rule/coaching

Question
My son is 11 years old and plays in the Majors local baseball league.  What is the rule on play time per game?  I think it's 9 outs, 1 time at bat.  Also, my son is an average player and has been benched (the only one) all but 2 innings per game.  He attends practices when others have been absent - how can I best approach him on my son getting more play time?  This is a winning team 3-0 so far - I don't want my kid to be hurt by my interfering, but what do I have to lose - he plays 2 innings anyway.  

Answer
Peter,

I believe that the play requirements in Little League baseball at the major league level is 2 innings in the field and 1 at bat, so your son is getting the playing time requirement.  

Winning team or not, there are few coaching and team management rules that I have always gone by.  If kids miss practices without a legitimate excuse, they will not play.  Excused absences are an exception.  With that being said, I have always had substitutes.  These are the players who are less skilled and do not exhibit the attributes of a regular player, or the ability to show improvement in practice.  To me, a player shows me how much they want to play in a game by how they practice.  Not just performance, but do they practice hard?  Do they hustle?  Do they listen and exhibit the attributes of someone who is eager to please and eager to improve?   Despite ability level, if a player shows me the right stuff, he will see more playing time.

I think the best way to approach this is not to ask the coach, Why doesn't my son play more?  Instead the question should be, What does my son need to do to improve and get more playing time?  What are his weaknesses that we need to work on outside of normal practice time?  What do you see as his strengths?

Baseball is a game of repetition. Coaches will find a substitution pattern that works and often times stick with it.  If you are playing close games, he will definitely stick to the substitution pattern.  The key here is what is your son showing in practice and games that will make the coach want to use him more.

Also, you should not look at this as your son is "been benched".  Substitutes are a vital part of any team.  Your son may be the weakest player on the team right now.  My philosophy at that age has always been to promote success.  Often times, more at bats and more time in the field does not equal to success for some kids.  Some kids are subs.  That may be their role on the team and where they provide the most benefit for the team and the most success for the player.

I do not prescribe to the theory that everyone paid the same fee so all should play the same time and rotate positions.  If a boy cannot pitch, he should not get the chance to pitch because he will have success at it. That is detrimental to the player, and the team.  

The team is always bigger than the individual. Find out what you can do to improve and work on it.  

I hope this helps.

Coach Boss