Link: I wish more MLB coaches would do this. Roberts benches Bellinger for not hustling.

Bamabuzzard

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I really wish more MLB coaches would do this. I can't tell you how many times my boys and I are watching a game and they ask me "Daddy, why is that guy jogging to first and not running? Aren't you supposed to sprint all the way to first?" Or a guy hits one in the gap and is already breaking stride to jog to second shortly after rounding first. It is very counterproductive when youth league coaches all the way up to HS coaches are preaching/teaching work ethic, hustle and all the intangible character traits that make a good ball player and teammate. Only to have that undermined by the guys that play ball on a professional level. Good for Dave Roberts.



https://deadspin.com/the-dodgers-are-struggling-and-dave-roberts-made-an-exa-1825648575


http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23361189/los-angeles-dodgers-manager-dave-roberts-benches-cody-bellinger-citing-lack-hustle
 

bamamick

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Do you remember the way Barry Bonds used to swipe at fly balls in the outfield? I was coaching at the time he was in his prime and I had to crawl all over my guys for doing that stuff. I understand why Charles Barkley said what he did about him/them not being role models, but on the surface he was wrong, and most youngsters live on the surface of things.

rtr
 

Bamabuzzard

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Do you remember the way Barry Bonds used to swipe at fly balls in the outfield? I was coaching at the time he was in his prime and I had to crawl all over my guys for doing that stuff. I understand why Charles Barkley said what he did about him/them not being role models, but on the surface he was wrong, and most youngsters live on the surface of things.

rtr
Actually I think professional athletes give a forked tongue message. When they are called on the carpet for things they pull the Charles' Barkley "I'm not your kids role model" card. But give it enough time and you'll hear those same players (during interviews) say they want to work with the youth in the community to promote the game of baseball. Which is it? The problem is "we" send a very conflicting message to kids. They are taught not to trash talk and be respectful of other players, give it your all on every play, and when they don't do these things we punish them. Yet completely accept it from professional athletes, and not only accept it. But promote it in the name of "If they can back it up then it's okay." No its not. Simply because a player is good doesn't all of a sudden make it "right" to show boat and not hustle. It's very confusing to kids who play the game.

*Clarification. I'm all for celebration and showing a lot of emotion. But not in a way that is directed at the other team or a player from another team. Team jubilation and celebration thereof is wonderful and should be promoted.
 
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bamamick

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I went to a DII game on Saturday and of course it's not the first time I have heard it, but it always surprises me the way the players talk even while on the field these days. When I was in high school even it never would have occurred to me to curse, and to use some of the language the guys do now? Geez.

rtr
 

TrampLineman

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I don't blame him, Bellinger jogged the whole way to 2nd and should have been on 3rd. It was a triple from the start, or should have been.

On most jogging to 1st it's hard to blame them when you play 162 games a year (not counting playoffs) so I don't mind that as much, but if a ball is hit into the gap I expect the guy to run and he should run.

Mick, I played from 93-98 in high schools (like from 7th or 8th on till I graduated) and we cussed all the time. Not proud of it mind you, but we did.
 

gman4tide

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My oldest son plays juco ball in Alabama and the language used is not what I used on the field in the mid 80's. Sure we all cussed...but it wasn't said for our mom's and g'parents to hear. It's sure used there now and the coaches may be worse. I have noticed at some hs games the last couple years, that language on the field has gotten "worse". On the hustle issue, I haven't seen the play that's mentioned, but in jogging doubles out in the mlb...those guys know when it's a stand up double. The play is (most of the time) in front of them and they know a double is all they're gonna get. It's the jogs thru first that drive me nuts...and the Lester's of the world (watched the cubs game last night). You know, the ones that think their ONLY duty is to throw the ball to the catcher. Won't try to field a bunt or any play in front of them...won't even pick to first.
 

Bamabuzzard

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My oldest son plays juco ball in Alabama and the language used is not what I used on the field in the mid 80's. Sure we all cussed...but it wasn't said for our mom's and g'parents to hear. It's sure used there now and the coaches may be worse. I have noticed at some hs games the last couple years, that language on the field has gotten "worse". On the hustle issue, I haven't seen the play that's mentioned, but in jogging doubles out in the mlb...those guys know when it's a stand up double. The play is (most of the time) in front of them and they know a double is all they're gonna get. It's the jogs thru first that drive me nuts...and the Lester's of the world (watched the cubs game last night). You know, the ones that think their ONLY duty is to throw the ball to the catcher. Won't try to field a bunt or any play in front of them...won't even pick to first.
For me, running full speed (even on a what will probably be a stand up double) doesn't require that much more effort and could get you an extra base and an extra run for your team. Compared to assuming the player in the outfield is going to be hustling all the way through the play and isn't going to bobble the ball and kick it around, only to be wrong. But since "you" weren't hustling you can't take advantage of the mistake. These guys are in such elite shape, that if running full speed to bases is going to wear them down that much over the course of a season. Then they weren't in as elite shape as they thought. Just this season, I've watched I know five occasions where the jogging to first because it was assumed the fielder was going to make the play, has cost a team a base runner and an inning. Because the assumption turned out to be wrong. The fielder either made a fielding error or throwing error, but since the runner was jogging the fielding team was able to still get the guy out.


I played JUCO ball on top of traveling to semi-pro ball tournaments and playing in the summers. Granted, I didn't play 162 games but I can promise that by the time I played a season of JUCO AND a summer of traveling to semi-pro tournaments. I played close to a hundred games. And this was without having nowhere near the resources of nutrition, training and rehab these guys do. Now I'm off my soap box, I feel a little better. LOL!
 
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