Another Summer Ball Question

Many summer leagues have players leaving early for various reasons. My thought is most team owners would see this as a problem.

My son's last year summer league team, in a very good league had most of the starting pitching as well as the middle of the lineup leave early for injuries, other commitments (or lack of commitment), or overuse problems. They were left with 11 position players/batters come the playoffs, and guys playing positions they hadn't played since their youth days in baseball. Hence they were bounced in 2 straight games in the playoffs; with a team that had set many offensive league records during the regular season. They were held to 11 hits in the 2 playoff games.

Not sure of the reaction that you may get by being upfront... Although if you are going to follow through with this, it would be the right thing to do. Be prepared to not have this looked on favorably. Maybe offering to get him back for the playoffs would help here.

IS YOUR SON A PITCHER?

Do you have "skype"?

If you was his coach or his teammate, what would be your reaction.

If he is pro prospect, what would the scouts think?

BOB

I can tell you the GM won't be happy...but if you tell them up front and they are okay with it, great. Most players leaving early don't give much notice.  By the end of the season, most players truly just want to go home, and teams know that, but a lot of hard work,effort, and money goes into a summer team and bailing early seems a bit discourteous.   

Playing in a decent summer collegiate league like the Prospect League usually means a kid has a chance at pro ball in the future.  Bum, Jr. pitched in the Prospect League after his freshman year then went to the well-respected Northwoods League.

Your son is signing a contract and making a commitment.  So are the two who are getting married.  Like Bob suggests, wire up with Skype.

Given that he is in college living in a different part of the country signing a formal contract, wouldn't it be his decision, and his responsibility to weigh the importance of each? Not to sound harsh...

Bum and JH;

Sometimes families do not understand the importance of the Summer Leagues and the communication network between pro scouts and the League officials.

You mentioned the Northwoods League.

The President of the Northwoods League is the son of a former ML relief pitcher and MSU graduate. We played in the Basin League with Bob Gibson, Ron Perranoski and others. The average franchise in the Northwoods League sell for $1 million.

Bob

The manager and owner of the Coastal Plain League affiliate I played for both provided me letters of recommendation for both the school I transferred to (to assist in securing me a roster spot) and the job I recently obtained, which will start upon graduation in May. While I can't say for sure that they wouldn't have volunteered to help me if I had cut the summer season short, I am confident in saying that my dedication to the team for the summer in which I participated helped assure their trust in me.

As hokieone stated, there is A LOT that goes into making a summer team and a summer league successful. 

I'm glad you're getting good advice here- maybe not what you wanted to hear but I agree that if your son signs a summerball contract he should honor it barring injury. If your son has a scholarship he does owe his college team his best effort in the summer. His college coach will not be ok (most likely) with him leaving near the end of the summer for a family wedding. This may impact the relationship the college coach has with the summerball team. The summer team does not want uncommitted players and knowing your son may leave early may not want your son. 

So talk to the summerball coach or GM and your college coach that places players in summerball leagues. They may seen as lack of commitment on your sons part. You wouldn't want to hurt his future playing time on his college team.

On the other hand, if he's a stud that is ranked nationally and a pre-season all American, he can probably do what ever he wants. Just be up front with the summerball team before signing a contract.

Just this past weekend I was talking with someone about a player who left his summer league team early last year.  There were some very damaged relationships from that departure.  Summer team got very upset with college coach (it was his player) and college coach got very upset with player.

Different situation from yours...but still, it is not unrelated and shows the undertones of all of this.  Think of it like this...would you pull him from the college season 5 days early to attend a wedding?  No.  How about a minor league season?  No way.

So why would you consider this?  Its really no different.

I was presented with an opportunity to 'invest' in a college summer league team a few years ago...become a part owner.  These things are not cheap (as pointed out above).  There is substantial investment not only by the owners, but by the local town folk who put on the games every night.

You can probably work it out so your son can leave, but you may never know the hard feelings you create about him behind the scenes.

Unless it was a brother or sister getting married...I probably would probably have him miss the wedding.

My son is playing in the Great Lakes league and just received an Information letter. They were pretty clear that a player would not be excused except for a family emergency. They did mention weddings and indicated that the players MAY be excused for those as well but they needed to know about the wedding ASAP and they had to be informed before the season started.

Son played in the Northwoods league this past summer.

My nephews wedding was in July.

He didn't go.

Well, that's why I asked the question right?  I said this was our first summer experience and needed the advice so thanks to those who offered it.

I did speak to the GM who was really nice and said the decision was ours but that they would prefer he stayed.  I agreed he would stay and he thanked me for being honest rather then dropping a bomb late in the game.  I think everyone can appreciate a true question.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

But JH, usually I agree with what you have to say but when the parent is still the bank roll, it's not as simple as living on his own equates to making all his decisions.  The decisions become his exclusively when he pays all his bills, his flights to summer ball, provides his own spending money etc.  I see this as me extending an awfully great opportunity for my son to grow and enjoy himself this summer.  When I was in college I worked full time in the summers to help my parents out and part time while in school.  He is not yet the boss,  until he is truly independent in all ways including financial. Until then, I would hope out of respect to me and the sacrifices I make for him, were I to let him know something was important to me, he would follow my lead.