It's a common sentiment. Evaluations and tryouts are tough on everyone. There is no perfect choice every time and some mistakes are made. Some coaches do pick wrong, some players do miss out who should, maybe, be there. But there are other forces at play here than mere baseball skills.

It's what WebBall calls the sixth tool.


My name is ____. I tried out for my college baseball team, and was cut for BS reasons. I should be on there, and everyone knows it. I'd like some info on other sites, books, videos, whatever, to pitch. I know I deserve to be on the team, but for next year, I don't want there to be any doubt. Thanks alot


Well, ____, I have a two part answer for you. I can point you to the pages on WebBall that may answer some of your needs for tips and resources. But for you to work effectively on improving - so there's 'no doubt' next year - you need first to evaluate what went wrong this year, where you missed out and what you need to work on most.

You say 'everyone knows it'. Well, that would include the coaching staff - but it did not, obviously, or you would have made the team without a tryout. So something was missing. And I think you have to assume that at least some of these coaches know their stuff - they certainly know what they're looking for and why.

The sixth tool is attitude - a combination of mental make-up, discipline, commitment to the sport, work ethic, game knowledge, willingness to cooperate, etc.
This can have a big impact on how you're evaluated at a team try-out or scouted later by pro ball. (For more on scouting, WebBall will have results of our scouting survey posted soon.)
From your email (which obviously was dashed off in a high degree of agitation), you give clues as to where things might have gone wrong with the sixth tool - but this is only a guess. Your reaction that the decision was 'BS' and that you 'should be there' may be just post-cut anger, or it may reflect your going-in attitude towards the evaluation process.

Think about this - not every LL star makes it to the Majors. (Otherwise we'd have a million pro baseball players.) in fact, every LL star at 12 is subject to plateau-ing at 14 - no longer being the star on his team. Same with the high school star, who is no longer as exceptional when measured against all the other high school stars. And it just keeps getting harder as you climb the pyramid to proball.

Why does this matter - because the last level's "star" had better not stride onto my field at tryouts as an arrogant kid who has nothing to prove to me. At the start of evaluations I may not even know your name - and I don't need to know how many homers you hit at age 12 or 16, or how many Ks you got or complete games or anything. Maybe somebody recommended I look at you, or you've just shown up at an open tryout (in which case you have an uphill battle against those who do have recommendations or scholarships behind them.)

Either way, you need to get to work, and that's where the sixth tool makes a difference.

Why? Because what a coach/manager wants most is to build a team - players that will show up early for every practice to get in their personal warm-up time, and early enough to work on all pre-game aspects (not just light throwing and a quick infield.)

Why is this important? It shows commitment to themselves, obviously, but that could be covered just as well by a player who spends his own time in the batting cage or in working his aerobic base on days off or in what WebBall calls SoloBall. But showing up early and committed for team events, that shows commitment beyond himself - to the team!

So, by all means, pour over the many centers in WebBall that cover the skills of the game [he was given a list], but you would be wise. too. to look through all the info on conditioning as well as everything on the site having to do with coaching skills - because the more you grasp what the coaches' concerns and needs are, the better you will be at showing just how well you can fit on thier team.

It may even help you recover from a cut that same season - by giving you an opportunity to be considered as a replacement player if anyone is lost due to injury, failing grades, etc. But knowing that that opportunity may or may not exist is all part of having a good sixth tool, just as knowing how to accept the news that you're cut in the right frame of mind. (Sometimes it's not about attitude after all - sometimes you're just the 8th best pitcher when he only needs 7.

Have the best off-season you can under the circumstances, and a very good next season when you make the team!

- Richard Todd