Shilo Sanders

[TheReelEss]

I’m sorry but this is very confusing post. Are you saying your son didn’t get a fair shake when trying out for his HS team because he didn’t play “daddy ball travel travel team put on by HS coaches” (which is a bit confusing description) but that’s ok because the coaches , even though your son was clearly more talented than many of the guys on the team, are playing it safe or because he did poorly hitting off the pitching machine?

“A player will have @ 4 at bats a game. Someone off the bench will have 1. You will know if a player has what it takes after 30 swings against a pitching machine that sends the ball right down the pipe.”

How do these two things even relate? 1) On every team in every game, there are often better batters sitting on the bench because of game situations. Defense, strategy , or the particular pitcher often dictate a line up.....not just batting ability. 2) I don’t think 30 swings against a batting machine can tell even the greatest evaluator the full story about the potential of a player.

He will take the challenge and improve himself (as a footballer and/or more next year for baseball) or he won’t.

Come on, this sounds like it came straight out of “Leave it to Beaver”. How is he going to improve his baseball game while at USC if he isn’t on the baseball team? This effectively kills his collegiate baseball career.

I’m not even going to address how positive PR for our baseball team is good thing and negative PR is a bad thing, apparently, it’s a difficult concept to grasp for many Gamecocks, kind of like how you can disagree with coaching decisions and still support the coach and program. That one really seems to blow a lot of minds.

There is a limited number of spots available, even for walk-ons in college baseball. If the kid couldn't help the team, then he's hurting the team if he gets one of those spots. It shouldn't matter who his dad is. And his dad should have kept it to himself. I seriously doubt anyone at USC promised the kid a walk-on spot on the baseball team to get him to sign for the football team. A lot of people not named Sanders want a lot of things they can't have. Such is life.

 

[PalmettoG27]

Anyone could probably tell within 10 seconds of me swinging a bat that I don’t belong anywhere near a college, or probably even peewee league team. The guy probably isn’t very good at baseball compared to other young adults trying out. Does Shilo have a written contract from USC promising that he would be on the baseball team?

maybe someone here upset that he isn’t in the team can email Shilo some information about some sort of adult fun league at a rec center or something?

 

[taiwancock]

There is a limited number of spots available, even for walk-ons in college baseball. If the kid couldn't help the team, then he's hurting the team if he gets one of those spots. It shouldn't matter who his dad is. And his dad should have kept it to himself. I seriously doubt anyone at USC promised the kid a walk-on spot on the baseball team to get him to sign for the football team. A lot of people not named Sanders want a lot of things they can't have. Such is life.

Don't forget that it was our staff that decided to go on Twitter about this first. I'm still flabbergasted that they didn't circle with Shilo and Deion about it. Not sure about the businesses that you are all in, but in my industry, we go out to all parties for their okay before we make a public announcement. BTW, for those going on and on about knowing / not knowing what it takes to make a P5 college team, I'm thinking Deion does know. He probably knows a thing or two about making it to the MLB too in fact.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

Don't forget that it was our staff that decided to go on Twitter about this first. I'm still flabbergasted that they didn't circle with Shilo and Deion about it. Not sure about the businesses that you are all in, but in my industry, we go out to all parties for their okay before we make a public announcement. BTW, for those going on and on about knowing / not knowing what it takes to make a P5 college team, I'm thinking Deion does know. He probably knows a thing or two about making it to the MLB too in fact.

Actually the media asked a question, it was answered, and the media issued the tweet.

 

[jimnasium]

Move along nothing to see here.

 

[atl-cock]

The 5 minute evaluation was kinda weak. You don't know how the guy runs, fields or how he hits with live pitching. Kingston should have at least gave him that much.

Do you think he had the opportunity to use a batting machine prior to the try-out so that he would show his best?

If it was publicized that "Shilo went home over Christmas break, and “worked hard” to get ready for his tryout." I would assume that he would have had an opportunity to access a pitching machine.

 

[atl-cock]

..........BTW, for those going on and on about knowing / not knowing what it takes to make a P5 college team, I'm thinking Deion does know. He probably knows a thing or two about making it to the MLB too in fact.

My guess is that what it takes to make a P5 baseball team today is significantly different than it was 20+ years ago.

 

[TheReelEss]

My guess is that what it takes to make a P5 baseball team today is significantly different than it was 20+ years ago.

Or...hear me out on this...maybe Shilo is no Deion or Bo. No shame in that.

 

[taiwancock]

Actually the media asked a question, it was answered, and the media issued the tweet.

Thank you for the correction. Looks like it was from The State, which had a terribly worded "explanation" that Shilo was going to focus on football. Gist is that we still could have done a better job of having some kind of official statement ready.

 

[atl-cock]

My guess is that what it takes to make a P5 baseball team today is significantly different than it was 20+ years ago.

Or...hear me out on this...maybe Shilo is no Deion or Bo. No shame in that.

That too.

IMO, the game changer (bad pun) may very well be travel ball and thus the singular dedication to baseball to the exclusion of all other sports.

While it makes for better performances in baseball (or whatever sport), it rather saddens me to see the exclusionary playing and the lack of a "well-rounded athlete".

 

[taiwancock]

Thank you for the correction. Looks like it was from The State, which had a terribly worded "explanation" that Shilo was going to focus on football. Gist is that we still could have done a better job of having some kind of official statement ready.

But this point, we've all beaten a dead horse deader than dead and more than the actual participants involved did. I raise my own hand guiltily.

 

[bucketdad]

You guys are nuts.

Kingston should’ve “gave him more of a tryout”?

Based on what?

And you think he’s in over his head? How so?

Do any of you think there’s even a remote chance that Kingston was already familiar with Shilo as a baseball player? Maybe he’s seen him in the past during Summer high school travel ball? Maybe seen him in person, watched film, talked with coaches who are familiar with him?

So Shilo went home over Christmas break, and “worked hard” to get ready for his tryout.

BFD. Every guy on the team has been working hard. As soon as the season ends Summer ball starts. Get back in school, Fall practice starts. Come back after Christmas preseason practice starts. These guys hone their craft all year long.

And some of you think Kingston should’ve just kissed Deion’s rear and booted someone off the team just on the off chance they might need a base runner.

Then when Shilo isn’t starting and Deion whines again on social media, you’d think Kingston was again over his head and handling it poorly by not handing the kid a starting position. Just because Dabo lets Herbstreits kids ride the bench for home games.

Deion was a special player. Shilo isn’t Deion, in fact Shilo isn’t even the best athlete out of the kids, Shadeur is.

It’d be a rehash of the same crap we had to put up with BMac’s mom.

Bend over and give in to a kid or a parent like that, you wind up with a cancer in the dugout.

Until proven otherwise, it’s clear that Kingston didn’t put him on the team because he felt he had better options already.

Shilo should be putting his best efforts towards football. He still has 4 more years he can try out for baseball. Deion needs to step back and let his kid earn it.

It’s kind of ironic, the same week Deion complains because his son isn’t awarded more chances he also points out that the NFL HOF is getting diluted by guys who don’t deserve to be there.

I dont have a problem with how the kid was handled but I feel compelled to respond to your question about why anyone would think Kingston is over his head. I must say that the USC baseball program I know shouldn't be laboratory for a coach to learn what of his system will work and what wont. Yet that is exactly what happened here. His hitting philosophy didnt work so he will try a different approach. That's a huge part of HIS game he's willing to change. To his credit, not everyone would make such an admission and I'm glad he did... and I wish him much success. But you cant deny that kind of philosophy change screams not being ready.

 

[TheReelEss]

But this point, we've all beaten a dead horse deader than dead and more than the actual participants involved did. I raise my own hand guiltily.

I blame you.

 

[psycock]

Uh - we, and other teams, almost always have some people who hardly ever play, just like football and basketball. We have had players that have done very little other than being a pinch-runner. Wasn`t Patrick Harrington one of them(not knocking him just comparing). I think we could have found room for him. Face it, hardly anyone treats high-profile athletes/families the same. It`s that way no matter what area of life your`re talking about. Not saying it`s right, but that`s the way it is.