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9 replies

Advice desperately needed

S SpeedsDad10+ posts
I am looking for suggestions to help with a bad situation.

Long story short, my 2012 LHP son's team was playing in a highly recruited tourney this weekend. The week before the tourney his #1 choice school told him they were attending and asked when he was scheduled to pitch. His Coach told us the rotation and we forwarded it to the school. During the game due to the nature of the game the Coach did not use my son as planned. In fact in the bottom of the 6th he used my son as a pinch runner. When the inning was over, and as our team was taking the field for the 7th the Coach realized the school was there to see my son and he hadn't pitched yet. Instead of using the pitcher who had warmed up he had my son pitch. Needless to say he didn't perform well. He had trouble getting loose with no warm up etc. One pop up and then 2 walks representing the tying and winning runs. The Coach replaced my son with another pitcher in hope of saving the win.
I am not in any way shape or form blaming my son's Coach, it's clear he was trying to get my son exposure in front of his #1 choice and he truly cares about these kids and tries to help them every way he can.

Unfortunately, I am pretty certain my son's poor performance severely hurt his chances. We haven't heard anything from the school. I don't want to have him contact them and make excuses about his outing, but I hope they will give him another chance.

Any ideas?
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coach2709coach270910,000+ posts
Well I think this is the coaches fault. What was the priority of the tournament - win or showcase? If it was to showcase then he needs to stop worrying about winning and develop a plan to show the players so the colleges can see them. If it's to win then he shouldn't be using your son on the bases when he needs to be in the bullpen. Also, why did he put your son in without ANY bullpen time? I'm not the best coach in the world but I wouldn't have done any of this.

If the college coach is any good he will know that your son didn't get a chance to warm up. He's not going to hold that against him because it wasn't his fault he didn't perform well. That being said how was your son's velocity? That's what the college coach is worried about.

Have your son call / email the coach and ask if he can be seen again since it wasn't his best outing. Don't make excuses or anything just have him say it wasn't a good outing and would like to try something again.
S SpeedsDad10+ posts
I really don't want to place blame. Growing up my dad taught me "Spit Happens, deal with it." In a perfect world my son would have had sufficient warm up and thrown his best and then hope it was good enough, but it didn't. His Coach used him as a pinch runner because he is the fastest on the team and they were in the process of coming from behind late in the game. The main purpose of this team is to Showcase the kids, but obviously the deeper you get into these tourneys the more opportunity for the kids to be seen. So I don't want to blame a good Coach with his heart in the right place who made a simple mistake. Quite honestly, if my son wants to pitch at the next level he should learn how to get loose quicker anyway.

I do like the suggestion of having him call and say simply that he didn't have his best outing and would appreciate another chance.

Thanks for the advice.
TPMTPMHSBaseballweb Member since 2003
If what you state is true, have your son talk to his coach and ask him to call, he did mess up (not intentionally) without proper warmup, but I am sure the college coach, if he is smart, realized it.
Also speak to your son regarding not entering the game until properly warmed up.
JMO.
Last edited by TPM
JMoffJMoff1,000+ posts
I don't think colleges base their choices on one appearance. I would follow the other advice posted here and basically suggest this was, "a series of unfortunate events" and ask for another opportunity.

If they showed up once to watch your son, they'll probably show up a second time.

When my son's dream team showed up and watched son pitch batting practice in the first couple of innings, I asked their pitching coach, "Do you still want him?" he said, "Absolutely I like to see their reaction when they struggle some and your boy did well".

You never know what they're thinking until you ask.
Last edited by JMoff
MongoMongo10+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by cheapseats:
quote:
Originally posted by Mongo:
Get him to every tourny you can this summer with a top AAU team.


I am familiar with AAU basketball....not familiar with AAU baseball. Is that a regional organization?


It is...and there are some fantastik teams...look into it and plan on doing a little traveling this summer. You will enjoy it.
cheapseatscheapseats1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Mongo:

It is...and there are some fantastik teams...look into it and plan on doing a little traveling this summer. You will enjoy it.


Mongo, mine is past the travel ball age.... well, he is still traveling but it is with his college team and summer collegiate league team since he is a junior in college. Smile We did our fair share of traveling for baseball from age 10-18 but I don't recall hearing of AAU baseball (AAU basketball is very big here in Texas). I just wondered if it was new or if it was regional, it does not have a visible presence in my area.
Last edited by cheapseats

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