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PLAYER APPEARANCE = MEXICAN STANDOFF

OnWabanaOnWabana100+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by fillsfan:
quote:
Originally posted by trojan-skipper:
You've told me what I need to know:
- if I ask you to bunt, I guess that's up to you.
- if I ask you to steal, it's up to you
- if I ask you to play catch with the lowliest freshman on the squad, it's up to you
- if I ask you to cut your hair, that's up to you.

I know this: I don't want you anywhere near my TEAM because all of those guys out there everyday don't have a problem with any of that stuff.


You wouldn't have to worry about any of those things with the player in question because he already choose not to be on your team. It was his decision once you told him to cut his hair. No harm, no foul.

What I'm having a hard time with in this thread is that everyone seems to think this kid did something wrong. I don't think he did.

The coach laid out his rules for the team. A player decided he didn't want to play under those rules so he left the team, before it started. What's the problem? From what we've been told here he wasn't disruptive or disrespectful so why is everyone ganging up on this kid for sticking to his guns and making a decision he felt was right for him.

This has more to do with life in general than it does with a baseball team or a coach.


You're right. If he's not on the team anymore, case closed. I think what's drawing so many opinions is this kid's personal decision. Apparently baseball is just not that important to him (or at least not as important as other things in his life). And you know what---good for him! Contrary to the popular slogan, baseball is not life! I just hope that when he finds that thing that is really important to him, he realizes that there are certain rules that apply to him.

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Last edited by OnWabana
RJMRJMHSBaseballWeb member since 2007
quote:
Originally posted by AntzDad:
quote:
Originally posted by RJM:
All pants must be worn to the ankles.


I wish they never let George Hendrick get away with that. Look what he started. I think it looks sloppy. Wear 'em high, like you're supposed to!
I was the player who had to look perfectly cool. I had my mother tailor the pants. I cut the stirrups and had my mother sew on more cloth so only the stripes on the side showed. Pants were rolled and taped to mid calf. If I was playing now I'd have the pants down instead of up.

When I coached travel through 16U the players got to vote. But the vote was for all up or all down. They chose all down.
T Tooldforthis100+ posts
My son H.S. coach didn't have a hair rule. The team had a player who had long straight blond hair and was a very fast and good player. We called him sunshine.

As my son was leaving for practice today, I asked him if his H.S. coach told him to to cut his hair, my son said, He was the coach, I would have cut my hair.

Ran into "sunshine" this morning while I was getting a cup of coffee and asked him the same question. He said if coach had asked him to cut it, he would have. He went on to say, that if he hadn't played he would have missed some of the best friends and fun times in high school.

Both of them put school and baseball more important to them.

Funny part is hadn't seen "sunshine" for about 6 months after they graduated and saw his girl friend with this guy I'd never seen, turned out to be "sunshine" now with a buzz cut.
C catfish342100+ posts
I'd like to ask everyone to get off 00Dad and his son's case on this one. Sometimes, you do need to stretch the rules for kids who don't like to be bound by authority.

There are even some travel teams these days that are catering to the happy-go-lucky fellows who are sick of having a coach up in their face telling them to do ridiculous things like hit behind the runner. Here's an ad I saw for one of them in Baseball America:

THE FREE SPIRITS 18U BASEBALL CLUB is looking for new players. We are searching primarily for Tim Lincecum, Johnny Damon, Oscar Gamble types who understand it's all about styling. You don't have to play like them, you just have to look like them. Coach Al Sleet has no stupid rules that keep a player from reaching his full potential. Our players run all the practices from start to finish, when there is practice, of course, which isn't often. The three times we practiced last summer, the guys just decided to play home run derby for an hour. There are other benefits as well.

-- Would you like to take your bag of Whoppers and fries to eat while you play first base? No problem!
-- Want to take your bong to left field? Sure thing! (Just share it with the center fielder.)
-- Can't go a full game without having your girlfriend in the dugout? The more, the merrier!
-- Looking for your dad to give you hitting tips while you're in the on-deck circle? We encourage that!
-- Don't want to play the 9 a.m. Saturday game? Hey, we sleep in and skip those!
-- Hoping to wear your jock on the outside of your pants? That's classic!
-- Want to play second base by literally standing on top of the base? Go for it!

The Free Spirits offer all this and more. And remember, every Sunday we let the guys play in their flip-flops. You'll never have to waste time banging out your cleats on getaway day again!

For more information, call 1-800-FRE-SPRT.
OnWabanaOnWabana100+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by catfish342:
I'd like to ask everyone to get off 00Dad and his son's case on this one. Sometimes, you do need to stretch the rules for kids who don't like to be bound by authority.

There are even some travel teams these days that are catering to the happy-go-lucky fellows who are sick of having a coach up in their face telling them to do ridiculous things like hit behind the runner. Here's an ad I saw for one of them in Baseball America:

THE FREE SPIRITS 18U BASEBALL CLUB is looking for new players. We are searching primarily for Tim Lincecum, Johnny Damon, Oscar Gamble types who understand it's all about styling. You don't have to play like them, you just have to look like them. Coach Al Sleet has no stupid rules that keep a player from reaching his full potential. Our players run all the practices from start to finish, when there is practice, of course, which isn't often. The three times we practiced last summer, the guys just decided to play home run derby for an hour. There are other benefits as well.

-- Would you like to take your bag of Whoppers and fries to eat while you play first base? No problem!
-- Want to take your bong to left field? Sure thing! (Just share it with the center fielder.)
-- Can't go a full game without having your girlfriend in the dugout? The more, the merrier!
-- Looking for your dad to give you hitting tips while you're in the on-deck circle? We encourage that!
-- Don't want to play the 9 a.m. Saturday game? Hey, we sleep in and skip those!
-- Hoping to wear your jock on the outside of your pants? That's classic!
-- Want to play second base by literally standing on top of the base? Go for it!

The Free Spirits offer all this and more. And remember, every Sunday we let the guys play in their flip-flops. You'll never have to waste time banging out your cleats on getaway day again!

For more information, call 1-800-FRE-SPRT.




Best post of the day!

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Last edited by OnWabana
Three BaggerThree Bagger1,000+ posts
About twenty years ago in the name of safety my workplace made a rule against having beards or much facial hair at all since we handle some of the deadliest poisons known to man and often wear full face gas masks. A couple of guys quit because they valued their beards over their incomes which were fairly substancial. About 5 years later one of those guys was back during hard economic times begging for his job back. I couldn't help but notice he no longer had a beard.
ClevelandDadClevelandDadHSBBWeb Administrator
I have really enjoyed this topic. A classic hsbbweb topic where EVERYONE has an opinion. No right or wrong answers imho.

It is tempting to ask the young man what is the big deal, get your hair cut already. On the other hand, he wants to be a doctor which is likely more challenging and exclusive than being a professional baseball player. I have lots of respect for the young man because of that goal and his current academic excellence. Would love to see him do BOTH but I will not hold it against him for having long hair. FWIW, I had shoulder length hair in high school and have hardly any hair left today at age 49. I would love to grow my hair long again
ClevelandDadClevelandDadHSBBWeb Administrator
quote:
Originally posted by PGStaff:
To me this topic has very little to do with hair. It has more to do with the title... MEXICAN STANDOFF!

Any standoff between a 16 year old player and his adult baseball coach is not a good thing. IMO

I thought about that before I posted PG. I think people can make this particular topic about anything they like. For me the hair is just a metaphor for other things. Could be teenage rebellion. Could be the prodigal son. Could be the over-bearing coach. Could be the smart-alec kid. Could be that the team is more important than individuals. Could be much ado about nothing. Could be that baseball is not as important to some as others, etc, etc, etc. It seems to me there are millions of ways to justify a "correct" opinion on this topic. That is why it has been interesting to me. I see many sides to this one - pro and con - and some of it comes down to how one defines the "problem" Your opinion could very well be the correct one PG!
Last edited by ClevelandDad
ClevelandDadClevelandDadHSBBWeb Administrator
quote:
Originally posted by TRhit:
CD


Is it really a problem for the 16 year old or more of a problem for his Dad?

Sometimes you need to let the young man make his stand and pay whatever consequences come with it

I think I agree with you TR. I think the father wanted to see if many of us would have condmened the coach on this one for being too rigid perhaps. I think it is the young man's call and I respect either decision that he might make. I also respect the coach and the rules he has set forth.
CADadCADad5,000+ posts
I tend to agree with TR on this although I'd certainly make it clear that my preference would be a haircut. Those of us who grew up in the 60s and early 70s can remember what a big deal was made over haircuts and how a few years later long hair was no longer a big deal. I'm guessing the Yankees rule on hair length wasn't there at some point in the 70s or early 80s. Have we become our parents?

There are times you have to let kids mess up and learn from it.

I met a kid (with a buzzcut) who left his HS team over not wanting to comply with what he felt was an overly controlling coach. He was a very intelligent and mature kid who just seemed to be a bit immature on this one issue. He just had an incredibly successful freshman year in college, where the coach, who is known for being somewhat rigid, had no problem with how he did things.

Let's face it there's no reason other than establishing dominance for requiring short hair. I like Scioscia's approach of steady pressure better. Weaver looks better with the shorter hair but he pitched just fine with it long.

I wonder if those of us who are conducting a race between grey and gone are just jealous?
Last edited by CADad
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