Everyone thinks that the parents are driving coaches out of this profession. I don't believe that I have ever had problems with parents. Yes, there are two or three who don't care for me. I still love being around the players, and even the umpires are OK. Well, close to OK.
So, here is the reason: IT IS NO FUN. THE GAMES ARE NO FUN.
Call all the high school baseball coaches you know and ask them if they agree. You see, we (the coaches) have allowed the powers that be, the National Federation of State High School Associations: NFHS to ruin our game. High school baseball is boring. They took a game that was so wonderful and they brought it to its knees.
We moved to the BBCOR bats a few years ago, and suddenly, teams that could hit were punished. Teams that can pitch are almost unbeatable.
I spent 30 years teaching players the proper technique of hitting. I have coached quite a few good hitters. Some of those players have set school records for hitting. One even set a national record when he hit 6 consecutive home runs. ALL of these are untouchable now. Players hitting double digit home runs were fairly common on every team in the New Orleans area. Last year one player hit 10 home runs -- in a seven parish (counties) area.
It has affected all games played. We all bunt early in the game. We are giving away the the most important thing in baseball -- OUTS. Even when players hit a ball on the screws, center fielders run them down easily. I know they restricted the speed of the ball off the bat to protect the pitchers. I understand this concept in college baseball where the players are 19-22 year old men. Their frames are filled out, their bat speed is measurable.
I don't coach them. My best hitter is 5'8', 155 pounds. Really. Being a hitting coach you may say I want it back because I was successful. Well let me take you in another direction.
All I know about pitching is that I couldn't hit the good ones.
Well everyone is a good pitcher now! There are still very talented arms and they are almost impossible to hit. In the pre-BBCOR days, an average player could run into a fastball and get a hit if it found a hole. They have no shot now, so coaches just pitch around good hitters. The other players don't have a chance. Even when you can get ahead in the count, the pitchers just throw it right down the middle. Hit it as far as you can, and the center fielder just runs it down. Not only the bats have been affected the pitchers are too. Do you really want to teach players to throw it down the middle? Why not? There is no penalty. Home run hitters are singles hitters now (and the old contact singles hitters don't exist). We have even created a new brand of pitchers -- soft throwing right-handers. Just flip it up there, make it move a little and let them hit it. It's not going anywhere.
I miss 10-9 games, guys hitting doubles and players scoring from first. Those days are gone. Now its 0-0 in the 2nd and we have seen three sacrifice bunts already. The good hitting teams still win. We were 29-6 last year, so it's not about winning, The fans are sitting on their hands. The players never jump out of their seats and never get to say "Did you see that?!"
Have I thanked the National Federation of State High School Associations: NFHS?
I spent 30 years teaching players the proper technique of hitting. I have coached quite a few good hitters. Some of those players have set school records for hitting. One even set a national record when he hit 6 consecutive home runs. ALL of these are untouchable now. Players hitting double digit home runs were fairly common on every team in the New Orleans area. Last year one player hit 10 home runs -- in a seven parish (counties) area.
It has affected all games played. We all bunt early in the game. We are giving away the the most important thing in baseball -- OUTS. Even when players hit a ball on the screws, center fielders run them down easily. I know they restricted the speed of the ball off the bat to protect the pitchers. I understand this concept in college baseball where the players are 19-22 year old men. Their frames are filled out, their bat speed is measurable.
I don't coach them. My best hitter is 5'8', 155 pounds. Really. Being a hitting coach you may say I want it back because I was successful. Well let me take you in another direction.
All I know about pitching is that I couldn't hit the good ones.
Well everyone is a good pitcher now! There are still very talented arms and they are almost impossible to hit. In the pre-BBCOR days, an average player could run into a fastball and get a hit if it found a hole. They have no shot now, so coaches just pitch around good hitters. The other players don't have a chance. Even when you can get ahead in the count, the pitchers just throw it right down the middle. Hit it as far as you can, and the center fielder just runs it down. Not only the bats have been affected the pitchers are too. Do you really want to teach players to throw it down the middle? Why not? There is no penalty. Home run hitters are singles hitters now (and the old contact singles hitters don't exist). We have even created a new brand of pitchers -- soft throwing right-handers. Just flip it up there, make it move a little and let them hit it. It's not going anywhere.
I miss 10-9 games, guys hitting doubles and players scoring from first. Those days are gone. Now its 0-0 in the 2nd and we have seen three sacrifice bunts already. The good hitting teams still win. We were 29-6 last year, so it's not about winning, The fans are sitting on their hands. The players never jump out of their seats and never get to say "Did you see that?!"
Have I thanked the National Federation of State High School Associations: NFHS?
