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Soft players?

RH Roy Hobbs100+ posts
just wanting some advice on handling a group who seems soft in my opinion. We had a really good team last season with great senior leaders. We had a guy who even starts at Texas part time as fish. Now i'm left with some guys who have some ability, but just followed the example by a good class. So far and I realize its early they aren't playing at a very high level and seem to be hurt or nagged by "injuries" at every turn. My CF has always either some type of nagging leg injury or sore arm. My new SS who was great for us last year at 3b has the same type deal and isn't playing at close to the same level after a good offseason and something is wrong constantly with my two top pitchers. Our lefty has division 1 stuff, but finds something wrong every other day..Its my groin is tite or I need to come out..yesterday his elbow was tight and he had a tired arm..needed to come out. Without this guy we have little chance this season of doing much of anything. He was never asked to go more than a couple innings last year and i'm begining to wonder if he is capable of anything but relief!!! To top things off we have our 3 pitcher out with torn meniscus from football offseason powercleaning and best hitter with torn labrum which he hurt in football. In trouble.
"Well your the best i've ever had, and the best **** hitter I ever saw".
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coach2709coach270910,000+ posts
Wow I hate to hear all that especially this early in the season. When will you get the two football injuries back?

As for the other ones I've always had good results by putting others in front of them and basically putting the "hurt" ones off to the side. I tell guys like this that we have a season to get ready for and if they aren't able to be the ones who contribute then we have to get others ready who will play. Don't let them participate (or severely limit what they do) in anything due to the fact you don't want them to get hurt anymore.

Once they see you are moving on you will have some great miracles on your hands. People who were once thought unable to play will now be completely healthy. If they continue to be hurt then tell them they are done until a doctor clears them. If they are hurt that long then something has to be really be wrong.....even if it's not. Send the message that they can be replaced if they aren't able or don't want to step up and play.

By going with subs you may lose some games but with these guys you were probably going to lose several games anyway. If you're going to lose games then lose them with guys who want to be out there and who will get better. Next thing you know you're not losing games anymore.

Good luck.
B bballdad17510+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Roy Hobbs:
just wanting some advice on handling a group who seems soft in my opinion. We had a really good team last season with great senior leaders. We had a guy who even starts at Texas part time as fish. Now i'm left with some guys who have some ability, but just followed the example by a good class. So far and I realize its early they aren't playing at a very high level and seem to be hurt or nagged by "injuries" at every turn. My CF has always either some type of nagging leg injury or sore arm. My new SS who was great for us last year at 3b has the same type deal and isn't playing at close to the same level after a good offseason and something is wrong constantly with my two top pitchers. Our lefty has division 1 stuff, but finds something wrong every other day..Its my groin is tite or I need to come out..yesterday his elbow was tight and he had a tired arm..needed to come out. Without this guy we have little chance this season of doing much of anything. He was never asked to go more than a couple innings last year and i'm begining to wonder if he is capable of anything but relief!!! To top things off we have our 3 pitcher out with torn meniscus from football offseason powercleaning and best hitter with torn labrum which he hurt in football. In trouble.


Hmmm. I have a Freshman son who lives for baseball. He hates to go on vacation if he thinks he'll even miss a practice or a chance to go hit off a tee in the cage.

But his genetics predispose him to "nagging" injuries. He wakes up with back problems, he had osgood-schlatters in his knees until he was 14, etc.

He never has arm problems now because he ices, does the throwers 10, and j-bands religiously. But until he started that program he had arm issues too.

It's just how he is.

His little brother has none of that. But he has completely different genetic makeup (although from the same two parents). He is smaller, faster, and generally more 'lithe'. He doesn't every get a sore back or wake up with his knees hurting.

It's just how he is.

There is a difference between being "soft" and being "tough." But there is also a difference in genetic predisposition to injury.

Expecting players to play through injury puts me off a little. Fortunately the local HS puts a lot of emphasis on injury prevention and arm-care and the coach expects players to let him know if their arms are bothering them. They're no good to him if the arms always hurt...
Last edited by bballdad175
coach2709coach270910,000+ posts
I don't see where in his post that he said he makes kids play through injuries. Plus there is hurt and there is pain. One you can play through and the other needs to get checked out. There are kids who are predisposed towards injuries for various reasons and those are the ones who we have to keep pulled back from overdoing. But then there are those who let a little soreness that can be played through who need convincing they aren't truly hurt. The second group is who he's asking about and you have to take care of them or they will tear down a team.

I think the best way to handle them is start the process of replacing them and ignoring them. They will stop getting hurt after this starts to happen. If they persist then take it out of your hands and let a doctor make the call. If they aren't hurt then they have no crutch to stand on and if they are hurt you can start the recovery process. Win / win situation.

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