Does money donations effect who plays in travel ball

I guess daddyball can happen anywhere money is involved....

Or power....

Sounds like reality of life in general. However, it goes to show that if you have the tools, they will find you.

If that kids dad was not in the picture all the kids on that team would have lost out on the opportunity. Sometimes you have to take 1 step back in order to take 2 forward. It doesn't feel to good, but you have to make the best of it.

Rz

So true !!!

Folks life isnt always fair and that includes baseball---you learn to live with it

You will find that at times on daddyball select teams. You won't find it on the top tier select teams.

quote:

Originally posted by Texan:
You will find that at times on daddyball select teams. You won't find it on the top tier select teams.

Is there a difference between "daddyball" and being a coaches "favorite"? I think that even on top tier teams coaches may show a preference to one player over another regardless of ability. We have all sat at game at various levels and wondered why johnnie was playing over Billy. Sometimes it is "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and sometimes we say the coach needs glasses.

On the top tier teams, there isn't much difference between the talent levels of the players.

Texan,

But bottom line there is a difference in talent.

I know were on the same page with is but the conceptually "daddyball" is playing your own over someone who is better. This is where I think "Daddyball" sometimes gets a bad name. As you put it "there isn't much difference between the talent levels of the players", when that talent differential happens on a team with a father involved parents still call it "daddyball". When it happens on a different team it's called coaches preference.

In the Frank Martin scenario, maybe the team as a whole was better because of the switch in catchers and somewhere down the line a parent got miffed because their kid was second fiddle because this "stud" took his IF spot. Thus the "daddyball" label.

You're splitting hairs here, rz.

Daddyball puts a player who is a 6 (scale of 10) on the field because the player's dad sponsors with some big bucks.

Top tier select teams have a 9 on the field and an 8.9 on the bench. On any given day, either of the players might have a slightly better day than the other. And any two coaches might swap the ratings. Sure one is slightly better, no two players will always be exactly the same. But the difference is negligible.

I have seen little evidence of favoritism on the top tier select teams. Some at times, but not widespread or prevalent.

quote:

Originally posted by Texan:
You're splitting hairs here, rz.

Daddyball puts a player who is a 6 (scale of 10) on the field because the player's dad sponsors with some big bucks.

Texan, I agree completely with your definition. Some however might look at "daddyball" from a different perpective/definition and that's where I've always felt that moniker is easily attached when maybe not deserved.

quote:

Top tier select teams have a 9 on the field and an 8.9 on the bench. On any given day, either of the players might have a slightly better day than the other. And any two coaches might swap the ratings. Sure one is slightly better, no two players will always be exactly the same. But the difference is negligible.

Maybe I'm just "top Tier" ignorant and not understanding the difference between that and "Select Travel". Now if the dad of one of these Top Tier players was involved with the team I am pretty sure that the "Daddyball" label would be attached by someone, somewhere down the line. That is where that definition "floats".

You don't find dads coaching in the top tier select team.

Select travel covers a wide spectrum today. There are many dad coached teams that are select and travel. There are quite a few daddyball select teams that travel. There are select travel teams that aren't dad coached, but do show favoritism based on various factors.

Then there are the teams that are among the top in the nation. They have national reputations. These are the top tier clubs. Some states may not have even one of these teams. Other states (e.g., think Cali, Florida & Texas) may have eight or nine. They could care less about what a parent thinks regarding playing time or positions. A parent trying to influence such things will find their son no longer playing for the team.

You will often find that on these teams playing time is fairly even among all the players. They can win regardless of which nine are on the field.

Some prefer to call them "elite", though that term is pretty loosely used these days.

The initial basis for this thread is exactly why I DON'T want to coach my child. I'm sure that there are those even on our team that think my girl gets to play because I'm some so and so HS coach.

Do I believe that $$$ affects playing time. YES! Do I believe that "daddyball" affects who plays? YES! The trick then is to get your child into the best possible "fit." When that changes, then you need to change teams.

You bet money talks!

It talks at all levels whether it is HS, Travel ball or College, MONEY TALKS!

Just recently a fellow from "our neck of the woods" signed with a major college program (perennial top 25). While he has played well in HS he has by no means been "blue chip." Additionally, he has not played for any kind of travel or tournament team and has appeared at only a couple summer showcases (I saw him once and he got lit up like a X-Mass tree). He plays another sport in the fall and has for several years so I know that he has not made the fall showcase curcuit and his summer participation was limited by his commitment to the fall sport.

On top of this, when you visit the Colleges website and read the announcement regarding recruits, the stats and accomplishments have clearly been "exagerated." I don't know who is kidding who.

However, daddy has big $$$$. He is well know as a major contributor to education. I can talk about rumors as to why the kid ended up where he did, but that is a waste of time and mean spirited.

However, when you have A+B you usually get C.

You bet money talks!!