Learn and excel at a different position. It will make him a valuable recruit if it is shown he is the best at several positions. Son experienced this first hand. In high school son played 3 different positions with accolades. A D1 college recruited him and he played a different position for the TEAM's benefit. Jr. year he was also at a different position. All 3 college years many accolades and ended up being selected in MLB draft, and now back at his ORIGINAL position from high school. Learning different positions won't hurt you as long as you have the talent.
I actually hadn't thought about my own kid with this until some others mentioned their sons' journeys. It was a different situation than PABASEBALL's, though, because the HS team was not good his freshman year. Even as a small lefty, he was rotated around as V catcher, 1B, pitcher and CF from freshman through junior years because the team wasn't deep enough for him to play CF all the time - too many leaks in those other spots and they just needed a baseball player to make baseball plays where the ball was touched the most. Over those years, the program gradually developed depth and he ended his senior year strictly in CF. They had completely turned the page and become very successful.
It was what the team needed at the time and did help him in a lot of ways, I think, down the road.
If your son can play SS, then there is no way in hell that he can't adjust and play 3B. For that matter, he should also be able to play OF. That's where most SS end in college, anyway. Just keep being useful, and hit the ball.
I don't want to get into my eldest's situation, but let's just say that I know of what I speak. Ironically, he might finally end up back at SS in his sophomore year in college. The last time he played a full year of SS was a Freshman in HS...I never got what they were doing with him in the interim.
I will say that around here it is very rare, if not unheard of, to have a Freshman play Varsity SS, unless it is on a small town team.
Relax, at 14 he doesn't have to play varsity yet. Just continue to get better and in a year or so he will play whether at ss or somewhere else if he can hit.
57special posted:If your son can play SS, then there is no way in hell that he can't adjust and play 3B. For that matter, he should also be able to play OF. That's where most SS end in college, anyway. Just keep being useful, and hit the ball.
I don't want to get into my eldest's situation, but let's just say that I know of what I speak. Ironically, he might finally end up back at SS in his sophomore year in college. The last time he played a full year of SS was a Freshman in HS...I never got what they were doing with him in the interim.
I will say that around here it is very rare, if not unheard of, to have a Freshman play Varsity SS, unless it is on a small town team.
I get the thought process behind that, and it makes sense. I'm sure he is capable of playing other positions, but having almost played exclusively SS his whole life, he is not at the level of the other starters for now, which is fine. Playing third for the first time in scrimmages, seeing live balls off bigger kids with beards isn't going to end well for now until he gets more reps under his belt. He will be fine, but he is not there yet.
Not a small town team, medium sized school, but I'm not exactly from a baseball hotbed. There are plenty of talented players in my area, but to find a team with 5+ college commits of any level would be rare and the cream of the crop. That is fairly common in other states. You can go to any HS game within a 2 hr drive and most likely find a freshman on the field probably 70% of the time.
PABaseball posted:57special posted:If your son can play SS, then there is no way in hell that he can't adjust and play 3B. For that matter, he should also be able to play OF. That's where most SS end in college, anyway. Just keep being useful, and hit the ball.
I don't want to get into my eldest's situation, but let's just say that I know of what I speak. Ironically, he might finally end up back at SS in his sophomore year in college. The last time he played a full year of SS was a Freshman in HS...I never got what they were doing with him in the interim.
I will say that around here it is very rare, if not unheard of, to have a Freshman play Varsity SS, unless it is on a small town team.
I get the thought process behind that, and it makes sense. I'm sure he is capable of playing other positions, but having almost played exclusively SS his whole life, he is not at the level of the other starters for now, which is fine. Playing third for the first time in scrimmages, seeing live balls off bigger kids with beards isn't going to end well for now until he gets more reps under his belt. He will be fine, but he is not there yet.
So he should play JV...
Dominik85 posted:Relax, at 14 he doesn't have to play varsity yet. Just continue to get better and in a year or so he will play whether at ss or somewhere else if he can hit.
I'm definitely relaxed, just posing a question to see if others have been in a similar situation as a coach or parent.
But I also don't subscribe to the wait your turn method. You're either better than the kid at your position or you're not. Kids don't think about leveling expectations, especially very competitive kids with goals bigger than making a team. They want to be around better players that elevate their game and they want to play in meaningful games.
If you take the - he's only a freshman - approach, it becomes the - he's only a sophomore approach. He's also a wrestler. Had to wrestle off the other guy at his weight for a starting spot, so that is where I'm sure it becomes a frustrating.
PABaseball posted:I get the thought process behind that, and it makes sense. I'm sure he is capable of playing other positions, but having almost played exclusively SS his whole life..
My son is still in the 7th grade and he has been primarily a SS/P in his young career but when we practice and when I coach his rec & travel teams I move him around the IF and OF. A few years ago he asked to try catcher and he gunned out 3 runners his first day behind the plate (he also had too many passed balls, but that's another story).
Last year I didn't coach him in travel but he told the coach he'd play anywhere and while he was still primarily a SS/P he played every other position during the course of the season including a lot of time at 1B. Not only did he love playing other positions, but also because we train at other positions he's confident when he's asked to play somewhere else. In the end, he'll be a better ballplayer for it no matter what position he ends up playing.
Try playing for a team that has 3 kids on varsity and one more on the way next year with the same last name as the head coach. Many kids have left the program over the past few years because of the belief that they were not getting a fair shot. Many of the others are unhappy now. It’s a really tough situation, coach’s family are not stand outs but are not terrible either. The problem is that the perception was not handled well. Now, so many kids have left that there is limited competition and of course, the family gets to play. The team has suffered, the players have suffered. Perception is a big thing. Is it even possible for a coach to be unbiased toward his kids???? I really dont think so anymore. I won’t go into specific details, but it has been handled poorly and what was a pretty decent program, is now declining rapidly, on and off the field.
There is plenty of blame to be shared, from coaches, parents, and players. It will have a negative effect on this program for numerous years.
Even if this were handled well, it’s a really tough situation. When it’s not handled well, it’s tough to watch.
wareagle posted:Try playing for a team that has 3 kids on varsity and one more on the way next year with the same last name as the head coach. Many kids have left the program over the past few years because of the belief that they were not getting a fair shot. Many of the others are unhappy now. It’s a really tough situation, coach’s family are not stand outs but are not terrible either. The problem is that the perception was not handled well. Now, so many kids have left that there is limited competition and of course, the family gets to play. The team has suffered, the players have suffered. Perception is a big thing. Is it even possible for a coach to be unbiased toward his kids???? I really dont think so anymore. I won’t go into specific details, but it has been handled poorly and what was a pretty decent program, is now declining rapidly, on and off the field.
There is plenty of blame to be shared, from coaches, parents, and players. It will have a negative effect on this program for numerous years.
Even if this were handled well, it’s a really tough situation. When it’s not handled well, it’s tough to watch.
Out of curiosity, assuming the coach is concerned with outside perception which in and of itself is a slippery slope, how do you handle something like this "well," and how do you handle it poorly?
Meaning if you were the coach with sons coming through, what would do in regard to outside perception?
And this is not a sarcastic response. I'm looking to educate myself as I haven't been through it and I my wind up there.
I don't think you ever win with a kid on the field even if they are the best player by all accounts, stats, eye test, and any other area. There are parents who will still think that you are being biased. My son was all-state his freshman and sophomore years and had a .000 era his sophomore year but we still heard it. Most parents knew he was one of the best his freshman year but there were still the ones who thought their player got jilted. As a parent and a coach you cannot win, even if you win.
Same situation at our school, but didn't involve my son. Coaches son was returning Senior SS. Very good Freshman, better hitter, better fielder, not close really, everyone could see it. It all worked out in the end, but not after some hurt feelings. Bottom line, after 5-6 games the Freshman was moved to SS where he played all 4 years. Coaches son stayed in the lineup, but changed positions. Coach absolutely did the right thing for the team, but to say there was hurt feelings would be an understatement. It's a tough position for a coach to be in. Do the right thing for the whole team, or keep family peace. I already had a tremendous amount of respect for coach prior, but it shot through the roof when he made the switch. It was the right thing to do for the best of the team. There are alot of coaches that don't have the huevos to make the move, or are blinded by loyalty when reality is slapping them repeatedly in the face.
Ironhorse
I am not sure that there is a really good way, but for starters there should be open and equal opportunities to earn positions. Right or wrong, I think a coach has to be tougher or at leat as tough on his own kids. He has to be open to ask and accept other coach’s opinions when it comes to his kids, and they have to feel as if they can be honest and express thier opinions. The coach has to be very conscious of how people’s and other players perceptions can affect the whole team and act accordingly.
Yes, there will always be nay sayers regardless. But, when you come out there with an attitude of “its my kids and my team, I can do whatever I want” It has a negative effect on the whole program. Compound that by several kids and a 7-8 year time span, you must take a hard look at where the program is headed. I promise you the younger kids and parents are watching and moving schools if don’t think they will be treated fairly.
How does he hit? Every coach is trying to get the best 9 hitters on the line up card. Secondary is how to get the best 9 players on the field. Were they play on the field is a lower priority.
FYI - Most STUD (P5 Prospect) freshman are not as good at the plate as average plus upperclassman.
Most rosters will have strong bats that are slow regulated to first and third. Speed up the middle, 4,6,8, and than the tweeners land in left and right...
real green posted:How does he hit? Every coach is trying to get the best 9 hitters on the line up card. Secondary is how to get the best 9 players on the field. Were they play on the field is a lower priority.
FYI - Most STUD (P5 Prospect) freshman are not as good at the plate as average plus upperclassman.
Most rosters will have strong bats that are slow regulated to first and third. Speed up the middle, 4,6,8, and than the tweeners land in left and right...
Small sample size, but he's hitting well in the scrimmages. No strikeouts against the older, faster pitching, which even I was surprised about considering he probably hasn't seen 80+ live more than a handful of times. He's killing the ball on JV, but given the level of competition, that isn't saying too much.
I completely agree with the stud freshman vs upperclassman bat. Hoping he'll start seeing more ABs so I can get a better idea of how well he's really seeing the ball. Season starts in about 10 days, they'll be facing one of the better pitching staffs in our area this weekend so I'd like to see how he holds up. This might be a weird and somewhat rare situation where the starting SS might be one of the weaker players on the team.
PABaseball posted:Dominik85 posted:Relax, at 14 he doesn't have to play varsity yet. Just continue to get better and in a year or so he will play whether at ss or somewhere else if he can hit.
I'm definitely relaxed, just posing a question to see if others have been in a similar situation as a coach or parent.
But I also don't subscribe to the wait your turn method. You're either better than the kid at your position or you're not. Kids don't think about leveling expectations, especially very competitive kids with goals bigger than making a team. They want to be around better players that elevate their game and they want to play in meaningful games.
If you take the - he's only a freshman - approach, it becomes the - he's only a sophomore approach. He's also a wrestler. Had to wrestle off the other guy at his weight for a starting spot, so that is where I'm sure it becomes a frustrating.
I can understand that but it is still a freshman. Most coaches only play the freshman if he is clearly superior to the older player. I mean isn't it better to get regular at bats in jv than one or two at bats per game in varsity?
The coach might just value his long term development higher than marginal wins now.
Im not saying he should wait until he is a senior but if he loses motivation because he doesn't start as a freshman maybe he doesn't love baseball as much. I mean I could understand it it is the same situation in a year or two but it is pretty normal for freshmen to wait a year and it probably is better for him to get regular of at bats than occasional varsity at bats.
My kid was the DH on the first game of the season. He was happy. He did the book...made me happy
he is the coaches son,........How many times do we hear this. this starts way before high school. that being said a high school coach whose son is on the team is in a no win situation His son could be the best player and the only reason he is playing is because he is the coaches son. If he dies not play or is subbed for the coach has to go home and eat dinner with him. I attended games in high school when my son played. after a game I decided to sit down the right field line away from the parents who did nothing but complain why their son was not playing or was hitting seventh or playing 3rd base instead of short.
My kid started Varsity as a freshman. She led the team in just about every offensive category. She went undefeated in the circle and threw a no hitter and perfect game. She was 1st team everything as a freshman. Members of the JV quit because she was starting on the varsity. You can't please everyone and the coach's kid isn't always a terrible player who only gets to start because dad is the coach.
I have no problem with putting a kid on the field that has earned it. My kid has not been affected by this at all. So no sour grapes here. The team has been affected greatly. When the kids can tell who the starters are gonna be before the first day of tryouts its obvious. The whole attitude of the team has been lazy, because they really don't think anything they do will matter anyway( quite possibly true). So the effect is that no one is playing well, so then it becomes even easier for the coach to justify his decisions. Either way, I just hate to see my oldest son's senior year end up this way. My younger son has already transferred across town for strictly social reasons (more friends there and academically the schools are comparable, so we always gave both our boys a choice). But if he were still there, and wanted to play baseball, I would be leery of the program at this point. This is really tough, because for several years, people tried to say this was going to happen, and I defended the coach and program whole heartedly, and I now I believe that I was wrong. And Yes, I tried to adress this before the season even started with the coaching staff.