Getting cheated out of playing time. what do i do

What kind of catchers gear should i get

Here we go again !!!! The same old excuses

To win the job show the coach you have earned it--work harder and realize that the other catcher may just be more talented than you

1. Work hard, plain and simple. Concentrate on your footwork/quickness and arm strength and throwing accuracy. Then work on learning to call a game well. And above all, make sure your bat sings. If you've got a great bat, you'll be in the line-up one way or another.

2. Anything is possible! Most coaches will put in the kid who will help him win the most games. If you can get runners out and call a good game, and hit well you will be a big threat.

3. Don't know..

4. Again, I think it's personal preference. My son likes All-star Pro series best of all the gear he has used. You'd probably need to order it online.

Good luck!

Are these the same people who grow up to complain about getting screwed out of job promotions?

Here's my advice for any situation: Learn to control all you can control. Learn how to deal with what you can't control. Remember only a Ford has ever been chairman of the board at Ford Motor Company.

iCatch, I think you're right, you are getting cheated out of playing time - by your own attitude in all liklihood. Get over "the other catcher is friends with the coach" attitude. Control what you can control, which is your effort on the field and in the classroom. Be the best you can be, and if that is good enough you'll get an opportunity somewhere. It may not be behind the plate, but if your team needs to have you in the lineup, you'll be in there.

The attitude of being the odd man out is a cancerous one, be careful of worrying too much about stuff you can't control and focus on what you can.

iCatch,
my son was a back up catcher as a Soph. in HS and kept working hard, not questioning the coaches or listening to the other players. By the time the regular season started he became the starting catcher over a senior who had started for two years mainly because of his hard work and keeping his opinions to himself. He went on to start for three years two of which he made all league. Always looking over his shoulder to make sure he worked harder than anyone else. I always told him "you are only as good as your next game and someone will always be better, it is your job to work hard to better yourself". Yes, I know, it sounds corny, but it's true and now he looks for the better player and brings his game up to the other player by working harder.
Don't listen to other people tell you how good you are, there is always someone better just around the corner.

And if you think it is tough in HS wait until you get to college---every season is an adventure---there are no locks

I don't really have the answer because we have lived and breathed Catching since age 5 in t-ball until age 16 as sophmore on JV. Started every game and hit in top 5 spots for 11 years. Starter and cleanup as a Freshman on a Texas 4A team. Moved to a small 2A school and had to play JV our Sophomore year because of transfer rules. The Senior catcher graduated, and our coach gave the position to his son, who is an underclassman. Now our dream of playing catcher at the next level is disappearing because our Senior year will be spent somewhere other than behind the plate. My son is 6'1" and 195 with a college rated pop-time of 2.0 - 2.1, his son is 5'8" and about 155 (don't know poptime) but arm is weaker. We have one year to get noticed. What do we do?

Can't you still go to showcases and workout as a catcher? Don't stop working hard.

quote:

We have one year to get noticed. What do we do?

Find yourself a good travel program that plays in some good tournaments.

I had a catcher that said to me "I'am just as good as him" I said "Well if your just as good it is my call, when your better than him it is no longer my call, you will start"

I feel your pain. For the last three years my son who is the best catcher has been utility. I told him growing up that if you can play several positions they will find a spot for you.

I also told my son that spring season is all about team and play where ever the coach puts you. The main purpose is to get on the field and play. Summer and fall he plays outside the school on a older compeitive team where those coaches give him the opportunity to split time at catching and pitching. We originally got all kinds of grief from the HS coach for playing outside the program. However, this other team played much better compeition including college teams.

I say hang in there and work hard and try another position.

Well I feel your pain,but dont feel that you are entitled to playing time as a freshman. That guy thats playing ahead of you may be seasoned,know the system,the pitchers,and has worked with the coach for a while.

I too,was cheated out of playing time. I once had 2 junior colleges come to watch me play,only to be benched because the coach couldnt care less. I was hitting .415 at the time. Work hard in the weight room,pass the eye test. Work on your speed,run plenty of sprints and stadiums. Long toss,come over the top when you throw. Play every day as if its your last,because one day it will be your last,and you will not enjoy that day.

Keep at it bud,baseball is a great game and youre fortunate to be playing with your friends every day. Come your senior year you will look back on baseball,regardless of the politics with the coach and players,and think how lucky you were to have spent time playing ball with your friends.

icatch,
I see you are a new member so let me apologize for the rough treatment you received on your first post and welcome you to the High School baseball web. There are things YOU can control and things you cannot control. Focus on those things you CAN control. The coach makes out the lineup so HE controls that. Focus on your work ethic, attitude, and hustle. SOMEDAY you will get you due rewards.

What catching gear? Just depends on how much money you or whoever buys the gear wants to spend. Quality pretty much parallels the amount of money spent no matter what the brand. I bought Rawlings for my son, his college used Louisville Slugger, and after he signed an equipment contract with All-Star and he says he likes the All-Star equipment the best.
Fungo

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
Here we go again !!!! The same old excuses

To win the job show the coach you have earned it--work harder and realize that the other catcher may just be more talented than you

Not always the case, I hit a homerun first pitch fastball after our leadoff guy got walked and i got taken out the game in the fourth inning. I am a senior and a sophmore went in to catch/take my spot in line up

GR4Y


Did you ask your coach why you were taken out?

quote:

Originally posted by GR4Y:

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
Here we go again !!!! The same old excuses

To win the job show the coach you have earned it--work harder and realize that the other catcher may just be more talented than you

Not always the case, I hit a homerun first pitch fastball after our leadoff guy got walked and i got taken out the game in the fourth inning. I am a senior and a sophmore went in to catch/take my spot in line up

Not saying that this is what happended to you, but swinging away after being signaled to bunt the runner over would have gotten me pulled from the lineup when I was a player.....

forget hitting the homer....missing the sign was the offense.....a bit of time on the pine would make me remeber the signs...

Yeah, i didn't miss a sign and the sign he gave me was the green light to hit away. Consdiering he pitched 4 straight balls.

You must be a h### of a hitter to be given the green light to swing away after 4 straight balls in high school...

Most of the time it is just sour grapes but it does happen. I've seen a solid senior sit behind a sophmore who hit .125 and couldn't make the throw to second when he was a soph. He did block balls quite well. A junior who had hit over .300 as a sophmore quit rather than dealing with the favoritism. The sophmore wasn't projectable but his mom was the team mom and he did have an older brother go through the program. The sad part is that IMO the kid might've been a decent hitter if he'd been allowed to play JV ball as a sophmore and hadn't had his confidence destroyed.

We have to retain some skepticism but we shouldn't assume that there's never favoritism keeping better players on the bench.

So what's the answer? You play hard and try to win the job despite favoritism by being so much better they can't take the job from you. If that isn't enough there's summer ball, etc. to show yourself to colleges and scouts.