WEEKLY MOTIVATIONAL PIECE!

Greetings My Friend!

Late last week, I was fortunate to be able to spend some time in Kansas City with one of my Facebook baseball players and watch him win one of the Royals’ farm system player-of-the-year awards. The big league organization did it up first class! Flew in the player’s families. Hosted them for 48 hours and kept the players busy with some community activities as well as an autograph session at the ballpark and an on-field ceremony viewed by some 40,000-plus fans.

During this two-day trip, each player spent considerable time meeting the General Manager, Assistant GM, the Farm System Director and Chief Scout. Even though this was a trip to reward on-field achievement, there’s no doubt that the Royals spent time sizing up each prospect and formulated an opinion that will stay with them forever.

Fellas – file this next paragraph away. If you’re in high school meeting Major League Baseball scouts for the first time; in college and meeting big league talent evaluators frequently; or in a MLB farm system today – FIRST IMPRESSION SELLS!! Never forget the human element and how much you can up your NET WORTH by a simple handshake? The way you SMILE? How you SPEAK? The CONFIDENCE in your Voice? It needs to say “I AM A BIG LEAGUER” at all times!

Your social skills are also put on display simply by how you represent YOU on Facebook and other networking sites. You are a BRAND IMAGE in this day and age just like a business whether you’re signed to a professional baseball organization or not. How you write, what you say, what photos you permit to be seen (and situations you’re seen in) on social media sites can UP your WORTH or have you FREE FALL like playing the game Chutes & Ladder. Yes -- MLB Organizations do view your social media sites and frequently! Trust Me!!

For the players not yet drafted and reading this … 50% of your Draft Value is determined in that FIRST HANDSHAKE and meeting with you and a MLB Scout. In his mindset that quickly, the Scout is thinking: “do I invest in this person or not?" So wipe off those sweaty hands. Make eye contact always. Dress appropriately. Smile. Be sincere. Be prepared.

If you want a Major League Baseball organization to turn the key to their "vault" for you so to speak, you’ve got to convince them that you are a BIG LEAGUE PERSON as much as a prospect on the field!

All the best my friend! Continued success!

Jim Loria

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CRITERIA NICK SABAN USES WHEN RECRUITING ALABAMA COLLEGE FOOTBALL PROSPECTS: Player’s Character, Attitude and Intelligence and then specific position related factors (height, weight, speed among others)

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"Confidence is only born out of one thing – demonstrated ability. It is not born of anything else. You cannot dream up confidence. You cannot fabricate it. You cannot wish it. You have to accompany it” – stated by Bill Parcells, Legendary NFL Coach and ESPN Commentator

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“The most important quality I look for in a player is accountability. You’ve got to be accountable for who you are” – stated by Lenny Wilkins, Hall of Fame NBA Basketball Coach

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“Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want” – stated by Jim Rohn, Author and Motivational Speaker

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Jim Loria
E-Mail address: loria@sfstampede.com