How soon is too soon to approach the HC. Scenario, Soph. position player ended last season starting final 25+ games and did quite well. Fall no worse than anyone else for that matter and now finds himself getting less than 10 AB on the season. Should be his position to lose you would think. Coach very unapproachable for the most part. How soon is too soon?
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There's no such thing as a position to lose unless a player is a stud. Every year brings new recruits and a new challenge to holding a position. I've seen kids start for two years and be replaced in the lineup.
How is the kid playing in his place doing? The coach obviously saw something in the replacement player or he wouldn't have started him. I find it hard to believe that the coach just surprised the soph on opening day....I've got to think he knew leading up to it that it was happening....and probably has gotten at least some kind of reasoning as to why the change was made.
As a player, I would think the coach has established a protocol for approaching him about issues. As the player, I would suggest following it. That being said, I would approach coach, and ask what areas he feels I need to improve on.
Work hard.
Be better than the other guy.
And all's well.
If you're talking about the player - I think nearly any time is ok - 'cept maybe after a loss or bad day at the office. Conversation should be about, 'What do I need to do to get better?' and 'What can I do to get more PT?'
And then the player should go do it. Or do his best to do it.
If, by some chance, you're talking about a parent - then almost never. (For me, I think it would be never…or lets say its never happened yet through 2 college playing sons).
The college season is VERY young - there will be plenty of lineup changes between now and end of season.
I agree it was the wrong approach to assume it was his position to lose. My view coincides almost exactly with RJM...and justbaseball!!! Not only do most players have to earn their spot every year, more than a few of those are earning their spot game to game.
What about your son approaching his position coach and/or the hitting coach? The HC is making those playing time decisions for a reason. He might not be willing to discuss playing time at all with your son. He might however be willing to talk about what your son needs to do to get in the line up, or what he is not doing which is keeping him out of the lineup, but I still think the hitting or position coach would be the place to start, if your son truly is in the dark.
Since you asked, my two cents is not to approach the coach at all. He has already communicated to your son with the lineup card. Your son knows exactly what it will take to get back into the lineup. Hit and field better. Your son already has had 10 opportunities to communicate with the coach. Encourage him to use his production to communicate his desire for more playing time. Last year was last year. He needs to focus on those things under his control (his attitude and effort) and let everything else go that is out of his control (coaches decisions). There is no entitlement in this game no matter how well last year went.
Cleveland Dad.
I have a similar question but here are the facts with the situation
Son in his second year with a DII school as a pitcher. Saw 10 plus innings as a freshman with one start. Had an ERA of 2.47, (I do realize low inning s low era) but none the less did well.
When they returned this year in the fall the team had been loaded with pitchers from local Juco's and some Div I from all over. During the fall with the inter-squads and games that were played the coaches posted a performance chart of how well the pitchers did. Son was second with most K's and the second lowest ERA. His stats were better than the new guys. Now as a second year kid he knew that he knew bumping one of the starts from the previous season would be a tough road, but he knew he could be a long reliever if needed.
So as he entered this spring season things really took a turn for the worse. The pitchers that were brought in from other schools got immediate starts and the pitchers from previous years were pushed down the rotation into the relief in which pushed my son out of the rotation. I understand the hierarchy of senior players who have worked hard and made the cut and have earned the spots. In which we had one returning starter in the weekend start rotation, he was the best we had four year guy with the school.
Here we are 18 games into the season and the three pitchers that have made the start cannot get past the 2nd or 3rd innings before the original starters(from last year) come in and try and correct the situation.
The closer that was brought in has let four games get away from him with walks and hit batsmen. Losing conference games by walks and HBP seems a little silly to me.
So here is my question.
Son has approached the coaches and the head coach has even said he has done very well in situations with the JV team holding some top Juc's to no hits and no runs in some games that he has pitched to stay sharp. Has approached the coaches in order to get some sort of idea of where he stands and it seems there are no clear answers, but the was told the starters (new guys) were on short leashes and that they were being nipped at by hungry underclassmen that have worked hard and been with the program for two and three years. I have expressed to him to continue to work hard, play hard and stand tall and all things will happen for a reason. It's tough to continually try and keep him pumped up when he see's what is going on, but none the less he is staying on task and working hard.
So the shirt leash means what? Wait till the games are getting way out of hand and pull the starters?
Wait till it's to late in making up new rotations and consistently losing games because starters cannot get past the first three innings?
Closers that cannot close and give up 2 and 5 run leads?
Do you wait till the conference playoffs are totally out of reach.
I am just wondering what some coaches think?
I watched a conference game against a top rival and the coach for the other team just could not get a pitcher to overcome some bad pitching in one game. He went to the pen 8 times and did not WAIT until the damage was too far out of control.
seventhinning:
Look at the previous responses for your answer. Coaches play the best players -- or, put another way, coaches play the players in whom they have confidence. If your son is not pitching, he has not won the confidence of the coaches for whatever reason. He can talk to them all he wants, but he needs to be careful and judicious or else it could easily backfire on him. The best he can do is to work hard, remain positive and, especially, be prepared for whatever opportunities come his way. You never know when that will be, but I have seen plenty of players -- down on their situations -- fail because they either were not fully prepared for the chance or, perhaps, they just were not good enough.
The time to ask this question is at the end of the Fall or beginning/end of the Spring season not in the middle of the season.
Every situation is different due to the player, team, and coaching dynamics. I've observed it is wrong to presume coaches use logic in filling out their lineups. Some coaches put their lineup together based on stats. Some coaches play hunches. Some coaches play who's hot in practice. Some coaches play the kid who's dad is funding the AD or HC's salary. Some coaches put in experienced upperclassmen over inexperienced underclassmen. Some coaches play their favorites. Some coaches play to situations. The bottom line is you don't know what is going through their heads, and you can't control it.
Your son can control what he does and how he does it. If this really starts eating at him and affecting other aspects of his life (school work, think about quitting the team, etc) then maybe it is time to ask the coach what he needs to do to get more playing time. He needs to keep in mind that this has the potential to backfire on him. JMO.
This is a very simple question to answer...
How soon is too soon to speak to his professors about those C's that should be A's?
How soon is too soon to speak to his boss about the promotions he's been passed on?
Rich
The bottom line is you don't know what is going through their heads, and you can't control it.
And in my opinion you should never try. These coaches are playing for their livelihood. And no matter what you think they are going to play the best players they perceive will help them remain successful and keep their jobs. Their employment will end if they do not win.
I would never expect or put up with a coach questioning what I am doing in my job, so why would I ever question him? And how could he ever have any idea how to do my job?
Opportunities will arise for your son to perform during the season; it is baseball after all. He needs to perform when they do.
seventhinningstrecth - those things you list as concerns appear to be outside of your son's and your control. Worrying about those things will only detract from the task at hand. Life is unfair and especially baseball. Maybe the coach is going off the radar gun for the time being and not the stats. Maybe he is going to give the high velocity guys the long leash even though they can't hit the broad side of the barn for the time being.
The best thing you can do for your son is to encourage him. He cannot control what the coaches decide to do. He cannot control injustice. Leave these things to God. Encourage your son to be ready for one opportunity. That is all he can control. Also, as hard as it is, encourage him to root for those kids who are struggling in front of him. That kind of good vibe has away of turning around as a blessing for your son. Focus on attitude and effort and leave everything else go. Those are the keys to success at baseball.
I totally understand the desire to see your kid play or your son wanting to take the field. However, the only thing your son can control is his hard work and to display that at his 11th opportunity. If he's done all he could do and still not taking the field, maybe that's the wrong fit for him. Approaching the coach about playing time in a whining fashion is a no-go. However, if he approaches the coach with "coach, can you give me some constructive feedback to improve on", that will let him know what exactly he needs to improve.
Leave these things to God. Encourage your son to be ready for one opportunity.
Well said, and I appreciate the responses, and that is exactly what we are doing,
The cream will always rise to the top
Leave these things to God. Encourage your son to be ready for one opportunity.
Well said, and I appreciate the responses, and that is exactly what we are doing,
The cream will always rise to the top
I'll suggest tweaking this just a bit... "be ready for the NEXT opportunity". If there is the mindset that there will only be one opportunity, it can become extremely difficult for the player to perform. Along with "seize the moment" must come some realistic awareness that failure is an ever-present part of baseball.
The next time you watch a college game, take a look at the starters. Everyone of them was a stud at some point in their career. Now, take a look at the bench. Everyone of them was a stud at some point in their career. That starter had better understand that with the next recruiting class, the coach has done his best to recruit someone better than him. That's the facts. My daughter is a junior. They have recruited several players to take her position. She understands that if she does not produce they will take her spot. College coaching is tough. They work hard to do team bonding but then again, every player knows that every other player on that team is battling for 9 starting spots.
The next time you watch a college game, take a look at the starters. Everyone of them was a stud at some point in their career. Now, take a look at the bench. Everyone of them was a stud at some point in their career. That starter had better understand that with the next recruiting class, the coach has done his best to recruit someone better than him. That's the facts. My daughter is a junior. They have recruited several players to take her position. She understands that if she does not produce they will take her spot. College coaching is tough. They work hard to do team bonding but then again, every player knows that every other player on that team is battling for 9 starting spots.
Part of that is because of turnover. Coaches can't just assume that kids they bring in as freshman will be around for 4 (or even 3) years. Kids change schools all the time....baseball related or not. No coach can possibly bring in a kid and say "You'll start all 4 years and I won't recruit anyone else". Coaches are there to win. If you're the top player you'll play....but as CoachB said, it's the coaches job to bring in the best of the best every year. If a kid is starting this year...and the coach finds someone better to bring in next year he'd be crazy not to do it. Tough spot for both the kids and the coach, but when your job depends on winning, you've got to do what you can to make sure that happens.
