Fields of Screams: 2017 youth baseball/softball thread

If he loves the game -- and I mean truly loves the game -- and doesn't make the team, see if he'd be interested in and then ask the coach about being a manager or a ride along type player with the understanding that he might not play much but he will do a lot of things to help the team. Every good high school team I've covered has had someone like your son in the dugout. A guy who maybe isn't skilled enough to play every game, but who also is mature enough not to pout about it and smart enough to understand the game, be a leader among the bench guys, and sharp enough to pick up and pass along the nuances of the game like you described.
If your son is remotely passable as a player and the coach is smart, he'll find a place for him.

 

Sounds also like he is the kind of kid who is willing to work very hard at a position switch that could help him. I am assuming he's lefty because of first base, so that rules out catcher (which is too bad because otherwise he seems like he has a head for it). But outfield can be a good way to get onto the team too -- a lot of kids grew up as all-stars and are accustomed to playing a prime position, and they don't know or care how to play OF when they get to tryouts.

 

Thanks for the notes. Yes, he is a lefty and can play outfield well. He's a 3.9/eagle Scout kid with a sterling rep from teachers and when he played in the feeder program years ago. I imagine he will get the benefit of any doubt for a last roster spot. Kid hits great - hasn't struck out in something like 60 plate appearances - but is a spray hitter with the occasional gap shot.

Saw flashes of power from him this year but, at 13, he has precious little muscle mass right now. He's been focusing on opposite field line drives this spring and it's worked out well. Second on team in BA, first in OBP.

 

I'm with Batman then. He might have more of a shot than you think.

In my observation, if there are 18 roster spots, they don't always go to the 18 best kids. If 14th-best kid is going to be a pain in the ass about not starting, and especially if the coach gets a whiff that the dad is going to be a problem, they often cut bait on that guy.

 

His grade is full of talented kids with attitude problems and/or pain in the ass parents. That will probably help.

 

Can he run well? Or is he smart on the basepaths? Teams that size always need a couple of courtesy runners for the pitcher and catcher, and those are usually younger players. Could be a good way to get his foot in the door as a freshman.
Bottom line, if he busts his ass, doesn't have an attitude, has a head for the mental side of the game and has a sliver of talent (at least enough to show he's not going to kill the team if he actually gets in a game), I guarantee he can have a role on 98 percent of the high school teams in America.

 

I am in the middle of a 2010s coaching problem. My 5th-6th grade girls soccer team has a player who has apparently been creating fake social media accounts for her teammates and sending mean messages from these accounts. The girl was asking me all sort of personal questions about my daughter over the past couple weeks and I told her to mind her business.

The school system and police are involved and needless to say, morale among the parents who know the details isn't very high. I want to talk to the accused girl's parents before I tell her that she isn't welcome for our next playoff game but I don't think I have a choice.

 

If you're pretty sure (very sure) she's guilty, there's not much choice to be made.

Call her and her parents in and tell her she's finished on the team.

Maybe in 9 months or so when next year's team is being put together, another choice will have to be made, but for now, I'd say, "you're done."

 

Yes and yes. Not blazing speed but reads pitchers and batted balls very well. Never a liability on the bases.

He has a very good reputation with the HS coaches (he started his day in HS before going to middle school after 3 periods) as he's the same age as the HC's son and they played two years in 7U and 8U. It was HC's suggestion when 10U called him up a year ahead to go.

 

The Starrville Streaks improved to 2-0 Thursday with a 5-0 win over Wheat Acres, who took a 12-2 blitzing in their opener, so apparently aren't any kind of juggernaut.
Sis-A went 2-3 with a double, scoring twice, and handled 4 chances clean at 3B/SS. Sis-B had a 2-run triple in 3 trips, and struck out three in two innings on the slab.
StarSis, after talking to the grandparents, was reminded the twins will be gone on a trip to Maine from June 20-July 7, 17 days, missing four of the Streaks' 10 regular-season games. Probably not ideal, but they'll get over it.
StarSis talked to the coach of Sis-15's HS summer league team, and the twins may be allowed to hang around practices and games as ball girls/bat girls/ pinch runners, etc etc. after they get back in July. It's not unheard of for the summer rec teams to show up for games with 8 (or 7) players.

There's no way they could hit a No. 1 high school pitcher (most of them are off on statewide travel teams or at specialist pitching camps) but against some of the JV soft tossers they'd see in the rec league, they could connect sometimes. Better than sitting around for a month.

 

Her dad actually emailed me and said that she was going to be skipping the next game and the end of the season BBQ which I have for the girls. He didn't mention the issue and I decided not to press the situation. I will make sure she's off the roster next year.

 

Well ... believe it or not, I probably wouldn't be that draconian. Kids at age 11-12 do stupid stuff.

Since the cops are now in on it, you probably won't be let in on the details of the "official investigation," but you have to be sure beyond any reasonable doubt she really did do the web stalking.

Next year, if she shows interest in coming back, I'd call her and her parents in for a meeting and lay down conditions for a comeback:

1. She must confess and apologize in detail to the whole team with her parents present. A team can't be wondering if they're going to get stabbed in the back by a teammate. Any attempt by anybody to minimize, rationalize or excuse any of it, pack up and get out.

2. She doesn't start any games for the first half of the season. Talk to the league president and get a waiver of any playing-time rules. She plays as a sub totally at the discretion of the coach. At the midway point a team meeting will be held and a secret vote taken. If the team approves, after then she can start again.

3. Needless to say, she is on a strike-2 situation from day one in terms of team conduct as judged by the coach. Any more crap of that type, you're all done -- particularly any online shenanigans. Mention also that other people around the league know about the situation too, so if she blows it again she's probably done completely in this league.