INSTRUCTOR LIES?--- Please Read!!

Without knowing your talent level there is no way to answer your question. It sounds like you don't trust him, and that is less than an ideal situation. But let me ask you a few questions that might help you.

Is he a good hitting instructor? Do you feel you are seeing improvement taking lessons from him. That should be your first concern.

What is your basic goal with these lessons? To improve your hitting NOW - or to help you make it to the pros?

Now the most important question - would you return to him for lessons if he never suggested to you that you have a chance to go pro?

I hope that helps

There are many different types of “coaches” and your hitting instructor is a coach. Most coaches motivate and push their players to get better. One of the ways they do this is to describe a goal that you can reach if you WORK toward that goal. More than likely he is impressed with your talent. He may be “pumping” you up a little more than he should so don’t rule out a college education and the possibility of having to get a “real job” after college. Just to make conversation, you might ask some of his other students that are about your same age and see what he’s telling them? Being a MLB hitting coach I’m sure he knows hitting and you’re fortunate to have someone of that caliber to teach you hitting. Best of luck in your baseball.
Fungo

quote:

Originally posted by Fungo:
...Being a MLB hitting coach I’m sure he knows hitting ...

How are you sure?

Linear, not a personal attack here, but... dont be stupid, hes a MLB hitting coach. Thats why he does that, because he knows what hes doing.

.

NC Flamethrower...

Have taught youth sports professionally for 30 years, when I see extrodinary physical talent and a future in a young player I get very excited. And I say so.

But, pure physical talent is only on part of a complex puzzle. There is a great deal of hard work and luck and breaks and good decisions that will have to happen to make a future. And as Fungo says....this does not mean that plan B and plan C shouldn't be put into place. The comments are to be used as a nice motivator... now get over it and go back to work.

Stay with the same instructor?...Agree with APParent....

quote:

Is he a good hitting instructor? Do you feel you are seeing improvement taking lessons from him. That should be your first concern.

What is your basic goal with these lessons? To improve your hitting NOW - or to help you make it to the pros?

Now the most important question - would you return to him for lessons if he never suggested to you that you have a chance to go pro?

These are the REAL questions...Good luck and keep working as hard as you can...let the future fall where it may, you take care of today...

I wouldnt be concerned either way with him making that comment. Maybe he just thinks you are very talented and he wants you to work hard towards a goal. If you feel that the instruction he is giving you is helping you then thats all that matters. Good Luck this season.

quote:

dont be stupid, hes a MLB hitting coach. Thats why he does that, because he knows what hes doing.

NC Flamethrower,
Let me give you a piece of advice. Life is full of meaningless distractions. You have to learn to ignore these. You have to stay focused on your goal. Stopping to engage the absurd is a waste of time and will only hinder your progress. Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.

Best of luck.
Fungo

quote:

Originally posted by NC Flamethrower:
I go to a hitting instructor with strong ties to the major leagues(hitting coach). He tells me on almost every visit that I have a good chance to go pro. Im only a freshman in high school, so how could he know? Is he just telling me this so I'll come back, and give him more money? Thanks in advance for the advice.

***********************************************

Well, let's see...how would this sound.

Now young man, I don't see a future in baseball for you, but you keep working and hoping and maybe after you listen to my instruction you "might" have a chance at the next level.

After you listen to that a few times you'd be wondering why you pay the guy too...but for the wrong reasons.

[quote]Let me give you a piece of advice. Life is full of meaningless distractions. You have to learn to ignore these. You have to stay focused on your goal. Stopping to engage the absurd is a waste of time and will only hinder your progress. Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.


Fungo:
That is the best advice I've read in a long time. Do you mind if I steal it? I'm going to hang it up on my refrigerator for all my children to study. And send it to my freshman son.......Actually, this makes for some good New Year Resolutions. Thank you!

it takes all kinds. Telling a 14 year old kid he has a good chance of going pro is off the wall no matter who says it. I have worked camps and yes have given instruction at baseball facilities and you do what you can to encourage kids but you use common sense.

NC....

Work hard and good things will happen.

Be happy that you have someone helping you that is also "encouraging" you to dream big dreams.

quote:

I have a good chance to go pro.

Maybe "go pro" means being a snake-oil baseball con like him one day.

NCFlamethrower, you're an incoming freshman who hasn't played a day of HS baseball.

His statement seems ridiculous UNLESS you:

1) Already are 6' 2" and are heading to 6' 6"
2) Have the ability to hit 350 feet at will
3) Are unphased by the pitching of the varsity kids you surely hang with.
4) Have parents who both played sports at the highest level.

Now, if you're name is Alomar, Bonds, Molina, Alou or such... that's another story.

NCFlamethrower

Take it a game at a time. Give the coaches forecast the same weight of those who say you have no chance.

My son was told the same thing when he was a Freshman. He went to a showcase and they rated him an "above average HS player". Maybe he had a bad day, maybe not. But, with that experience and rating he recieved through the mail, it made him more determined to work on his game.

Go with Fungo's advice, play ball, work hard on your game, and see what happens.

Fungo, thats good advice. Micdsguy: Im 5-8, and CAN hit the ball 350 feet at will. Don't know if that helps.

Flamethrower, you would be better off answering Linear's question.....Oh, and with a real answer, not a BS answer......

NC...LOLOLOLOLOL...My son is a 5'9" freshman, too. He has some skills.

To suggest, as a 5'8" freshman baseball player, that you can hit the ball 350 feet "at will"; and, being from a smallish town in North Carolina that most people in the US have never heard of, affects your credibility.

Be grateful that the coach has noticed you; that he has encouraged you into believing that you have a bright baseball future.

Don't be suspicious of his motivations/methodology. Be grateful that your parents can afford lessons; that he is around and encourages you; and, your "head" is not too, too big---yet!

LoL i cant do it at will. I do hit it over the 330 left field fence occasionally.

Beenthere, me being from a "smallish town in North Carolina" has absolutely nothing to do with it.

I too, would like to know why being from Clayton,NC affects his credibility.

NCFlamethrower,

When mys son was 14, he was taking lessons from professional coaches and players- they told him the same thing that your hitting coach told you. It CAN happen.

Some people can see the potential at that age, what they cannot "coach" to insure that you succeed to reach that level are the sort of things things that fungo told you about in his post in this thread.

Stay chasing your dream, in spite of those offering advice to the contrary in this thread.

YOU are the one that will ultimately determine if you can make it as a professional ballplayer...there will be all sorts who will try to tell you why you cannot. These sorts do not matter until they are the actual professional coaches at the professional level that are telling you that you are no longer employed. In your case, you have a lot of years in front of you to make your wishes happen. Best of luck!

OPP

OPP, thats why every one talks so highly of you. Thanks alot.

Define "a GOOD chance to go pro" 50% chance? 20% chance? Even 10%?

I'll take those odds right now that neither he nor any specific 5'8" 14 year old will ever play a day of pro ball.

In any event why don't we discuss this in 6 months. If he bats .600 with 10 HRs, I'll think he might have some chance.

Dont forget Hoyt Wilhelm. (HOF)

He came from Huntersville, NC

NC Flamethrower,

At your age, it means nothing what others think or say. It only matters what YOU think. If you really think the (Instructor Lies)... you'll probably prove that to be correct.

Always believe and work hard to live your dreams. If it doesn't quite work out, it will still pay off in other ways. There will be many people who will try to cause you to lose confidence. Prove them all wrong!

Lots of realists and odds counters don't ever realize their real potential because they don't like their chances!

Good luck

NC,
I have a health teacher that, probably, would make a better sports physiologist than a health teacher. He always says that "People make their dreams come true, even when stats and odds are against them, they ultimately deside themselves if theri dreams come true".
I will give you an example, Rodger Bannister(check spelling), everyone told him, including doctors, that if he could run a 4 min. mile his heart would explode and it would kill him. All odds where against him. He worked hard and in the end he ran the mile in under 4 min.
Another example, The 1980 US olymipc hockey team. The Soviets where a hockey power-house. Odds were, no one was going to beat them. Then along comes Herb Brooks and a bunch of College hockey players who train and condidion hard and practice every day. Well you all know what happened form there. Just watch "Miracle" and see for yourself.
I will give you one final one. Jason Kendall. On July 4th 1999 he layed down a sac. bunt and he hit first base funny. He tore all the ligaments in his right leg. All the doctors said he would never return to 100% but he did a ton of re-hab and really worked hard. Came back, probably, a better hitter that he was before he got hurt. He is an outstanding defencive player.
All I am saying is, this hitting instructor has to know his stuff or he wouldn't be in the MLB. His job is to motivate you. And if that is what it takes, I would have said the same thing. Just take what he tells you and work you butt off to be the best player you can possibly be. However, in the end it is YOU who will make you dreams come true. As PGStaff said, Lots of realists and odds counters don't ever realize their real potential because they don't like their chances! Take that to heart and show all these negative people that you can and you will become a Professional Ballplayer!

-Kevin

When Bannister ran his 3:59.4 mile, the previous record was 4:01. Bannister was a medical student at the time. His record lasted a matter of weeks. He wasn't slightly concerned about his heart exploding.

I think you've read too may Successories Calendars, or the like.

By the way, Sir Roger had a plan B. I believe he just retired from a remarkable career in medicine.

quote:

All I am saying is, this hitting instructor has to know his stuff or he wouldn't be in the MLB.

Actually, the opposite is true.....A hitting instruction position in MLB is nothing but a good ole boy job.....The organization they work for sets the rules and they follow them if they wanna keep their job.......

READ THIS:

http://www.baseballtips.com/13reasons.html

micdsguy

I don't think my son was 5'8"at 14 and a MLB player told him he had the talent to play pro ball....and he is. It happens.

How many others did he say that too.

At that age of 14/15 you take the compliments and run with them working your tail off to make it all work for you as best it can--- doesn't matter what others think because if you think =you can you will at leats give it the best shot you can

What upsets me a bit is how you phrase "Instructor Lies"--that seems to be an indictment with no facts---son, take your talent and make it work as best you can and fully realize that at your age you have a long road ahead of you with a load of bumps and possible detours

Good luck and stay in touch here ON THIS SITE where you can get assistance and support

From past experience, I would suggest you keep working with the guy if you see improvement. As to his comments about you being a future MLB player, take it with a grain of salt, but keep on working. My son took occasional lessons from an MLB advance scout who insisted that he should be a pitcher because he throws hard. He did not want to be a pitcher "full-time" so he took what he wanted from the lessons. He also does some scouting work for pitchers but when we looked at how the pitchers on the MLB team were doing, we decided that he was in a business where they have to BS as part of their job and that's how we looked at it. Nice guy with a pretty cool job but giving lessons is probably just added income.

Does your kid get better after instruction or worse. Being an ex MLB player or hitting coach in no way means they can instruct.

Had a MLB coach tell me honestly there are alot of MLB or minor league coaches that are just terrible instructors.

Know of a player who went into pro ball. First year they messed with his swing he stops hitting, they tell him go back to your old way. He starts to hit. 2nd year, they mess with his swing again. He stops hitting. The player goes to player development and ask let me hit my way. They do, he hits. 3 rd year, no one messes with his swing. MVP of the league, #2 rated prospect in the system

Ask yourself suppose your kid went for lessons and the coach told the dad "Seriously you are wasting your money, your kid can't play. You think you gonna go back to him for more lessons.

Honestly, I do see improvement by going to him. He's helped me stay back longer and wait for the ball, helping me hit the ball to all fields. Thanks TR, I will stay in Touch. Thanks everyone who gave POSITIVE advice.

not to drag this into a mechanics discussion, but what does he tell you to do now that you're "staying back" longer? Were you lunging before?

did he video tape you and show you specific things, or is this just what he generally teaches?

my kid is a freshman, too. he's 6', 160lbs, and has been told (by his grandmother that he will be a pro. I told him that talent was probably less than half of the reason that he *could* make it pro, the bigger part is determination.

good luck!!

I wasnt really lunging, I was just shifting my weight to my front foot to soon on off speed pitches.

What is the difference between lunging and shifting weight to your front foot too soon?

My son had a coach (well respected in the Dallas area) tell him he had no chance to be drafted in the top 10 rounds. This was after his soph year. He plays in the minors now and was drafted out of hs in the top ten rounds. It only matters what you think.

quote:

My son had a coach (well respected in the Dallas area) tell him he had no chance to be drafted in the top 10 rounds.This was after his soph year

I can't believe these discussions. I'll ask my 11 year old's coach whether the boy should play D-1 or D2 baseball in college

Note that this board doesn't have many baseball failures on it Therefore it's too easy to conclude that any kid with a great attitude will succeed.