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Reply to "A question about summer collegiate teams"

infielddad posted:
SomeBaseballDad posted:
Patrick Jones posted:

Several of our players are starting to drop. Lost three players in the last week due to homesick and injuries. This is the hardest part of the summer. Its starting to get hot outside and if players aren't playing or don't have good numbers they panic. 

I could only hope. We won a game 27-6 and some of the kids had 1-2 AB's and some had 5,6,7. Let see, get some kids some playing time or allow the local kids to pad their numbers..... decisions, decisions.

Now about my earlier post. Shouldn't have mentioned the kids injury. Was pointless and knee jerk. That said this thread was started looking for advice/experience not opinions as to my state of mind. I see all kinds of posts here that I my have an opinion as to subject matter or the OP. I tend to keep them to myself. 

Sour grapes? I guess, whatever. I was glad when the kid wasn't sent to a more competitive league. He doesn't need that, he needs reps. It was encouraging to receive a email from the GM stating how our players development was their number one priority and how seriously they took it. That was BS. 

Big mistake in perspective in my view.

Summer league baseball is about the team, competing and having success.  It is not about meeting any individual expectations of any player and especially a parent!

There is at least as much responsibility on the player as there is on the team when it comes to development, especially knowing those folks have been working so many days, weeks and months for players to show up and give 100% for about 60 days.

Thinking Summer teams are there to serve any individual need is not only a huge mistake, it borders on insulting to those who created an opportunity!!!

If winning is the main goal then maybe the email should have read "Your players development is important to us but we need to field a winning team blah, blah, blah. If that's the case it would seem you would coach accordingly.  Most teams, after a certain amount of losses, will try different lineups in hopes of finding a better combination. Not playing the same people loss after loss to last place in the league. Nor would they do things like down by 2 with 2 out and 2 on bottom 9th pull a kid hitting .400 from the on deck circle and replace him with one hitting .160. Is that how they play winning baseball where you come from? 

Back to the email. It could have read "your kids development is important to us. However  in an effort to increase revenue and keep the doors open we will give the majority of playing time to local talent in an effort to bring fans to the park".  I could understand that  I may not like it but I would have appreciated the honesty. Like I said, if this were 8U TB or LL it wouldn't have come as a surprise. Now I know so if it happens again it's on us. 

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