Tagged With "development"
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Re: Player Development roadmap for my 2024 Grad Year son - sure could use some advice
I know it was big in 2009 in the Northeast, played most tournaments at Roebeth Beach, DE. Sports at the Beach. Made the transition to 60"' 90" a gradual steps, pitchers were able to move up.
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Re: Player Development roadmap for my 2024 Grad Year son - sure could use some advice
Should my son switch travel teams for a team that attends more nationally recognized tournaments? That's a great question... However, to give you a better answer, I would need more information. What part of the country do you in? In general there is no need to play the big national events until 16U unless a kid is displaying talents & measureables earlier that would make him recruitable . Should my son switch travel teams so he can play-up against his grad year peers? In general, I would...
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Re: Player Development roadmap for my 2024 Grad Year son - sure could use some advice
Thanks for all the great thoughtful responses, what a great forum to join! For some context ... we live in the SE PA not too far from Philadelphia and near the intersection of PA, DE and MD. I'm not at all worried about my son's transition to the big 60/90 field, his 7th grade school team played 60/90 last spring, and he did fine. We kept him in 12u this summer as we knew he would have a ton of fun (you are only 12 once). We recognized that playing up 13u summer travel would have been better...
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Re: Player Development roadmap for my 2024 Grad Year son - sure could use some advice
Re: Player Development roadmap for my 2024 Grad Year son - sure could use some advice
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Re: Player Development roadmap for my 2024 Grad Year son - sure could use some advice
Many of us were excited parents of a relatively skilled 12 yr old; I was two standard deviations on the really excited side. So, I merely give give a perspective of one who lived it. "to gage his ability against some nationally recognized 12u peers" This is the kool-aid served by organizations designed to suck money from families. Whatever a kid is at 12u is absolutely no indication of what he will be at 16, much less 18. Some kids will be 6' 160 lbs of undeveloped goo, some will be 4' 6"...
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Re: Player Development roadmap for my 2024 Grad Year son - sure could use some advice
Honestly, I think you've been given great advice by all above. Difficult to project "what ifs" for 2024 grad based on the information you've provided. Your best source of direction and information is to ask your son what he wants to do so he understands that the family is making this a priority and an investment in his future. If he truly wants to play at the highest levels possible (even at his age) there are going to be sacrifices made by him and the family. He needs to understand this is...
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Re: Player Development roadmap for my 2024 Grad Year son - sure could use some advice
1. Balance will be very much defined by you and your son and how you interact. I never pushed my son one way or another. He decided what to do based on his personal preferences and opportunities. He played baseball/basketball/football through middle school. When he hit high school he dropped everything but baseball. While he loved basketball he realized at his high school and with his ability he would not get playing time. At fall baseball as a freshman he was topping out low 80s. With the...
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Re: Player Development roadmap for my 2024 Grad Year son - sure could use some advice
This is one of the best posts I have read in a long time. There is so much good information that was touched on. Notice there was no mention of measurables, rankings, etc. Mention of focus on developing skills is spot on. Same for finding good coaches and instructors. Well done !
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Re: Player Development roadmap for my 2024 Grad Year son - sure could use some advice
I’m going to provide a point of reference with a team you are probably familiar as an example of how hard it is to look down the road. I’m sure you’re familiar with Tri State Arsenal. They're a powerhouse. We played them so many times from 13u to 16u I became friends with one of the dads. When our kids made their respective 17u teams he told me only four players from the 13u team were good enough to make the 17u team.
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Re: Player Development roadmap for my 2024 Grad Year son - sure could use some advice
Ours was just the opposite. Played on top 10 national team from 9-14 then joined two other top 10 national teams through high school. Played travel ball until high school and played 9 months out of the year, but he also played football and basketball. Son played all the big tournaments from 12U up through high school and lived at Lakepoint it seemed like. Started all three varsity sports all four years in high school and played all summer and full fall schedule. So as Goosegg says no one...
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Re: Pitcher Development in High School - Importance of Facing Good Hitting
Make the best academic choice for school. Make the best baseball choice for summer.
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Re: Pitcher Development in High School - Importance of Facing Good Hitting
I agree with RJM. For my son's development it was about off speed pitches. His junior and especially his senior year, he could just throw his fastball by most hitters. For the better hitters, he utilized his CB and slider as well (pitching coach called pitches). He probably threw 90% fastballs. What he never developed in HS was a change up. He worked on it some but never was called in HS because coach felt that a hitter who could not catch up with his fastball, the change up might be within...
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Re: Pitcher Development in High School - Importance of Facing Good Hitting
Thanks - my son's change up is probably his best pitch actually. His coaches love it. His curve is pretty strong but he continues to work at it.
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Re: Pitcher Development in High School - Importance of Facing Good Hitting
Around GA the general consensus is Summer Baseball is where you will find the FAR better competition. As a side note, older members on the board....if this player does switch schools how does he have a health talk with a coach before he plays for the guy? We have all heard the horror stories of a talented pitcher being overused on a team, especially on a weaker team than he typically plays on.
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Re: Pitcher Development in High School - Importance of Facing Good Hitting
Just to throw another log on the fire...consider how you are prepping him for the "social" aspects of college...It is vastly different than the cocoon of home schooling or even private schools. Academics is priority 1. I tend to agree, initially, with the select team coach...and...I also understand the value of a school team. Challenging decision.
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Re: Pitcher Development in High School - Importance of Facing Good Hitting
In 10 years he may or may not be using his pitching skills. In 10 years he will definitely be using his academic and social skills. There's a cart and there's a horse. You decide the order.
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Re: Pitcher Development in High School - Importance of Facing Good Hitting
FYI he is going to get a top quality academic environment regardless. He has been in a strong co-op and has excellent PSAT scores. His co-op is disbanding is the main issue of why we are looking at a university model private school.
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Re: Pitcher Development in High School - Importance of Facing Good Hitting
If he plays summer and fall travel, that should satisfy the "face good hitters" aspect. The HS team experience will be a good opportunity for him to be a good teammate and leader under sometimes-less-than-ideal circumstances. If he finds himself in spots where he and/or his team is dominating, he can work on locating various pitches with a guy in the box, being less concerned with the outcome. This said, if the level of play is ridiculously poor, then other baseball options may be worth...
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Re: Pitcher Development in High School - Importance of Facing Good Hitting
FWIW, we faced the decision of where to go to HS: large public with good baseball, exposure, many social opportunities but limited ability to sculpt a good academic path or a small private with awful baseball and insular social life, but small advanced classes and an administration which would develop academic curriculum on essentially an individual basis. S is a LHP and he chose (much to our relief) the private school option. I believe the lesser baseball competition did effect his...
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Re: Pitcher Development in High School - Importance of Facing Good Hitting
I have had 4 D1 pitchers come through my program in the last Decade. Education should be the driving factor.
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Re: Pitcher Development in High School - Importance of Facing Good Hitting
Jmho for position players competition is very important. For pitcher? Well hitting a spot with as much velocity as you can muster is the same no matter who's in the box. The only thing that helps is learning what to pitch to better hitters but hey don't coaches call all the pitches now a days anyway.
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Re: Pitcher Development in High School - Importance of Facing Good Hitting
Following up on the last post by SCOTT83 - Does anyone have some insight into the pros and cons of coaches calling pitches? I am interested in the various levels starting in high school or age equivalent (assuming that is when you truly start having multiple options). I have always heard that in MLB there is often a split between pitchers and catchers as to who "calls" the shots - not an ego thing but rather which player generally does a better job scouting the hitters while understanding...
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Re: Pitcher Development in High School - Importance of Facing Good Hitting
Iron sharpens Iron - That being said, i suspect "most" kids who are seeking D1 scholarships or access to playing on D1 college teams are in it for the baseball first. One, as the dream and continuing to chase it to the Milb or MLB and secondarily the challenge/competitiveness to succeed and impact your character, i would suspect less are taking critically difficult majors with post-graduate-baseball income as the primary focus. If yours is...kudos to you. I would be curious to understand the...
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Re: Quality 15U/16U Players wanted for Summer Team.
Its a shame you're in TX. I have 2 Lefty P/1B looking for a home this summer. Good luck with your search!
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Development of the 6 tools
I've often read about ranking the level of importance of the 6 tools depending on the position. How about ranking them by development? Rank the tools from the easiest for a player to develop to the tool that is hardest to develop. Do you think coaches look for players that were naturally gifted with the most difficult tool knowing the other tools can be more easily developed?
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Re: Development of the 6 tools
All of the tools can be developmentally improved. But some of them might be there to a point naturally. You can improve speed. But you can’t teach speed. Some kids have naturally quicker hands and feet (defense). Some kids are naturally stronger (power). Some kids naturally throw harder (arm strength). But if these skills can’t be refined into a baseball player their naturalness doesn’t matter. For example bad footwork and fundamentals-can undo the advantage of quickness. It doesn’t matter...
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Re: Development of the 6 tools
I’m going to chime in here, but I have a feeling my opinion may not be welcomed. I believe we’re all gifted with a genetic max capability on every attribute (baseball and non-baseball). I say gifted, in the sense that we don’t earn or deserve these abilities - we were born with both blessings and challenges. What I do believe is earned, is taking what we’ve been gifted, and working toward our individual physical, mental and emotional ceilings of maximum capability. For me, I think that...
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Re: Development of the 6 tools
@Momball11 , I think it not only depends on position, but also the player itself. When RipkenFanSon would go to third party showcases and events, a couple of coaches told him to strengthen a strength as one tool off the chart would get a player looks. To your last sentence, I think college coach's look for tools brought to the table and then look for what they think they can help develop. Son's RC knew son was fast, but as one of the Top infield coach's in the country RC was able to change...
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Re: Development of the 6 tools
"Rank the tools from the easiest for a player to develop to the tool that is hardest to develop." 1. Baseball IQ - you need zero athletic ability, skills or gifts to become an astute student of the game...if you are using the correct source materials and understanding them correctly. 2. Fielding - but with one condition, you have to be in the right position. Wade Boggs was never going to be a SS. That's why no one tried to position him at SS. He was a third baseman and inferior at it at...
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Re: Development of the 6 tools
Definitely no right or wrong answer. Also depends on what a player has naturally like what Ripkin Fan said. For my own son I'd say speed is the one that is the most difficult. I was a sprinter and form/technique can definitely be taught to improve speed. However, genetically some may not have been gifted with a lot of fast twitch muscles. Anyone can train to become an endurance runner, but you can't make just anyone into a sprinter. His second tool that he is developing is his arm...
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Re: Development of the 6 tools
Momball there are no tools "easy" to develop. 1. Hitting with power, very difficult requires special coaches and high level of competition. 2. Running can be improved with a track coach 3. Hitting can definitely be improved with self development 4. Be acquainted with the fungo bat 5. Throwing depends on the defensive position. 6. the 6th Tool: Study the game, self teach, observe the weather, the field, the opposition, the pitcher "warming up", your teammates, the umpires. "throw away the...
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Re: Development of the 6 tools
Asked the boy. In his opinion speed is the hardest to teach followed by hit tool. He thinks the rest are very dependent on the player. He initially said hit for power was the easiest to teach but then he walked it back a little.
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Re: Development of the 6 tools
You cant teach a donkey to be a race horse! Skills can be improved but the best of the best was born with a gift.
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Re: Development of the 6 tools
2023: recently finished the Tito Francona book "The Red Sox Years". The book ID the 6th tools on a daily basis which the GM Epstein and Tito utilized to win 2 World Series. When we sent our American team to Australia it included his son. Tito wanted to travel and Coach, however he was in discussions with the Red Sox to be their Manager. Observation and 6th sense are the assets of a SUCCESSFUL MANAGER! I always believed Joe Morgan would have made a good Manager. He and I had a discussion at...
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Re: Development of the 6 tools
Not much to add here, you can improve any of the 5 traditional baseball tools with good coaching and reps, but to get them to a point where a scout is going to care you have to be born with the potential--most human beings, regardless of training, will never be able to run a 6.4 second 60 or throw a baseball 90 mph or hit with 100 exit velo. The "6th" tool (hustle or attitude or baseball IQ, depending on you talk to) requires no talent whatsoever and can absolutely be improved by anyone who...
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D3 pitcher development
My son is a 2024 RHP who will likely be attending a HA D3 school (has offer, visiting in a few weeks) that seems to be a good fit both athletically and academically. What I am wondering about from the board is what others' experience has been with the continued development of pitchers at the D3 level. My son is a converted catcher who has only been pitching full time since last fall and needs to develop more in terms of command especially. FB velo isn't bad (currently sits 87-88, top 90) but...
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Re: D3 pitcher development
@fenwaysouth is right on point. I will add this…. The “norm” in all of college baseball is a lack of player development. A lot of programs give lip service to “how well they develop players” but few schools actually do it. They just claim credit when one of their players has a breakout season after working his ass off for 2 years on his own. The “norm” is what you will get unless you do your homework. There are some tremendous coaches in D3 and some of them are good at player development.
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Re: D3 pitcher development
gch4, Great question. I'm sure many will chime in with their experiences. My son considered D3 HAs as well as D1 HAs, and we found them both to be similar. It boils down to the philosophy of the pitching coach, access to strength and conditioning programs, and nutrition. My son was fortunate to pitch for a fantastic pitching coach that brought out the best in him, and didn't take a cookie cutter approach to his pitching staff. I would request that you meet with the pitching coach, and ask...
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Re: D3 pitcher development
I am sure the answers to this question will be all over the board….. Here is my two cents….. be ready to compete when you step on campus freshmen year. My son is a senior pitcher at a D3 and pitching development does not exist. Son has had to develop himself. Fortunately it has worked out and he has had a role since freshmen year. The PC has not taught him anything of significance. I know I probably sound bitter, but this was the best place for my son and we wouldn’t change a thing. He plays...
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Re: D3 pitcher development
A friends son pitched for a ranked HA D3. When he arrived there wasn’t any plan in place for off-season pitching and physical development. They didn’t have an in season arm preparation and maintainance program. He was a bright kid. He developed his own plan combining the best of the experts he researched. He put his plan in a booklet. By his junior year his booklet was the programs plan. Before then this ranked program just beat the game with numbers. He now runs his own baseball academy. Be...
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Re: D3 pitcher development
What adbono and NotMade said. Most PCs do work with players, refer them to outside training, work with them as much as is allowed under D3 practice rules, give them weights programs, etc. Definitely talk to the PC and HC about their philosophy: some might be opposed to programs like Driveline, for example, whereas some might be enthusiastic. Some might be more analytics-driven than others. It comes down to what your son prefers, and whether he feels comfortable working in the way that...
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Re: D3 pitcher development
Thanks to all who have weighed in so far. The PC has been the one recruiting him from day 1 and we will ask the questions suggested by those on the board at the upcoming visit. The PC is mid career, not early career, and is a pitching coach in the Cape Cod league in the summer where he has worked with a number of guys who have been drafted so seems like a pretty good situation but I guess we will see. Thanks again to everyone for the advice!
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Re: D3 pitcher development
This also means that the PC at a small D3 school is likely looking to move up, and perhaps quickly. The chance that such a coach will stay with a prospect for all 4 years is perhaps slim.
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Re: D3 pitcher development
At a top D1 with “one of the best pcs in the nation” they’re is virtually none. I think it must all depends on the coach. I think you only know by asking past/current players. Having successful pitchers doesn’t mean they were developed.
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Re: D3 pitcher development
Did your son should ask the PC for the program and talked to the other P on the team?
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Re: D3 pitcher development
Son went to a NESCAC school.... the team utilized "Driveline" and attended 3-4 week programs to refine their pitching skills, as well as strengthening hitting. It paid off for the individuals and team.
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Re: D3 pitcher development
gch4, Just to double click on something I mentioned earlier when I said..."Do your research ahead of time". When all was said and done, my son had 3 offers from 3 HAs (2 Ivys and 1 NESCAC) schools that he was seriously considering. Baseball was actually a minor factor, however it had a weight in his final decision. We had met a PC from one of these 3 schools at a UVA skills camp that was close to home. We looked at the historical performance (ERA) and health (injuries noted in pitchers bios)...