WebBall.com - Fairness on and off the field

Fairness on and off the field

Richard Todd From city sandlots to early non-player involvement with an MLB franchise, Richard has pursued a life-long love of baseball. An active volunteer coach for 22 years now, and a continuing student of the game, he founded WebBall in 1996 to give his own team an internet resource for tips and drills. The growth and recogition since continues to astound him. What began as a hobby was turned, of necessity, into a business in 1999 to cover the costs, and incorporated in 2002 to manage the enterprise. Despite business responsibilities, and sometime duties in league administration and coaching conferences, Richard is still happiest when working on field with players and in conversation with fellow coaches. Send an 'Ask the Coach' email to WebBall and it's most likely Richard who will answer. (Click to close.)

By Richard Todd, WebBall

'Are there any rules in youth leagues about fairness in giving players minimum guaranteed playing time?'

This page started life as a question posted on another baseball website. It turned into a story about why players quit.

The original fairness question could be from anyone - inexperienced player or disgruntled parent. In fact, it was from a veteran player who seemed to have been victimized by biased coaching. (I have no way of verifying the charge, but he does make some valid points worth airing - which then led to both a reply from me, and further throughts on player rotation.)

I am one of the veteran players for my team and I've decided to quit. I have never done this before, but I felt that my coaches were being unfair. One coach would tell me that I would be the first sub going in - then he would send in the other coach's son. I told him 'Coach, you said that I would be the first sub in.' He never answered me. In one game we were 16 to 2 and he still didn't put me in!!! I am a good player and have never had this problem before. Talking to some of the other players - they are ready to quit also.

My reply...

I can sympathize. Not that it helps you much today. Except you're probably in good company. It's never easy to try to do something you love to do and get blocked at every turn.

I've coached for a number of years and have, at times, found I wasn't getting support from either players or the association. I've had to put up with any number of arrogant, self-serving coaches over the years - some my competitors, some assistants, and some under whom I've had to survive.

The sad truth is there are guys out there - who should be old enough to know better - who step on to the Little League / Babe Ruth / Pony / Legion baseball field as if it was their 'real' job - as if someone was actually paying them serious money for this. (Maybe it comes from watching to much TV ball. They see themselves as a cross between Earl Weaver and Tony Larusa, when they'd be better to serve in the role of a Felipe Alou (when at Expos U.) or a Joe Torre.

Then again, perhaps the coach should not have made you a pre-game promise. He might have meant well when he did, but the game situation changed and he could no longer follow his pre-planned script. That, at least, might hold water for a single game or two, but it's tough to accept there is not some other confrontation going on when a coach won;t get every player involved in a 16-2 game.

You may have quit a team, but that doesn't mean you've quit the game. And don't let this situation go - write a letter to your association President. After all, you paid good money to play - you have a right to expect that chance. It might not change this year, but maybe that coach won't be invited back next year. Besides many leagues (usually only at younger ages) do have rules for playing time, so that should always be looked into.

Meantime, keep up your baseball skills. And look at what's out there to help you continue with the game and improve your abilities. WebBall may not substitute for some good innings between the lines, but it may at least reassure you that there are still coaches out there (not just me but all the contributors and visitors) who value their players.

Richard Todd, WebBall.

Reader Commentary: 1 response | WebBall members are invited to comment.

Ray Brown says:
Feb 16, 2008 at 11:41 AM

There is no doubt that there are way too many coaches out there who think they are coaching in professional baseball. One thing we have done in the Oceania Region is implemented a 40 percent rule, which means that all players, aged 8 to 15 are required to play 40 percent of a teams scheduled games. We even do this for national tournaments, the reason being that the parents are usually the ones who are paying the dough to get their son or daughter to the location so they deserve to see them play at least a minimum of 40 percent. Now if a team makes it to the semi-finals or finals then hopefully the coach has made the 40 percent committment and he can use his best players for those games.