This is a topic that may have been discussed at length in the past, but I am curious what the current posters here have to say.

 

Background - I find myself in the situation of watching JV baseball and am confused as to the purpose of play. Philosophies obviously differ from coach to coach/program to program and I am having issues with the current situation.

 

The team was established at the beginning of the season by the coach as having an A team (starters) and B team (backups). A little movement between the two by players as they improve/have issues. At the beginning of the season the A team would play the bulk and B team would see some time (either starting a second game of double header or coming in later in a game.

 

Now though, the B team is playing more that the A team. Example is the last four games the B team has been started and the A team started 1. Results are as expected with the B team getting run ruled in nearly all three and the A team lost a close one in extra innings.

 

Why do this? Is it to build the bottom line of the quality of the players? I just don't know.

 

My thoughts for JV are that it should be used to make the better players ready for Varsity play the next year. Get them reps and playing time to improve the overall team. Winning would come secondary (not even on the radar currently). This isn't happening...

 

 

What are your thought on the purpose of JV Baseball?

This is a topic that may have been discussed at length in the past, but I am curious what the current posters here have to say.

 

Background - I find myself in the situation of watching JV baseball and am confused as to the purpose of play. Philosophies obviously differ from coach to coach/program to program and I am having issues with the current situation.

 

The team was established at the beginning of the season by the coach as having an A team (starters) and B team (backups). A little movement between the two by players as they improve/have issues. At the beginning of the season the A team would play the bulk and B team would see some time (either starting a second game of double header or coming in later in a game.

 

Now though, the B team is playing more that the A team. Example is the last four games the B team has been started and the A team started 1. Results are as expected with the B team getting run ruled in nearly all three and the A team lost a close one in extra innings.

 

Why do this? Is it to build the bottom line of the quality of the players? I just don't know.

 

My thoughts for JV are that it should be used to make the better players ready for Varsity play the next year. Get them reps and playing time to improve the overall team. Winning would come secondary (not even on the radar currently). This isn't happening...

 

 

What are your thought on the purpose of JV Baseball?

 

You can't just develop "the better players" at the freshmen or JV levels. You need to develop every player.

 

It often happens that players end up not playing in the future for various reasons (moving, other sports, focus on academics, injuries, etc.) and if you only developed "the better players" it's possible they may not be there and you're in a tough spot.

 

In addition, you have to have backups that get more than sporadic playing time in the event of a in season injury to "a better player" so that way they can adequately step up and fill the role.

 

It's not about developing "the better players", it's about developing everyone. You want your varsity coach to have to make tough roster decisions when the time comes. If there are nothing but easy decisions because only "the better players" were developed, the program will be in a tough spot going forward due to lack of depth and possibly lack of numbers (if those that aren't "the better players" decide it's not worth it.)

Well said. Players also mature at different rates. You don't want to exclude a player that is smaller at the early stages.

IMO basically like minor league baseball. Make it a completely different group of kids but teaching the same views as the head coach has on varsity. All the teams, coaches, and players should be on the same page as far as team identity.

Make sure to have JV practice. Some schools have varsity only and younger kids miss out on reps.

Make sure to have JV practice. Some schools have varsity only and younger kids miss out on reps.

 

Sharing one field and players with varsity and freshman teams, that's not always possible.

The game is the game....develop players and your team....and play to win. Regardless of competition level, that has to be the goal of any baseball program. Of course, at the high school level, it depends on how the school views it athletic program goals. I prefer a fiercely competitive nature in an athletic program....I have always believed that kind of approach led to the best result on and off the field.

IMO, The words Develop and Program are the two most over used words in high school baseball.

Baseball players get develop during summer ball, not spring ball. Most good high school baseball “programs” are made up from kids who play or played good summer ball.

As to JV it’s a Place holder for kids that are too old for freshman, Or not ready for varsity. It’s a mix of kid that you hope get better by playing good summer ball, with a good coach. And don’t count on practicing at any level after the High School season starts. there is not enough time or fields available. When the suns out they play, when it rains they take BP and go home. And if the rain comes steady and as often as it is this year! That causes even more JV issues. Now you have varsity guys coming down to JV to get time on the mound and other guys coming down to get swings, “and these guys are not real interested in JV because they are “Varsity guys” and are playing for their own self severing reasons” Now your better JV guys are setting “making for happy parents and players” and the guys that where only getting 2 or 3 inning of playing time or 2 or 3 AB a week are now getting 0. “they start thinking is this worth the time” and your better freshman that are playing JV are now getting even less reps. And god forbid you bring a freshman JV player back down to play freshman baseball, That would be cheating “Right” And not to mention. The head coach put him on the JV team, which might make him look as if he was wrong if he goes back down.

The long and short of JV baseball is, if you are not starting or getting regular playing time and not playing good summer ball and your counting on just getting bigger and strong making you a better player, you will just end up being a big strong kid that’s setting the bench. The only way you are going to get better is by practicing and playing! Not one or the other, it has to be both! You have to put the time and work in. So if your kid is not playing and your team is not practicing. You need to look for a summer coach who is more concerned with teaching not winning. And for the kids starting at a high school level don’t think you don’t need summer ball anymore. As Most player get seen in the summer not the spring. Lot of kid end up finding this out the hard way.

I'd like to know how much "coaching" goes on in summer ball. What I have seen, they are hand selected, select kids, who travel around playing games. Haven't really heard much about practice with the number of games that are played.

 

Certainly playing games with and against better players makes you better, but not so certain about the coaching part ( and not knocking anybody that puts their hard earned time to be coaches of these teams.)

I totally disagree with fatballboy Summer teams seldom practice High school teams that do not practice on rain out days or off days are buying a ticket to watch regional tourneys. Most good programs practice or play 6 days a week during the season regardless of level of play

I totally disagree with fatballboy Summer teams seldom practice High school teams that do not practice on rain out days or off days are buying a ticket to watch regional tourneys. Most good programs practice or play 6 days a week during the season regardless of level of play

 

You both make very true statements. So let me clarify my terminology and thinking.

1. I’m not referring to all high school programs, as we do have some very good programs in this area. That being the ones that are playing in the regional tournament year in and year out. We also have programs that don’t make it there just based on the size of the school and talent level, But have good programs. But there has to be a balance of summer ball and spring Ball. The bulk of my statements was in regards to not getting practice time or playing time at the JV level. The point I was trying to make was if you’re not playing or practicing you have to find a place where you get this. And not counting on just getting bigger and stronger, as you still have to have skills to go with it. Sorry if it came across in a negative way.

2. “Good Summer Ball” I’m not referring to the ones that gather up all the talent and put them on one team and charge them 2000-3000 to play , and label Kids as SS and Pitchers only at the age of 9 years old, and do not teach them any other positions. Good summer ball to me is creating a team with the sole purpose of teaching kid how to play the GAME and getting them reps to making them better BASEBALL PLAYERS not better SS. You may not hear a lot about these teams because of the noise made by the teams with all the talent and 1000 wins. but they are out there. We still have coaches (Men and women) that believe every boy and your man should know the GAME OF BASEBALL for the mere fact that they are able to pass it too their boy, keeping the GAME alive for the next generation. Again sorry if anyone took my first post the wrong way as it was not clear, or poorly written.

But let me make this point very clear and will not make any apologies for. Labeling Kids as SS and or a Pitchers only at the age of 9 years old, and not teaching them any other positions. Is no different than taking a 4th graders poor report card, and then preparing him for a life of poverty. HE IS 9 YEARS OLD.