Options in December

What year? Redshirt freshman, sophmore....

This is his redshirt Freshman year.

Option group A-- Stay at current college and:
1. Try to make the team next year.
2. Play club ball.
3. Retire from baseball.

Option group B. -- Transfer at mid year to a:
1. 2 year school. He can then transfer to a a 4 year school, including D1, next fall.

2. Any 4 year school except D1. He can try to make the team for this spring.

3. A different D1. He could try to make the 35 man roster, which would allow him to practice but not play this spring and be eligible for competition in 2013. Frankly, this is unlikely to work out.

Transfer Guide

3FingeredGlove: Thanks for the reply. Those were the same options we had thought of so far as well. What he doesn't know is how likely it is that at this time of year he can pursue the "Option group B" choices. That is, how likely is it that 2 year and 4 year schools already have their rosters set for February at this late date? Also, we were a bit confused by the Transfer Guide at p. 19 reference to "other than Baseball, etc." Can he use the first time transfer rule to go to one of the DII's that recruited him and be immediately eligible this Spring? If so, what does he require. He's got a lot to figure out after finals are done in December and it looks like he doesn't have much time to do so.

May I ask if he was a recuited walkon? How did he get to this school?

Recruited with a guarantee of a roster spot last year but no baseball money, academic scholarship only.

You mean " Be playing a sport other than baseball in Division I"? They surely could phrase that in a less ambiguous way. It confuses everyone. Those of us who read the guide are doing that while contemplating a future transfer. The people who wrote the guide are doing so from the perspective of enforcing the rule once a transfer has taken place. So "be playing" really means playing after the transfer took place. You can see that clearly in the actual rules, which are in the Division Manuals, 14.5.5. See specifically 14.5.5.3.9 for transfers to D2. He'll also need permission to contact, but since he's been released that's straightfoward.

Just a comment, but some D2 schools in California have many ex-D1 players, not all of whom make the D2 team. I have no idea of how to assess your son's chances of making a new team at this point, or even getting a chance to show what he can do, considering that the coaches won't have seen him play in at least 1.5 years.

3FingeredGlove: Thanks for the transfer rule clarification - it is oddly worded. Understand about the risks involved in making a DII team. What do you think in general about the likelihood of any 2 year or 4 year (DII or III) having roster spots even available to compete for at this time of year? Having not been through this before, it feels very late to us to try an make a move that is likely to work out well. Any thoughts?

quote:

Originally posted by ballfan1:
3FingeredGlove: Thanks for the transfer rule clarification - it is oddly worded. Understand about the risks involved in making a DII team. What do you think in general about the likelihood of any 2 year or 4 year (DII or III) having roster spots even available to compete for at this time of year? Having not been through this before, it feels very late to us to try an make a move that is likely to work out well. Any thoughts?

I am so sorry about what has happened to your son.

For those asking about redshirt options, this is the dilemma, now your player has not been playing in the game for over a year while others have, essentially he is behind. Even if coaches had spots available, those would go to players that have had playing time.
FWIW, your son not being a athletic scholarship player, not playing last season should have been a sign to move on, last spring.

I am not sure of the options either, if he likes his school and in started his major, it might be time to retire, or if they have a club team, go for it, he needs to put in time, or the same thing is going to happen all over next time around. College is for education, if it is being paid for by academics, then don't lose that option.

Best of luck.

Ball fan;

are you from Southern California?

visit the California HS Web page and view my notice of the January 5-8 College Coaching Convention in Anaheim. There will be trade show exhibits, travel teams, seminars, guest speakers and over 1,000 College Coaches.

You will have an opportunity to be self-educated.

Bob

Mr. Williams, We are in NorCal and have certainly heard about you and the Goodwill Series. What sort of self-education do you think might be available to us at the College Coaching Convention that would be helpful in our situation?

You will have an opportunity to meet college coaches "face to face" and ask your questions.

All West Coast colleges coaches will attend, many pro scouts.

Many years ago I attended along with 1,000 coaches a seminar with Tony Glynn, Don Mattingly and Jeff Torbough talking on "predicting your pitch". Very interesting.

Bob

In AZ we see D1 guys joining Juco teams every year, every school at semester break. It is normal.

Doughnutman;

The same here at SSU Division II.

It is not normal, it is "sad" and predictable. Someone did not do their homework or were realistic.

They can attend classes at the 4 year school and play at the JC, if they take 12 units to be eligible.

Usually the students take the JC classes by computer.

Bob

Most JCs will add players at anytime if it improves their roster. My son transferred in december from a d1 in his redshirt sophmore year to a JC in SoCal. Attended the JC for exactly one semester before transferring to another D1 for his redshirt Jr and Sr year.

If your son is interested in a JC, he should start talking to his friends to see where he might fit in somewhere. My son knew his JC coach from summer league. Your local JC coach may even know about your son from HS and can offer an opinion. Kids on the team he was cut from probebely know about a number of JC coaches.

quote:

They can attend classes at the 4 year school and play at the JC, if they take 12 units to be eligible.

Usually the students take the JC classes by computer.

From a keep "all your baseball options open" point of view many students are better off transferring to the JC and putting the D1 behind them.

I am not sure a player attending a CA JC and a D1 at the same time has started the clock on the sit out rule if he utlitmatly wants to transfer to another d1. i.e. he maybe trapped into returning the the d1 after his sophmore year and/or other coaches scouting the JCs may not feel its worth their time to pursue him if he still attending the d1 and JC at the same time.

quote:

TPM said.....For those asking about redshirt options, this is the dilemma, now your player has not been playing in the game for over a year while others have, essentially he is behind. Even if coaches had spots available, those would go to players that have had playing time.

FWIW, your son not being a athletic scholarship player, not playing last season should have been a sign to move on, last spring.

I am not sure of the options either, if he likes his school and in started his major, it might be time to retire, or if they have a club team, go for it, he needs to put in time, or the same thing is going to happen all over next time around. College is for education, if it is being paid for by academics, then don't lose that option.

Best of luck.

I'm also very sorry this happened to your son. My initial reaction is exactly what TPM stated IF he likes the school. He still has an academic scholarship at the school which certainly helps pay for his education. An academic scholarship is a significant achievement and should not taken for granted. Stay at the school with an acdemic scholarship, play club baseball or move onto another activity.

If he transfers, he'd most likely lose the academic scholarship. Certainly, he could position himself to have the opportunity to play college baseball again. However, there would be no guarantees he would play again. Would it really be worth it? I don't see how it could be worth it based upon what you've shared.

I wish you and your son the best of luck.

quote:

Originally posted by Bob Williams:
Doughnutman;

The same here at SSU Division II.

It is not normal, it is "sad" and predictable. Someone did not do their homework or were realistic.

They can attend classes at the 4 year school and play at the JC, if they take 12 units to be eligible.

Usually the students take the JC classes by computer.

Bob

In hindsight, perhaps we did not follow the right course - he had several other options at the time. But, the opportunity and the school was just too attractive for him to pass up. But what's done is done. The most interesting thing about your post is the suggestion that you can attend the 4 year (where one could keep a favorable academic scholarship) but take online course(s) at a JC and play JC in your redshirt Freshman year. Any more info on that option and how to make it work - we are unfamiliar with it. Thanks again for all of your suggestions.