Question from a Novice Baseball Dad

You have a PM

We were in the same boat as you... in fact our son's situation was probably even worse. He had a hs coach that was more promoter than coach as it related to a few players that he fawned all over. He not only was no help but he was discouraging to my son and especially to us. It became clear early that we had to take matters into our own hands to make sure that our son's dream of playing college baseball would become a reality. I'm happy to report that he received baseball scholarship offers from 2 highly respected D 2 school and lots of offers from great D 3 schools so it can be done. I would be glad to talk with you off line if you want. Just send me a PM.

This is precisely why Mike Speirs created the ABCL league, for bone head coaches like this and for kids who for various reasons ended up not playing HS baseball. Not ideal but it is a path available.

BTW college coaches want to see players play, numbers may peak some interest, but mean nothing.

quote:

bone head coaches like this

Don't know anything more than has been posted, but I, for one, would not assume this is a bone head coach.
I am thinking back to our son's HS coach, for whom I have immense respect.
If our son, or any player,even his very best one, had missed 4 weeks of workouts due to sickness, then went, without any prior notice, discussion or communication, to play in a showcase or with a travel team, the coaching response would have been very firm and very strict.
As BOF notes, HS numbers don't mean much to most college coaches. I am not seeing how the coaches response will impact this player beyond HS.
From what is posted, and using a HS coach is who very successful in Northern CA and has been at it for well over 20 years as a reference point, the response of this HS coach might be a reasonable and expected one, when looked at from the expectations he is setting and the communication that seems to have, possibly, been lacking.

Don't give up but be prepared to in some work. My son is senior who was a back up his frosh through Junior year, He was 5'4" and 135 lbs unitl the summer after his soph year. he is nor 5'11" 185lbs. He was an excclent student. Being from Arizona I knew he very little opportunities in state. He plays for a small school in a division thats very litle noteriety. We targeted midwest naia and d3 schools.
Send emails, video and made phone calls. We have never attended any type of showcase. we visited about 10 shcools and was anbe to work out for the NAIA schools when we visited. He impressed 3 or 4 coahces in the his workouts. He has 3 offers from NAIA schools which include a nice combination of academic and athletic money. It can be done with solid grades and the willingness to put a lot of effort into the process.

My son is no superstar and he isnt looing to get drafted. He loves the game and has the opportunity to keep playing for a few more years.

Good luck!!

jsingerjj, You have a private message.

Speedsdad, if the HS coach wants to win, he'll put the best 9 on the field. It your son is a hard worker and is a good enough player most coaches overlook the small stuff. Our HS coach wasn't fond of summer travel teams, yet he had two players that choose travel ball over the school Legion team. They both were starter during the season.

I look back on son's HS career and he wasn't first team anything, yet now he is playing JC college ball and has a good offer at a four year school. Never look past Junior College, there are some real good programs with very good coaching staffs.

Tell you son to keep his head up and work hard in class and the field. Best wishes to you and your son.

I agree with infielddad, if son did that in HS he would have been kicked off of the team. And for what it's worth, back then HS coaches were not allowed to coach during off season so other opportunities were not frowned upon, but he still would have kicked him off, if there were no prior explanation.

My son, a D1 player and draft prospect in HS, sat through his lots of his soph and jr season on varsity (would have started every JV game if he was on it) as a pitcher only, not that he didn't have the talent and he could play any position probably better than most, it's just the way his coach did things back then (has since changed his philosophy).

Son got his recognition, more time on the mound and exposure through playing for other coaches in the fall and summer. As a senior already signed in november, he played every game his last season in HS in various positions.

Don't rely on the HS coach to get your son to college, I don't really think that is their job, but more or less to provide opportunities to all players, whether we feel they are better or not than our players.

To better explain the situation in our town, my son is currently playing on a "invitation only" travel team made up of players from the surrounding towns. Several players on this team are on my son's school team, all of them have received significantly more playing time then my son. This fall they are all hitting in the mid .200's my son is a little over .400 3rd on the team and leads the team in OBP, SB, triples and Runs. To better prove the problem a player who was cut from both the Freshman and JV team at my son's school leads the team in Avg., RBIs, and is 2nd to my son in the above categories and is probably the 1st or 2nd best pitcher on the team. He is probably the best player on the team. The teams we play can't believe he's not playing school ball. He also is one of the nicest, most polite kids you could ever meet so it's not an attitude thing. Both boys are quiet and not self promoting and their parents aren't in the "connected crowd". But my son enjoys being on the team, whatever his role will be, I just want to give him the chance, if he's good enough, to continue playing baseball after High School.
Thanks for the words of encouragement and advice.

What kind of student is your son?

He works very hard to be a "B" student. My wife and I, based upon what we learned with our 2 older children and his testing history, expect he'll get between a 900-1000 on the Verbal and Math SAT combined.

Your son sounds alot like a player my oldest played with a few years back including the situation with the coach. This kid is now playing at Drew in Madison NJ so let your son know there are colleges for players like him to play at, I would have HIM start sending out letters to college coaches and for him to stay positive. Good luck!

quote:

My son is a 16 year old Junior and has always been the typical Average Little League All Star player. He made his school Freshman and JV teams but didn't play much. Although, he did lead both teams in SB's by running for the Catcher. He is no where on his H.S. Coaches radar its obvious they selected their Center Fielder when they were Freshman and my son is not him. We never really considered him being a "College Level" player.

He is pretty fast, ran a 7.0 60 the first time he tried it and I am sure with practice he can get down to a 6.6-6.7. He's a lefty and his Home to 1B is approx 3.9-4.0 He is an above average Center Fielder with an average arm. His hitting has improved dramatically the last 18 mos or so, due to work with an instructor and a belated growth spurt. He's 5'10" 145lbs. He's one of the leading hitters on his high level but not elite travel team.

Anyway my question is this:
He really wants to play College baseball. I don't anticipate much help from his H.S. Coaches.

Any suggestions on how I help him at least have a chance to play college ball? What Showcases or Camps in the NJ area are geared towards Div III schools that might have interest?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

SpeedsDad,

Sounds like your sons best tool is his running ability. Be careful when using words like "average" arm. An average arm to us would look like a great arm to others. Never know if we are talking HS, College or MLB when descriptions are made. In scouting an average arm at any level is based on MLB arms. Also, you might want to lighten up about the stat descriptions. Stats can be very confusing without knowing all the details. For example, did your son face the best pitching or did he hit when the poorer pitching was out there.

That said, I believe it is possible that he is being slighted by his current coach... It actually does happen sometimes. However, maybe the coach sees his biggest value is as a runner and maybe the catcher is one of the teams best hitters. You live in NJ and there are many great baseball people in that state. I suggest you find one of them and see what comes out of it.

All kids deserve a chance, but I would find someone with good credentials who lives close by and see what they think. No sense in spending a bunch of money for nothing. If they think he has the necessary talent, then go about getting your son some good exposure. BTW, sometimes even a college camp can help in this regard.

Best of luck

With bbcor in place a fast kid will have alot of opportunities

quote:

Originally posted by dswann:
With bbcor in place a fast kid will have alot of opportunities

I spoke with a friend of mine that coaches at the Juco level here in the mid-Atlantic; he said that the quickest way to get into his lineup is to be fast and a "get on base" guy. My youngest son went to a camp a couple weeks ago and the coaches there said the same thing.

I am sure you will throw in there : if they can play the game. If not they are just a fast kid. Then its time for track. I have yet to see anyone steal first base.

Agreed. Perhaps better said, "all things being equal."

Guys, thanks for all the kind words and advice. Fortunately my son never gets down, if he's not in the line up he Coaches 1st when team is batting and charts pitches when in the field. He just enjoys the game and is happy with whatever role he can play.
By the way I am very excited about the new bats as it will increase the value of what he does best.

I have learned a tremendous amount reading these responses and others throughout this Forum. I wish I would have found it 2 years ago. Jake has played travel ball since he was 11 but only for local teams that never entered the "Main" Tournaments that provide exposure. I feel I let him down and Now I'm playing catch up.

Trying to be unbiased (as his Dad it's hard) I don't picture him being a D1 type player and he wants to stay relatively close to home (3-4 hours tops). So my main goal is to get him exposed to schools that might be interested in his talent level that are located in that area.

He is intending to go to Montclair State's Camp this month, I have heard good things about their program and I am looking for any other camps for colleges that may fit the bill.

All suggestions, advice and words of encouragement are gratefully accepted!!!!!!

Thanks again!