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So my son plays in a 5A school baseball program and he is a freshman. He started on the JV B at 3rd base for the whole season and at times asked to fill in on the JV A team as needed but toward the end (we have only a few games left) he has been moved up to A Team.

His coach often uses him as an example and points to the JV B team how hardworking he is and every time he is asked to play on the JV A he delivers and always does the right things,that is why he has been promoted.

The Coach also points out that my son is the only Freshman and Sophomore player that stays after practice on his own to work on his batting and tells the kids that they need to be like him.

Here is the thing, we have only a few games left, he sits the bench and coaches first base and if his team is ahead he plays about an inning or 2 at most they put him in right field instead of 3rd, oh they have put him at 2nd once and 3rd once. So what is the philosophy behind this?

My son and I would rather have him play JV B and get play time than sit the bench. We are not allowed to discuss this with the Coach. So any Coaches out there I would appreciate your thoughts.

He has had no errors in 17 games, he hits plenty of singles, doubles and had a lot of RBI's under his belt plus many steals.

Thank you for any thoughts that hopefully will come in.
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Let's start with "my son and I." It's your son's game. You had your chance already. Your son is one step closer to varsity than all the B team players and you're complaining. What's wrong with that as a freshman? It appears the coach likes your son. He was probably too good to play at the B level. He can get plenty of quality playing time on the right summer team.

Very few coaches care about JV and freshman stats. It's all about how their tools project to the next level. At the end of the season if the conversation isn't initiated by the coach, your son should approach him and ask what he should improve in his game to move up as far as possible next year.
Last edited by RJM
Don't know all the details but any time you move up a level, there is usually some aspect of "starting from the bottom" with that new higher level. It is common to have to prove yourself all over again at the next level.
It sounds like the coach wants to reward his hard work with a move up but this doesn't necessarily mean he automatically jumps into a starting spot. There is a reason he was on the "B" team to begin with and a reason the players on the "A" team are where they are.
It also sounds like this happened at an ideal time - only a few games left. That means he got to play in a lot of games earlier at the "B" level and now he gets to move up for a bit of exposure to better opposition (???) and some good practice time with better players - those he will ultimately play V with down the road. This should be celebrated and the new challenge embraced, not frowned upon.
If son stays in the game, this is a process he will continue to face. How he handles it will likely go a long way in determining how many levels he can ultimately jump.
Last edited by cabbagedad
Well if he wasn't good enough to make the A team from the start then I doubt a few appearances on the A team will significantly change that. If the B team is of a lesser caliber of talent then your son might be a tweener. Too good for B but not quite there for A so you leave them down on B to play and get reps but at some point you need to see how he's going to fit in with the A team so you bring him up.

From your post it seems like your son is in good shape with the coaches but as RJM pointed out you say "My son and I" and you lose me. It's not about you or what you feel - it's about what your son wants and how he's fitting in with the team. You didn't mention it but what if the A 3B is having a pretty good season why in the world should he now sit just because your son got moved up? Only one person knows why your son's not playing more than what he is and it's not me or anybody else on this forum. You said "we are not allowed to discuss this" but is it really that or are you not allowed to discuss this but your son could approach the coach? I'm willing to bet if your son phrased it the right way the coach would tell him what his role would be.

You said something about him playing the OF and I've learned this in sports - I would rather be playing in another position in front of everyone on the bench instead of being the backup at my primary position.

The A/B season is what - 20 some games long????? In the grand scheme of things this isn't enough of a "problem" to get worked up over. Settle down and let your son enjoy the game and playing HS baseball. It won't hurt his development and it won't destroy his chances of getting seen for the next level.
Thank you for the replies, hearing it from others make you realize some things. I agree with what you all say and he is glad that he is playing anywhere on the field even if it's for a couple of innings or so.

My phrasing was not the best as I just posted without really reading what I wrote. I am not living through my son. I support him and work with him as all parents do.

My son approached me w this question and we did tell him that there is a reason but being a kid going from playing a lot to this it is natural for him being concerned. As for asking the Coach, we have told him to do that.

The players on the A team are good and the 3rd baseman is good and he knows that. He belongs to Select Team that for the past 3 years. He just wanted to know and I felt posting this question on this forum. Now he understands a little more and since he is a Freshman he does not know the process and as a parent I too learned something today.

Thank you again any other advice is welcomed. Oh, his work ethic on and off the field is what the Coaches has noticed.
My son, also a freshman, made the varsity team. He plays at second base- a place he has never played before and usually either doesn't bat or is pretty much last in the line-up when he does bat. You know what? He loves playing varsity even if it means playing a spot he's not really comfortable at and only gets a few at-bats. It's his hard work ethic that got him to the team and he pushes himslf daily to compete with the older kids. He knows next year or the year after his time will come and the experience he is gaining now willpay off in the end.
JV ended last week around our parts. It is prety much a tradition in our region for the coaches to bring up a few JV players to V in order to finish the season out. They play through next week, and start district playoffs the week after. Most of these players won't see the field, with the possible exception of some pinch runners, but they are honored to practice wwith varsity, wear the varsity uniform, and be a part of the team. Making the JV A at the end of the season is a reward for a job well done, and an opportunity to play with others that might possibly have higher skill sets-- thus giving your son a chance to improve. It's a win-win situation.

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