@adbono posted:Thank you. I’m here all week. Try the veal and don’t forget to tip your waitress!
LOL.. I had the lasagna..
honestly though -this site should bookmark that post and highlight it for all the HS players /parents and future/current college players with unknown expectations.
An eye opener it has been and no truer words have been spoken(or written or whatever)...
the game has changed and keeps changing not that fluidly at times.
Adbono, fishnsail, TPM;
Game has not changed. Players need 4 of the 6 tools to succeed. Coaches need the experience to recognize the player's toolbox. Parents need the knowledge to prepare the young man at age 14 for his future College opportunity.
Question: why have a rooster of 40 when only 20 will play?
Bob
@Consultant posted:Adbono, fishnsail, TPM;
Game has not changed. Players need 4 of the 6 tools to succeed. Coaches need the experience to recognize the player's toolbox. Parents need the knowledge to prepare the young man at age 14 for his future College opportunity.
Bob,
Some may disagree but I get what you are saying.
@SomeBaseballDad posted:That's your prerogative.
The kid went as a two way. His freshman year the team had like 4-5 pitchers go down with injuries, so the staff pushed him into PO. I'm not going into detail but.. we picked this school based on the HC. The PC coach ended up being a problem. PO didn't work out, so sophomore year it was back to position player. Thing is he had lost a year seeing live pitching, so the start of the season he struggled and was benched. At the time he still had a very high level MLB scout working with him. In a conversation with him he stated that college coaches were under such pressure to win that they have no time to let a player dig himself out of a slump. To that point, if the team lost a couple, three, four games in a row the forums would fill up with "fire the coach/lets go a different direction" threads.
BTW, the first batter the kid faced right out of HS was Nick Madrigal.
Wanted to point out a correction here. In the original post it read "coaches were under such pressure they have time to let a player dig himself out of a slump". Changed it to read have no time.
@adbono posted:This is a great thread because it has evolved into firsthand stories of college experience. No two are the same and there is no blueprint. Just real life examples of what can happen.
OK, so here goes. The kid could have been drafted right out of HS, but like rounds 30-40. I was under no illusion that the kid would ever step foot on an MLB field, so I said no. I wanted him to have the college experience. The kid went as a two-way but pitching was an afterthought although he was pretty dam good at it. So, as I said his college team had some injuries. Now, here's some advice, be careful what you say, because in interviews prior to the season the kid said, "I'll do whatever I can to help". So when the HC asked him to do PO he threw that statement back in his face.
As to the scout, he became the director of scouting for an MLB team while going out of his was to help the kid find a new college after he refused to be a PO for a new coach and promptly being dismissed. The next year he had to have TJ and that was it. The guy never responded to a text or call from the kid again. He did a lot for the kid and for that I'll always be grateful, but the whole not returning a call thing.... that was disappointing.
@PABaseball posted:Big10 is definitely the weakest P5, but the conference has been really down since COVID hit. UCLA/USC will make it a stronger conference. I think traveling for the first month of the season hurts a lot of these schools. Playing higher RPI teams after having limited outdoor work is not a recipe for success. Usually by the end of the season the programs at the top turn the early season struggles around and typically make nice runs in the tournament - typically 2 in finals of regionals each year.
I also think there are a few teams that are better than their RPI (TCU, Tech, Iowa) but that is neither here nor there.
Big 12 baseball will be interesting. A year or two ago adding Houston, Cincy, and UCF would have been the best possible way to offset Texas and Oklahoma leaving. Houston has been an interesting team this year - some really good wins with an average record. UCF has been down since starting red hot. I hope they stay competitive heading into the Big 12, they have solid baseball.
We are top 25 RPI and 2-1 vs B10. Another mid-week B10 game then Vanderbilt next week. I understand both will not start their best pitchers but still a yardstick for our team. I'd assume we'll get our buts kicked as we are not deep pitching wise.
@SomeBaseballDad posted:We are top 25 RPI and 2-1 vs B10. Another mid-week B10 game then Vanderbilt next week. I understand both will not start their best pitchers but still a yardstick for our team. I'd assume we'll get our buts kicked as we are not deep pitching wise.
I don't think the conference is weak by any stretch - just not near the level of ACC or SEC top to bottom.
If your son is at the school I think he is - I think it's a very underrated program and they will fare well. Midweeks are usually higher scoring, uglier games anyway.
This is a great thread! I hope parents in this situation really pay attention to these experiences. Like someone mentioned on here, for the studs it usually turns out great in D1. The others not so much. Several in my son's class committed to OK State. Only one remains as a hitter, the rest went to the portal or dropped down to D2. One was drafted. One was at OK State and played very little and transferred to another D1 and was drafted b a mlb team. There are several pitchers from the area on the team, but most of OK State hitters are not from Oklahoma.
As far as development, I can speak for son's school (D2). Right now, this year there is no hitting coach. If a player goes in a slump he's on his own to figure it out. My son relies on his hs coach to help but he's in the middle of his season and has a large, young family and isnt available often. Last year we had a hitting coach and son had a big year power wise. That coach left and this year his power numbers are way down. I guess what I'm saying is that development is basically on their own. Ive offered mine to go to a hitting instructor locally but he has little time and I dont think he wants to see one on the outside, but idk why that is. Players that play for a school that has a good or great hitting/pitching coach should consider themselves very fortunate. It would be wonderful to have that extra pair of eyes available to help when things go south or just need a little tweak here and there.
Ed;
Does your son have access to game films? He can study his swings in 2 segments. Upper half {waist up to eyes] and lower half [waist down to feet]. One half could be the problem not the "whole".
Also use the full length mirror to practice his swing. The majority of "hitting" slumps are vision. Not tracking the pitch from release point to the catchers mitt. When your pitcher warms up in the bullpen stand next to the plate and "track" the ball.
Watch Juan Soto {Padres] when he tracks the pitch. Also his swing stays in the "strike path" longer than the majority of MLB hitters.
Bob
thanks Bob. I will share your thoughts with him.
Interesting comments from Dickie V. Same applies to college baseball.
@SomeBaseballDad posted:We are top 25 RPI and 2-1 vs B10. Another mid-week B10 game then Vanderbilt next week. I understand both will not start their best pitchers but still a yardstick for our team. I'd assume we'll get our buts kicked as we are not deep pitching wise.
OK, I need to stop posting after a day of watching baseball and drinking beer. I'll also add that I'm not a hugh baseball fan, so when the kid was out at the beginning of the season with a rib injury I wasn't following closely. We played Iowa the first game of the season. And we played Michigan St two games, all losses. Kid didn't play any of those games so that explains the L's. 
Also a win vs Illinois, so that makes us 3-4 vs B10 with a game vs Purdue tomorrow. After that it gets pretty tough for the next two weeks, with two weekend conference series vs good teams sandwiching a visit to Vandy.
SBD,
Indiana State plays a good non conference schedule. A few of the teams have players whose parents post here.
The baseball world is pretty small.
@TPM posted:SBD,
Indiana State plays a good non conference schedule. A few of the teams have players whose parents post here.
The baseball world is pretty small.
I was about to reply to PAbaseball and let him know for sure it's ISU. No reason to hide anything now, here at the end of it all. I'll miss the kid in that uniform, I think he fills it out well. We made a big mistake not coming here out of HS, but Nebraska offered 90% as a two way (the kid can really pitch, and the new HC offered to honor it as a PO, but the kid has always been "I love playing baseball, and pitchers don't play baseball" so he said no. Anyway, we were greedy I guess and went with the money.
A clip from a couple of weeks ago. Had another to RC caught a couple of feet from the fence, and another in left that was over the fence but the LF'er made a great play on it. Almost a 3 HR day. I can't tell you how many balls he's had caught on the track this year. A few feet from 15+ HR's, and that's after missing three weeks with an injury. Anyway, what's the old saying, that and 50 cents will get you a cup of coffee. That said, 401 to the fence. IDK how far the hitters eye sits behind the fence but the ball hits 2/3 of the way up it.
@SomeBaseballDad, posts after a day of drinking are some of the best ! Don’t stop now!!
In other recruiting news…….
Wait, what? That needs a new thread!
Knock yourself out.
@SomeBaseballDad posted:
Nice. That ball was absolutely jacked to CF.
@fenwaysouth posted:Nice. That ball was absolutely jacked to CF.
Good description. No doubter over the batters eye qualifies for those type of descriptions.
Here is the latest update on John. He has not seen the mound again since his one and only appearance this season. Word is that he is in the doghouse with his coaches. I suspect that something happened to put him there. But nobody is saying what that something is. I was scouting a potential recruit at a local HS game last week and, as luck would have it, I sat next to the VTool guy that is currently advising John’s parents. And we had an interesting conversation. Unlike a lot of people in his position, this guy has a solid baseball background (both as player & coach) and I liked him. Turns out he is giving good advice and John’s parents aren’t listening to him either. You can lead a horse to water but…….
@PitchingFan posted:I still say it is a dual problem. Which comes first chicken or the egg?
The coaches are afraid if the player does not start as a freshman they will not stay so why should I invest in a kid who probably won't be here next year. The player who doesn't start as a freshman thinks he will get cut so why invest the extra time to still not get to play. Both are hurting themselves and others. I think it is rare the coach who invests in the guy who won't help him until 2/3 years down the road and the player who stays with the program even though he may not start until his junior or senior
But wouldn’t the coaches want to get the younger or less experienced guys ready, in case of injuries to the starters? IMO, depth of roster is what wins championships.
For those still following John’s train wreck of a journey, here is the latest. And there is good news and bad news. The good news is that John has realized that, for whatever reason, he is no longer wanted at his current school and he will most certainly transfer. So he has a chance to get back on the right track. In theory. But John’s dad has hatched a master plan and that’s the bad news. You see John’s younger brother is a 4 star recruit as a HS wide receiver. He has over 20 D1 football offers. Dad wants both kids at the same school so he is trying to coordinate John’s transfer with the younger son’s football commitment. How is that for a plot twist? It’s not often that you see the same train wreck twice in one year but that’s where we are headed IMO.
Adbono;
Yes, the U of Colorado. Coach Sanders can coach baseball. Perfect fit.
Bob
@Consultant posted:Adbono;
Yes, the U of Colorado. Coach Sanders can coach baseball. Perfect fit.
Bob
Ha! Good call!
@adbono posted:For those still following John’s train wreck of a journey, here is the latest. And there is good news and bad news. The good news is that John has realized that, for whatever reason, he is no longer wanted at his current school and he will most certainly transfer. So he has a chance to get back on the right track. In theory. But John’s dad has hatched a master plan and that’s the bad news. You see John’s younger brother is a 4 star recruit as a HS wide receiver. He has over 20 D1 football offers. Dad wants both kids at the same school so he is trying to coordinate John’s transfer with the younger son’s football commitment. How is that for a plot twist? It’s not often that you see the same train wreck twice in one year but that’s where we are headed IMO.
How could anyone do something like that? Zero self awareness. If I’m one of the 20 D1 coaches, I’m running the other way, as fast as I can. I bet that guy is the type that would call the kids college coach if kids not playing
First I hope the OP doesn't mind me posting this here. Don't want to start a thread on the main board. Just an update on some things we talked about earlier.
So I had mentioned the kids team had some big games coming up. Two three game series against some tough Conference teams with a trip to Vanderbilt sandwiched in. Well the kids went 7-0 with a 10-1 win over Vanderbilt. I don't care how high your rank, walk 11 people and bad things might happen. So now in the top 10 RPI, and ranked in the top 25 in a couple different polls.
@RoadRunner posted:How could anyone do something like that? Zero self awareness. If I’m one of the 20 D1 coaches, I’m running the other way, as fast as I can. I bet that guy is the type that would call the kids college coach if kids not playing
Dad has stopped short of calling college coaches to complain. Barely. But he is no doubt hurting John’s chances of having a good college career.
@adbono posted:Dad has stopped short of calling college coaches to complain. Barely. But he is no doubt hurting John’s chances of having a good college career.
This is likely not a popular statement, but I also have sympathy for the dad in this story. All of us on this message board are fathers, and as a father, you want your children to accomplish their goals. I can't help but think of all of the effort, money, emotions etc... that these parents have invested in assisting John achieve his dream of playing baseball. And here they find themselves with a year of disappointment and frustration. This is a fear that I have. And maybe, I'm to far on the spectacle spectrum. But, I continue to hear and read about players getting recruited, arriving on campus, and then things completely turn sour. These scenarios ending in a kid looking for another school, and parents wondering where it all went wrong.
My son is a 2024 pitcher committed to a school in a one bid conference (So, low D1). I am constantly asking myself if we are going to find ourselves in John and his families position. Now, I have been watching the school that my son is committed to all year, and I believe that my son's ability are very comparable to the players that are seeing the pitching mound currently. This leads me to believe that he can find success and playing time there, but when I have conversations with dad's and they are sharing stories about how their sons were recruited, signed, enrolled, and by Thanksgiving of their Freshman season told they wouldn't be on the roster, it gets me thinking.
I heard an SEC head coach state last August at a camp that he was going to tell 10 players on their roster that they need to put their name in the transfer portal before Thanksgiving. We have also read stories on this message board of signing classes with 14 reporting in the Fall, and only 5 still on the roster in the spring. So, while we as parents always look with optimism and joy about our son's college baseball future, we have to remember that for a large number of us, much like John's family, there may be just as much heartache as there will be joy.
So, while John's dad may very well be a bumbling buffoon, I can't help but have sympathy for John and his family as they go through this experience.
@Ster, we would all do well to remember that baseball can be a cruel mistress. Sometimes you can do all the right things and still end up with unfair results. I spent 3 years developing John as a pitcher. So I know his dad decently well and he is no buffoon. But like soooo many parents, he over estimates his kids’ abilities. And won’t listen to anyone that doesn’t share his misperceptions. He means well but he is causing problems - not fixing them.
@adbono posted:@Ster, we would all do well to remember that baseball can be a cruel mistress. Sometimes you can do all the right things and still end up with unfair results. I spent 3 years developing John as a pitcher. So I know his dad decently well and he is no buffoon. But like soooo many parents, he over estimates his kids’ abilities. And won’t listen to anyone that doesn’t share his misperceptions. He means well but he is causing problems - not fixing them.
I'm not questioning your experience with this situation. I feel certain that you are probably right in your assessment. I agree with you that baseball "can be a cruel mistress". I just wonder if that mistress is a lot more crueler today than it use to be. The impression I am gathering from reading accounts, and talking to parents etc... is that coaches aren't showing a level of patients with players today than they have in years past. Maybe in years past John signs with a program, arrives on campus and has some control issues. Or his FB is topping at 88 instead of the 90/91 that they thought they were recruiting. Perhaps 5 years ago, that staff would have worked with John on his control. Or maybe, they would have had him in the weight room to help increase he velo? Whatever the issue, they would have invested time into helping a kid that they recruited, committed, and enrolled. Well, today it's too easy to cut your losses and get a transfer portal player or 24 year old grad transfer.
I just looked up a specific Power 5 school and in 2022 they had 13 players in the transfer portal and signed 6 players out of the transfer portal.
@Ster posted:I'm not questioning your experience with this situation. I feel certain that you are probably right in your assessment. I agree with you that baseball "can be a cruel mistress". I just wonder if that mistress is a lot more crueler today than it use to be. The impression I am gathering from reading accounts, and talking to parents etc... is that coaches aren't showing a level of patients with players today than they have in years past. Maybe in years past John signs with a program, arrives on campus and has some control issues. Or his FB is topping at 88 instead of the 90/91 that they thought they were recruiting. Perhaps 5 years ago, that staff would have worked with John on his control. Or maybe, they would have had him in the weight room to help increase he velo? Whatever the issue, they would have invested time into helping a kid that they recruited, committed, and enrolled. Well, today it's too easy to cut your losses and get a transfer portal player or 24 year old grad transfer.
I just looked up a specific Power 5 school and in 2022 they had 13 players in the transfer portal and signed 6 players out of the transfer portal.
The baseball journey has always been a difficult one. Most are filled with ups and downs and don’t end on our terms. My own experience fits that description and the same for both my sons that played. In that respect nothing has changed. I do agree that times are tougher now than ever before. But expectations are also more unrealistic than ever before. And the gap between the tough conditions and unrealistic expectations equals disappointment! I think by now most people understand why the conditions are tough for college baseball players. But the unrealistic expectations need to be talked about. People seem to expect a level of coaching and development that just doesn’t exist very many places. Only people that played college baseball, coach college baseball, or have a son that plays, played, coaches, or coached seem to understand this. And the advent of the transfer portal has made matters worse. There is no doubt about that. But when it comes to making decisions about your own son, people need to embrace the way things are right now instead of lamenting about how things should be.
Hi Ster.
@Ster posted:I'm not questioning your experience with this situation. I feel certain that you are probably right in your assessment. I agree with you that baseball "can be a cruel mistress". I just wonder if that mistress is a lot more crueler today than it use to be. The impression I am gathering from reading accounts, and talking to parents etc... is that coaches aren't showing a level of patients with players today than they have in years past. Maybe in years past John signs with a program, arrives on campus and has some control issues. Or his FB is topping at 88 instead of the 90/91 that they thought they were recruiting. Perhaps 5 years ago, that staff would have worked with John on his control. Or maybe, they would have had him in the weight room to help increase he velo? Whatever the issue, they would have invested time into helping a kid that they recruited, committed, and enrolled. Well, today it's too easy to cut your losses and get a transfer portal player or 24 year old grad transfer.
I just looked up a specific Power 5 school and in 2022 they had 13 players in the transfer portal and signed 6 players out of the transfer portal.
Ster .. you are 100% correct in your assessment.
most of all.. you are going into this (your son's college career) with your Eyes Wide Open..
I would guess 90% of incoming freshman and parents are not aware of much of what has been discussed on this thread which probably needs to be required reading by every single potential college player.
so credit is where credit is due.. you are going into this way ahead of the competition (whether the competition is his fallball,his teammates or the player vs himself)
a lot of what you wrote in the past 2 postings- our family and son has experienced all of it and over the past few years in multiple instances. .. hopefully except the father being a baffoon part(but maybe I am?)
I will have to say this strange journey has taken a lot of toll on my family. the small victories are few and far between and we have taken many lumps while often beseiged with adversities.. but the dream still lives...though sometimes it is on life support and needs resuscitation
Hasn't been easy... a lot of self reflection, a lot of $$$ and digging deep (for me) and even some for him too...
I would say just enjoy the time because it can be over soon as the time goes past: slowly ,slowly -then quickly...and it then it speeds up before maybe coming to a screeching halt or it takes another road..
good luck to your son. make sure he knows what he is getting into.
@fishnsail posted:I will have to say this strange journey has taken a lot of toll on my family. the small victories are few and far between and we have taken many lumps while often beseiged with adversities.. but the dream still lives...though sometimes it is on life support and needs resuscitation
Hasn't been easy... a lot of self reflection, a lot of $$$ and digging deep (for me) and even some for him too...
I would say just enjoy the time because it can be over soon as the time goes past: slowley ,slowely -then quickly...and it then it speeds up before maybe coming to a screeching halt or it takes another road..
good luck to your son. make sure he knows what he is getting into.
Very heart felt post. Thanks for sharing. Being a baseball player and parent of one, is just hard.
@adbono posted:The baseball journey has always been a difficult one. Most are filled with ups and downs and don’t end on our terms. My own experience fits that description and the same for both my sons that played. In that respect nothing has changed. I do agree that times are tougher now than ever before. But expectations are also more unrealistic than ever before. And the gap between the tough conditions and unrealistic expectations equals disappointment! I think by now most people understand why the conditions are tough for college baseball players. But the unrealistic expectations need to be talked about. People seem to expect a level of coaching and development that just doesn’t exist very many places. Only people that played college baseball, coach college baseball, or have a son that plays, played, coaches, or coached seem to understand this. And the advent of the transfer portal has made matters worse. There is no doubt about that. But when it comes to making decisions about your own son, people need to embrace the way things are right now instead of lamenting about how things should be.
All good points. Some thoughts of my own after following the ebbs and flows of this thread..
I am not sure the transfer portal is as much of an enemy as it seems to be. Colleges have always been able to recruit JUCO players and still do. Thus, when you are an incoming freshmen, you are not just competing with the remnants of last year's roster and other incoming freshmen, but recruited JUCO players, and now transfer portal guys. I think average players at P5/competitive schools "may" have more to fear from the portal. You may have been a starter last year but you could lose your job to an unknown, yet to be named portal guy. Of course, guys who did not play last year also will have to compete with portal guys.
The more I think about it, the villain here may be the decision they made to allow the extra year of eligibility for the COVID19 issue. That decision has hurt incoming freshmen for several years now. I don't think that was a good decision. Yes, the parents of Super Seniors are happy about this but, but... the ones who are/have been suffering are incoming freshmen buried behind guys who should be on to their life's work by now. If my understandings are correct, this extra year issue won't sort itself out until the 2025 incoming freshmen year.
Based on my experience, and long time membership here, the main way to develop is to be in the game. That is the way it was back then, and that is the way it is now in my lowly, humble opinion. I tell incoming freshmen all the time, you better be in the best shape of your life when you get to college. Train like you are going into the Marines and try to win any running/endurance drill they may have instore for you in the fall. That is one way to turn a coach's head that is not based on talent but desire. Secondly, what happens in fall scrimmages is where they make their decisions in the spring. You light it up hitting or pitching in the fall, you likely will receive a decent shot in the spring. In this thread, John got a spring shot and succeeded. None of us know why he did not get a follow up shot (e.g., injury, low velocity, attitude, etc.)
You've got to be ready for one shot, and one shot only in the spring. You get hit around in your first outing, your next shot may be awhile. You look clueless at the plate, your next shot may be next fall. One positive thing to keep in mind, is the original starters named in the spring do not all succeed as planned. Some struggle with the competition and injuries almost always happen. You have to be ready for one shot when such a situation occurs. When Lou Gehrig got his shot, Wally Pipp never got his job back. That is kind of the way baseball works. If you are not playing, you have to Wally Pipp someone out of the lineup and you may only get one shot to do that.
One thing an incoming freshmen may want to ask the coach directly, "Coach can you place me in a competitive summer league?" If he hem haws on that issue, that could be a red flag. Development happens when they play against live college players in the spring, summer, and/or fall.
@ClevelandDad posted:All good points. Some thoughts of my own after following the ebbs and flows of this thread..
I am not sure the transfer portal is as much of an enemy as it seems to be. Colleges have always been able to recruit JUCO players and still do. Thus, when you are an incoming freshmen, you are not just competing with the remnants of last year's roster and other incoming freshmen, but recruited JUCO players, and now transfer portal guys. I think average players at P5/competitive schools "may" have more to fear from the portal. You may have been a starter last year but you could lose your job to an unknown, yet to be named portal guy. Of course, guys who did not play last year also will have to compete with portal guys.
The more I think about it, the villain here may be the decision they made to allow the extra year of eligibility for the COVID19 issue. That decision has hurt incoming freshmen for several years now. I don't think that was a good decision. Yes, the parents of Super Seniors are happy about this but, but... the ones who are/have been suffering are incoming freshmen buried behind guys who should be on to their life's work by now. If my understandings are correct, this extra year issue won't sort itself out until the 2025 incoming freshmen year.
Based on my experience, and long time membership here, the main way to develop is to be in the game. That is the way it was back then, and that is the way it is now in my lowly, humble opinion. I tell incoming freshmen all the time, you better be in the best shape of your life when you get to college. Train like you are going into the Marines and try to win any running/endurance drill they may have instore for you in the fall. That is one way to turn a coach's head that is not based on talent but desire. Secondly, what happens in fall scrimmages is where they make their decisions in the spring. You light it up hitting or pitching in the fall, you likely will receive a decent shot in the spring. In this thread, John got a spring shot and succeeded. None of us know why he did not get a follow up shot (e.g., injury, low velocity, attitude, etc.)
You've got to be ready for one shot, and one shot only in the spring. You get hit around in your first outing, your next shot may be awhile. You look clueless at the plate, your next shot may be next fall. One positive thing to keep in mind, is the original starters named in the spring do not all succeed as planned. Some struggle with the competition and injuries almost always happen. You have to be ready for one shot when such a situation occurs. When Lou Gehrig got his shot, Wally Pipp never got his job back. That is kind of the way baseball works. If you are not playing, you have to Wally Pipp someone out of the lineup and you may only get one shot to do that.
One thing an incoming freshmen may want to ask the coach directly, "Coach can you place me in a competitive summer league?" If he hem haws on that issue, that could be a red flag. Development happens when they play against live college players in the spring, summer, and/or fall.
Super accurate across the board. Most kids don’t realize you have to be ready to compete in the Fall. Iron your stuff out before you get to school because one you hit campus it’s game on.
Separately, what was the last year that Covid could be considered a lost year for eligibility? 20-21 or 21-22?
CD;
Outstanding analysis.
"One thing an incoming freshmen may want to ask the coach directly, "Coach can you place me in a competitive summer league?" If he hem haws on that issue, that could be a red flag. Development happens when they play against live college players in the spring, summer, and/or fall."
Very true! Parents should consider this when player is 15 years old. it will prepare the young man for College baseball. Forget making the "All Stars" 16 and under team. "Learn & study the game, obtain quickness from players 2-3 years older.
Bob
I heard this once and it makes lots of sense.
A player during exit interview states that the coach took away his playing time that season. The coach tells him that it's not me that took away your playing time, it's the guy who worked harder than you in the fall to earn that playing time.
I think this generally sums up how things go in most programs. Its hard as a freshman to understand the expectations. It's hard for their parents also.
I think it's pretty wise to assume nothing is a given. If you don't work hard, you won't play as often as you feel you should.
I don't see the portal as an evil addition. When you have incoming freshman decide they are going to take the ML offer instead of coming on campus. Coach has to be prepared. The same when a player decides to take an offer when he said he was staying.
Everyone wants to play in the best school in the best conference. Please, please understand that it's not for everyone.
This is a story about a really talented player with pro potential in HS. He got a lot of offers from the big programs in Florida. But he wanted to go to a mid D1 program and play with his travel ball teammates. He had gone to this teams camp on several occassions over several years. So a strong relationship was developed.
So this player excelled in the game. I think everyone got nervous when the transfer rule without sitting was implemented. No way was he going to go to any P5.
He has a great story. This summer if you listen, this player from FAU will have his name called very early!
Go play where you will make a difference!
@TPM said, “Go play where you will make a difference.”
That is 100% spot on. All coaches want to recruit difference makers. Because those are the guys that will never come off the field. It’s as simple as that. As it relates to this thread, I will pose this question : Did John make a difference this year at his ranked D1 program? Absolutely not. They couldn’t care less about him. Would he have made a difference at Temple JC (where he initially committed) ? Absolutely he would have. He would have been one of their conference starters. John and his parents got caught up in John’s one year of great success in HS, over reached, and ended up drowning in a pool that he wasn’t ready for. And it’s easy to see how that can happen. But it can be very difficult to recover from.
Some brilliant thoughts here the last 24 hours of posts and thank you to all who have commented. We (my favorite player, my spouse, and me) have seen all parts of these things this season except a John (that we are aware of). Great thread. I have a lot to offer but will see how the next month shakes out.
Something that I do not think has been mentioned much is how injury at a key time of the year can set things on a different course. Another thing is how expectations of a team (players, coaches, and parents) can put a bunch of pressure that manifests itself in all sorts of unhealthy ways.
I spoke with a couple of dads the last couple of weeks of conference foes and have heard all sorts of things like:
"I don't think that there is development at any D1 school...development is on your own and coaches play whomever they think will help them win now."
"Our team is good but filled with all individuals all out for themselves. They have 1 freshman on the roster who has not seen the field and the rest of the team is JUCO kids and from the portal. The HC does not trust the PC and tells the PC who is starting the day of and occasionally the night before. Pitchers have no idea what is happening and are stressed out."
Back to hi-jack this thread again. Just keeping this to the people following this thread.
So another tidbit on the kid's team. Woot..
