I tired of thinking about it. I'm tired of writing about it. Oliver irreparably damaged our friendship with the way he handled the decision to move the Diamondbacks down to the 9 - 10 year old league last spring - telling me a week or so before the season started - and leaving me scrambling to find a team for Joe and several of my original Dodgers to play on. No notice. No time. I've never had a friend treat me, and my son, that way. Never.
At a tense meeting I insisted on at the time, Oliver halfheartedly apologized, told me that he knew he'd let me down and lost my trust, and asked me to give him a chance to earn my trust again. He never did anything he suggested he would do. I was disappointed, and still am, but not surprised. As I learned the hard way, that's Oliver.
The Dodgers lost the game 8 - 7 in a game that really wasn't that close. The league's silly five run per inning maximum prevented the Diamondbacks from really putting it on us in an inning when we struggled. Coach Q was able to come to the game, so I wanted Daniel to start and get a chance to warm up with Q. That way, I knew Daniel would get a good 45 minutes with Coach Q. It was more important to me to give Daniel a chance to get some real work in with Q than to try to put it on the D-Backs.
Daniel pitched really well for two innings, though he struggled a bit with his control. I was really, really proud of him. Coach Q did a great job with him and with out catcher, Trey, as well. He fit right into our coaching staff and before I knew it, Q was telling Trey where to set up and what pitches to call for from Daniel.
Daniel is a kid who is one of my projects this fall. He's a great catcher but he struggles with his emotions and has a tendency to get down on himself when things aren't going well. Bad body language, etc. That said, he has as much ability as any 11 year old I've ever coached. The physical tools are all there. He can be versatile, too, which is why I don't want to limit him to catching this fall. He's slim, fast, with a great arm and very quick bat. In the team I have with him, I want to unlock what I see and build his confidence.
Keaton relieved Daniel with the bases loaded - another tough spot for me to put a pitcher in - and struggled with his control. I should have pulled Daniel after two innings and let Keaton start the third inning. I'm rusty and I would grade my in-game decisions on pitching changes at a C - for the first weekend. Maybe lower, actually.
Oliver's son, Preston, whom I love, struggled when he came in to pitch as well. Control issues and Bennett had a run scoring hit off him. A line drive into center field, which was huge for Bennett's confidence. That was the inning we took a one run lead, 7 - 6. It wasn't a game we deserved to win, although only Leo on the Diamondbacks had a decent hit. The rest of their runs were because of walks, passed balls, and dropped third strikes when I had Huck catching. Sims pitched very well for the Diamondbacks, though, and that made a difference, too. I complimented him after the game.
Had a I played the best players in their natural positions and lined up our pitching differently, the Dodgers would have won the game. That's not what it's about, though. I want to help these boys develop the ability to play different positions, to get outside their comfort zone, and to become more versatile baseball players. That's the goal. And, of course, I want them to continue to grow in their love for the game and to want to play again next spring.
As a side note, I talked to all of the players I'd coached for more than two years with the D-Backs before and during the game. Oliver didn't talk to Joe or any of our players, or interact with them at all - the ones I brought to the Diamondbacks and that he coached. More than one of our parents told me they were disappointed that Oliver acted, in essence, like he'd never met our boys. Like we were just another team. It was telling, for sure, but not particularly surprising to me or to the parents of the boys he ignored.
It's pretty disappointing when my son tells me that a man who had been one of his coaches for more than two years - someone whose son had been over to our house on several occasions - ignores him during and after a baseball game against his team. Weak.
Time to enjoy the rest of the fall baseball season.
No comments:
Post a Comment