Being an "all about me" player definetly can get you into the portal!
Adbono
we call it non verbal communication. Pro scouts and many College coaches can analyze this selfish behavior. During the AC games I visited the dugouts, the parents and the agents.
Amazing results.
Bob
@adbono posted:There are so many unintended consequences as a result of the portal. One that hasn’t been discussed on this board (at least I haven’t seen it) is how kids are playing in summer collegiate leagues. I just spoke to a good friend that is a JuCo HC and also a HC in the Coastal Plains League. He said that he has noticed that players in the portal (for the most part) refuse to play team baseball. They are only worried about themselves. They ignore take signs and swing whenever the want. Lay down a bunt in a key situation? Nope. No way. Sorry coach, I missed the sign. Unbelievable.
I think this was touched on in the summer ball thread? Not as detailed a case as you said but what a lot of summer baseball has become. I honestly don't pay too much attention to batters, but seems like if you're blatantly ignoring signs that seems very disrespectful to the coach and team.
Given how the current landscape is with college baseball and the transfer portal, should summer coaches be adjusting as well? Should summer ball be more of a showcase?
And is this ultimately working for the players? If it isn't I'd think they wouldn't be doing it right? If it is working I think college coaches are partially to blame for encouraging it as well?
Summer ball is tricky. The players don't care about winning a championship, many of them don't even want the season to be prolonged any further with playoffs. I do think it's a good time to be selfish within reason.
One of their summer teams has had a few guys go. A reliever left because he wanted to be a starter over the summer so he could get more innings. After a back and forth with the coaching staff he's in a new league where he starts once a week.
Another left because of a rodent problem with his host family. Packed everything and left in the middle of the night.
One left because he is set to compete behind the plate at his school and he's been playing first and DHing half the summer. They also picked up a catcher who caught every game and needed a break and just wanted to DH and catch once a week.
SP only show up when they're scheduled to start. The position players who know they're not starting also want that arrangement.
I don't think blatantly disrespecting the coaching staff is ok, but I don't think this problem is unique to summer ball either. I saw it quite often on the travel circuit in HS. Like the travel circuit, many of the summer leagues now cost money. If they're paying for it I can understand why they want it their way. I don't necessarily agree, but I can at least entertain the argument.
@PABaseball posted:Summer ball is tricky. The players don't care about winning a championship, many of them don't even want the season to be prolonged any further with playoffs. I do think it's a good time to be selfish within reason.
One of their summer teams has had a few guys go. A reliever left because he wanted to be a starter over the summer so he could get more innings. After a back and forth with the coaching staff he's in a new league where he starts once a week.
Another left because of a rodent problem with his host family. Packed everything and left in the middle of the night.
One left because he is set to compete behind the plate at his school and he's been playing first and DHing half the summer. They also picked up a catcher who caught every game and needed a break and just wanted to DH and catch once a week.
SP only show up when they're scheduled to start. The position players who know they're not starting also want that arrangement.
I don't think blatantly disrespecting the coaching staff is ok, but I don't think this problem is unique to summer ball either. I saw it quite often on the travel circuit in HS. Like the travel circuit, many of the summer leagues now cost money. If they're paying for it I can understand why they want it their way. I don't necessarily agree, but I can at least entertain the argument.
If a college player is playing in a league and staying with a host family in the summer, then there is no reason to not go to the ball field and support your team. As a starting pitcher there are a lot of things you can learn by just being in the dugout in a game that you aren't pitching.
However, I can completely understand why a high school starting pitcher is only going to show up for the games that he is pitching. When the WWBA in Atlanta is going for 10 days, you can't expect a starting pitcher who knows that he is pitching day 5 to have he and his family show up and absorb all of the cost of more than week in Atlanta when he is only going to participate in one game.
@Ster posted:If a college players is playing in a league and staying with a host family in the summer, then there is no reason to not go to the ball field and support your team. As a starting pitcher there are a lot of things you can learn by just being in the dugout in a game that you aren't pitching.
However, I can completely understand why a high school starting pitcher is only going to show up for the games that he is pitching. When the WWBA in Atlanta is going for 10 days, you can't expect a starting pitcher who knows that he is pitching day 5 to have he and his family show up and absorb all of the cost of more than week in Atlanta when he is only going to participate in one game.
I disagree. They could get a job, use that time to train, or maybe even do an internship. I'm not saying it is right, I'm just providing reasons why they might not want to spend the time at the field when there is zero chance they are going to play.
@TerribleBPthrower posted:I disagree. They could get a job, use that time to train, or maybe even do an internship. I'm not saying it is right, I'm just providing reasons why they might not want to spend the time at the field when there is zero chance they are going to play.
I completely agree. Starting pitchers only showing up for the games they pitch (during summer collegiate leagues) is something that has gone on since the 70’s. And it was done largely to accommodate jobs and other activities. With that arrangement I was able to coordinate my work schedule to avoid conflicts. Since I had to work (to pay for some of my college expenses) it was the only way I could play during the summer.
Since the portal is relatively new, there isn't really a playbook or a timeline. It's the end of July and my son had more D1 interest this week than at any point since he went in the portal. It looks like upper mid to low D1's are in scramble mode for arms. This was a pretty big surprise to me. You can also tell by the wording of the texts and the language of the calls, the urgency that exists now which is a lot different than what he was seeing 6 weeks ago. He is going back to his old school so none of it matters for him, but I did want to share for people in the portal or people who will be in it next year. There seems to be a big spike in interest after the portal closes and draft signings. It's hard to be patient with classes starting in 3 weeks but that may be the best strategy.
@d-mac posted:Since the portal is relatively new, there isn't really a playbook or a timeline. It's the end of July and my son had more D1 interest this week than at any point since he went in the portal. It looks like upper mid to low D1's are in scramble mode for arms. This was a pretty big surprise to me. You can also tell by the wording of the texts and the language of the calls, the urgency that exists now which is a lot different than what he was seeing 6 weeks ago. He is going back to his old school so none of it matters for him, but I did want to share for people in the portal or people who will be in it next year. There seems to be a big spike in interest after the portal closes and draft signings. It's hard to be patient with classes starting in 3 weeks but that may be the best strategy.
Did a study 2 years ago. It is always a race for arms
@CollegebaseballInsights posted:Did a study 2 years ago. It is always a race for arms
2 years ago? It’s been an arms race a lot longer that that. Like since the game was invented.
@adbono posted:2 years ago? It’s been an arms race a lot longer that that. Like since the game was invented.
That is a given. The comment was specific to the transfer portal, majority of the signees were Pitchers
This is why I sometimes can't understand why players would rather hit than pitch. More opportunities, IMO.
I have mixed feelings about the portal when it comes to freshman entering when they didn't play enough to their liking or struggled. My son really struggled when he was a freshman and was willing to leave and sit out a year. He was not happy, didn't like the feedback from coaches.
No way said his parents!!
There are exceptions for transfers, but you can only transfer one year without sitting so make sure it's the right time to make that move.
I am in favor of better exposure for the draft. Who you play against can determine a lot. Look at all the guys who did 2 years at one program, worked hard and moved for a better opportunity in the draft. Doesn't have to be to a P5.
So unless the coach tells you to move on, use the summer to get better, play and work your butt off to compete in the fall.
Be like Wyatt!
I read somewhere that players may not be able to enter the portal until senior year? Not sure if thats an NCAA thing or a government interest? Either way I think change is coming.
Just some random thoughts on a Friday.