Players continue to drop off baseball roster
Brent Foster
Issue date: 4/23/09 Section: Sports
A trend has developed during the first three seasons of Dan Davis' reign as head baseball coach.
At least 16 players have quit the team, been dismissed from the team or transferred during Davis' tenure as head coach.
"College baseball isn't for everybody," Davis said. "Even when they are gung-ho and go into college baseball and they think it's going to be, 'Oh we're just going to play games and that's it' - it's a little bit different. It's not what everyone thinks coming out of high school."
A few weeks ago, sophomore first baseman Matt Herrick was dismissed from the team. Earlier this season senior pitcher A.J. Barton also was dismissed. Davis declined comment on the two dismissals this season. Herrick also declined to comment on the matter.
Two of the team's top offensive threats from last season left the team before the start of this season. Then-junior Neil Bleish led the team in home runs and slugging percentage in 2008. Then-sophomore Josh Dilday added five home runs.
The Bulldogs have 23 freshmen and sophomores on the roster and only three seniors. Davis said all the change in personnel will not affect the team's development.
"What it does is open up opportunities for other guys who are playing behind them," Davis said. "More importantly, younger guys who are in the developmental stage and are hungry to play."
Davis said the players who have quit the team under his watch have not quit because of conflicts with him or other members of the coaching staff.
Director of Athletics Jerry Wollmering said he has met with a couple of baseball players during the last three years, but would not go into detail about the meetings.
Wollmering said that because the baseball team at Truman is not funded with scholarships as highly as the other baseball programs in the MIAA and other Truman sports, the players' incentive to continue competing is not as great as it might be in other sports. He said most sports have players who are unhappy, but the difference in scholarship money can make or break a student's decision to continue playing sports at Truman.
"It's easier to walk away because there's no financial investment lost," Wollmering said. "… In other sports a player may be disgruntled, but when a $17,000 scholarship is on the line, it's harder to walk away."
The Bulldogs' 10-37 record only makes matters worse. Wollmering said problems with players are often magnified during hard times. He said when teams are successful on the field, many problems go unnoticed.
"Every kid has their own reason [for leaving the team]," Davis said. "There have been some guys who just want to focus on academics. That's the majority of our guys. And the majority of those guys are still at Truman."
At least 16 players have quit the team, been dismissed from the team or transferred during Davis' tenure as head coach.
"College baseball isn't for everybody," Davis said. "Even when they are gung-ho and go into college baseball and they think it's going to be, 'Oh we're just going to play games and that's it' - it's a little bit different. It's not what everyone thinks coming out of high school."
A few weeks ago, sophomore first baseman Matt Herrick was dismissed from the team. Earlier this season senior pitcher A.J. Barton also was dismissed. Davis declined comment on the two dismissals this season. Herrick also declined to comment on the matter.
Two of the team's top offensive threats from last season left the team before the start of this season. Then-junior Neil Bleish led the team in home runs and slugging percentage in 2008. Then-sophomore Josh Dilday added five home runs.
The Bulldogs have 23 freshmen and sophomores on the roster and only three seniors. Davis said all the change in personnel will not affect the team's development.
"What it does is open up opportunities for other guys who are playing behind them," Davis said. "More importantly, younger guys who are in the developmental stage and are hungry to play."
Davis said the players who have quit the team under his watch have not quit because of conflicts with him or other members of the coaching staff.
Director of Athletics Jerry Wollmering said he has met with a couple of baseball players during the last three years, but would not go into detail about the meetings.
Wollmering said that because the baseball team at Truman is not funded with scholarships as highly as the other baseball programs in the MIAA and other Truman sports, the players' incentive to continue competing is not as great as it might be in other sports. He said most sports have players who are unhappy, but the difference in scholarship money can make or break a student's decision to continue playing sports at Truman.
"It's easier to walk away because there's no financial investment lost," Wollmering said. "… In other sports a player may be disgruntled, but when a $17,000 scholarship is on the line, it's harder to walk away."
The Bulldogs' 10-37 record only makes matters worse. Wollmering said problems with players are often magnified during hard times. He said when teams are successful on the field, many problems go unnoticed.
"Every kid has their own reason [for leaving the team]," Davis said. "There have been some guys who just want to focus on academics. That's the majority of our guys. And the majority of those guys are still at Truman."
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 4
William Barton
posted 4/24/09 @ 12:02 PM CST
You may want to check out coach Davis' comment that there were no conflicts between him and players who have left the team on there own or have been dismissed. (Continued…)
Kevin
posted 4/24/09 @ 8:45 PM CST
What was the record of the teams before Coach Davis arrived? Not sure what "good players" from the previous coach William Barton is talking about.
And of course parents always have a non biased view of the ability of their son so no doubt the parent was right and the coach wrong. (Continued…)
former bulldog baseball player
posted 5/07/09 @ 1:55 PM CST
Until Truman increases the allotment of baseball scholarships, the team will always be at an extreme disadvantage to the majority of the conference. It is no coincidence that the successful teams in the conference historically (CMSU, ESU, NWMSU) continually finish ahead of Truman and compete for the postseason. (Continued…)
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