State Games

I agree!

I think it's time to increase the number of regions. Too many good players are being left out.

 

State Games Tryouts

Don't know if all reagions are the same, but our region offers 3 days of tryouts beginning at 1:00 for pitchers and catchers and lasting until 5:00 (which actually became 6 or 6:30) with about 1½-2 hours for each segment (pitchers/catchers, infield and outfield). Kids were asked to attend at least 2 of the 3 tryouts, but I was amazed at how many kids only attended 1. A coach can see a lot more in 3 workouts and there was no rule against attending all three. Unless the player is strictly a one position player, I would encourage attending all sessions that they may have an opportunity to play. Last year one position had only 5 tryout. Pretty good odds when there are over 120 at the tryout.

I heard many excuses as to why kids thought they couldn't make the team. Coach was throwing bullets in bp, no good pitches to hit, they already know who is on the team.

Not sure if these coaches get paid for doing this (and I doubt they do) but just remember, most high school coaches do what they do because they love it. Most could make more money doing almost anything other than coaching and if they were paid by the hour - they wouldn't even make minimum wage. The only true reward they get is an occasional "thank you" from a former player who after many years in the working world can truly see the value and life lessons they learned from their coach.

As I heard one coach tell a group of young men at a recent tryout (not state games tryout). "We as coaches don't determine your destiny: you do". So if you don't make the team - only you can decide if you will keep playing.

Work Hard, Play Harder...

 

That is strong right there... no truer words ever spoken. Hope more buy into that concept...

 

What's so hard about taking the best players who come to tryout?

I've seen it all..

It is biased.

 

Oh go get married...................................................lol

 

Pop Times

So it doesnt matter if you use a wrist watch or a stop watch its all the same. I think if you are going to be close to accurate you use your trigger finger not your thumb.I have yet to see acollege coach without a stop watch. I have been around baseball all my life and that was the first time I have ever seen someone use a wrist watch for pop time.I mean they didnt even take it off there arm.

 

Every year at this time we hear the same discussion around this topic. The sad part is the kids who make the teams do not have the chance to enjoy the selection until the games start. Until then all they hear is about how bad the process is and how others deserved to be chosen instead of them. I agree the process is flawed. The regions are to large and too many players are nominated. I have been to two tryouts the last two years and have seen the process. There are a few players that stand out several that you can tell should not be there, and the rest all look the same. No matter how they change the process it will never be fair to all. If the high school coach would only nominate the players from their team that they think have a legitimate chance it would then be a honor to be nominated even if you are not selected. The games are great for the kids, let them enjoy it. Baseball is like life it is not always fair.

 

There is no way

you can select a team like this and make sure that you get it 100% right. There will always be players not selected that should have been selected. The only way to make sure that this does not happen is to cancell the state games and just forget the whole thing. So since that is probably not going to happen what does a player do that does not make the team? A player that believes he should have made the team. He goes out and continues to work hard at the game and takes advantage of the opportunities that he does have. It will not do him any good to become bitter about it and look for excuses. Can he use it as motivation? Yes. Can he use it as fuel to throw on that fire that burns inside of him? Yes.

If your talented enough to get opportunities to play at the next level then not making the state games is not going to stop you from playing at the next level. If your not talented enough to get opportunities to play at the next level then making the state games is not going to get you those opportunities. Its as simple as that.

It would be wonderful if everything in life and baseball was fair. It would be awesome if there was a way to ensure that every kid that deserved to make it would make it. But that is not going to happen this year , next year or any year. You can argue about the process all you want. You can add as many regions you want to add. And you will still have some kids left off in one of those regions that believe they deserve to be on the team.

So the real question is IF you are not selected and you believe you should have been what are you going to do about it? That is up to the player. And that is the only thing that really matters. To the ones that made it congrats and good luck. To the ones that did not that deserved to - go out and prove them wrong.

Are their politics in baseball? Are their politics in life? Is their anyone out there that needs to have someone answer that question for them? So what do you do about it? That is the real question that only the individual can answer.

 

Amen, brother!