Coaches turns baseball into chess match

[adminbaberuth]

Coaches turns baseball into chess match
By RYAN S. CLARK
May 4, 2010

One of the greatest victories in the history of Little Cypress-Mauriceville baseball didn't come in Orange.

Nor did it come in Houston, College Station or Austin. It came at a McDonald's in Dayton. That was where LC-M baseball coach Steve Griffith met a coach from an opposing school a few years ago to discuss the logistics of their playoff matchup.

The result: LC-M won more than just a playoff game.

"We flipped for 13 topics and we went 13-for-13," said Griffith, who has made the playoffs 15 times in the 17 years he's been LC-M's head coach. "We won everything from what color uniforms we'd wear, which dugout we'd get, who'd be the home team, how many days, everything. I tried talking to him and he started disagreeing, so we flipped for it. That was one of our best days, and we left there feeling like we already won the game."

Griffith's story is an example of the gamesmanship of coaches trying to get the upper hand for the high school baseball playoffs. Like the football playoffs, coaches can negotiate in person or by phone about details such as venues or home teams.

Then there's the decision all coaches are forced to make: Do you play a one-game or a three-game series?

"You have to look at what is best for your team," said Vidor baseball coach Kyle Green. "We've made the playoffs the last three years, and all but one year we've made it to that third game. We don't have the pitching depth other schools have, and that's something I look at."

Green used today's one-game series against Crosby as an example.

Using Lamar University signee Trae Hester at pitcher in a one-game series provides Green many opportunities.

Should Hester run into trouble, Green can bring in his No. 2 or No. 3 pitcher to get him out of the situation.

But if it was a three-game series, he wouldn't have that luxury because he'd have to think about his pitchers for the next two games.

"We have a guy in Trae that can win every game he pitches in," Green said. "Lot of people may not say it's the best thing to do, but there are four or five coaches on a staff and we see these kids every day. That makes me we feel we know our team better than someone just sitting in the stands."

Once the length of a series has been determined, it then comes down to where the series will be played.

In the Nederland-Goose Creek Memorial three-gamer, Nederland will host Game 1, Goose Creek Memorial will host Game 2, and Game 3 will be played at a neutral site, if necessary.

Other three-game series will have all games played at a neutral location.

Port Neches-Groves baseball coach Jay Stone said some coaches start thinking about potential playoff sites during preseason tournaments.

"I want to pick a site that the boys can be proud of playing at," Stone said. "I want a good facility, and that's why in our preseason I tried to play as many games on the road as possible so that way the kids are used to playing away. It also lets them know what a good ball park is supposed to look like."

Stone said many area teams play in the Houston area because Baytown and Barbers Hill are the only places considered "neutral" in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Stone and PN-G will play all three of their games against Galena Park at Baytown Sterling.

Getting a site is more than just making phone calls. Coaches constantly check field availability so they can work around certain events, such as prom.

Green said there have been times when coaches might not be crazy about scheduling games around prom, but they realize prom is an important to many of their players.

With so many things to take into account, Green said, that's why he's constantly talking to Griffith about what to do.

"He has learned it all, and the one thing about him is he is going to research everything he can," Green said. "I am telling you, he's pretty good at that part of the game. He knows everything. I'm sure he even knows what time the kids from the other teams go to bed."

Griffith said he's able to give advice because he's been fortunate enough to have teams that have advanced far in the playoffs.

Griffith described the process as a chess game where there's one major objective.

"You look at what's best for the kids," he said. "Usually, if you are going to concede this or that, you do it because you want to do what is best for your kids."

Follow reporter Ryan S. Clark on Twitter at twitter.com/ryan_s_clark

[vidor pirate]

great article, i like it :-)

[im on fire]

good read there.  thanks for posting!

it wouldnt be coaching if there wasnt a chess game also being played.  always try to stay a few steps ahead.