Tagged With "Ball"
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Hitting Tips
I have been playing ball for over 13 years, but somehow I cannot get over the fear of the ball being so close to me, sometimes I jump back when in the box when really, i could have swung and it would have been a good hit. Do you guys have any tips for...
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Players still looking for summer travel/showcase teams?
The East Coast Whitecaps are still looking for some players at the 16u and 18u age levels. We are currently seeking pitchers/outfielders for the 16u and 18u level. We also are in need of a catcher at the 16u age level. If you are...
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Any players still looking for summer Travel Ball/Showcase teams?
The East Coast Whitecaps are still looking for some players at the 16u and 18u age levels. We are currently seeking pitchers/outfielders for the 16u and 18u level. We also are in need of a catcher at the 16u age level. If you are interested or know of...
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Open Tryout Saturday May 18th at 10AM
The East Coast Whitecaps are having an open tryout this upcoming saturday at 10am. The tryout is open to all players 14-18 intersted in playing for a Travel Ball / Showcase team this summer. We have a 16u and 18u team. Both age groups will tryout...
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Re: Any players still looking for summer Travel Ball/Showcase teams?
Open tryout this saturday the 18th at 10AM. Location will be at Lakewood Park, Norfolk VA.
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Re: Any players still looking for summer Travel Ball/Showcase teams?
We are currently seeking players at the 17u age level. If you or anyone you know is interested please contact us. www.eastcoastwhitecaps.com
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Re: Players still looking for summer travel/showcase teams?
Defiantly interested where is this located?
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Re: Players still looking for summer travel/showcase teams?
Email us at info@eastcoastwhitecaps.com Send your name and position and age.
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Re: Players still looking for summer travel/showcase teams?
Alex Struble outfield and in field 3rd and short 16
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Re: Players still looking for summer travel/showcase teams?
Send it to that email so I can email you off of this website
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Tips on improving outfield footwork and reading fly balls
Anyone have tips on improving my footwork in the outfield and getting quality reps on reading fly balls. My dad never really played baseball so he is out of the question as far as someone that can help me. I feel the best way is to just immerse myself in the game so that I can see as many fly balls as possible, but to do that I need an instructor in the Dallas area (if you know of one please tell me!). Besides this does anyone have drills or certain things that I can focus on by myself?
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Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Let's say a kid is on varsity his sophomore year and doesn't play much. Doesn't play travel ball in the summer but plays with his HS summer team. Then he breaks out and has a huge junior year, but does the same thing again next summer, not playing travel ball. What are the chances of this kid getting recruited? Is travel ball a must for being recruited nowadays?
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Fall Ball Tryouts HS 15-18U
Texas Select Baseball (Sunnyvale) is looking to add a few players to the fall HS roster (ages 15-18). We will be playing league DH's on Sundays. This team is coached by Professionals. If interested you can fill out a tryout form on the team website at www.claysmithbaseball.com or contact coach Clay Smith at 214.770.2498.
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Travel to the Annual Dominican Republic games June 2017 (1 week) Ages 16-19
I am in need of 8 more baseball players to represent USA/America in a one week doubleheader baseball experience in the DR. ALL positions wanted. Secured housing, meals, security, cultural learning, site-seeing and team mixing (2nd game) will be provided. A passport is also required before departure. Assistance in travel if needed. A great experience to add to your baseball playing or coaching resume. Nearby pro-scouts will be in attendance at some games. Coaches : 1more spot open. (resume...
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16U SUMMER TRY OUTS
Try outs are getting closer, Banditos-Black 16u will have tryouts Saturday December 5th at 10:00am, in Mckinney at Craig Ranch. We will be at the Gabe the stadium field, please contact Coach Najera with any Questions, thanks
#fortheloveofthegame
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enough advice...thanks...
holy crap...I got enough advice that it going to make my head explode. Thanks...
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Should Your son Play Fall Ball
Hey All, I just read this interesting article from Cressey Sports about the value, if any, to your son playing baseball in the fall. I think for most of us, many of our decisions come down to asking the right questions, and I think this article does a great job of helping us ask the right questions as it pertains to fall ball. Check it out here https://ericcressey.com/should-you-play-fall-baseball Enjoy!
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Advice on 3 potential errors (some weather-related)
Hello, new member and somewhat new to scorekeeping for 14u team. I have some plays over the past few weeks that i'd like to get some opinions on if they are errors or not. I'm still a little unclear how much weight to give to "weather" when it comes to judging errors for the second and third situation. Thanks for any help. Situation #1: Fly ball hit a ball to the right field gap and a three-way collision ensues in the outfield between CF, RF and 2B, and ball drops. An error to the right...
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Travel Ball- Legion level
I coach a legion team in upstate NY. Roster is composed of 1-3 of the best players from 7+ towns, basically an all-star team for the area. How do I keep all players driven to keep playing when playing time will likely be less than what they have been? Our new pitching restrictions will help but I'm talking enough kids for two very good teams.?
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Re: Advice on 3 potential errors (some weather-related)
IMO, No errors on any play. While the standard is ordinary effort, generally its interpreted as basically requiring the fielder either touch the ball or essentially have it go through him (e.g., infielder ball between his legs). Instance 1 was a miscommunication between three fielders; instance 2 was a player who will now never forget his sunglasses and use his glove to block the sun; instance 3 could be attributed to the weather. The good news is that the first two instances provide great...
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Re: Advice on 3 potential errors (some weather-related)
None of those seem like routine plays 14u players would be expected make all of the time. I think if any of these plays are made the players gets a "ooh great catch". This is 14u ball and good teaching moments. I would mark them down as hits and remind the kids how to handle them better next time.
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Re: Advice on 3 potential errors (some weather-related)
As Goosegg says, the standard is "ordinary effort." You have to make a subjective decision. Considering the totality of circumstances--where the fielder was positioned, where and how the ball was hit, and other factors in play like wind and sun--should a player of average ability at that level of baseball be able to make the play while exerting ordinary effort? One unofficial rule of thumb I use is to put myself in the position of the pitcher. Could the pitcher have reasonably expected the...
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Re: Advice on 3 potential errors (some weather-related)
If you're the pitcher's dad: All three are errors. If you're the hitters' dad: All three are hits.
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Re: Advice on 3 potential errors (some weather-related)
As a pitcher's dad, I often suspected scorekeepers of basing their decision on their assumption that it's better to call it a hit and have the pitcher's dad hate them than to call it an error and have both the hitter's dad and the fielder's dad hate them.
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Re: Advice on 3 potential errors (some weather-related)
Situation 1: Hit. If caught it would have been a great play by any of the three players involved. Not an ordinary effort play. Situation 2: Hit. IT's exceptional effort to block the sun with the glove to make the play, especially at 14. Chances are, even with sunglasses it could have been difficult to catch. Situation 3: Hit. It would take exceptional effort to quickly calculate the wind and rain effect. If the player made the play everybody would have clapped, suggesting it wasn't an...
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Re: Advice on 3 potential errors (some weather-related)
Thank you for all the responses. Great advice.
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Re: Advice on 3 potential errors (some weather-related)
I have been keeping the book for years. I can't tell you the number of times I have had the "he should have had it" - "the standard is ordinary effort" conversation. However, this year, I have become frustrated by a first baseman who doesn't scoop well and never comes off the bag to block a ball. The throws could be better but a better first baseman would have cut the errors in half or at least held the runner at first instead of letting the ball get by him and the runner going to 2nd. All...
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Re: Advice on 3 potential errors (some weather-related)
DadintheBox posted: …All this to say is that scoring is subjective and sometimes the wrong person is hit with the error (ex. SS makes a great play in the hole and throws off balance. Ball is a low throw that one hops. 1st baseman scoops and misses - E6. But a good 1B makes the play 9/10 times). ... I agree that a good F3 saves a lot of errors, but it doesn’t matter. Any throw that strikes the ground that would have put a runner out if it was caught, is an error on the thrower. OBR Rule...
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Re: Advice on 3 potential errors (some weather-related)
I mentioned this before. I don't really sweat what the guy who does the book. writes down. A lot of time and at lower levels its a dad that means well or another player. Not exactly experienced score keeping. If your trying to keep track and record at the HS level for college recruiters, thats a different issue. at 14/u it really doesn't to much. My son's a catcher and I know what he should and shouldn't get to....I dont sweat if the pitcher spikes the ball two feet in front of the plate and...
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Re: Advice on 3 potential errors (some weather-related)
This has been brought up time and time again, but HS stats are not reliable (Many times the official score book is kept by a parent or player in the dugout) and college coaches rarely (If ever) take them into account. What they do take into account is the player's tools. Not saying HS stats shouldn't be kept, but statistically the data set is too small to mean anything. Even at the college level where they play three times as many games in a season, the data set is not quite enough to mean...
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Re: Travel Ball- Legion level
First have a plan and communicate that plan to the players. Then stick with it. If for some reason you change your plan, communicate that to your players. With proper communication, most players will buy in. And make sure they know which games they will play in case Grandma wants to come. I have seen a few things work. Splitting time 50/50 can work. Would even allow the non-playing player to skip a game if needed. If a kid is going to pitch, treat him like a pitcher only for that day. Also,...
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Re: Travel Ball- Legion level
When I played Legion years ago the coach scheduled non conference games to keep the bench and pitchers playing, happy and ready for more critical situations. We traveled as far as two hours away to play teams in other zones.
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
Tough situation. I would imagine that the administration probably already knows about the guy. Surely some other people have spoken to him in the past. Maybe they don't care. You could look to layout a case against the guy with the AD by noting the number of people who've left over the years, and asking, "Does the school really have this many 'problem' players?" I would add, "Sir, don't you think that we are a pretty normal high school as far as kids are concerned? I see no other high school...
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
Details aside, this won't be the last time your son has to deal with an ass for a coach, boss, professor, etc. You should equip him with how to deal with these people rather than having to do it for him. It's a valuable lesson. I can sympathize with the coaching situation. My son's school brought in a new coach that was so toxic that players who would have made up the entire starting lineup this season transferred out or quit over the past 2 years. The administration didn't care. It took the...
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
I have a 2020, so I am in your mindset right now, and I read every word you wrote here. Here is what I don't get: 1. You said "The coach literally excised him from the team and humiliated him"...what did you mean by that? Did he walk him off and yell at him...is that what happened? 2. What did you mean by this "sent us a very surprising email; totally trashing my son". What were the adjectives used? 3. I am not understanding how the head coach, assistant coach, and senior assistant coach all...
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
No matter how much of an A-hole the coach may be, there seems to be a disconnect or parts missing to the story. The coach or coaches took the time to put a letter together for you. That is not consistent with a knee-jerk spur-of-the-moment over-reaction. If you don't mind, what was the basic premise of the letter? Could there be any substance to any of it? Might your son have said something that was mis-interpreted? If the HC is historically the problem, then why did two other coaches react...
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
Sounds like this situation is ugly. yuck. Do you have any other options for his playing high school baseball?? Private school vs public school etc.... Life is short, baseball is a great sport. Why would anyone let their kid play when it wasnt fun. He is a Freshman?? He still has another four years to play high school baseball. No reason to let these guys ruin the sport for him. I have seen kids get so abused by a coach that they quit the sport. As an advocate for YOUR son you have the...
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
First a baseball thing. 4.2 to first and an 8.3 60 don't mesh. One is major league speed. One is snail slow. I completely question the person doing the timing. I'm betting the story isn't exactly as your son told you. More than one coach is upset with him. There isn't a conspiracy to get him. Your son has to suck it up and talk with the coaching staff about what they perceive he did wrong. My son was a varsity starter soph year of high school. When the bus stopped for a game the coach made a...
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
My son played high school for a coach where kids quit baseball because of the coach. The parents publicly complained about the coach. It was obvious to me the coach could be difficult at times. But it was nothing to quit over according to my son. Every kid who quit was questionable to start. They had to blame someone over their lack of ability. Why not the coach who snapped at them a few times?
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
Let your kid work it out! Pertaining to HS athletics, your job is done.
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
There was a kid at our high school who left after soph year because the coach screwed him. He went to a Catholic private and got screwed there. He returned to the high school,and got screwed again. This time my son was a junior. He said the kid grossly overrates his ability. I can say the same thing about the dad. According to the dad big time programs disocovered his son at showcases. But they ultimately backed off and screwed him. The kid headed for a JuCo first year of college and got...
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
RJM we actually had the same thought on this. The 4.2 and 8.3 stuck out like a sore thumb to me as well. Maybe a typo but when I see that everything after it gets called into question. there do seem to be major pieces missing. Makes it hard to make any fair comment.
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
Q: What's the difference between a coach who is challenging versus one who is an arse? A: it depends whether you ask a starter's parent or a bench, cut, or quit kid's parent.
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
Major league fast as a 5'5" 8th grader? Does he bat left or right? What's his 60 time?
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
My son is pretty good pitcher and wants to mature his skills. Does he need high school ball for this? Or will Travel/Showcase suffice for recruiters? My son is playing JC baseball after being cut Junior year of HS by a coach not too different from yours. Never played Varsity. May be a longer, harder road but it's possible. Can your kid still play 14U next spring? A little young but maybe look into spring leagues for red-shirted JC players.
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
The 4.2 and 8.3 are not in sync. That time to first equates to mid 6's+ in 60, not low 8's. Your situation requires further investigation as to what was said by all parties: perhaps a quiet conversation with one of the assistants, away from the field and in a neutral, non-confrontational setting. Quotes from the 'trashing' email may help us understand the situation better.
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
Quite honestly none of your son's friends etc are ever going to say something bad about your son, their reaction is not necessarily the best information to rely on. Same for previous coaches. I would also not initiate conversations with your son's friends or former coaches regarding the situation nor would I send them copies of the e-mails. That's just asking for more trouble when one of those people mentions it to the coach or some other friend who does the same. If the coach sent me an...
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
Okay, you didn't answer my questions so I will just say that I don't understand why YOU are having a meeting at the school or with the coach. I also don't understand why the coach would email YOU about your sons behavior. You know how I can tell my son is pissing off the coach, when he is sitting on the bench for an entire game. There are no emails or heart to hearts...my son either has to take care of HIS business with the coach or he doesn't get to play. Is HS necessary for a college...