In high school baseball we have established many lines. We have drawn so many lines that they are become more confusing than the Nazca lines in the Peruvian dessert. We, ever who we are, have drawn these lines so deeply that we are starting to believe they are important. Some lines are restrictive in nature meaning you should not go outside these lines while other lines are simply goals that have transformed into barriers for many. The high school baseball community has established that a baseball player needs to be six foot. He needs to run the 60 in less than 7.0. If he pitches he needs to throw 90 mph….that is unless he‘s a LHP and we‘re toying with 85/86 range (takes a while to draw these lines). He needs to go to a division one school, not to play baseball but to get an education. He needs to play select summer baseball and he needs to live in a particular hot spot in the United States (Texas, Calif., or Florida). He should not date or play video games.
Let me ask, what are the odds of a player being able to meet this criteria, cross these lines of accomplishment while being able to stay within the boundaries of the restrictive lines. Not very good odds. I think this creates a perception of at least partial failure in many parents’ eyes. There is another travesty that has been created by all this line drawing. Parents of players that “fail” to reach these lines, become quite defensive. But instead of trying to erase or discredit the line, they tend to discredit those that have reached and crossed the line. If your son does happen to accomplish something that has been defined by one of these lines, don’t look for congratulatory remarks because they aren’t there. Parents of players that have accomplished a goal are proud their son can run the 60 in 6.7 but the parent of the 7.0 is quick to point out that their son is a more effective base runner or gets a better jump on the deep fly ball. You are a pitcher and you just touched 90mph but in the eyes of many you have become just a thrower not a pitcher. Your son, the catcher, just broke 2.0 on his pop time. You soon learn you son is a cheater. You see, most catchers cheat on their footwork during showcase events. Your son has worked his tail off and swung the bat untill his blisters have blisters and now he has become a power hitter...Well, I'm sorry, many will be quick to point out that the well placed blooper to the opposite field is what wins most ball games.
Your son got a scholarship at a D-1 school? Indirectly the critics will point out that while they do have a great baseball program, the weak academics and the well worn bench are going to have a negative impact on your son.
The true baseball player is not concerned with the lines in the dirt. He has a pure love for the game and a desire to play his heart out. These things cannot, and should not be measured…They should be appreciated.
Fungo

Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.

I think this is an outstanding post Mr. Fungo.Lines in the dirt or as some would say the agenda that some would set for their kids make all of this even tougher than it already is. Water seeks its own level, most of these young men would find their own as well if we would just let them play the game.

Let's see...my 12yo doesn't date yet . He does play video games, he probably won't be over 6' while in HS, he probably won't have sub 7.0 speed, he's in 7th grade so his 63 mph (max) fastball doesn't project to 90 mph in HS, he's a line drive gap hitter and probably will have a slim build through HS.

Funny thing is I couldn't be prouder of him because in the words of his hitting instructor "...you work as hard as anybody".

We all, especially me, forget at times that we have to be proud of what our kids accomplish relative to their natural ability. It is sad to hear some of our parents cutting down on the accomplishments of the league's best player, a small but talented and extremely hard working kid, because their own talented but not as focused child isn't considered to be as good of a player.

Fungo ..

quote:

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The true baseball player is not concerned with the lines in the dirt. He has a pure love for the game and a desire to play his heart out. These things cannot, and should not be measured…They should be appreciated.

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Great post. I didn't realize how much of a philosopher you were.

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Have a blessed Christmas.
H-mom
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"For unto you is born this day ...a Savior ..."

Fungo has been the resident philosopher here for a very long time. Another outstanding post from the pensive one.

Is this heaven?...

Fungo, a very good post. It also speaks to talent. if the kid has the talent and love for the game he is going to be fine. so what if he plays a little nintendo or marches to his own drummer. He will do fine.

"I love the HSBBW"

I've always heard, "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."

Fungo does it again!

Fungo,
Excellent job! Everything you said i've heard from parents somewhere. There are so many excuses in baseball as you point out. But as for these "lines in the dirt", they really don't mean anything. Take a look and study MLB players, no two players do anything alike when it comes to hitting, pitching and there seem to be quite a few that are under 6'. The only thing they have in common is that they have all gotten the job done at some point in time.

A ball player's got to be kept hungry to become a big leaguer. That's why no boy from a rich family ever made the big leagues.
Joe Dimaggio (b. 1914), U.S. baseball player. Quoted in: New York Times (30 April 1961).

Fungo, Lines in the dirt should be a catch phrase. Thanks for a great post.

"Everybody kind of perceives me as being angry. It's not anger, it's motivation." Roger Clemens

good job fungo.


"take care of the little things, and the big things will take care of itself"

I almost missed the post by Fungo. Another great post Luke.

Doug

Fungo,

Wonderful post.

I remember how much it hurt when I would accidentally overhear other parents talking negatively about some success that my son or one of his teammates would have. I often wondered why.

In the smallish county that we live in there are 4 high schools. I get upset when a parent at school "A" speaks negatively about a player at school "B". Negative comments when an opposing school's athlete receives an award, is named to an "all" something team or receives an athletic scholarship.

As I have gotten older and perhaps a bit more eccentric, I now will respond with the question, "Why can't you be happy for their success?" That usually ends the conversation.

As for myself I get excited when an athlete in our county gets a major award or signs a scholarship. I am fortunate enough to know what it took for that player to get to that point. And as a parent I know the pride that my peers (parents) are feeling.

I watched my guys workout by themselves, shoot baskets in the dark, run miles before school, get up and hit in the garage at 6:00am everday, I even watched my oldest practice "form tackling" on a tree one afternoon ... I decided to put a stop to that one .... LOL ... linebackers are a different breed ....... and then to hear a comment that they were the coach's favorite so they received more chances, or special treatment.

It doesn't end with high school athletics. Just this past college season my wife was sitting in the stands at our son's game. It was very late in the season, one that had not been very successful for the team. Some parents were discussing our son. Comments were made that "he was not as good as he thought he was" and several other comments that upset my wife very much.

All this while he was playing with a separated shoulder and an elbow so swollen and sore that it was difficult to bend the arm (the result of being hit in 5 of 6 games).

Maybe I am the odd one. I root for every player on my son's team. I take photos of all of them, not just my own.

I remember my son's final year of summer baseball (between high school and college). Our little base group had won a state championship every summer since they were 12 years old. That summer we had two new players that were friends of the boys, but that had always played on other teams. When we won that state championship at 18 I was the most excited for them. You see they had never been a part of one before.

I gave the championship trophy to one of them and the championship banner to the other.

Some athlete's are blessed with more natural ability than others, but that alone will not result in success much past youth leagues. It takes a dedication to the sport or endeavor to succeed.

As Luke so eloquently put it:

quote:

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The true baseball player is not concerned with the lines in the dirt. He has a pure love for the game and a desire to play his heart out. These things cannot, and should not be measured … They should be appreciated.

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Bob,
"Doing nothing is still a course of action"

Fungo, nice post. Though I do tend to agree with most of what you would say I would like to caution ourselves not to place all the blame on those poor jealous folks out there. I have watched too often when a parent gives all credit for his sons success to his hard work.

What????? Do those kids under 6' sit around being lazy? Do those who run a 7.0 do nothing but eat popcorn and peanuts? And how about those who have a 82 mph arm, don't they EVER get out and throw the ball???

Let's be fair, some of these kids who were not blessed with genetic advantages work just as hard (and often much harder) than those who were successful. Should be we upset because their parents feel like we slapped them in the face when we say how our kid earned his success by hard work.

A well placed "he was blessed with quick feet, or a strong arm" can work wonders. Will it solve all the jealous folks, of course not. But as my mother in law likes to say (yes, I like mine): "By the grace of God go I"

Fungo and Bob,

I read both of your posts over and over again.

Fungo - IMO - your honesty is what distinguishes your posts more than anything else.

Bob - you are so right. If you have a true love for the game - you are interested in all that you come into contact with - not just your kids. Most people find this hard to understand and/or believe.

Just two great posts and something for every one to think about IMO