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StevenJ
6 Posts |
 Posted - 07/31/2013 : 14:38:33
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Has anyone encountered the problem of players that don't have their own equipment, particularly bats. My son has played travel three years (11U - 13U) and every season there are players, maybe half the team, who show up without a bat and just help themselves to others' expensive gear, even for practice. The bat I bought for him this spring is wasted after becoming a team bat and I'll have to buy him another for fall ball. I'm going to tell him nobody uses his bat anymore, no exceptions, but I don't know how that will go over with him or his teammates. Does anyone have rules or established expectations on their team regarding equipment? At least this season they got team helmets so they weren't borrowing his helmet anymore.
P.S. The parents are well off and money is definitely not a problem. |
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DecaturDad
619 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2013 : 16:26:25
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We had that problem with a team this year. Not the bat, but mainly a first baseman's glove. It really bothered my son when others would use it. he even asked them not to, but they would still use it. I was tempted to keep it with me so it would not be available. We even had a kid a few years ago that caught but did not have a catcher's mask.
I don't have a problem letting a kid take a few swings or borrow equipment if something gets brocken or left at home. It is the expectation that things are team propoerty that bugs me. Unfortunately, I don't have a solution. |
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jacjacatk
154 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2013 : 17:39:08
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| Doesn't go away in HS, either. My real pet peeve in HS is the guys borrowing sunglasses, to the point where I've told my son he needs to buy some cheap ones to keep in his bag so he's not loaning out his expensive ones. |
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4bagger
131 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2013 : 17:58:52
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Borrow for one tournament then they are cut off.
Sorry, but $320 is alot to spend on my sons bat just to have multiple kids help wear it out. Where will these parents be when it's time to buy your kid another bat? Doubt they will contribute then. |
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in_the_know
985 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2013 : 23:12:44
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I have a rule that no one is allowed to use any of my sons equipment. I've told them that if a player has an issue with it, to tell them that it's their Dad that won't allow it so that it's not on them. I have no issue telling another parent that I spend too much money on equipment to allow someone else to shorten the life of it and that I'll be more than happy to direct them to several vendors who sell the same equipment if they want to purchase their own.
If I see someone using their gear, I'll remind them after the game that it isn't allowed.
Their lack of equipment isn't my problem. If they want to think I'm a jerk because of it, so be it.
jacjac is right, it actually gets worse in high school. |
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prestont
197 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2013 : 06:50:16
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We've seen situations where custom/personalized wood bats have been broken by other teammates.
We take the same approach as ITK - my son knows if someone asks to borrow his equipment, he'll tell them his Dad doesn't let him do that. |
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HITANDRUN
436 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2013 : 08:00:53
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There are a few unwritten rules about baseball, such as
Don't mention when someone has a perfect game going or no hitter.
Another one is never ever ever put your hand in another players glove unless you ask them and usually they will tell you no!
So I see the concern on sharing equipment. Our coach this season had parents pay a small amount and bought 2 extra bats that could be used by the whole team. Seemed to work. |
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BaseballMom6
233 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2013 : 09:57:03
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| We had an issue where the coach just presumed that he could put another kid in my son's catcher's gear. The player had his own mask/glove but no other equipment. It was definitely not o.k. with me. I spend often $300+ every season as my son continues to out grow equipment, and wear it out. He doesn't need help accelerating that process. I think having everyone pitch in for a couple team bats is an excellent idea. |
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mikepayne
173 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2013 : 15:36:04
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| You guys worried about the bats being worn out need to relax a little bit. |
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4bagger
131 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2013 : 20:19:22
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I hope I get on Mikes team so my kid can use his sons equipment for the whole season.
Looks like I save $300 on a bat and can buy more beer and cigarettes. |
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Mad1
252 Posts |
Posted - 08/02/2013 : 10:38:18
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| I agree with Mike Payne, but JMO. On our team there are players that use each others bats, but they all have their own. Our players dont seem to mind . They have the attitude that if it helps, use it. We have a great group of parents that seem to have the same attitude. Some times if a player or two are hot with a bat, others will try it. It is more of a mental thing, but if it builds confidence while they are at the plate, whats wrong with it. I have seen it over and over in a tourney start rallys with one bat going through the order, just because someone was hot that day. If someone had a problem with it that would be no problem too, but hasnt happened on our team. I bought three $300.00 bats last yr and saw all three go through the order in the cages to help break it in, all three are still working fine and used by more than just my player on the team. |
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Ross
60 Posts |
Posted - 08/02/2013 : 16:15:55
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| I agree with Payne and Mad1 on the bats, very hard to damage one. Gloves are personal, I borrowed my 11 YO's glove to play catch with my 7 YO and he knew it the next time he put it on w/o me telling him. |
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AUBB
73 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2013 : 23:49:22
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Another player asked to borrow my son's catchers mask....at a tryout, before my son even had the chance for his round catching. Come prepared, and don't expect another player to lend you anything that goes on your face or head.
Borrowing a bat for a game and getting a hit, should motivate the parent to purchase their own for the next game, or teach their player to use what they have effectively. |
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mikepayne
173 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2013 : 08:46:29
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| A mask is much more personal than a bat, and a teammate is a lot different than some kid you do not know from a tryout. |
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rippit
667 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2013 : 10:46:52
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quote:
Originally posted by AUBB
Borrowing a bat for a game and getting a hit, should motivate the parent to purchase their own for the next game, or teach their player to use what they have effectively.
You'd think right? My son is guilty of getting a big hit using a borrowed bat and then that mental love affair ended up costing me $400 later that day. However, I have to constantly remind him that its not the arrow, it's the indian.
Question on wood bats: occasional wood bat tourneys end up being everybody using everybody else's bat. Right or wrong? I believe that after a certain age, you need to have both a wood and a bbcor in your bag. |
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zwndad
170 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2013 : 13:47:34
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I have mixed emotions about youth travel ball players sharing woods bats. However, once you get to high school age travel, everybody should use their own wood bat - no sharing.
Too many broken bats to borrow somebody else's bat. With that said, if you break it, you bought it - at that age. You either give the player cash to buy another bat, or you go get them a new replacement before the next game.
Our high school's summer team played several wood bat tournaments, so our coach bought a few to share.
At the youth age, I think it would be a good idea for a team to buy 2-3 bats for the players to share. Our 14U team did that for the last 2 years, and it worked out well.
quote:
Originally posted by rippit
quote:
Originally posted by AUBB
Borrowing a bat for a game and getting a hit, should motivate the parent to purchase their own for the next game, or teach their player to use what they have effectively.
You'd think right? My son is guilty of getting a big hit using a borrowed bat and then that mental love affair ended up costing me $400 later that day. However, I have to constantly remind him that its not the arrow, it's the indian.
Question on wood bats: occasional wood bat tourneys end up being everybody using everybody else's bat. Right or wrong? I believe that after a certain age, you need to have both a wood and a bbcor in your bag.
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mikepayne
173 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2013 : 09:15:44
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| "It's not the arrow it is the Indian" are we still allowed to say that? LOL. |
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nastycurve
244 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2013 : 08:58:47
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I think the saying has changed to "its not the arrow its the Native American" ;-)
My two cents:
Every player should be properly equipped and responsible for his own equipment. If you are going to participate in a sport, you should have your own gear. Football players don't come to the game and wear someone elses shoulder pads, baseball players should have what they need. I hate when I see players just grabbing helmets and throwing them on, grabbing bats etc. I even heard a kid with no hat say, im not worried about it, Ill just wear the catchers hat on the field...
You borrow a wood bat and break it, you just bought it. |
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in_the_know
985 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2013 : 10:17:22
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quote:
Originally posted by nastycurve
You borrow a wood bat and break it, you just bought it.
You borrow ANY bat and break it, you just bought it. Now the uncomfortable position of parents facing off to get anywhere from $99 to $449.99 from another parent begins. "but the bat was old, I'll give you $50", or "Billy said Johnny cracked it first", etc., etc.
No thanks. Don't use my boys stuff. Your kid doesn't have a bat, not my problem. This is from experience. I've actually been in this situation twice where another player has broken my sons bats. Got zero in return. Total cost of the two bats was nearly $600, so no, MikePayne, I'm not going to relax on this one..... |
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nastycurve
244 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2013 : 10:39:38
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| I agree with u in the know, you break anything, you own it... I tell mine, put your stuff up when you are done with it. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2013 : 11:07:54
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| Just for the sake of argument. My son playing wood bat tournament. One of his teammates broke his wooden bat that he brought. Borrows my sons bat - not because he didn't bring one, but because his broke - and breaks sons bat. I did not expect the other player to replace it, but that's just me. It's just something that happens with wood bats. Teammate wasn't being irresponsible by not bringing his own, he broke it. |
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2013 : 14:49:07
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| There is another post discussing team fee's being so high so Papa is recommending combining these 2 topics into one and have the team fee pay for all the wood bats. Great idea if even I did think of it. |
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nastycurve
244 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2013 : 23:53:19
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| bballman, I feel where you are coming from. However, that kids parent has to take responsibility. His sons bat broke, and he is still in the lineup and he needs to hit, he breaks your sons bat, he pays for the bat. Why should your son leave with a broken bat just because that player suffered a misfortune? Im not saying the other kid shouldn't play/bat because his bat broke, this was an emergency situation, however, his actions caused damage to your sons bat, his actions should now be to replace that bat. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 08/14/2013 : 09:08:09
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Personally, I just view it as part of the deal. I couldn't imagine myself going to the parents of a 17 or 18 year old and asking for money for the bat, I'm not even sure his parents were at the game. That's just me. Maybe others feel differently. My son broke 4 bats in 4 games in one tournament plus at least one by another player. I went out and bought one of those DeMarini's with the composite handle and wood head. No broken bats for the rest of the season.
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AUBB
73 Posts |
Posted - 08/14/2013 : 13:27:53
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ANY player who uses/borrows another teammates' equipment.... AUTOMATICALLY becomes responsible for the equipment when said equipment is in their hands, etc. This is an ethical issue. An 8 year-old would need to be taught this; an 18-year old should inherently know the consequences and be prepared to compensate the player who now has no more wood bat!!!
On the flip side, it takes another ethical person to say...."Thanks for offering to pay for the $100 wood bat....Since it was used, how about we say only $50?"
Taking responsibility for ones' self should be Sports/Baseball 101. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 08/14/2013 : 14:45:49
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| Someone may have offered to pay for the bat and I turned it down. It's just not a big deal to me. |
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Topic |
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Borrowing Other Players' Equipment
