them. Then, after a short prayer, the group divided to work on skills. Rain already had canceled the practice game Saturday, and the second day of the two-day Team USA-Miami Showcase was under a similar threat. The twice yearly showcase connects high school and first-year college players with college coaches and recruiters. With the schedule for the day adjusted and readjusted as the weather changed, the question loomed: Would they get to play and show a natural talent for the game? ''You know how people are street smart? People are also baseball smart,'' said Cesar Ronda, who helped evaluate players. A former Team-USA participant himself, Ronda worked with the pitchers. ``A smart baseball player knows what he is going to do before the play even happens.'' Baseball smarts sometimes is a gift, and sometimes is learned from experience. ''It is just something I've been doing my whole life,'' said Danny Pacheco, 15, of Hialeah. He had been playing baseball for 12 years. He is also a rising junior who was just beginning his college search. ''Baseball isn't everything, [but] it is our dream,'' Ronda said. ``[Nicolas] wants to get kids into school so they can play their baseball and get their education.'' The players came from schools from all across Miami-Dade and Broward counties, and a few from as far as New York and the Dominican Republic. Standing in line waiting their turn to work with the showcase staff, the kids compared schools, fields and practice regimens. After an hour or so of instruction, the teams waited in the dugouts to see whether the weather would allow them to play. Their biggest fans sat in the stands: their families. Armed with umbrellas to brave the intermittent showers, parents watched as years of practices and games came together. ''To be good, they've got to make sacrifices and for a kid to do this, they've got to love it,'' said Pedro Ramis of Hialeah. His son, Derek, plays catcher and is going to be a senior next year. ''My son had a tough senior year and went below the radar, I wasn't familiar with the baseball way of doing things,'' said Carlos Garcia III, whose eldest son found a college to play with through the showcase and whose younger son is in the process of finding a school now. ``I got in touch [with Nicolas], saw a genuine interest. Now I promote him everywhere I can.'' Garcia's company, Port of Miami Terminal Operating Company at 1007 N. America Way, helped support the event with a donation.
August 1, 200521 yr Author I see no mention of Ben Harrison in that article. 883343[/snapback] you gotta do better than that kid.........
August 1, 200521 yr Did somebody mention Ben Harrison? Aah, I remember the days of trying to impress the college scouts. It worked too, I got a scholarship to play at UF!
August 1, 200521 yr The article doesn't say you're a scout. It just said you evaluated players. If it even was you. The searches for other players you scouted for turned up nothing. Don't forget the infamous "Me my last year at UF" picture.
August 1, 200521 yr Author That is my name......you can ask a veteran member here named Shaq-Man .......he's been to my shop a couple of times........also am now the south florida recruiter for Belmont Abbey College in N.C. ........Next season your going to see Albert Carmenates from St thomas, alex castillano from Coral Park, ryan ronda my cousin from Westminster Christian, and danny otero from FL. Memorial on there roster.....you can go ahead and call them at school and ask them who got them in there.....
August 1, 200521 yr So what team did you play for in the minors? Explain the lack of stats for your year at UF.
August 1, 200521 yr That is my name......you can ask a veteran member here named Shaq-Man .......he's been to my shop a couple of times........also am now the south florida recruiter for Belmont Abbey College in N.C. ........Next season your going to see Albert Carmenates from St thomas, alex castillano from Coral Park, ryan ronda my cousin from Westminster Christian, and danny otero from FL. Memorial on there roster.....you can go ahead and call them at school and ask them who got them in there..... 883372[/snapback] You still dont know how to capitalize or use grammar. Your application to the Rockies must have looked like a mess.
August 1, 200521 yr Author That is my name......you can ask a veteran member here named Shaq-Man .......he's been to my shop a couple of times........also am now the south florida recruiter for Belmont Abbey College in N.C. ........Next season your going to see Albert Carmenates from St thomas, alex castillano from Coral Park, ryan ronda my cousin from Westminster Christian, and danny otero from FL. Memorial on there roster.....you can go ahead and call them at school and ask them who got them in there..... 883372[/snapback] You still dont know how to capitalize or use grammar. Your application to the Rockies must have looked like a mess. 883400[/snapback] i just signed with a Big X
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