With the increase in recent years in the sizes of high school baseball rosters in the area, it’s time to consider local school systems creating a freshman baseball level of competition.
This wouldn’t apply to all schools, but in most cases the bigger schools that are rostering over 40 and sometimes close to 50 players between their varsity and junior varsity teams.
There is simply no need for 25 players on a high school baseball roster. Major League Baseball clubs have 25-man rosters, and they play 162 games. Public school varsity teams in Virginia play 20 seven-inning regular season games, and JV teams play only 14. Not a lot of opportunity for those teams to squeeze in playing time for 20 or more kids.
Two examples of bloated rosters are in the two photos included with the column: those of the varsity teams at West Springfield and Madison. The Spartans have 32 kids on both their varsity and JV teams, 64 total players. And the Warhawks have 28 rostered on their varsity team, and 25 on their JV team, 53 total players.
This is not an attempt to in any way villainize those program's respective coaches, Jason Olms and Mark 'Pudge' Gjormand. They have deep and talented programs, a result of years of hard work in building those programs, and of benefitting from some outstanding youth feeder leagues in the West Springfield Little League and Vienna Little League. They have good, talented players, so they're going to keep them in the program. And it's not just these programs that are carrying big rosters, just take a look at the rosters on school athletics sites across Northern Virginia.
What these programs do serve as are perfect examples of why it's time to develop a freshman baseball program with local high schools.
Oversized rosters are leading to a number of issues.
First, practices. Coaches want to be efficient with practice time, but that’s not easy to do when you have to get 20 or more players their swings in a round of batting practice. The practice drags along, not to mention your coach or coaches who toss BP are run ragged.
How can your starting infielders get enough ground balls to be properly prepared, or your starters enough swings to get them comfortable at the plate, when they’re splitting practice reps with guys who likely won’t play unless a game becomes a blowout? And even in those games, the 10-run mercy rule often comes into effect come the fifth inning, so it’s sometimes tough for coaches to empty their benches and give those kids some playing time.
This in turn leads to a second issue: quality of play. Local prep games can sometimes get sloppy because starters aren’t as sharp, perhaps a result of not getting enough reps during practice. And then the second and third guys on the depth chart, when put in games because of a lopsided score, injury or whatever the reason might be, are nervous or might have the deer-the-headlights look because they have a lack of high school game experience.
Another issue is disgruntled parents. The 23rd or 24th player on your roster probably gets it. It was likely explained to him during tryouts or when cuts occurred what his role is, that there won’t be a lot of playing time available to him. And he’s been around the game long enough to see where he stands on the depth chart at his position.
But that doesn’t make it any less easy on his Mom and Dad, who are used to watching him play, make Little League All-Star teams and being told by the travel coaches and private instructors they pay so well how good their son is. It also doesn’t make it any easier for them to cut the check for all that apparel they’re asked to buy their player each season, or to aid with fundraising efforts for a trip to a Spring Break tournament, when their son is likely only getting an at-bat or inning here or there in the field or on the mound in a lopsided game.
Here’s a solution for you.
Limit roster sizes to 16. That’s all you need on a high school baseball team. Practices will run smoothly, kids aren’t given false hope about playing time, and parents will be easier to keep at bay and happy. Your starters will get more reps, which in turn will allow for more aesthetically-pleasing baseball. And all this in turn makes for less-stressed coaches, many of whom suffer from burnout after navigating a year-round program and managing all the off-field duties each season and offseason.
Create an annual option for teams to field a freshman team. There would be no commitment beyond that upcoming season, when you have 40 or 45 or even 50 kids in your program that you’d like to see developed and receive game action. As a result, maybe one year you have six freshman teams in the area, the next you have 15. Who cares? Take what teams you have, and put together dozen-game schedule for them. And just require 13 players. That’s what travel teams generally carry, so no need for more than that on a high school freshman team.
Those freshmen who would otherwise would be sitting behind sophomores on the JV team would now be playing 12 or so games, getting 30-plus plate appearances and maybe 20-plus innings on the mound. Varsity coaches could then keep those sophomores that don’t play much down on JV to get more game reps. Maybe a kid or two who has quit the program out of frustration of a lack of playing time - all coaches have had them - decide to stick it out and develop into someone who can become a key contributor as a senior.
Remember that sub you put in the game with the deer-in-the-headlights look to him? Well, maybe he’s more prepared for that game action as a result of all this. He got a bunch of at-bats on the freshman team, then a bunch more on the JV team as a sophomore. Now he’s a junior, and not as likely to wilt under the lights when inserted in that big Friday night game against your rival.
Sure, there would be obstacles. Chief among them would be the Virginia High School League (VHSL) and school systems crying poor should this issue ever find its way to their desks or meeting rooms. You’d need to get more coaches in the program. You’d have to get creative with your practice schedules now that the field is being used for three teams and not two. It creates potential logistical issues with your athletics office scheduling buses. And are there enough umpires in the area to cover the additional games?
But the net result - better baseball and more opportunities for kids to play - is something they need to consider.
And I don’t want to hear about a money issue. We live in one of the most affluent areas in the country. Parents pay thousands of dollars for their kids to attend camps, showcases and hike up and down the East Coast with summer and fall travel teams to play in tournaments. If they have to cut a check for a couple hundred bucks so their kid can play on a freshman team rather than sit on the bench with the JV team, does anyone really think they’d hesitate?
I don’t.
Photos of the West Springfield and Madison teams courtesy of their respective activities departments
