Baseball: Players are leaving high school teams for travel ball

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At least two baseball players who played last season at Orange Lutheran won’t be playing high school ball this season, instead choosing to play travel ball, Coach Eric Borba said. One still attends Orange Lutheran and the other has transferred to another school.

Several players in the Inland Empire are already following that path.

Is it a trend or an aberration?

It seems that the growing emphasis on getting a college scholarship or preparing for a pro career is winning out over learning lessons through high school sports.

Parents have the right to choose what’s best for their sons and daughters, so I’m not going to criticize them, but please don’t trust some private coach who doesn’t have a teaching degree and insists he’ll get your child ready for the next level.

I asked UCLA Coach John Savage what he thinks about the decision not to play high school baseball.

‘I don’t like it,’ he said. ‘I think it sends a poor message. It’s about your team and developing on and off the field with your teammates.’

-- Eric Sondheimer