Starting lineup / freshman year

That one is ageless and most likely unanswerable.

 

http://www.ask8ball.net/

AFAIK, there is no way. 

How much have you donated to the booster club?  

 

Unless you can read the coach's mind, there truly no way to know.

Tim2014,

 

Based on your previous few posts, I'm assuming you are talking about a college freshmen.  I'm also assuming you want to see the games and deciding if you should go,.  

 

First, I'd wait until the coach announces the travel team if this includes travel to the opponent.  The number of players vary by conference, but typically it is around 24-25 players will travel.  If the team isn't travelling, and he is in the top two-three on the depth chart for his position I'd definitely go.   Lots of college coaches like to give their top freshmen players experience early in the season (non-conference games) to see what they can do and give them experience.  Not to mention this is a meaningful event for your family, so I'd make every effort to get there to support him.  

 

Enjoy and good luck!.

 

 

Usually, the player will have a real good idea where he stands on the depth chart at any given time but nothing is certainty and competition is endless.  There are also matchup, rest and get-a-look factors.

Fenway

Thanks!

When would he announce the travel team? How many position players would they take? What will it mean, if they tell him he will travel? Not sure who won the spot yet but it will be very close. He was projected weeks ago to start or was stated as a impact freshman. The spot will go to a freshman. Sorry for all the questions!

Tim,

 

Many times these decisions come down to a day or two before a team will travel, particularly early in the season when there is some uncertainty in a decision.  A lot of times a team may take some freshmen early in the season to give them experience and they may not end up on the travel team once league plays starts. There are just so many variables, that it is hard to predict. We found that making travel plans in advance and in particular use South West Airlines, since you can cancel and use the funds later for another flight made it more flexible to plan. 

 

Enjoy.

Tim,

 

Our son is a freshman at a D2 college.  He is on the travel squad, is not a starter, but was told he would see a lot of time this season.  The team traveled this past weekend and lost the first two games of the series (won the last).  Our son did not play this weekend.  In all reality, as a freshman on a team of all JC transfers (six senior starters and two junior starters) he may not play much at all.  We will be there supporting him from the stands if he does get that first college AB whenever we can.  Through a tough injury last year we learned to enjoy watching him play whenever we can because you really never know how long it will last.  Just my two cents...

Fenway South, BOF and Cabbage Dad are spot on.  Many times it's last minute decision based on practice, opponent, conference or non-conference that play into the coach's position as to who goes with the "travel" squad.

 

My son is at a D2 university now (transferred in) but as a freshmen at JC he didn't make the travel squad until the very last away series in the fall.  After that he was always on the travel squad.  Typically, the coach didn't post the travel squad until the night before.

I traveled to watch my son four days in a row this weekend.  He is a freshman at a D2 school as well.  Got to see one pinch hit appearance (first college at bat and first college hit) then I got to watch him warm up in the bullpen for two games and pinch run in the last game.  It's comes with the territory!  Enjoy the ride because four years will be gone in a hurry.  I'll be back next weekend because you never know when your kid's name will show up on the line up card. 

2014/Freshman, opening weekend this weekend, away.  Not just away.....but FAR away.  Decided not to miss the chance to see his first start so we are flying in for a long weekend.  If he is not on the travel squad, well, we will be having a lovely unexpected vacay in Nashville and Memphis!  Will take the odds on this one.

 

 

That made me chuckle!

Shovel:

 

Love the url... It could help me with those tough work decisions.

In baseball, you MUST ONLY focus on the things that YOU CAN control, and not those things that you CANNOT.

 

Things you can control:

 

Hard Work

Hustling

Heart

Desire

Attitude

 

Things you CAN'T control:

 

The starting line up

Umpire's Calls

Batting Average

 

There are more for both categories, but you get the point!

 

Good Luck!

 

I vote for going regardless, if it's a home series. It's a great opportunity to get to know other families and we love taking our son and some of his teammates out for meals after games.  I actually enjoyed the games when son wasn't playing even more, since I wasn't an absolute wreck the whole time. I'm quickly realizing this special time is going to be gone before we know it!

I asked the Magic 8 Ball and it said "don't count on it".  I guess that's the answer.

 

In all seriousness, there really is no way to tell until the coach posts the line up.  My son is a relief pitcher, so it is hard on us.  Never know when he might get in.  If it's a 3 game series, we may show to a DH on Saturday and he doesn't get in.  We go home for Sunday and he gets in.  We don't go for Friday night game and he pitches, show up for DH next day and he doesn't get in.

 

For position players, you may never know either.  Maybe your son doesn't start, but gets to pinch hit or pinch run.  Do you want to miss his first college game experience?  I say go and see what happens.  Generally, on my son's team, you have the 9 starters and that's it.  However, there are times when some platooning is done.  1B may switch places with DH some games.  Usually a different catcher catches the 2nd game of a DH.  Sometimes coach will switch in a different LF or 3B for the 2nd game of a DH.  So, just because your son may not start the 1st game of the year or series, it doesn't necessarily mean that he won't get in a game at some point over the series.  

Before you know it, your son's baseball will be over.  Get to as many things as you can, while you can.  Worst case scenario, you get to go out to dinner with him after the game!!

The player generally knows if he's a starter, unless we're talking about a competition so close that it could come down to things like right/lefty matchups, etc.  Don't confuse the player not sharing all the inside info with you, on the one hand, with his not knowing, on the other.

 

If the question is whether or not to travel to the games, my advice is, just go.  There's only ever going to be one first weekend of his college career.  Go, meet the other families, root for the team as a team, and hope for the best when it comes to your son's playing time.  Cheer for him if he plays.  Buy him dinner after the game.  If he doesn't play, understand that having you there may well provide needed support in the event he is frustrated.

 

My experience is that in a lot of cases, at this early, pre-conference phase of the season, even guys the coach may not forecast for a ton of playing time will get at least a PH appearance.  So there's a very high probability that if you don't show up, you'll miss your son's collegiate debut, whether he starts or doesn't.

 

Bear in mind that every kid on that team was a stud in high school, and they can't all be starters.  So be prepared, you may well find your son is slated as a bench player, and for all you know at this point, that could be his entire four years.  Try to enjoy the ride no matter what.

Thanks you all!

First, just want to get this out. I will be at every game possible. Not sure where it got confused I was not going because he may not start.

2/13 opening day. He did not start today. His word's, the other guy had a little better overall spring hitting and that was probably was the difference, I'm good and not worried, I will play. Those comments from him is why he has made it to this point in his career. He understands he's a freshman on one the top 25 programs in the country and understands many would love to be in his shoe's and would trade spots with him in a second.

My concerns are for self information or self medicating, lol and to remind myself to always staying positive and being the biggest fan. I thank you all for your comments. Let the journey begin.

2/13 opening day. He came in and played the field in the 8, no at bat. I took a billion pictures, lol!

Oh he hit 2 out in BP. Said after the game he hasn't hit any out in BP since the fall.

Game 2 starter. 1-4 2 rbi's an run scored

Awesome start for Tim2014son!  Congrats!  Trust me, you will remember that day for a long, long time.  

 

You'll get the hang of this.over time.   If your son's program was somewhat like my son's program they don't know much until the travel team is announced.  My son was a starting pitching for most of his college career so he knew exactly which of the 4 weekend games he would start.   It is a crapshoot for relief pitchers as there is typically a "first-up list" which gives them an idea of when they may go in.  For position players early in the season (non-conference games) he can be in the game at the snap of finger for any reason.   Your son has be ready to pinch run, pinch hit or play the field at all times when he isn't starting.  I think this is the hardest part of the game for a freshmen competing for playing time.  He's got to be 100% into the game while not actually in the lineup.  

       
       


Thanks

They were told that the schedule change due to weather forecast this coming weekend. He may be on his first plane ride as a student athlete. I may have to miss it if he goes because of the cost is 2500.00 and no time to save the cash.