Question

In spite of all the rain I have taken in quite a few high school games so far this year. The first thing I do is find me a good place to see infield from. And at the same time look around and try and find a good place to watch the hitters from. Then I make sure I have all the information on the players I need to track the game and players.

The game is about to start and I wait to hear the catcher signal he is throwing down and I get the stop watch ready. Then it happens. The catcher catches the ball , stands up , takes his time , and finally throws the ball down to second. Well , put the stop watch up no need for it on that one. Then the hitter settles in the box. The stop watch is back out. The ball is put in play the watch is started. Then half way down the line the runner checks up into a jog as he sees the throw is going to beat him. Put the stop watch back up , not needed again.

Between innings I like to watch the infielders and their actions. I might not get another chance during the game. They may not get a ball hit to them. I like to see the arm. Then the 1B throws it to them. They lazily scoop it up and lob it back to first. Oh well.

Then there is the 3 hour game that could have been played in 2 hours. But for some reason the players walk on and walk off the field. The kid that your there to see specifically walks to his posistion and walks back to the dugout after the inning is over. He jogs to first on the pop up. Time to go see another game.

I could go on and on. But the question is why do players that say they want to play at the next level , get noticed , etc , interview for a job like they dont care if they get it or not? Why are things that are so simple to do so hard for some to do? Why do they think that a college coach is going to spend money on them , invest time in them , put their job - career on the line for them , if they approach the game in this type of manner?

Dont get me wrong its not every player or every team. But the fact is its many times players that are not on the "radar" that want to be on the "radar" and they dont understand why they are not. "No one ever comes to watch us play." "Our coach doesnt do anything for his players." "I guess you have to play for the Dirtbags to get noticed."

I recently had someone tell me that no one came to see their games because there were no Dirtbags playing. It struck me in the wrong way bigtime because I had actually been at two different games this team had played this year. And in fact it was pathetic the way the majority of the players approached the game. If they spent more time getting after it and less time putting on their eye black maybe things would be different.

I want to ID players. Get to know who the players are. Maybe they are someone that can play for us. Maybe they might not be for us but can help someone else. Maybe they are someone I need to send a card in on. Or maybe they are someone that I can tell a college coach about.

It takes zero talent to hustle and play the game the right way. A player can stand out for the right reasons or for the wrong reasons. That is up to the player and no one else. I saw a good game tonight and the players played hard and respected the game. It was fun and I saw a couple of oustanding players. But before you say "No one comes to see our games ........................................" you might be surprised to find out they did but there was no reason to come back. And the other guy didnt bother to come because he already got the word there was no need to go.

The single most important thing a player can do is approach and play the game in a manner that is worthy of the game. If you are not doing this you might be a nice looking car but that dent in the hood I just can't take my eyes off of. Thats all I can remember and think about when I think about you.

It kind of goes like this. A kid hits has a great approach , hits an absolute seed at the SS and hangs his head and half way gets down the line. What are you thinking? Are you thinking "Man he put a nice swing on that pitch and really showed a nice bat path and bat speed?" or "WTF? He showed me what he is all about by the way he got out of the box and pouted down the line.?" Then another kid hits a weak dribbler to the SS. He busts out of the box and hustles his ass off down the line. Now what are you thinking? "He rolled over that pitch. But man that kid wants it. He didnt pout or whine he got out of the box and tried to make something happen."

That second kid is going to be remembered for what he did right not what he did wrong. The first kid is going to be remembered for what he did wrong not what he did right.

OK thats enough. Agree or not I had to get that off my chest.

 

agreed...well said...these are the facts!!! Additionally, many of their coaches are to blame, correct?

 

Agree with both. Coaches allow players actions. If a player comes into a strongly lead program with habits that do not follow the coache's ideals that player will not be there long. 27 you did forget to mention the famous throwing of the helmet, bat or glove in the dugout. That is one that I have been inpressed with over the years.

 

This is a very good observation....and telling! I don't like the helmet-glove throwing, but that doesn't bother me as much; it's correctable and it's a sign that the kid cares. I'm not saying it's acceptable---I'm saying it won't happen again.

A lack of hustle is a character flaw and speaks volumes about the player. There is no excuse for it. Most think that can be changed, too. But it is rare. If a coach is not looking, the player reverts to his old habit. I want the player who is going to go all out------when nobody is looking. Those are the guys you can build a team around.

There are many players that fit into this category: The Shelton boys, Kyle and Cody, are two of the best. However, there is one player that does this better than most and it has taken him from being a slightly better high school player to an outstanding college stud: Hank Wofford- Lenoir-Rhyne. If you ever want to take your son to a game to show him how the game should be played....atttend a L-R game. There is no one else I have seen that does the "little" things this young man does. Not only he hustles everywhere he goes (including off and on the team bus), but he is constantly putting pressure on the offense and defense. He will do anything to get on base (including sliding into 1st base when necessary), lay down a bunt, hit to opposite side to advance runner, go yard----and is one of the best going from 1st to 3rd. There is only one speed he knows and that is to go all out at all times.

Hank has earned his All Conference awards every year. He is never the most talented player when he takes the field, but he is always the best player by the end of the game.

This kid is so good they should name an award after him: The Hank Wofford Award--- an athlete that is pure hustle and gets the most out of his abilities (which are amazing.) To me, he is the most exciting college player to watch at any level.

 

Agreed

Coach 27: I agree totally with all that you said. I have preached the same thing to my own child as well as to the kids I have coached. You never know who is watching. I have also learned that the "network" with baseball is huge. There is always someone watching who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone ....... Even if you are having a bad game - people learn so much about your attitude and how hard you play. I tell my child that may be the first time or the only time that a coach (or someone who knows a coach) may see you play. I also think that 100% effort is also very contagious (as is the opposite). Fortunately, my child has a coach who EXPECTS maximum effort and settles for nothing less. I am grateful and feel lucky to have a coach with that type of expectation.

 

This whole thread will be printed and posted in my dugout. I can't seem to get my kids to understand...........

 

You nailed it Kenny!

Terry Brewer, who does some scouting for the Orioles, has told this story and maybe some of you have heard it...

The Club called him and said there was a kid that they wanted him to check out. This kid's "big tool" was speed. Brewer got to the field, introduced himself to the kid, and told him why he was there to look at him.

In three or four at bats, the kid never "busted it" down the line to show his speed. Brewer went home and filled out his sheet... NO PROSPECT .

Like was said earlier, you never know who's watching...

This is definitely "Sticky" material. Both here and in every locker room!

 

Just watched a segment on CBS about Bobby Hurley Sr. who coaches basketball in a poor NJ high school. He made a statement that sums up a lot of answers to these questions that confound us about some kids. I'm paraphrasing, but he basically said that lots of kids are only challenged in the home to be mediocre.

 

great post coach.

Had to bump this back to the first page. I thought about this thread last night at the Ragsdale - Randleman game. After reading this thread earlier I decided to make a point to pay more attention to the "little things" between innings or during games, not as a scout or a coach but just as a fan. Not to mention I have a middle schooler struggling with lack of playing time right now and wanting to make sure he understood it was about a whole more than how many at bats he gets or how much time he sees in the field.

But last night at the game I overhead a gentleman on the phone. He was standing right behind us outside the fence and was telling someone where he was, who was playing. He said something to the effect of "Man this Ragsdale team - theses guys really look like BASEBALL players" At the time the score was still just 1-0 but I thought that something that simple was really the ultimate compliment.

Ragsdale always has played that way - running out every grounder, competing to the last out - just doing all those little things that make a difference throughout the season.