Here is one of the things which will hurt you with any pro baseball team, whether you go to a private workout or an open tryout. That is lying about your stats.
So many prospective players, or their family members or coaches, call the staff or coaches of a lower-level Minor League or independent baseball team and say the same thing:
- The pitcher consistently throws over 92 mph
- The 60 yard dash time is under 6.7 seconds
- The batter can hit for power and average
- Every player was an all-conference player in his conference and hit at least .350 for the season
The problem is that when verifying these supposed facts, the coaching staff and scouts notice that most of the players (or their coaches & family members) are not telling the truth. When talking about your playing stats or your arm strength/foot speed numbers please remember:
- be truthful
- have the stats you claim easily verified by objective stats websites
- have your foot speed, arm strength, hitting power and other mechanical numbers confirmed by sources which the TEAMS trust such as the Major League Scouting Bureau, a third-party tryout service endorsed by the league, or a scout trusted by the pro teams who is known for being objective
Why is this important? Remember that a private workout or an open baseball tryout is a job interview. In the real world, would you like someone lying to you about his or her background and skills? Neither do the teams!
Do whatever you can to be honest and then showcase your skills and raw athletic talent. The truth will come out sooner or later, so be honest. That honesty is indicative of professionalism and sets the foundation that you can be deemed trustworthy once you make the team.