[Bulldogs4Ever]

As a coach, let’s say do you allow a player to make 40 errors without replacing him or letting the player try another position?  Do you just go ahead and lose games in order to develop the talent in hopes of getting the better for the year to come?  All coaches have different philosophies.  What are yours?

[Hoot Gibson]

As a coach, let’s say do you allow a player to make 40 errors without replacing him or letting the player try another position?  Do you just go ahead and lose games in order to develop the talent in hopes of getting the better for the year to come?  All coaches have different philosophies.  What are yours?

As a former pitcher who had politically connected players in the field behind him, I can say that it is demoralizing and infuriating to have players who often commit multiple errors in an inning when players with equal or better skills are sitting in your dugout. If the principal's son cannot throw the ball from second base to first base, then no amount of "development" is going to change that. Coaches should put their best lineup on the field every game, while giving every player a fair opportunity to prove himself in practice.

There is nothing wrong with hitting players extra ground or fly balls, but you cannot single out players who are playing as the direct result of political favoritism for extra individual instruction, at the expense of better players who are riding the pine.

There is also nothing wrong with moving players to different positions, as long as you give most of the playing time to players who have earned it in practice.

I never coached above a Little League level, but I did play for a coach in college who had coached many major league players, including Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, and Rick Monday, when they were freshmen at Arizona State. I learned more baseball in one semester playing for that coach than I did in four years playing high school baseball and three years playing American Legion baseball. I still remember a couple of simple pick-off plays that are good for one or two outs per game.

IMO, the best thing that a coach can do to develop players is to work hard to learn as much about baseball as he possibly can and pass that knowledge to his players. A lot of personal development can be done by players in the off season but they need to understand their weaknesses and what they can do to overcome them.

[Diablo]

Breathitts coaches done a good job on bringing their kids along. Thought Wolfe improved. Letcher was better than usual. Hazard just fell short in the end. Perry looked a little worse than normal. Knott County and Powell competed.

[Cowboy42]

I’d refer you to call (606) 549-7025 and ask to speak to Coach Jeremy Shope as he’s the resident expert on developing players into State Championship caliber players.

[Bulldogs4Ever]

I’m sure he’s had several calls and emails by now by a lot of coaches. How many titles has Coach Shope won? Didn’t he win one before coming to Whitley?

[Cowboy42]

I’m sure he’s had several calls and emails by now by a lot of coaches.  How many titles has Coach Shope won?  Didn’t he win one before coming to Whitley?

He lead Mercer County to two State Title appearances. He’s been in three title games that I’m aware of.

[Bull got out!]

As a coach, let’s say do you allow a player to make 40 errors without replacing him or letting the player try another position?  Do you just go ahead and lose games in order to develop the talent in hopes of getting the better for the year to come?  All coaches have different philosophies.  What are yours?

If I don’t have any kids in the dugout that can replace the kid then you either got to use him or move him to where he might help the team by not making an error. Some teams I suppose may struggle to fill out a roster. Some teams have plenty of kids but alow politics to guide their decisions. Sometimes you may just be flat wrong about a player once they get into game time situations and you learn by experience. Lots of factors to know honestly. Hoot had a good response I thought.

[Bull got out!]

I’d refer you to call (606) 549-7025 and ask to speak to Coach Jeremy Shope as he’s the resident expert on developing players into State Championship caliber players.

I’d be calling that coach for my open head coaching job.