Good luck to all the high school players that are trying out today and tomorrow in central Kentucky. I know that some of you have put in a ton of work and I know that it will pay off. I wanted to also wish the coaches good luck too. Being a baseball coach with limited roster spots is always tough. You have to decide who stays and who goes. The coaches only get to watch the players work out for two or three days and have to decide what 21 players can help me win. Do the coaches always pick the right 21 players? Probably, but sometimes we miss something. Some average players can have great tryouts and make the team and some really good players could have a bad tryout and get cut. Its a slippery slope.
Coaches have to look at all aspects of the STUDENT athlete. Is this player good enough to help my team win? What are this player's limitations and do I have better options? Is this player able to keep his grades up and stay eligible? Is this player a good kid and going to stay out of trouble? Is this player's parents going to be a distraction? If I keep this player how and I going to use him in my scheme? So many questions that surround a high school coaches decision on whether or not to keep each player. The one thing I am sure of is if you can't help the team win then you are not going to make the team.
Cutting players is not fun. It is a painstaking reality of coaching high school sports. The facts are baseball is hard. It is a hard game to play and compete at a high level. I have said it before and I will say it again it is a game of failure and the teams that fail the least win. Most people don't see the game that way and are surprised when I say it but it is the reality of the game. How many times have you heard someone say if we play a clean game we can beat anyone. The person that says that is referring to not making any mistakes...a clean game. I guess what I am trying to say is I feel sorry for all the coaches that have to make these decisions on players with such a short about of time to see them work out.
The only thing that a player can control is their effort. It takes zero talent to give 100% effort. Coaches can see this and it can make a huge difference when you are at tryouts. Hustle everywhere you go on the field. Coaches like effort and enthusiasm. Give all you can and if you are a borderline player this might make the difference on whether you make it or not.
Good Luck to everyone!
Coach Bale
