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By Bob
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Monday, May 19, 2008 |
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Second Guessing 
Sorry I missed a week, busy. Final Exams, Proms, IHSA Baseball playoffs, senior day, all-conference meeting, more rain, and I still need to cut the grass.
The rollercoaster continues to go up and down with an occasional corkscrew. I don’t put my hands up to enjoy the ride; I hang on to the lap and shoulder bar to make sure I don’t fall out or jump. I would love for my hair to blow in the wind, but I don’t have any left. At first I thought it was due to my first 6 years being married, but with this baseball season I am thankful, because if there was any hair on my head I would have pulled it out.
Second guessing baseball coaches is something everyone does, but here is the information you need to know before you can second guess. Did 7 seniors of the 25 players leave practice early the day before the game so they could finish doing homework? Did one player text message the coach and say he had an ear ache and that he was going to miss school and the game that night, and then that same player goes to a prom that same night and stays until 5 a.m. Should the coach play that player in the 11 a.m. game only 6 short hours later? It is senior day too, so what does that mean, are you obligated to play the seniors, even if they don’t give you the best chance to win? If you blame the coaches for losing a game 20-6 please make sure you have all the facts.
I go full sprint to the third base coach’s box every inning before we hit. I make 8 motions each time, one for mom, dad, all assistant coaches, my wife, my cat, my fish, the alumni who played for me and one for a player who passed away this season. Several umpires, coaches and friends have told me I have slowed. Maybe my feet have but my heart and passion for the game of baseball has not.
My passion was injured Saturday. We were down 8-0 after 1 and a half innings. I felt we were fine, we will make a run and be right back in the game. In the 4th we score 5 to make the score 9-5 and we have bases-loaded with 2-outand our 5-hitter up. 2-2 count.
Next pitch, foul ball. I look in the dugout no reaction from the players. Next pitch, foul ball. I look in the dugout no reaction from the players. Next pitch, foul ball. I look in the dugout no reaction from the players. Next pitch, foul ball. I look in the dugout no reaction from the players. He then popped up on the 9th pitch of the at-bat and no one in our dugout ever cheered once in 9 pitches. It was a battle of an at-bat and no one was in to the game. At that point I knew the game was over. I was so excited but none of the boys were into the game. I went back to the dugout and locked myself in the clubhouse and did not come out until we shook hands at the end. The passion was driven from me. I saw the team that I coach not care about the game. Final score was 20-6, my worst loss as a head coach. You can’t teach fire and passion, you can only bring it out.
When you start to second guess the baseball coach, make sure you have all the information, and then get a good look at each player and see who is focused and has their heart into the game. And if their heart isn’t in to the game, it is time to cut the grass.
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