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The recruiting process can be an exciting and thrilling time. The possibilities are seemingly endless for some players. However, it can also be a very stressful time. You have to make a lot of decisions that most adults would have trouble making. Big school, little school, state school, private school, in state, out of state, this major, that major. For pitchers and catchers, here is another piece of stress making thought... Do you want to make the roster or do you want to have an impact right away? Are you okay being a backup, possibly even a 3rd stringer? Are the bragging rights of being on the team more important to you (or your parents), than actually playing? For all other positions on the team, they can pretty much be moved around. Many NCAA outfielders were short stops on their TB teams. Athletic kids can play pretty much anywhere with the right coaching. This also doesn't necessarily apply to kids who are recruited for their bat. If you can hit, you can play first or DP/FLEX.
Consider this scenario. School X picks up a decent pitcher who, as a freshman this past season, pitched a majority of their innings. In the meantime, the coach has secured a pitcher who will be an incoming freshman this coming season, and is a considerably better pitcher than the other one. He has also secured a commitment from a pitcher who is heading into her senior year of high school and is just as good or better than the pitcher that will be his freshman ace this fall. And then coach also has a verbal commitment from yet another pitcher who is heading into her junior year of high school who is fairly equal to his starter from this past season. And then you come to find out that he is also recruiting a couple top pitchers from the next couple graduating years.
Still with me?
As a pitcher, what do you do? If you are that youngest girl, do you begin to look elsewhere? Do you feel that you are going to earn pitching time? Is playing time that important to you? Were you aware of this situation? As a parent, how do you advise your child?
As I said, this scenario could just as easily apply to catchers.
Consider this scenario. School X picks up a decent pitcher who, as a freshman this past season, pitched a majority of their innings. In the meantime, the coach has secured a pitcher who will be an incoming freshman this coming season, and is a considerably better pitcher than the other one. He has also secured a commitment from a pitcher who is heading into her senior year of high school and is just as good or better than the pitcher that will be his freshman ace this fall. And then coach also has a verbal commitment from yet another pitcher who is heading into her junior year of high school who is fairly equal to his starter from this past season. And then you come to find out that he is also recruiting a couple top pitchers from the next couple graduating years.
Still with me?
As a pitcher, what do you do? If you are that youngest girl, do you begin to look elsewhere? Do you feel that you are going to earn pitching time? Is playing time that important to you? Were you aware of this situation? As a parent, how do you advise your child?
As I said, this scenario could just as easily apply to catchers.