@Buzzard05 posted:The number one thing is find a school that you would go to even if you weren't playing baseball...injuries happen, transfers happen...don't go to a school just to play baseball.
This is gospel to me but the end of the day, what is your kid's goal for college baseball?
@2022NYC posted:This is gospel to me but the end of the day, what is your kid's goal for college baseball?
Well, to be honest, for 99% of the college players (just making that number up)...the end of the baseball line is their senior year in college. So for those, I think they absolutely need to focus on the school and getting the degree that will position them for success after college. Now in conjunction with that decision should most certainly be the baseball program (will I play? do I fit in with the guys I meet? do I like the coach?, etc.) For those 1% that have actual potential for continuing after college, their choices might be different and based on exposure and what positions them for their best chance at pro ball (although education still has to be considered strongly).
My son has a good friend that he played with in HS. This kid was an average to slightly above average player and was getting recruited by two schools. One school he loved the campus but wasn't crazy about the coach. The second school he loved the coach and would have definitely played, but hated the campus. He and my son were talking and he was trying to figure out his choice and my son told him (maybe because I drilled it into him)..."Pick the school where you would go if you weren't playing baseball." The kid chose school number one (loved the campus). Sure enough, he gets there, gets a slight injury in the fall and misses most of the workouts and the coach cuts him in the spring....baseball done. However, he was as happy as he could be there and still absolutely loves it.
At the end of the day, it is the kid's decision and they often get enamored with just the baseball side of things. I think we as parents (at least 99% of us) have to be that "voice of reality" and really push them to where they will get the most out of that college AFTER their playing days are done.
@Buzzard05 posted:The number one thing is find a school that you would go to even if you weren't playing baseball...injuries happen, transfers happen...don't go to a school just to play baseball.
So if you are a baseball player, and you love baseball, the last thing you should do when considering a college is factor in the baseball program. Just assume the worst thing that could possibly happen that would preclude you from playing baseball will happen and then choose.
How about this. Given that almost all the people I know with a college degree are working at a job unrelated to that degree, consider the baseball program strongly. Because yes, that may very well be the last baseball you play.
You come to a baseball forum because you love baseball and want advice, and you're told the last thing you should think about is baseball.
The whole "woke" shit on this forum is really getting old.
Probably not popular but I agree. My son has been fortunate to play right away but no chance he stays where he is at if he gets hurt or wasn’t playing. He would have been elsewhere to finish school. He has his bachelor’s and will have his MBA when done playing next spring. He’s been fortunate and blessed but the baseball program was the number 1 and only reason he went where he did. It can work out that way too
Backstop Dad;
MBA Major?
Baseball competition has provide your son the foundation to succeed. Now is the "real" World.
Daily decisions and there is NO crystal ball, only experiences and maturity.
Stay safe!
Bob
Hi Bob. Emphasis in marketing I believe.
Thanks and stay safe as well.
@BackstopDad32 posted:Probably not popular but I agree. My son has been fortunate to play right away but no chance he stays where he is at if he gets hurt or wasn’t playing. He would have been elsewhere to finish school. He has his bachelor’s and will have his MBA when done playing next spring. He’s been fortunate and blessed but the baseball program was the number 1 and only reason he went where he did. It can work out that way too
I didn't like your reply because that's not the way things worked out for the kid. Things (PC) weren't a fit and he was given no choice but to transfer. So be it, he found somewhere else and now it's baseball 2.0. So no like because sometimes things don't go as planned and it's still OK. Good baseball program and offer the same degree. There is life after adversity.
Or teach your kid to take the safest road because something might go wrong and OMG.
Backstop.
MArketing a great Major. My MA was “Creative Social Marketing” with a Minor in Bill Veeck
Bob
@SomeBaseballDad posted:So if you are a baseball player, and you love baseball, the last thing you should do when considering a college is factor in the baseball program. Just assume the worst thing that could possibly happen that would preclude you from playing baseball will happen and then choose.
How about this. Given that almost all the people I know with a college degree are working at a job unrelated to that degree, consider the baseball program strongly. Because yes, that may very well be the last baseball you play.
You come to a baseball forum because you love baseball and want advice, and you're told the last thing you should think about is baseball.
The whole "woke" shit on this forum is really getting old.
Each person’s perspective might be based on the level they’re seeing the world. If a kid is a D3, at the right school and baseball isn’t working out, he’s done. It’s about being at the right school without baseball.
If my kid was at Johns Hopkins and couldn’t get on the field I wouldn’t recommend transferring. You don’t walk away from a HA D3.
If a kid is at a D1 and baseball isn’t working out there are a lot of options.
@SomeBaseballDad posted:So if you are a baseball player, and you love baseball, the last thing you should do when considering a college is factor in the baseball program. Just assume the worst thing that could possibly happen that would preclude you from playing baseball will happen and then choose.
How about this. Given that almost all the people I know with a college degree are working at a job unrelated to that degree, consider the baseball program strongly. Because yes, that may very well be the last baseball you play.
You come to a baseball forum because you love baseball and want advice, and you're told the last thing you should think about is baseball.
The whole "woke" shit on this forum is really getting old.
I don't know how woke it is, a lot of different people come here looking for different answers. I would say that advice applies more to cases where there is zero pro potential or zero money on the table. If I'm a D3 prospect, I would be choosing a school I could play baseball at and not a baseball program at a school I'd be fine with a degree from. In other words when you're completely comfortable walking away from baseball if things don't work out, those are cases where I'd put baseball in the backseat.
I knew a kid who took a 25% offer from a bad D1. Some injuries and a 12.00 ERA later and he wasn't asked back, transferred to a NESCAC. Can't say I wouldn't do the same if I could swing that tuition.
The advice applies when you know this is going to be your last stop. If everybody believed the go where you're happiest without baseball advice, there would never be an ounce of juco love on this board
That makes more sense to me. If baseball is over after this stop, yes, pick a school you like regardless. For my son and many of his friends, if they can’t play somewhere, they would transfer. My son told us that if he wasn’t playing baseball he probably wouldn’t have gone to college at all. That would have been a long discussion and was never really a possibility, but for most kids in his position, baseball is the number one factor. A close second was how cold it would be in February when baseball started
@SomeBaseballDad posted:So if you are a baseball player, and you love baseball, the last thing you should do when considering a college is factor in the baseball program. Just assume the worst thing that could possibly happen that would preclude you from playing baseball will happen and then choose.
How about this. Given that almost all the people I know with a college degree are working at a job unrelated to that degree, consider the baseball program strongly. Because yes, that may very well be the last baseball you play.
You come to a baseball forum because you love baseball and want advice, and you're told the last thing you should think about is baseball.
The whole "woke" shit on this forum is really getting old.
Hey, you don't have to agree with it sunshine...but that is how my son and I approached it and it worked out great. At some point you have to stop being your son's "buddy" and actually be a dad and provide a voice of reason. I am not paying 30K a year for travel baseball (which is what college ball is for most of our kids). I am paying 30K a year (private D3) for him to get an education and be prepared when he is done in four years...at this point in life, baseball is just icing on the cake....but that was our approach, it doesn't have to be yours.
This whole "everybody has to agree with me or they are wrong BS" is getting old in this country.
Soooo many kids get to college and do not play, do not play as much and fall victim to all the other things, injuries, grades, drinking, skipping classes, girls etc. My son went because of baseball and the coaches and the campus. He still doesnt have a degree as he was drafted. He does have plans to return and get undergrad and masters on school and MLB insurance dime. Who knows when that will happen. I know lots of kids who were studs where they came from and fell out of favor with the coach or were just beat out by better players and did not play. I would factor in whatever is important to your son and help with advice, at the end of the day...its his life and his choice.
Even if you think your kid is in that 1% that has a baseball career waiting after college, and he needs to make decisions about college with that in mind (and I agree that there are a very small few that need to do this to improve their draft chances), parents should still be their voice of reason and make sure they always have an eye on plan B. As hard as they will have to work at their college baseball, they should do everything they can not to neglect their education or pick a basket-weaving major that is completely worthless upon graduation. They should try to get as much as they can out of their classes. Because even among that very small few that should pick college just for baseball, most of them will not end up with a baseball career, much less a very long one.
I see plenty of 23-year-old guys around Georgia coaching 13u and 14u travel teams who made this mistake.
What's good for one player, may not be appropriate for another.
Some players choose a school so they can play baseball, some choose a school to help pay for their education, some choose a program because they think that it will help in the draft.
No reason to put down anyone's opinion, situation or their plan B if baseball doesn't work out.
Just make sure there is a plan B.
@LuckyCat posted:Even if you think your kid is in that 1% that has a baseball career waiting after college, and he needs to make decisions about college with that in mind (and I agree that there are a very small few that need to do this to improve their draft chances), parents should still be their voice of reason and make sure they always have an eye on plan B. As hard as they will have to work at their college baseball, they should do everything they can not to neglect their education or pick a basket-weaving major that is completely worthless upon graduation. They should try to get as much as they can out of their classes. Because even among that very small few that should pick college just for baseball, most of them will not end up with a baseball career, much less a very long one.
I see plenty of 23-year-old guys around Georgia coaching 13u and 14u travel teams who made this mistake.
^^^ that last sentence was harsh 
but more likely true
Is it fair to say that the 1% with more baseball to play after college would have had the option after HS as well. I know I know some kids bloom late, esp pitchers, and I'm not trying to crush someone's dreams. The way I read this thread is basically a warning to take a true look in the mirror and be realistic. Dream big and swing for the fences, just don't get caught up trying to catch lighting in bottle at the expense of drifting away from a better option.
ps. this comes from someone who is in the medical field and spent a long time putting himself through college to not have to worry about my next paycheck.
@ReluctantO'sFan posted:^^^ that last sentence was harsh
Is it fair to say that the 1% with more baseball to play after college would have had the option after HS as well. I know I know some kids bloom late, esp pitchers, and I'm not trying to crush someone's dreams. The way I read this thread is basically a warning to take a true look in the mirror and be realistic. Dream big and swing for the fences, just don't get caught up trying to catch lighting in bottle at the expense of drifting away from a better option.
ps. this comes from someone who is in the medical field and spent a long time putting himself through college to not have to worry about my next paycheck.
Yes, I agree. Those 1 percenter should dream big! They are the ones who just might make it. And work hard to make it so. But, they must not forget about the plan B. Take advantage of the college education and get the best education and degree you can while dreaming big and working hard at baseball. Then, if it turns out you have to hang up your cleats after your senior year (or after a year or three banging around in the minors), then you're ready to put plan B into action.
Putting all your eggs in the MLB's basket is a fools errand no matter who you are.
Speaking only for my child and talking softball and not baseball:
