Coach Pitching advice!!!

[jpbrim]

I am from the area and my son has played at TCYB. He started in T-Ball and coach pitch. He also played 2 years in another state.  He also played in mustang .  I agree that competition is what drives this country.  But a good coach should develop his players and teach the fundamentals.  They should learn the game of baseball.  Of the 5 teams he played on at TCYB, basic fundamentals and drills were of minimal emphasis. Yes you can tell which kids have parents that work with them at home which I do.  And yes I agree winning is fun. But if you are putting your weaker players in the outfield and not giving them a chance to learn a new position then all they are doing is occupying space.  If you tell your team you play to win and they don't, what happens then.  What have you done to that child's self esteem?  Have you made them feel like a failure?  Maybe this is the reason the majority of the better players in the HJ area have left TCYB and moved on to select.

[Lazeek]

I think everyone's opinion has merit................however I am looking at it two ways.  One is it is very important that you work with your kid at home as we as coaches only have two-three hours a week to work with the kids and if you are not working that with them at home then that shows me that you do not care about the kid getting better or playing in the infield.

Second is putting a kid in the in field that has a slower reaction time then you are putting them at risk to get injured.  I appreciate everyone's opinion but I teach winning, to have fun and fundamental's on my team.  Also if the kid is not willing to listen and learn they will likely see more outfield time then infield time as well.  I have a young player on my team that is eager to learn and has no business being in the infield and this person will find themselves in the infield way before the other players that are only there because mom or dad signed them up to play!!!!!!!!!

[The Voice]

I found some great instructional videos on this website  www.fcabaseball.com

On the left side, click on baseball media, menu and scroll to Baylor, UTSA and Sam Houston coaches. After that browse the entire site and check it out. The 18 and under site is under construction but check out the resources, drills and skills. 

[daddy23]

I know that the discusion is way past the original question and I do not feel I have anything to add to that discusion. 

However, you asked about where to play your kids.

Here is my 2 cents. 

The most important two positions are 2b and SS.  You will be surprised at how many balls are hit to 2b (even more in the 1st half of the season).  Lots of the 7 year-olds are still late on their swing.

Your 1b-man needs to be able to catch, but does not have to be one of your best two players.  Unless you are totally stacked, you have to give up somewhere and as long as you have someone who catches well on the throw--use him there.

Your 3b is not near as important as it was in T-ball.  Good coaces teach everyone to hit to 3b in T-ball, so the 3bman gets lots of action.  Not near as many kids can turn on the ball.

P is more important than you might think.  Certainly most of the T-ball outs are P-1st and that is not going to be true in Pinto, but you still want to get those easy outs when you can.  However, a P that is not super agressive is ok, becase they will not jump (or dive) and disrupt a play that your 2b or SS can make.  But he needs to be someone quick on the short balls and have a steady (not huge) arm to first.

C is interesting.  You think that you can use your P to cover home and certainly C really becomes important in Mustang, not Pinto.  However, an agressive Catcher will have the opportunity to catch about 1 foul ball per inning.  Sometimes those fouls are from big hitters and a catch there can really turn an inning. 

The outfield is a luxury.  It is awesome to see an OF at that level track and catch a ball, but it is more important to the team to have Outfielders that are paying attention, can stop the ball and quickly get the ball back into the IF and hold the runner to a single.

Good Luck and hopefully we will see you in the Director's Tourney in Port Arthur.

[TradinUp BH]

It sure was nice when all you had was little league. Those days are gone. Good luck to all

[Lazeek]

daddy23,

What is the deal man????  You only come around during baseball season??? :D

Thanks for the info.  See you at the dump in PA in May!!!!!

[daddy23]

lurking here and there but I don't want to get caught in the crossfire around here.

Good Luck with your team. 

[Lazeek]

I start most of the cross fire!!!!!!!!!!! :D

How does your team look??

I am head coach this year and we only have three 8 year olds out of 12 kids...........we are decent though and the kids are having a great time.  We won our season opener last night 14-5!!!!

[daddy23]

Congrats....

I am assistanting this year but with the same basic group of coaches plus a couple. 

Our Fun Day is Saturday.  We only had 3 returners from last year. 

I think I would be best not to opine on how we look until we start playing games...Still hoping for the best at this point.

[RuffRaider]

Of course the better players are going to be the ones that dad works with at home. BUT! What about the kid that doesn't have a dad? Dad could be in Iraq, parents divorced, etc. etc. So he gets stuck out in the outfield because his dad isn't around? How is he suppose to improve? And what kind of role model are you for this kid? "Sorry, kid, I know you don't have a dad to work with you at home, kind of sucks to be you but get out into right field".

Don't punish the kid because of the parents!

[Lazeek]

Just for your info RuffRaider I played every kid in the infield last night!!!!

Give it a rest!!!!!! : : :

[piratefan]

Congrats....

I am assistanting this year but with the same basic group of coaches plus a couple. 

Our Fun Day is Saturday.  We only had 3 returners from last year. 

I think I would be best not to opine on how we look until we start playing games...Still hoping for the best at this point.

daddy 23 has the team to beat! Every year he can take any group of kids and lead them to first place.

  He likes to not say much ,and then on game day he can bring the hammer down on you!!..lol...don't let him fool you  he IS the team to beat!!!! ;D

   

[Lazeek]

No kidding piratefan!!!!!!!!!!!

Last year the team (Twin County Scrappers) I assisted on lost to the Vidor Astros in the Championship Game of the Shetland Director's Tournament and then in All-Star's both of Twin County's losses were to the Vidor All Star's!!!!!!!!  Both teams coached by daddy23!!!!!!!!!!  Sandbagger!!!! :D :D  He has got TC's number!!! > > :D

[piratefan]

Him and his partner in crime are sandbaggers!! they keep a low profile and then on gameday it's on! Rumor has it they have a high tech hitting facility in a undisclosed location. (have to have passsword to get past security)...

      ;D ;D   Both great guys and great coaches!

[RuffRaider]

Just for your info RuffRaider I played every kid in the infield last night!!!!

Give it a rest!!!!!! : : :

Good for you. I knew you would do the right thing. And I had given it a rest until the comments about the better kids being the kids with dads that work with them. I've seen too many kids that could be all world but for the lack of someone at home working with them. Like I said, don't punish the kid because of who his parents are.

Do me a favor. Make a copy of this thread. And when your kid is 12, reread this thread. I'll give you $20 if you don't laugh.  ;D

[Lazeek]

I did what was right only because we had the game won...............we were leading 14-5 going into the last inning.  Had the game of been close then I would not have made the changes!!!!!!! ;)

[RuffRaider]

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[The Goat]

daddy23,

What is the deal man????  You only come around during baseball season??? :D

Thanks for the info.  See you at the dump in PA in May!!!!!

I knew from day you were a jerk. Remember when you get to P.A. (Port Arthur) not the dump no one will be smiling @ you, and what makes you think we like driving to where you are. Since you don't like P.A. so much why don't you keep your team in sour lake. That will be one less team we (P.A.) have to beat to win the championship. > 8)

[Lazeek]

Maybe you misinterpreted my statement.  And if you will look at post that I have made in the past on the PA fields you will see what I have said.  Here are a few examples:

The group that ran the Director's Tournament and All-Stars were wonderful and made it a first class experience.....they even sang Happy Birthday to my son prior to the game beginning.

The only problems were the field itself.  After the rains (which you cannot control) the dugouts were full of water, the field was in poor shape.  The pitcher's mound was the worst......it looked like a dune at the beach.

I can assure you that we were happy to be in both tournaments and make it to both Championship games.  Please accept my apology as it was in sarcasm and as a joke with other coaches that were in the same tournament from other communities. 

Regardless of where the tournaments are we are looking forward to being in PA in May and in July!!!

[AggiesAreWe]

See Lazeek, those "dump" comments irk some people.

You know, when folks call that little "dump" of a gym or little "dump" of a football stadium over there in Sour Lake. ;D

[Lazeek]

HJ football stadium is nice it is just small compared to Silsbee.

HJ new gym will be as nice as any in the area...........may not be as big, but will as nice as anybodys.

Dumps are dumps!!!!!!  :D

[AggiesAreWe]

HJ football stadium is nice it is just small compared to Silsbee.

HJ new gym will be as nice as any in the area...........may not be as big, but will as nice as anybodys.

Dumps are dumps!!!!!!    :D

I'll admit, HJ's football stadium is a little bit better than HF or Orangefield's, but not much better. The gym sitiuation, well, only HF has a worse gym.

Regarding these facilities, it's like you said, dumps are dumps. ;D

[Lazeek]

Dumps win State Championships also!!!!!! ;)

Sorry could not help myself!!!!! ;D ;D

[AggiesAreWe]

Dumps win State Championships also!!!!!! ;)

Sorry could not help myself!!!!! ;D ;D

I don't believe that was the point, was it? Nobody said the players and coaches were dumps, just the facilities.

[Lazeek]

OK..........let me restate it then.

That dump has 3 State Championships hanging in it!!!!!!  Not including girls hoops, golf, etc. ;D ;D ;D