NYM Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Im currently trying out for the varsity baseball team at my school. I'm a junior. I play 1st base, but the situation is very difficult. There are 25 men on the roster, and we've played 10 games already. I need advice on what to do to get a starting spot. Over the summer, I lost 25 lbs, increased my 60 yard dash from a 8.3 to a 7.6- and have improved on fielding and hitting greatly. There are 4 kids, not including me going out for first base. Last year I was labeled as a DH because I was a heavy, slow, and below average fielding. But like I stated, I lost 25 lbs, got faster, stronger, and improved on hitting and fielding. I don't know why the coach won't give me playing time. Two of the kids aren't even first basemen (one senior, one junior), but play over me, and the other kid is just a pitcher who plays 1st occasionally. We have played 72 innings, and I have only played three on the field. I only have 8 AB, 4 of them coming in pinch hit situations in the 7th inning. I'm 6 for 8 with 5 rbis, including a walk off single. The other first basemn have 1 hit combined, and 4 errors. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I'm faster and more agile then the other 1Bmen, I out hit them, and I am now an above average fielder with soft hands after hundreds of groundballs of practice over the summer. How do I get more playing time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zneal89 Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 You gotta get that 60 yd time down a little more.... If you think about it....a good 40 time in HS is a 4.7-4.9 range...that translates to about a 6.1-6.4 60 time. Now, I played TE in HS, and only because the coach saw me play basketball and bust up and down the court. He saw me outrun the other center on the other team for easy buckets and approached me with the possiblity of starting at TE, but I had to take it from a classmate that had owned the position for the prior 3 years (since he was a freshman on VARSITY)...what set me apart from the other kid was that i got off the line QUICK and i had a 4.9 40 yard dash at tight end....so, speed kills. You gotta shave another 4 tenths off to earn your spot. You're a clutch hitter. But that's a liability in using you in a situation where a hit ties the game, but a double play loses it. Take away that possibility and you take the position, from the sounds of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zneal89 Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Typo: good 60 time is 6.4-6.7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleMo Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Take what you can get, then bring it up later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP_Frost Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 demand a trade!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYM Posted September 19, 2007 Author Share Posted September 19, 2007 I also have to mention that I was the team leader last year in average (.513) and RBI's (25) in 19 games last year for JV. EDIT: I only had 3 strikeouts too. So it's not like I'm this new transfer kid either. They know I can hit. About the 60 time, the fastest time was a 7.4, so it's not like I'm one of the slower kids on the team. I have three solid tools in hitting and fielding. It's just so frustrating. I'll put it this way, it's like they go out of there way so I don't play in the field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chwalton213 Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 those other kids prolly have dads who are in tight with the coach, happens all the time. all you can do is work your butt off and hope your coach opens his eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleMo Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Stop focusing on your hitting to get you a 1b job. You're talking about a defensive position, not batting. Take what you can get. If you're that good, know that they will appreciate you just the same. But bring it up again later. What would you do at a job? Take what you can get, and bring up your promotion at a later time. Of course, demand a trade was the best answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigleyville33 Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 exactly what happened to me, i was an 8th grader in middle school and i had the highest batting average with .583 and the freakin coach gave me 14 ab in a 20 gm season and i struke out 1 time. all i did was pinch run and i led the team in steals with about 30 and runs with around 28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigleyville33 Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 o yeah then we established a 3-peat dynasty :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYM Posted September 19, 2007 Author Share Posted September 19, 2007 But that's the thing, I'm already better defensively in the field then the other 1Bmen. In practice I've only missed one pik, and have made the plays. I don't understand why they won't let me play the field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borgi Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 worst comes to worst try right field....but sounds to me like your coaches are idiots or you have *** luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYM Posted September 19, 2007 Author Share Posted September 19, 2007 Well this has always happened to me since I was little. I was always playing on the team wear the coaches son was the star and played every inning, pithced and played SS all in the same game. I always had to work 10 x as hard as every other kid, inlcuding last year at JV level, because I didn't even start the 1st four preseason games, and when I did play I was the nine hitter. Eventually I moved up to four, but again I worked harder then every other kid. Also with this year, I lost weight, got faster, worked on hitting, fielding and overally becoming a better hitter, just to get the starting spot. I'm always working harder then the next kid. That's why I think I'm a good player because I've always had to beat out the next kid since I was in LL. I've always had to work harder. "I thank competition because it only makes me better." - NYM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drbeep97 Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 nym... my advise would be to not worry about not getting playing time too much. maybe they're trying to figure out if you really want to play or to see if you'll work harder or a number of many other things. they might just be stupid (or not... i don't know the guys) my varsity coaches did stuff like this to my bro because he played the same positions as the managers nephew. they did it to me to see if i would keep working hard jus' keep working hard and good things will happen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lz477 Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 nym... my advise would be to not worry about not getting playing time too much. maybe they're trying to figure out if you really want to play or to see if you'll work harder or a number of many other things. they might just be stupid (or not... i don't know the guys) my varsity coaches did stuff like this to my bro because he played the same positions as the managers nephew. they did it to me to see if i would keep working hard jus' keep working hard and good things will happen ditto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abc006 Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 I got exactly two at bats and 5 innings in my entire middle school baseball career, in about 20 games (Actually, I almost had a third at-bat, but when I was up the runner got caught stealing for the final out - and I was almost getting the knack of making contact with the ball!) I didn't think I was that bad... My advice, just keep working, don't be sore about it, go about your business, hope the coach notices you. Then again, what do I know with my two and a half at-bats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanzarelli Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Popularity and politics...That's why you aren't starting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino11 Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Being a manager of a warehouse I notice things that employees don't think about. I see when a person gives extra effort or goes out of his way to do the right thing. My advice is to continue to do the things you are doing, do everything they ask you to do and more, and don't cop an attitude while doing it. It may not get you a starting job, because of politics or favoritism, but that type of work ethic will take you a long way in what ever you pursue after High School. Keep working hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYM Posted September 20, 2007 Author Share Posted September 20, 2007 Well I always run out ground balls. I learned that since I was little. I even run full speed to ground balls back to the pitcher, and on fly balls I'm rounding first going for second just incase his misses it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDudleyDoWright Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 those other kids prolly have dads who are in tight with the coach, happens all the time. all you can do is work your butt off and hope your coach opens his eyes. It's called daddybaseball, happens here in Jersey all the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superciuc Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 It's called daddybaseball, happens here in Jersey all the time It's a new sport or something like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYM Posted September 21, 2007 Author Share Posted September 21, 2007 Just an update. We played our fifth official game today, and I'm the only kid that hasn't started a game. I really find this to be bullshit because there are only two other hitters on the varsity that are better then me, but i continue to sit the bench. I again pinch hit in the 7th inning, after sitting on the bench for a hour and half. Pinch hitting is hard because your coming off the bench cold and your not in a groove. There was first and second no out. I didn't get a hit, but I managed to chop one to the right side to get the runners over. I can't even get it through my mind why I'm the only kid to not start a game, and the only kid not to play the field. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYM Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 Well In 18 games I started 4, 2 DH, 2 at 1B. In that time, and with multiple pinch hits, I've managed to batt .521 (12-23), with 10 RBI, and a HR, which happened to be a game winning grand slam. The regular fall ball season ended and we entered a tournament. We went 4-1-1 and lost in the championship. Batted 4th every game :-) ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleMo Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 And good job with the bat. What's your mom feeding you, horse pills? In those 4 games, did you bat against only lefties or maybe only righties? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northpaw Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 if ur as good as you say u are and hustle everything out....its probably because it was fall season that you weren't starting. The coach knew what you could do and was letting other people show him something, then at crunch time he turned to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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