Cutting a player from team

r8dr_rider

r8dr_rider

Well-Known Member
Anyone have advice on cutting a player?

Here’s the situation:
League games, 2nd season with this team. we had a great last season, had one loss and lost the championship 20-24 (great game) A few players had to leave so ended up with 9 returning players. Reached out and nobody had anyone that can pay and fill roster. I had a few players that will play but are not very good. But they pay fees and show up every game. We are now 0-3 and team is frustrated.

Now some guys have players that can play and ball. If these new guys ball and pay fees do I cut and return fees to guys and can’t? Or just roll with it and rotate catchers, lol.
 
hitsone

hitsone

Well-Known Member
dunkky said:
In the middle of seasons??? Dont do that, its just softball. No reason to hurt others feeling for a damn tshirt that worth nothing.
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I agree.
They started the season they should finish.
Word would get around that you would not be a good manager to play for and it would become hard to recruit.
If you choose to cut them before next year, be a man and do it face to face with some diplomacy.
 
r8dr_rider

r8dr_rider

Well-Known Member
Good advice here. If I have 13 or 14 I guess it’s better then 8 or 9. I’ll just make sure they BP a lot to up their game
 
lakeyale13

lakeyale13

Manager
r8dr_rider said:
Anyone have advice on cutting a player?

Here’s the situation:
League games, 2nd season with this team. we had a great last season, had one loss and lost the championship 20-24 (great game) A few players had to leave so ended up with 9 returning players. Reached out and nobody had anyone that can pay and fill roster. I had a few players that will play but are not very good. But they pay fees and show up every game. We are now 0-3 and team is frustrated.

Now some guys have players that can play and ball. If these new guys ball and pay fees do I cut and return fees to guys and can’t? Or just roll with it and rotate catchers, lol.
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Yeah man, you cannot cut the guys that committed and paid their fees already without coming off like a royal horses arse. If you don't want them on the team next year, line up players that are better to take their spot and communicate to the "less than" players that you might not have a spot for them next year after your last game. Communication is key.
 
Dan240

Dan240

Addicted to Softballfans
The main thing is if those guys are at least enjoying the games, both matter how bad they're doing. Guys from my work always ask me to put together a team. This is the 3rd year, and so far we've only had 1 win. But the guys commit to it and enjoy playing no matter how bad we lose. It's league, it's for fun. Just enjoy it and move players around.
 
SammyJaxxx

SammyJaxxx

Starting Player
You should just return their fees and apologize to the guys now.
I can already see what is going to happen next year. You are going to string these guys along and then, when it is too late for them to find another team, you will tell them you don't have a spot for them.

You are vastly underestimating the value of guys that pay, show up all the time and don't cause drama.
 
B

billvp

Addicted to Softballfans
Dan240 said:
The main thing is if those guys are at least enjoying the games, both matter how bad they're doing. Guys from my work always ask me to put together a team. This is the 3rd year, and so far we've only had 1 win. But the guys commit to it and enjoy playing no matter how bad we lose. It's league, it's for fun. Just enjoy it and move players around.
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Sure, leagues are for fun, but it's more fun to win (all else equal).

Tournaments are for fun also. How many players make even minimum wage over the hours put into a tournament? Almost none. Tournaments are for fun, but they're more fun to win, just like league.
 
r8dr_rider

r8dr_rider

Well-Known Member
SammyJaxxx said:
You should just return their fees and apologize to the guys now.
I can already see what is going to happen next year. You are going to string these guys along and then, when it is too late for them to find another team, you will tell them you don't have a spot for them.

You are vastly underestimating the value of guys that pay, show up all the time and don't cause drama.
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Not really. These guys don’t play and won’t find another team. They only play with my team since they are not very good, and they now this. I already have decided to keep everyone, even if that means we suck ass. I’m just worried about players leaving next season cuz we suck ass.
 
M

mvfjet

Part Time Player
I have the same situation almost every new season. Someone good leaves and I have to hit up the city's free agent list. I find a guy or two, some have even played college baseball, some varsity high school baseball and they always suck which doesn't make sense to me because I last played little league when I was 12 years old. My team's regulars will tell me to cut them after a game or two and I tell them they've already paid so I can't. I usually try to hide them in RF or catcher but some guys refuse to play catcher. I've had games where I've had 3 guys rotating at catcher lol. I do my cuts between seasons and just hope these crappy guys miss some games. I suggest to wait it out and cut them in the off season.
 
blakcherry329

blakcherry329

Well-Known Member
mvfjet said:
I have the same situation almost every new season. Someone good leaves and I have to hit up the city's free agent list. I find a guy or two, some have even played college baseball, some varsity high school baseball and they always suck which doesn't make sense to me because I last played little league when I was 12 years old. My team's regulars will tell me to cut them after a game or two and I tell them they've already paid so I can't. I usually try to hide them in RF or catcher but some guys refuse to play catcher. I've had games where I've had 3 guys rotating at catcher lol. I do my cuts between seasons and just hope these crappy guys miss some games. I suggest to wait it out and cut them in the off season.
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Anyone that is too good to play catcher is not a team player, imo. of course there are those really good players that you wouldn't waste behind the plate, but everyone else should be willing to go back there for the good of the team. Plus, a guy/girl that can catch throws from the outfield and direct cutoffs and stuff is valuable, imo.
And the core players asking to cut guys when you don't have enough are idiots and a little DB-ish.
 
ShortYellowBus

ShortYellowBus

Well-Known Member
mvfjet said:
I have the same situation almost every new season. Someone good leaves and I have to hit up the city's free agent list. I find a guy or two, some have even played college baseball, some varsity high school baseball and they always suck which doesn't make sense to me because I last played little league when I was 12 years old. My team's regulars will tell me to cut them after a game or two and I tell them they've already paid so I can't. I usually try to hide them in RF or catcher but some guys refuse to play catcher. I've had games where I've had 3 guys rotating at catcher lol. I do my cuts between seasons and just hope these crappy guys miss some games. I suggest to wait it out and cut them in the off season.
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I always gave them a tryout by inviting them to bp first, and then the decision of playing was based on the talent level and ambitions set forth by the current team.

There’s always rust accumulation from not playing and finding one’s “softball legs” takes at least half a season. I’m very upfront about this and most reasonable people have no issues whatsoever playing right field and catching to integrate successfully.

Host bp 2 or 3 times before inviting them to a game. If this is possible, it’ll save both parties a lot of time. If they realize they can’t play, they might not bother continuing. Games have to be earned.

Unless you’re desperately short players.
 
BigWhiffa

BigWhiffa

Underwear Researcher
If i'm notified by a guy that they played college ball or hs baseball, i'm always a little leery. too many times have they been very difficult at transitioning into softball. fielding might be ok but they always STRUGGLE initially at the plate.
 
TheKid33

TheKid33

Star Player
In 8 years of managing I've only ever had to "cut" one player, and it was one of my best friends. Showed up every week, paid on time, slightly above average player.. But.. Had a terrible attitude, sore loser, brought the team down. I didn't necessarily mind it myself because I played sports with him our whole lives, I knew how he was. But some ppl on our team didn't obviously appreciate it, and it got to a point where if I kept bringing him back I felt like I'd lose my team, because a lot of guys said they really didn't like playing with him anymore. So I told him I wasn't going to be getting him to play anymore because of the fact that if he can't handle a loss here and there then he wasn't the right fit for our team's current situation. Which was an average rec league team. He was salty for a while about it but been friends close to 15 years so realistically it wasn't gonna ever be a relationship breaker.

Best decision I ever made, even if I was uncomfortable with it at first. As soon as my buddy wasn't on the team anymore, our guys who sucked started playing decent ball, our guys who were average started to get hot, our good players were on their A game all of the time.

What I'm trying to parlay to you here, is that sometimes the guys who aren't very good are not the problem with the team. If you're expecting to go undefeated and win a trophy every damn spring and summer, then sure, they may prevent you from being a "dynasty" (LOL).. But if you just care about having fun and playing ball somewhat competitively like 90% of us do, the main thing is team chemistry. If everyone gets along and plays hard, you've got a better chance with a less talented team than you do with a solid team but a few guys that bring down morale when the scoreboard isn't in your favor.

Just my 2 cents.. Maybe look into the other guys on your team who were having fun when you dominated, but now are asking you to get rid of players when your record isn't perfect.
 
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