| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| baseballismygame |
Posted - 07/27/2009 : 09:45:14
At my sons recent game, the team he was playing against had a disturbing and immature meltdown. The team was up 5-4 almost the whole game against my sons team until the other team took out their starting pitcher. The next pitcher they put in had trouble throwing strikes. After the pitcher walked a batter he yelled at the coach, "See what happens when you call that pitch. Never call it again." The pitcher didn't give up any runs that inning, but as he stormed off the field the coach grabbed him and starting screaming in his face. The next inning the same pitcher went to the mound. With two outs and a man on second, the score still 5-4, a grounder was hit to the first baseman. The pitcher jogged to cover first and the runner beat the throw out. The pitcher argued with the ump about the call, and as he did the other runner score. The coach started yelling "Its all your fault!" Then in a sarcastic manner the pitcher yelled "Its all my fault!" The next batter hit a game winning homerun. The pitcher walked off the field in tears still yelling "Its all my fault!"
I hope this post shows how we put way to much emphasis on winning the game and sportsmanship isn't examplified anymore.
Feel free to comment or share similar meltdown stories. |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| dmb350 |
Posted - 07/31/2009 : 18:22:09
Decaturdad,
I couldn't agree more. Everyone makes mistakes and the old saying, "Win as a team and lose as a team" should always apply but we've all also gotten caught up in the moment during an emotional game and perhaps had a comment or action we would like to forget about and usually it's at our own kids.
All we can do is learn from these things so we can prevent them from occurring again. It's not a mistake if makes us better, it's a learning experience  .
|
| DecaturDad |
Posted - 07/30/2009 : 14:49:38
dmb350,
What bothers me is the coach telling the pitcher it is all his fault. If this really was an isolated incednet, (And I believ it was) why blame the kid? He screwed up, but don't we all? |
| dmb350 |
Posted - 07/29/2009 : 21:45:41
I witnessed this situation first hand.
It was not a father/son thing and it was the final innings of a championship game. It was all pure frustration and a complete lack of communication.
The coach (already used his visit) wanted the pitcher to throw a curveball out of the strike zone on a 3-2 count to a dangerous batter (already had shown serious homerun/hitting power) to see if he would offer.
Long story short, the pitcher wanted to go after the batter but reluctanly did what the coach wanted, walked the batter and let everyone know how he felt afterwards.
The team missed an opportunity on the next batter for the 3rd out at first due to the pitcher not getting to first in time, then the runner from third scored the tying run because the pitcher hesitated on his throw to home. The catcher did manage to throw out a runner at third on the same play to end the inning. Tied going into the top of the 6th of a 7 inning game.
This should have been the end of it but it escalated due to the player's attitude, the coach's frustration & failed attempt to make him understand the situation from the team's welfare side and the pitcher's parent's trying to get the player in-line attitude wise.
It was a factor in the downfall of the game. The next inning the same pitcher started for any number of reasons and he was not mentally ready to do the work needed to get things done against a very good opposing team. Bottom line, they lost the game and were embarrassed by the drama.
I will say this, the coach is great, the kid is talented and has NEVER had an attitude before. The team is mostly issue free and everyone was surprised by this. Great game though and good luck to them in the future.
This was an isolated incident for this team, players and coach being discussed here. But anyone around baseball for a period of time has seen situations like this and what can happen in the heat of battle. As coaches, we need to learn to recognize potential escalations and how to calmly manage the situation and guide players in how to properly handle their frustrations. As time goes by this could be a great teachable moment for this pitcher. |
| billbclk |
Posted - 07/29/2009 : 00:00:25
This is a parenting issue...not a baseball issue. |
| fielder |
Posted - 07/28/2009 : 23:25:01
Back around April, I witnessed something very similar...the player gave up a couple of runs, and when the head coach AKA "dad" went to remove him from the mound, the player hurled the ball at the coach's face and stormed off the mound. From my vantage point, nothing happened to that kid.
I am in agreement that my son would have never made it to the dugout. He would have been jerked off the field.
Situations like this are parenting problems that turn into team problems because they are not only distracting to the other players, but they are an embarassment to the teammates as well as the parents! |
| C. MORTON |
Posted - 07/28/2009 : 17:46:29
quote:
Originally posted by proball
It's never the players fault only the coaches who put them in that situation.
I would agree its the coaches fault for putting him back out there, but the parents of that kid are part of the problem also..If my son talked to a coach like that I would have beat the coach out there and yanked him off the mound myself..As a coach I wouldn't have a kid that has no respect for an adult on my team...And for one to act that way I would have told him to pack his crap and get out of my dugout and don't come back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| BBall123 |
Posted - 07/28/2009 : 17:28:31
the boy should have been pulled and the situation dealt with off the field. he definitely should not have gone out the next inning. |
| Dr. Old School |
Posted - 07/28/2009 : 16:23:38
If I were the coach and a player yelled that at me from the mound, it would be the last time he played for me. I would call time, make a pitching change, and tell him to get his stuff and go out and sit with his parents. |
| ingasven |
Posted - 07/28/2009 : 16:09:10
Maybe they were trying to play out a scene from Bad News Bears????
I'm with FB Coach...why on earth was the kid allowed to trot out there for the next inning?
Just curious, what age group was this?
|
| lovebball |
Posted - 07/28/2009 : 15:53:23
It wasn't a father son exchange and it was shameful for the team and hard for the other players to play with such confusion. It was a silly melt down and the result of alot of team fustration. |
| Dr. Old School |
Posted - 07/28/2009 : 14:17:49
If it had been my son that said that, it would have been a race between my wife and I to see who could get out there quickest to jerk him off the field. If my son was not the pitcher, but on the team, I would have pulled him then, and gotten out of there. The kid had no respect for the coach, and the coach had no respect for the rest of the team in letting it be handled that way. I would doubt that would have been the first time something like that came up, though. I would bet practices are a joy. 
Now what we don't know is whether the coach, who apparently is the kid's dad, rides the kid all the time about making mistakes and trying to be perfect when he plays, and fostered an antaganistic relationship.
Either way, it is not a good situation for anyone. |
| proball |
Posted - 07/28/2009 : 13:25:58
It's never the players fault only the coaches who put them in that situation. |
| highcheese |
Posted - 07/28/2009 : 12:35:30
Wow - not baseball at all. Learning and teaching moment?????????? Adults have to take the higher road and act as an adult and nip this in the butt. Personally, the score here means foofoo to me if this happens. Replace the problem, and fire up the other kids to give it their all. Case closed on this game. Better have some serious conversations after the game when cooler heads can prevail. |
| C. MORTON |
Posted - 07/28/2009 : 11:03:09
That sounds more like a FATHER-SON problem more than a meltdown..Only a father and son would act in a manner like that...As a coach if a player acts like that he wouldn't be on my team..But also as a coach I have seen other coaches really get into their sons in a very unproductive way.... |
| FB COACH |
Posted - 07/28/2009 : 10:54:17
"The next inning the same pitcher went to the mound"
hmmmmmmm????? |
