I've learned alot

TPM,
Sometime's as the Elite athletes go thru HS they don't have to work as hard to stay ahead.
While the good athlete that want's to get better and to the next level, Work's his tail off.
And in the long run will pass the Elite player.
Some player's never face adversity growing up, And don't know how to handle it when they face it.
While the good player's face it early in life, And figured out that hard work good attitude will win out in the end. EH

Good post and should spark some good discussion. There are so many different levels of baseball and each level demands more from the player than the previous level. No one knows how that player will respond to those additional demands until he plays at that level. However I do think talent will always remain the main ingredient needed to succeed at all levels and will always be the constant and all other aspects of the game are the variables. Sacrifices and distractions also weigh heavily in whether on not a player will make it. Girlfriends become fiancées and free time becomes a premium as these players mature. The game and the hours it demands can become a burden these young men. Baseball can actually get in the way of the player trying to succeed at life. Like football great Lou Holtz said: “There ain’t no free lunch”.
The little league ball games played on weekends with practices twice a week with mom doing everything to make sure it happens is a lot different than the eight hours a day and the long bus rides of minor league baseball with games every day of the week and road trips that can exceed a week at a time. The demands of playing college baseball with their long practices and the increased academic workload are substantially increased when you compared it to the high school player. Understand too that baseball takes on a new face with winning becoming more and more important as the levels increase. The philosophy of allowing all 14 kids a chance to bat in little league is quite different that playing in an environment where pulling a scholarship or benching a player is common practice. It ain't ugly but it can be tough!
Fungo

Just got in this morning from a long and enjoyable baseball trip. Thought I would check in here before I take a nap. Glad to see the dedication of Fungo who is on here almost every morning like clockwork sharing his vast warehouse of experience, knowledge and intelligence with the people here at HSBBW.

Okay...Let's see, oh yea, "I've Learned Alot".
Good Topic TPM. The one thing through the years that I have noticed is the financial status of the released professional baseball player opposed to the HS or college player who learned a trade and/or went to work while his talented buddies ran around a baseball field an additional "number" of years. Of course, that number of years can vary and every situation is unique and different but one thing that seems to remain constant is the division of wealth and financial security. While the "talented buddies" were chasing their dream of playing in the show moving from one minor league team to another, most of their friends who didn't get drafted or signed, are all out there starting their own businesses or making a living and getting ahead in the competetive rat-race of the job market. I've also learned alot about how those who take this route sometimes enjoy flashing their material possessions to those still laboring in the minors. This can be difficult for the Big League hopeful and often makes the prospect think too much. Big League hopeful begins to think things like: wonder if I can get a job if released, that sure is a nice looking family, wished I had my own business, wished I owned a house, where will I go if I get released? etc

These are the things I've Learned about professional baseball and the price paid by those looking to further their baseball careers. Every player is one short meeting, phone-call or injury away from facing the real world and that distinct possibility can sometimes be frightening for a "player" who has yet to get that life-changing bonus or big league contract and has nowhere to go. Peace, Shep Knows

quote:

When son first said he wanted to play baseball, had no clue how much money we would spend raising a baseball player.

As an old timer the above statement is a sobering reminder of how things have changed for the good or bad?

Very informative topic...great post Shepster.

...a sobering dose of reality to observe here, too............

All that has been learned and shared here and throughout this site is exactly why the hsbbweb is such an exceptionally valuable resource. We have all known players who think success at LL, select, or hs foretells a college scholarship or a professional career --- QED. Keep passing out the link, folks.

I've learned that travelling through the levels is a microcism of life. Your player is going to meet some wonderful people who will be of help both to their game and their psyche; and some complete jerks who will help them to recognize such jerk-tendencies in the future. They'll learn that sometimes those jerks can be of assistance, and therefore how to deal with useful jerks in future.

They will see talented ballplayers work and succeed and be inspired; they will see egocentric, but talented, ballplayers succeed with the extra edge of the opportunities money can buy. They will ache for talented ballplayers who can't seem to catch a break and seethe over talented ballplayers with every attitude and characteristic they've been taught to detest succeed.

They'll deal with the highs and lows of being courted by a college and suddenly being ignored, the thrill of deciding between offers or praying for a chance, the gutwrenching decisions about complete 'fit' that requires exceptional self-awareness and research as well as the ability to see the future.

They'll go though or watch teammates go through injuries, operations, or rehab that are unimaginable to non-athletes. They'll deal with themselves or nurse fellow ballplayers through major crisis in their lives, on field and off, while continuing to deal with the extraordinary demands of being a student-athlete.

They'll experience the joy of being drafted and maybe the frustration of being drafted by a club with limited resources who don't seem to care if they progress or not, and whose motivations can only be guessed.

And, unlike most non-athletes, they'll have experienced all this before their old enough to drink. It matures them and has inestimable value.

But there have been many times when I thought "he's too young to have to deal with all this". But I have immeasurable respect for the young man all this has helped to form.

I have learned so much on this site that I cannot possibly type it all.

I have met a couple of dozen posters on the site and can tell you how many truly nice and like minded people post here.

Orlando, my son and I really enjoyed having dinner with Gloveman and you on Thursday. We will have to do it again. I still think you are the smartest person on the site.

It was a great time, big, definately want to do that again!

And I still think you're the most perceptive person on the site!

"It ain't ugly." Sure about that?

Good posts, BTW and thanks to all for the "learnin'".

The reason for my post is simple, the whole process just is mind boggling!
I wanted parents of younger players to realize that through each step your son takes, there really is no clear right or wrong answer to every question or situation you come up against.

One needs to gather all the information then try to sort out situations, depending upon your son and his abilities and opportunities.

Examples are parents asking about whether they should or should not attend a certain showcase or camp for exposure. One might have attended one of these and thought it was a waste of their time and money, while another may have sent son and there they were discovered by their future college coach.

Another example is college vs. pro. I am constantly asked why son didn't sign right out of HS. His decision depended heavily upon where he was headed off to school and his GPA. Under other circumstances he might have not gone to college.

Another example is why a player who has great college choices chooses a D2 over a D1.

Another example is wondering why a junior in college turned down money to finish his last year of college, why another junior took no money to go pro and didn't finish. Or why one player decided to give up his senior year in HS to enter college early. Or why one HS player turned down great money to head off to college, while another took the minimum and gave up school.

You think that your son has a clear and direct understanding of his goals. He has always shown himself as dedicated and at the next level, enjoys the freedoms of being away from home and messes up. Another who you think is completely clueless as to life while in HS, gets out of the house, now able to make his own decisions (without mom and dad doing it for him) and settles in to become an absolutely stunning player and responsible adult.

What I have learned is that at each stage, you cannot possibly foresee what the future holds for your player. He might get hurt, he might not do well in school, he might go pro out of HS and not able to handle all that is put on his plate. He might choose a great school and have to sit, he may go to a smaller school and play to his hearts content. He may head off to one summer league better than others and not do well, yet shine as a star in another league not as well known.

At the grocery store yesterday there was a team of 10 year olds trying to raise money for three trips in the next month. The coaches told me that they couldn't care less whether their sons ever played in HS or beyond, but in this day and age, better off on a baseball field than playing in the streets.I thought this was a great way they were approaching the game of youth baseball. I told them to lay off the curveballs.

I remember discussing last year with son about his intended major, his answer, "mom one has to think beyond baseball" very strange for someone who never wanted to do anything else but play ball forever. He is just as intense about his grades in the classroom as his performance on the field. I knew then that he would be ok and there was no reason to believe I had to worry about him anymore, he was in control now of his destiny, not us. He is more proud of his GPA than his ERA. Although I would like for him to call and report to us, it's not important anymore to know about each test taken, each bullpen thrown, each workout in the gym. He knows what he has to do, so we have done our job in making him in control. We are not his mentors anymore, and that is ok. There is nothing we can do for a 21 yearold at this point but be supportive when he wants us to be, on his terms, not ours.

Looking back I know I have learned alot, learned that there are some concrete answers to some questions and none to others. I have learned that worrying along the way, made NO difference in the past and will not in the future.

So in conclusion, what I have learned is that you need to go with the flow at each stage, do the best you can, with the resources you have and not look back. We need to teach our players that as well.

Orlando and Bighit,
You got something going on we don't know about?

Ah, no such luck. There was only one single man at that table and he was drop-dead gorgeous. But if I were 30 years younger .....I'd still be too old for him!

Other things I have learned.

Fans are fickle, they love you when you win, they hate you when you lose. This goes for coaches and players.

HS baseball is what it is, depending upon where you live. In some places you can rely on it for your players future, other places you cannot.

You don't have to play on the best team to have better opportunities.

Try to admire and respect the coach even if you don't like some of his decisions (unless they are hurtful). It's a tough job. When a coach acknowledges he made a mistake (as far as your player is concerned) try to move forward and accept no one can change past mistakes.

College baseball is a business just like pro ball. Coaching and managers decisions are based upon that premise, that's it period. No sense trying to understand why one player gets more playing time than others. The best man plays.

I have found that parents that try to buy their way into play time may make out well in youth travel ball or in HS, but recruiters and scouts don't know that, they will pick the best choice for their program in the end.

Some parents feel some players don't deserve playing time over their own player. There comes a time when someone else sees things a bit differently than you do as a parent.

A parent has a RIGHT to question coaching decisions that may affect their players health.

A player that sees something negative in print should do one of two things, try to change perceptions if they are true, or ignore if they are not true, move on. Only that player and his family knows the truth to those statements.

Many players in many sports are given great opportunities often blow it and we can't understand it. Teaching your child life skills will be just as important in the end as his athletic skills. Keep him grounded, even though he has heard all of his life he is THE BEST and can do no wrong. Don't excuse his poor off the field behavior just because he excels in the field.

No matter how well you think your son is prepared for the next level, he most likely is not. Neither are his parents.

And last but not least, no mattr how much your favorite team ( any sport) has or hasn't spent on roster and talent, if ain't gonna happen, it ain't gonna happen!

Orlando,
Glad you were able to get together with the some of the "men folk" around here and young E.

TPM,

I have just read many of your thoughts on this thread and am wondering many of the same things you brought out.

My son is a junior this year and starting to get attention from D1 and others through NAIA. We are excited and worried at the same time. Enjoying the thoughts of so many possibilites and worried about the realities.

I read a lot more than I post and I have learned much from many of you that post on this site as well. Sure hope we make the right choices with so much riding on it! Thanks for sharing your experiences.