My son is 11 and is his 4th season of organized baseball. He enjoys the game and being with his friends on the team. However, I need some advice about handling a recent situation...

He plays 3B and bats in the 2 hole. He gets on base often, is an excellent base runner and leads the team in steals. Over the last 5 games, the team's manager in his capacity as 3rd base coach, has been frequently giving my son the take signal. This often causes my son to use up one and more often than not two strikes enroute to a strikeout. On the way home after a game my son asked me about it, "Dad, why is the coach making me take pitches that I know I can hit?"

And I said, "He's your coach...you need to listen to your coach. If he tells you to take the pitch...you take the pitch." His response was a shrug and, "Ok, Dad."

Fast forward to a game last week...it's the middle of the game and my son's team is down by 1 with 2 out, men on 2nd and 3rd. My son steps in, the coach gives him the take sign and he laces the first pitch down the right field line scoring two runs. After the next batter made the 3rd out, the manager stopped my son on the way back to the dugout and said, "I gave you the take sign. If you swing away again when I give you the take sign, I'm sittin' you down for the rest of the game..."

And then on to last night's game...Bottom half of the last inning, down by one, man on 3B and 2 outs with my son at the plate. The coach calls for the take on the first two pitches which go for strikes. He gives my son the swing away sign for the third pitch which my son swung on and missed for strike three and the ball game. As he walks off the field my son throws his bat against the fence and yells at his coach, "WHAT THE FUCK COACH?!?!? WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME TAKE PITCHES?!?!?! GODDAMNIT!!!"

The manager tried to make comments about how he needs my son on base to score runs, he thought the pitcher looked tired, etc...a very calm and relaxed explanation. My son rode home in silence and we haven't talked about it. I think the coach's tactics are suspect but, then again it's Little League...it's not supposed to matter who wins, right? Additionally, while I understand the reasons for my son's outburst, he was wrong to say and do that. What would YOU do?

Not sure why you want to give a lot of take signs to the 1st or 2nd batter in the lineup unless he's good at drawing walks or the pitcher shows a lack of control. You have them there because they're contact hitters. Maybe he doesn't know his players well enough and simultaneously doesn't do enough scouting of the opposing pitchers.

Lester Wrote:
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> Not sure why you want to give a lot of take signs
> to the 1st or 2nd batter in the lineup unless he's
> good at drawing walks or the pitcher shows a lack
> of control. You have them there because they're
> contact hitters. Maybe he doesn't know his
> players well enough and simultaneously doesn't do
> enough scouting of the opposing pitchers.

There's 3 coaches in my book. Those that know baseball, those that know kids and those that know both. This coach is great with the kids, doesn't yell but, I think when it comes to baseball fundamentals, he's not the sharpest gun in the holster. I'm trying really hard to not be "that Dad" and approach the coach to tell him his business or his team and yet, clearly my son is frustrated...as am I.

At that age, I don't think you want kids to become experts at taking walks either. Let them get some pitches and work on their hitting skills. Some kids are better at taking pitches before they attempt to get a hit. Some are just natural.

It sounds to me like your kid is a good base runner and a shitty batter. The Coach probably wants to see if he can get a walk against 11-year-old pitchers instead of popping flies into Double Plays.

As for what would I do, the first thing I would do is sit my 11-year-old on his ass and read him the riot act for screaming profanity at the coach. You want a life lesson, that's life lesson number one. I wouldn't leave that unchecked, unless you want him dropping F-bombs on his bosses when he's in his 20s.

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Doesnt matter why the coach is giving your son the take son just have him do it. You can talk to the coach about it in private but your son was 100 percent wrong in how he reacted and you should punish him for that. If he does that now hell be worse when hes older and if you do that during a high school game thats more than likely the last time hell ever step on the field assuming hes even allowed to stay on the team.

Its little league it should be fun and work on getting better. As long as your son has a strike he can hit. I would talk to your son and have him use it as a way to be a better two strike hitter ect.

Is it frustrating, yes. If the coach taking the bat out of your sons hand, no. If hes going to keep playing or go anywhere in baseball he needs to be able to hit with strikes on him. No scout or college or high school will care what he did in little league. Use it to be a better hitter and hell have a new coach next year.

Mental toughness goes a long way. And no offense but your son could use some. Being given the take sign on 1 pitch for whatever reason shouldnt be the end of his at bat but it sounds like as soon as your son gets it he gives up and assumes he cant hit anymore. Little leaguers arent out there carving people up painting corners, hell get more than 1 real good pitch to hit with plate discipline

I think another thing is the OP is probably telling his son what an f-ing moron the Coach is. A kid doesn't have the maturity to understand how to not let that come out in a fit of insubordination on the playing field.

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WashingTone-Locian Wrote:
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> As for what would I do, the first thing I would do
> is sit my 11-year-old on his ass and read him the
> riot act for screaming profanity at the coach. You
> want a life lesson, that's life lesson number one.
> I wouldn't leave that unchecked, unless you want
> him dropping F-bombs on his bosses when he's in
> his 20s.

+100

The two most important lessons I learned coaching little league were:

1. All parents knew more than me about how to run the team.

2. All parents were available to critique my performance during a game but never around to help out during practice.

If you don't like how your kid is being treated, do something about it by HELPING the coach, coach. On the practice field day after day. Not just during the games.

Otherwise STFU and prepared to blame someone else for the rest of your kids life for your failure to be a part of his/her life.

WTL is right, as usual... Wrote:
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> WashingTone-Locian Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > As for what would I do, the first thing I would
> do
> > is sit my 11-year-old on his ass and read him
> the
> > riot act for screaming profanity at the coach.
> You
> > want a life lesson, that's life lesson number
> one.
> > I wouldn't leave that unchecked, unless you
> want
> > him dropping F-bombs on his bosses when he's in
> > his 20s.
>
> +100


Yep. WTL stumbles into the truth on this. What a mouth for an 11 y.o. He'd be riding the bench for a few games if he was on my team.

Vexxxed Wrote:
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> The two most important lessons I learned coaching
> little league were:
>
> 1. All parents knew more than me about how to run
> the team.
>
> 2. All parents were available to critique my
> performance during a game but never around to help
> out during practice.
>
> If you don't like how your kid is being treated,
> do something about it by HELPING the coach, coach.
> On the practice field day after day. Not just
> during the games.
>
> Otherwise STFU and prepared to blame someone else
> for the rest of your kids life for your failure to
> be a part of his/her life.


+1

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http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm

No sleep overs.

Per Penn State.

Years (ok decades) ago when I was playing there were two types of LL managers: Those who thought it was ok for a kid to go to the plate with his bat sitting on his sholder hoping for a walk, and those who encouraged the kid to swing. Usually there were three of the former for every one of the latter. End of the season the teams the top teams were those that encouraged kids to swing.

Except if you were up 2-0, 3-0 or 3-1 in the count I'm not sure why a LL manager would be telling you to take a pitch. It is just giving up a cheap strike. At 11 most kids aren't sufficiently good hitters that they can afford to fall behind in the strike count and still be relied on to hit the ball.

WTL does have it right though. It isn't appropriate for a kid to be chewing out his manager in front of the team or for the kid to be using profanity at the game. Better course would be to have a quiet talk with the manager. It may be that the manager has more faith in the hitting potential of the number 3 or 4 hitters and wants your kid on base, but if your kid wants to swing he can move him down in the lineup.