Roster decision (need help)

Is it not possible for him to get some JV games / at bats in during the season at all? Not sure how you guys do your schedule but if JV plays after varsity then let him stay after every so often and get some playing time that way. Or if the JV has their own schedule let him miss a couple of varsity practices to get some playing times. But if you play opposite - JV on road and Varsity at home - it could be tough getting him playing time.

Does the young kid play good summer ball and play good fall ball?

Overall I say go with the young kid as your backup. He's shown he's commited through the workouts and he's got a ton of upside in terms of getting better. If he has the tools to get behind the plate and contribute in receiving, blocking and throwing then he needs to be the backup. At the catcher position if you got someone that is weak then the entire team is going to suffer. If he can hold his own and is a team guy then go with him because that attitude will probably grow and be stronger as he gets older and should help him become a leader.

If he doesn't get to hit much I doubt one HS season will hurt his development as a hitter much especially if he's working in the summer and fall. But maybe you got some teams on the schedule that are weak and he can hit against them.

The other guys had a chance to buy into the system and they didn't. Reward the guys who want to be in the system especially if they can play.

I've used 8th graders as my backup before because they could handle my Seniors throwing low to mid 80's. Now they couldn't hit water if they fell out of the boat but I always found them JV at bats.

No brainer for me. He plays varsity. And you DH the Sr in games you feel you can and give this young guy the opportunity to play and hit as often as possible. He learns everyday from the Sr and he works with the coach as often as possible. The experience he gets this year will be very valuable next season.

quote:

I have a senior catcher who is a 4 year varsity player and possibly the best player on our team.

Depends on how your schedule shakes out; usually our JV are playing same time as V so a kid is one or the other. In my case the young kid plays JV, keeps working (which doesn't seem to be an issue) and I don't worry much because I've got a stud behind the plate this year and it sounds like the next 3 are taken care of too.

You only need an 'emergency' catcher for V if your stud gets hurt.

I agree with Coach May. I will add this, make sure any time their is a JV game being played that the kid is dropped down to play in it. Also make sure you get him involved as much as possible on a game to game basis so the game starts slowing down for him.

When the next season rolls around ask yourself this question. Do you want a guy behind the plate as your #1 that has never played varsity? A guy behind the plate with no varisty experience? A guy behind the plate and at the plate the pitchers have never thrown to in a game? Or a guy that has been with you for an entire year , learning from the guy in front of him? A guy that has caught all your pitchers in games and pens for an entire year. A guy that has experience in games and has been working with your team an entire year. And a guy with some at bats under his belt at the varsity level.

If he is as good as you say then use this season to get him ready for next season at the level he is going to be playing at next season. DH the senior some and give him his starts behind the plate. When you have games in hand get him in late. Give him as much experience as you possibly can both at the plate and behind it. You will be very glad you did when next season rolls around. If he is as good as you say playing JV is not going to help him become a better varsity player.

Just my opinion.

I'm just not in the habit of taking ab's or playing time away from my best player...
"his arm and bat are below varsity level"

... Well, that's who the JV team is for.

I can agree with that. However we all know there are lower lineup guys that he can get AB's for and over the course of the year there should be some teams that are more than beatable and the kid could take some pressure off the starting catcher and let him get out from behind the plate.

It’s better to be the starting catcher on JV than the back up catcher on varsity. His development need AB’s. He can swing up to varsity if the JV doesn’t have a game, but this kid needs to play. He will be able to work on his leadership skills at the JV level, where as he more than likely will be a little intimidated at the varsity level. The back up varsity catcher position is not as important as his development

Curt I am not questioning what you are saying but I am merely asking a question, not just to you but everyone who says the kids need AB's and need to develop. What is the difference between a Freshman at a 4 year college and a Freshman at a HS, other than age? I never hear anyone on here clamoring that they need to bring JV back at the college level so Freshman can develop. At the college level the Freshman players develop by being taught, repetition, and the chance they might get to play occasionally. Now I understand that those guys are at a different level. However, if they are not starting as Freshman at a 4 year college then they are right back at the bottom of the Totem Pole. Just thinking out loud.

WOW... this is why I love this website... what a great range of thoughts, advice and ideas. It has been a tremendous help.

First let me tell you this, I've been leaning towards bringing up the frosh. all along.

Is it not possible for him to get some JV games? No, we play an opposite schedule, same time/date, home/away.

Does the young kid play good summer ball and play good fall ball? The Varsity team is the best quality ball (competition) most of my kids play.

The other guys had a chance to buy into the system and they didn't. Reward the guys who want to be in the system especially if they can play. I couldn't agree more. The junior probably wont play. I can't see keeping a sophomore who won't show committment over a freshman who is totally buying in. Especially since the frosh. will be the starter next year.

Interesting story about the sophomore, he thinks Firstbase is his spot next year. Little does he know there is a 6'2 firstbaseman in the 8th grade with a pretty good bat. He'll probably play JV this year to get him ready for "the big show" next year.

...you DH the Sr in games you feel you can and give this young guy the opportunity to play and hit as often as possible.
Even better idea... my firstbaseman may be one of my pitchers, so my starting catcher can play there when the 1B is on the mound.

When the next season rolls around ask yourself this question. Do you want a guy behind the plate as your #1 that has never played varsity?

NO!

Well sounds like you are going through some good times with youngsters though..Bring up the freshman. I've actually started freshman on two very good teams in the past and it worked out great. you guys try this one out..I'm **** frustrated.

I have a SR. catcher who i was hoping could do it. He hasn't looked good all year though and looked below average the first two days of practice..2.3-2.5 pops(ouch) We are expected to be good. Have a two big time D1 signs and three pitchers from 85-90..I do have a second baseman who is a good catcher..Putting him back there is about to make me real avg at second. also have a lazy kid who just doesn't seem to care and is very hard to coach. This guy runs a legit 6.5 and has a gun.....but can't hit much and is always looking for an easy way out...refuses to make hitting adjustments! left our Saturday practice for a Date to some deal. again replacing him will give us a much avg. defender and player.What do you guys think? sit 'em both?

Why not keep both the sophomore and freshman catcher and let them know you are trying to find a bckup to your stud varisty guy? I am assuming you haven't had try outs yet and this is just conditioning so far? You had said the freshman has worked his butt off so I didn't know if that meant conditioning, plus I wasn't sure how you knew the freshman was such a good receiver? Summer? or are you doing stuff now?

I would use them both to make the other better, a little competition. Let them know you are looking for that backup.

IMO if the freshman beats out the sophomore why not let the freshman play JV and if you NEED him to fill some time at the varisty level them use him, but do you need him? I mean if your senior is a stud, just let him play and fill in some time here and there possibly with the freshman if he earns that spot after playing JV, and the sophomore can back him up at JV.

I have just found in the many years that throwing freshman in at the varsity level isn;t the best idea unless, you NEED them there or they are just way too good overall to not play.

My 2 cents.

I'll throw in another cog to think about. What will your JV team consist of? Ours has been a mix of Jr.s who couldn't play V and Fr brought up. Not always the best examples in the older kids as they tend to think they are misplaced. Usually not too sucessful and I've had to untrain a losing attitude. Now there are lots of factors in that, but I and certainly considering that next time.
He will learn alot more about effort and what it takes to be V from being on V. It is easier teaching him your way when he's with you.
I have a Sr catcher this year who I had up last year as back up and didn't take advantage of the learning experience and most likely will be passed up by a younger hungrier guy.

I wasn't clear and editted to hopefully be so.

I never consider how taking a player from the JV program will impact the JV program. Will this player make us "Varsity" better? Will this player benefit more from being with us than the JV team? Those are the things I consider. In 15 years as a HS coach I won 0 JV championships. During those same 15 years we won 11 Conf Championships finished 2nd twice and 3rd twice.

I never bring a kid up unless he is going to have a role that is going to #1 Make us a better team. #2 Help him in his development as a player. If those two criteria are met its done. If they are not he stays on JV. The JV program imo is a time to learn and grow as a player. Understand what its going to take to play in our Varsity program.

The difference in JV baseball and Varsity baseball is night and day in the level of competition. At least in my neck of the woods. The sooner a kid that has the ablity to compete at that level is given the opportunity the better imo.

why dont you let him split time between jv and varsity you can bring him up and down as much as you want as long as he doesnt play in a jv and varsity game on the same day.

Freshman makes Varsity this season. He earned it more than the other catchers. This season he learns alot about the game just hanging out with the Varsity players/catcher in the dugout and will give him a chance to learn more from the coaches about the mental side of the position.

As much as anything, he will start being looked at differently by the other Freshman and Sophs on the JV in that they will look at him as a leader behind the plate, not just the kid they played ball with the last several years. If you do your job as a coaching staff properly that first year, you'll find that when the kid speaks the others will listen.

If a coach brings a Freshman up to Varsity, the coach must commit to getting the kid playing time. The earlier in the season the better as most HS will play some scrimmages,non region type games early in the season before they get into the region games. Get the kid the confidence early that he belongs and you'll more often than not find the kid is now a young man and will rise to the occasion. If you as a coach believe the Freshman should be Varsity, then you also are committed to standing behind that selection and supporting him publicly in front of his teammates. The absolute worst thing the coach can do is not play the kid.