A few nights ago waiting for a college summer league baseball game to start I was joined by a few other gentlemen, believe it or not, older than me. Watching the game we began pointing out things that were done incorrectly, ......and not addressed by anyone on the field. It was like we were feeling each other out until finally one of the old coaches said, ".....you know your stuff - it is a pleasure to meet you."
The sad part of the story is it wasn't just kids making mistakes, but coaches as well. For instance the coach at 3rd base set himself up on the wrong side of the bag to give directions to the next runner headed his way..... there were other mistakes, but he is a young coach and if he is a student of the game he will quickly learn from his mistakes. God knows at 59, I have gotten a lot better over the last 4 decades.
The players today....may not be as lucky. Once the baseball world was set up in such a way that young kids could come into the minor leagues and learn the game as they move up from A ball to AA and AAA ball. In theory, their baseball education should be complete by the time they reach the major leagues. But the world has changed.....
Professional baseball has about half the number of minor league teams it did in the 1980's. Players need to show up talented, with high baseball IQ's or their time will be short, if it happens at all. Young kids, college, high school and younger should be students of the game, especially since they are competing for fewer spots than ever before. But it seems young players get dumber every year.....
This could easy be a post about the evils of travel ball, we could talk about a multitude of games and very little real practice.... We could tell stories about daddy-ball or coaches that really just don't care. All of which is very true, and on many levels.
However, this post is about personal accountability and the fact it is very important that young athletes attempt to soak up as much knowledge as they can.
I would like to think if I was young today, this modern world would make my life easier. Let me tell you the best secret in all of baseball.....there are no secrets in baseball. Anything you want to know can be found in a book, interview and especially on youtube. But when you have someone helping you that has been there before, a mentor that can talk you through the hard times. A teacher that will help keep you balanced when it seems you will never fail. The secret to success very well be a trusted advisor that wants nothing more than you to reach your full potential.
Honestly, if there was just one secret it would be learn, and then put into place the knowledge you have gained. But that my friend is a lost art. That same night I watched a coach of 40+ years give a college junior advice on his play. I listened, it was good advice, information the kid should have learn well before the age of 20.....but clearly the kid did not understand.
I expected the kid to listen, then nod his head and thank the older gentleman for in input. What I witnessed was the kid dismiss the old coach and tell him, "......I'm not going to do that....." Then walk away with the swag of an ass......
It's hard to admit, but I probably was just as cocky when I was a kid.... So maybe the lesson we all learn today is, we probably learn a few tricks as we age. Tricks that might have taken us a long way if only we would have learned them in our youth........
