Most of the time it’s fun to follow the many “baseball guys” on social media. Of course, there’s the “Old School” vs. “New School” debates and for every disagreement on the way catchers frame pitches, for example, there are dozens more about hitting mechanics. As a young coach, I remember spending hours upon hours at the ABCA Convention discussing the pitching delivery, practice organization, coaching philosophy, and anything else with some of the best coaches in the game. Often there would be disagreements and even passionate—yet civil—arguments.
Debate is good, and so is learning. As a matter of fact, I know I have learned a lot about the game even after I have retired. I was never a “my way is the only way” coach. I truly admire coaches who regularly step out of their comfort zones and try new things.
It’s easy to see that there is so much more knowledge available and accessible to coaches today. The tough part for coaches of all ages, and all levels, is to pin down what to teach their players. We can’t be wishy-washy about our philosophy, which can cause confusion and negatively affect the confidence the players have in our plan for their development.
The game has changed more than I ever thought it would. I’ve always believed it to be somewhat detrimental to change such a beautiful game, but many reading this would disagree, I’m sure. There have been and always will be innovations and new techniques as a result of technological advancements…most good, some not so good.
But as we continue to evolve within this game, I’m beginning to miss some of the qualities I cherished as recently as a couple of decades ago. Some of the qualities most coaches strived for have now become “Baseball Dinosaurs.”
Trust me, I know many coaches who still value these “dinosaurs” of baseball, many of which are becoming extinct in my eyes. Coaches in college baseball today have little choice but to adapt or find a new career.
It’s easy for me to admit that in all honestly, it would be challenging for me to adjust to the double-edged sword of the transfer portal and the NIL. And I won’t dwell on some of the rule changes, except to say that I feel they have contributed to the endangerment of some of my favorite old baseball “dinosaurs.” The dinosaurs discussed in this article will be limited to Loyalty, Team-First, and Class.
LOYALTY: This dinosaur was cherished by most amateur baseball coaches and players and thrived before Y2K, NIL and the Transfer Portal. Part of its demise came because of a lack of playing time and greener grass in what used to be called “Power Five” conferences (are we going with “Power Four” now?). The “show me the money” mindset is a killer to loyalty. Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” Have we made this wonderful definition of success obsolete?
TEAM-FIRST: This dinosaur was all about understanding that there is power in numbers, and that there was great reward in sticking together. As crazy as it sounds, these animals loved each other! Each “Team First” member loved it when all the other beasts had success. They understood that to survive and thrive meant working together unselfishly. Their mantra was that of the old African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to far, go together.”
CLASS: Perhaps harder to define, but easier to recognize. Classy dinosaurs carry themselves with a (seemingly) rare combination of dignity and humility. They set the standard for other species; they are courteous and well-mannered. I love this quote from Vin Diesel, “Being male is a matter of birth. Being a man is a matter of age. Being a gentleman is a matter of choice.”
Baseball is still a beautiful game. There are still some dinosaurs at the ballpark. Coaches and players emulating them are still a breath of fresh air. Men and women who are loyal, selfless, and classy continue to shine and will always be in demand.
Most of the coaches I know have adjusted to the changes and continue to have a positive influence on the players in their respective programs. For that, I am thankful.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”
— The Apostle Paul,
Philippians 2:3