Sunday, Feb. 20, 2005
Cutting kids, posted at 9:20 a.m.
Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com One thing I'm worrying about right now is the upcoming baseball season. First of all, I don't feel ready. I'm trying to chart out how I'm going to do tryouts in my head, and just don't know how. I don't remember how I did it last year, and have to figure out a way to assess the skills of the nearly 50 kids who are going to try out. I accidentally missed the pre-season rules meeting on Thursday, so now I have to drive across the state to Anne Arundel County or something, which is another stress.But the thing I'm most worried about is cuts.
I have thirteen returners from last year. I think I'm going to keep them all.
At 1B, I have two 10th grade kids who will battle it out for the starting job. Both grew a lot over the summer, and both played well over the summer. I'm hoping the faster one might be able to win a corner outfield spot; that one will also be pitching a little bit.
At 2B, one of my team captains has set up shop for the year. He's a great kid and a decent player.
At SS, a big tall kid with possibly a wavering interest in baseball (he's all about football, and even didn't play basketball this year to concentrate on training) is looking to be the one. He's probably 6'3" or 6'4" and is a real nice kid, and I think his dad might help out as a volunteer coach. He tells me he's in, so that's good.
At 3B, I think we'll see a lot of a 10th grader I had on the team last year. He's a great athlete, very mature, but had bad grades and couldn't play basketball this year. He's gotten his grades up, and I'm glad; in his limited time last year, he was a good hitter and decent fielder.
In RF, one of my team captains will play. A senior, he isn't very good - an uppercut swing has murdered any chances of him being a good hitter, and he just can't seem to stop - but he's a good defensive player and hits every now and then, with a good eye.
My best player is my center fielder. He's a little guy who hits leadoff and has really quick hands; he can hit even the hardest-throwing hurler. He's a great baserunner and the best hitter on the team.
Left field is wide open.
My catcher is a great kid who is already a team leader as a sophomore. He's smart, works hard, and remains one of the reasons I'm confident about the team.
On my bench, I've got a backup catcher whose big brother (now at Salisbury) was always one of my favorite people at school. The kid's lost quite a bit of weight and gained quite a bit of lean muscle in the two years since he was a pudgy freshmen, and I'm hoping he might be able to earn some playing time with his bat; he's got a great swing. Unfortunately, I don't know where to play him other than catcher, and my catcher is one of the strongest players on the team.
I've got a pitcher who can't throw very hard and can't play any position other than pitcher, but throws strikes and got our first victory last year. I'm hopeful that he's picked up some velocity this year. He wants it bad, that's for sure, even though he hasn't been blessed with a lot of natural athletic ability.
I've also got two backup outfielders - one fast and a good baserunner, but not much of a hitter or fielder; the other is a hard worker and a great kid, but as a player makes a pretty good scorekeeper. I've decided I will keep both, though; both are solid young men who were great guys on the team last year. Lastly, I've got a goofy backup catcher who can also play a little outfield. He'll be on the team; backup catchers are at a premium during practices.
That's 13.
I've also got two kids trying out for the third time. Both are Juniors, and I'm leaning towards keeping them both. Neither is very good, but neither is embarassing, and once you get down to the last spots on the roster, it doesn't matter than much. That's what I'm telling myself, at least.
That's 15.
I've also got a basketball player trying out who has been working out with the team. He throws hard and might be a find on the mound. In my head, he's already made the team, although it's not sewn up.
That's 16.
I've got the little brother of my Coach's Award Winner from last year. By the end of the season, I regretted not keeping him. His skills weren't that high, but they were high or higher than a couple of the last guys on my roster. (Also, how could I deny two brothers the last chance to play on a team together?) He's been in pitching lessons for the year, and thinks he might be able to pitch. He's also grown a little muscle. We'll see how he looks, but I can't imagine cutting him again.
That's 17.
I've also got two ninth graders, both of whom are great athletes and students in my class. They're also both over 6 feet, and the type of young men I want to get into the program. We'll see how they look, but I'd love to see them make the team.
That's 19.
I've also got a kid whose mother made him quit the team three-quarters of the way through because he was getting under a 75 in one of his classes. He's not a great player, but he's a great athlete, and a good kid. If he did what I asked him to do - play over the summer, work on catching a bit - I think he'll probably be on the team.
That's 20.
I've also got a loudmouth kid who during practices last year I could tell was a good hitter. He knows baseball stats really well - reminds me of myself in high school. I told him last year to get himself in better shape and come out again next year. He did; he's probably dropped 25 pounds. He's still a big guy, but if he hits like I remember him hitting, he'll probably make the team.
That's 21.
I've got 22 uniforms, and have at least 40 kids coming out to try out. Spots 15-22 are all precarious, but it's what I'm dealing with. Cutting kids is a shitty, shitty job. And I'll be doing it starting March 1, as long as I figure out how to run practices.
That being said, I am pretty excited about the prospect of baseball season coming soon. I can't believe this horrible Maryland weather, but am hopeful it will be back to spring-like conditions by the time Tuesday, March 1, rolls around.