I probably post this same thing every year on this day. If I do, I apologize.
We made cuts this morning. We cut almost 50 kids! My staff and I were up at school last night until about 11:15pm. We went over all our data from testing them on Friday. We went over every at bat from our intra-squads that we had, not only the last 4 days, but since August in the baseball class. We video taped the enitre first day of tryouts and watched it again.
With it being my first year here, I decided to keep all 20 Seniors that have been in the program all 3 years. Sure, I could have cut the ones that were not returning lettermen that were not going to contribute much. To me though, if you are not going to cut a kid after 3 years, you don't cut him as a Senior...but that's just me. So I pulled 6 of them into my office a few weeks ago and told them what their role would be. I told them to expect little if any playing time after scrimmages (assuming the starters and back-ups were playing up to their capabilities). If they would accept their role and be a positive member of the team, then I'd have a uniform for them. If not, then they had to make the choice because I am not going let the fact that there is 20 seniors decide what underclassmen I would keep. So if I have to carry 27-28 this year, so be it, I'll deal with it! Happily, all 6 accepted the terms and agreed.
So, in order to avoid having 20 Seniors again, we had some tough decisions to make regarding our Juniors and Sophomores. We cut some kids that have some ability, but they are very similar to the 6-7 seniors that we talked to. When I look at a junior or sophomore, I look to see what position they play, who else is there that is already on varsity (ahead of them) and what Freshman we kept that we feel are already better than them. If that Junior or Sophomore is not going to start on JV, and we feel we have a freshman, or two, or more, that are better...then I need to cut him now. Not saying that this is the best way to do it. I feel it is the best thing for the program.
So, this morning we handed out letters that were sealed in envelopes to every kid that came to tryouts. I am not a "post a list" guy. First off, that is a violation of a students privacy and is against the FERPA Regualations! At the schools I've been at in the past, I've met face to face, one on one, with every kid. Here, there are too many kids to do that with so I did the letters.
I have been in their shoes before, both making the team and not making the team. I have received the proverbial tag in the locker, bus ticket and peanut butter sandwich for home. No reason, no explanation, no thank you. Each kid can make an appointment to speak to me before school. I already spoke to a few this morning. About 10 minutes after we started handing out the letters, I got a text from a Freshman parent that "did not understand. My son pitched well." First off, I'm not going to answer a text. Call me, email me, don't text me. Sure, he pitched well, so did 15 other kids. This kid only faced 1 kid that was kept, and he got him out. The rest of the kids he faced were cut. He could not field at his other position, struck out half the time, and did not hit the ball out of the infield. So, on the surface, to the non-objective parent, he pitched well. But to the coaches, who have way more information at hand...it was good, just not good enough. If you are a pitcher only as a Freshman...and you are not throwing 85+...Really?
Anyway, I have a bunch of emails and phone calls to return. Hopefully I can mix in a little time with my varsity and get them ready for their scrimmage...which is now 6 days away!
I wish everyone the best of luck this year.
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) comes to me and says that there is a problem in the stands (I'm thinking there was a fight or someone cussed an umpire). The parents are sitting in cliques and that I need to do something about it. Turns out it was the kids parents that were not playing that were sitting together and apparently the AD overheard them griping about playing time.
but I'm mean.)