INSTRUCTOR LIES?--- Please Read!!

Our son was told that he probably wouldn't even play D-1 level college ball because he wasn't tall enough (at age 16) and needed to be at least 6 feet tall to even get a look. He was so distressed by it that he literally cried on his dad's shoulder. The next morning, we discovered him in his room, looking thru all his baseball cards and finding all the successful pitchers who were 6 feet tall. Instructors can say things that have a strong impact on a young man and I loved our son's response (after the tears were dried) ... he did his own research and got advice from others.

By the way ... he was 6'1" when he graduated high school and is now 6'2" ... tall enough ... just ask Greg Maddux

quote:

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.

I disagree!

I would bet this board has experienced an unbelievable amount of failures. It’s impossible to achieve success without them.

In addition, sometimes it’s hard to define success and failure. What I might consider a success someone else might think is a failure and vice-versa.

Young players and parents can learn a lot if they pay close attention to what people with experience have to say. In fact, this thread was started by a young player. MOST of the replies were directed to the question he asked.

Anyone ever think that what the hitting instructor is telling this young man is just positive reinforcement rather than a lie! I don’t see any harm in what the instructor said unless the player has no talent at all.

What is so wrong with telling a young player that if he works hard he can reach the top? It could be the positive reinforcement that will make this player get excited and work his tail off. And then what is so wrong if that doesn’t happen?

Is it any different than an instructor telling a young student having trouble with school work that if he works hard he can get a college degree?

The very best baseball instructors I’ve ever been around are concerned with both the physical and mental side of baseball.

At the risk of being proven wrong… I would bet all these folks on this board who have had successful sons or daughters (whatever that means) will tell you that the mental is equal, or more important than, the physical.

PGStaff ...

quote:

At the risk of being proven wrong… I would bet all these folks on this board who have had successful sons or daughters (whatever that means) will tell you that the mental is equal, or more important than, the physical.

I believe for our son, a non-heat-throwing RHP, it definitely requires a great deal of "mental" toughness to get out there every 5th day and look and act as confident, or even more so, than the 6'5" LHP who throws 92 ... and I believe he would agree with me on that.

He has had to prove a lot of people wrong over the years ... from the guy who told him he wasn't tall enough to one of his own former pitching coaches who is now a pro scout. Former pitching coach told our son on many occasions after high school ... and we saw him more times than I care to remember while at our son's college games scouting all the "big guys" ... that AJ had to do this and had to do that to get drafted and that AJ was most likely a 15th to 20th round pick, yada yada yada. Our son stopped listening to him in his freshman year in college ... had to turn him off in order to maintain his own feelings of confidence while working on his own future. This was really another example of mental fortitude because AJ had held so much respect for the coach and felt a bit betrayed by him. (By the way, the former coach scouts for a big market team whose prototypical pitching prospect is big and throws hard ... wonder if he would have said the same things if he were scouting for a different type of MLB club? We are still waiting for some of his draft picks to really tear it up ... and yes, I will admit to being a little bitter )

FutureBack.Mom:

I liked your post...I'll make sure my two undersized and younger players read this...thanks.

Bluedog,

Thanks for posting the link to the article about pro hitting coaches. I'm not surprised as it seems that most organizations are political and bureaucratic.

I think a distinction needs to be made between "lies" and "optimism".

Having a coach that is optimistic in his view point to encourage young players under his instruction, is much better for a players psyche then having a coach that spends his entire session with a player pointing out all the flaws with no encouragement.

Believe me there will be plenty of time and numerous negativist that will attack a player in various venues to discourage him from pursuing a career in baseball. Let's not even include the teachers in his own school who will laugh and mock him for wanting to be a baseball player.

My son had an English teacher give him an "F" for essay grade because he wrote about his love for baseball. After she gave the class an assignment to write a personal essay on The One Thing I Would Like to Do. As stated in her analysis and evaluation that he needed to pursue something more serious for a vocation...and included she hated baseball. After the essay was reviewed by the Vice-Principal this teacher was spoken to about her "personal bias" and the grade was changed to an "A".

The negative sources are a cacaphony that resound at every level and their cymbols ring out very loud especially if there is an agenda behind their meaning and intent.

Thank God there are coaches that dare to dream with a player that shows an enthusiasm for this game.

quote:

Originally posted by Bighit15:
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.

Bighit,

Short - and to the point.

Try this one on for size - as an example of "what People say" and its irrelevance.

My eldest:

Here is what some prominent organizations had to say about him in high school:

1) Maybe a college player.
2) Maybe a D2-D3 player.
3) A definite D1 player
4) A pro prospect.

Then he goes to a Top 40 college on a nice scholly - D1 - redshirted - (injury).

New opinions - he stinks.

Then he plays in summer collegiate league - mostly D1 players - rips it up.

He is good again. LOL

2nd year at college - Coach sits him the whole year.

He stinks again.

He transfers (scholly again - only bigger).

Now - until the spring and summer rolls around - he stinks because he is not playing D-1.

Meanwhile - he is getting Pro team questionaires.


Here is my advice - get a coach(s) you like and trust - catch everything that is hit to you - hit the ball hard and run like a wild dog - every single play.

The rest is bs.

flamethrower attend perfect game event get an honest evaluation

IMO - Other than actually playing the game - LOL - that is pretty good advice that gaptogap just gave you.

PG does the best job of it for youth players IMO.

Good luck.

I wish I had a dime for every person who told me to find something else to play.

I set my goals my freshman year in high school that I was going to get a free education somewhere and no one was going to stop me.

I was 5'6", 150 lbs my senior year in HS, but worked hard and hit .350 my junior year and over .400 my senior year and earned a scholarship to a JUCO.

That took care of two years, but I knew I had to do more. So, I worked even harder on my game and worked harder in the weight room. My sophomore year I was 5'7", 172 lbs. I was all-region both years in JUCO, but what matter most to me was being named a JUCO academic all-american. From the athletic and academic achievements I earned a scholarhip to an NAIA school.

From hs through college I never let the vision of professional baseball cloud my thinking. I knew I did not have the physical abilities to play at that level, but I knew I had the ability to use my skills to get a free education that would benefit me for life.

I guess what I am trying to say is don't worry too much about what others tell you or say about you. If you work hard and believe in yourself you can reach your goals.

CatchingCoach - superb and triumphant story

You obviously know how to win in the game called life.

quote:

Originally posted by CatchingCoach05:

I guess what I am trying to say is don't worry too much about what others tell you or say about you. If you work hard and believe in yourself you can reach your goals.

You said it well IMO.