13 year old's

ghouse--

Finally something we can agree on

13 year olds pitching on back to back days is ludicrous

I wont even go into the 62 game schedule

If a team played 4 games a weekend and 2 games during the week and at the end concluded with a 10 day 10 game tournament their season would take up around 2.5 months.

That would give them 9.5 months to play Nintendo. Seems like plenty of time to play Nintendo to me.

Now if they stretched it into a 4 month season they would play less than 2 games during the week and a double header on the weekend. That doesn't seem like punishing them too bad and it still leaves 8 months of the year to play Nintendo or s o c c er for those afraid they are playing too much baseball.

I think they may have a rule against naming players scheduled for TJ surgery to all-america teams.

If he did throw a complete game or close to one and then came back with one days rest that was ridiculous unless his pitch count on day 1 was extremely low.

Mine went 5 innings on a Friday in a tournament and only threw 65 pitches. He then threw 2 innings on Sunday. He threw as well as he ever has on Sunday. However, his arm was tired for his next two regular season outings of only 2 innings each and he hasn't done more than play very light catch since Saturday. We'll still try not to use him in our game on Thursday to try and let his arm fully recover. Throwing that much is going to take a toll on almost any pitcher's arm.

Toungue-in-cheek comment:

Let's be realistic here, this IS the 13 year old National Championship, and don't forget the importance of that to the coaches and parents of all those kids that can afford to participate.

I'm sure Sammy Clark would have been an All-American if he would have gone back to back without that day rest.




Many post about the negative affects of daddy-ball when it is this type of coaching that ruins a kid. However, you cannot only blame it on the coach, where are the parents?

Though I do agree with not allowing a pitcher to throw without proper rest, I don't have any problems with 13 year olds playing 62 games. Obviously this is a select team and is meant to be for those players who are serious about baseball and who want to play against good competition. For those that don't want to play that many games, there are rec leagues for them.
Heck, in the warm weather states there are teams younger than that who play 120+ games. That to me is a bit nuts.

My son 14 year old team played 92 games from February to July. When they were not playing they were practicing. Here in Texas , baseball never ends.Just ask my wife

Not that I would recommend it, but when we were 13 a double header every day 7 days a week would have been great!

In fact, we played much more than the equivilant of a double header every day and loved it. It just wasn't always organized. After our practice was over, we would just keep playing. We didn't have to... we wanted to!

I don't remember any of us who blew an arm. In fact, we had some who developed very good arms. We didn't know there was such a term as "mechanics", we just did what came naturally. It was a blast!

If it wasn't baseball it was softball or even whiffle ball. Spare time was spent playing indian ball, pickle, burnout, or just playing catch.

It's still that way in some Latin American countries.

Did we burn out? Of course, just as soon as we realized we weren't anywhere near as good as we thought we were. But not until then! This happened at different times for each of us.

Surely some of the old-timers here did the same thing while growing up.

Clemente,

Sounds like your son is old school.

As I am reading this post, my sister calls and tells my about a pitcher on my nephew's 13 year old team. One Saturday, he pitched a 145 pitch compete game on the front end of a doubleheader. In game two, he catches seven innings. On the following Wednesday, he pitched 3 innings with 60 pitches. It get worse. On Saturday, he pitches another 130 pitches and the catches the second game. he parents are wondering why he is complaining that his arm os bothering him. My sister opened thier eyes with why. My sis was sick at seeing what they did to this kid.

PG,
When we wanted to play catch or play a pickup game and our arm hurt we stopped throwing until if felt better and played something else.

When we were playing organized ball sometimes we just had to throw through pain. By the time I was about 14 my arm always hurt some by the 6th or 7th inning and took a few days to get better and I've always had somewhat of a rubber arm. Back then we played two games a week and you were either the weekday pitcher or the weekend pitcher, but you always got a fair amount of time off between starts unless the team absolutely needed you for an inning or so.

PG,

I was the same way when I grew up. Not opnly that but I played for 4 teams at 14U to play over 100 games per year. I couldn't get enough games!

My 11u's will play 60+ games this year with 11 kids who will pitch for us. A typical week for our pitcher consists of 60-65 pitches in a weekend followed by practice on Tuesday and Thrusday. Depending on their workload the previous weekend, they *may* throw a bully. My goal is to strengthen their arms, not destroy it.

In the offseason, we hold optional hitting workouts but they are encouraged to play football, basketball, and swim. We give them at least 3 months off to get away from the game and recover.

Mr. Ford and others;

In the "good old days", there was no "All Star" teams, no rating of players, no "showcases", few scholarships for baseball and we all "played the game"for fun and we learn from our experiences, our success and failures. Baseball provided you to be successful in your business.

We learn "how to adjust"in life.

Because of my recent hip replacement, I am learning how to walk again and how to stand erect from my martial arts instructor.

Adjustment and "slowing" the ball down in the mind is a science, which I have learned in the past few days.

PS: I am happy to be away from the Area Code/Showcase business. Now I can teach hitters and send our teams to Japan, China and Australia for their post graduate degree in baseball.

Best wishes to you and Perfect Game.

Bob Williams

Bob,

Thank you, that really means a lot coming from you. We have the utmost respect for all that you've accomplished in baseballs best interest.

We wish you the very best and if we can ever help you in any way please don't hesitate to call.

Hope no one thinks I'm in favor of abusing young pitchers because of the earlier post.

@13 We play 80+ /year here in NC travel (AAU - USSSA) + School Baseball (every day for 2mo) however here is the most dangerous side...

http://www.thepilot.com/news/041305BusFlips.html

My kid luckily escaped serious injury, however 3 serious injuries + 5-6 broken bones. Now less worried about their arms versus how they get to the game....

dparz

To PG and Bob Williams,

I don't know either of you personally but I've read enough of your posts and looked at what you guys have put together and done for players and the game to say it's obvious the "Cream rises to the top".

Kudos to you both!

Best wishes to you Bob on your recovery.

SBK

Thank you for your kind words for Mr. Ford and myself. For both of us, it has been a "Labor of love for the game"

In 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1956, I played in the Basin League at Chamberlain, South Dakota later at Watertown and Huron.

Many memories and friends from this League; Bob Gibson, Dick Howser, Ron Perranoski, Dick Radatz Steve Boros, Howie Bedwell [3.1 home to 1b] and many others.

Kermit Wahl, was our manager at Watertown in 1956.

Are you involved in youth baseball? Which city?

Bob Williams

Mr. Williams,

The area of South Dakota you were in is some of the best hunting and fishing in the country. Perhaps you had the chance to take advantage of it.

Although I live just across the river in South Dakota, I am very involved in youth and high school baseball in Sioux City, Iowa.

Baseball must have been very interesting in the 50's and before. I have heard Babe Ruth played a few games around here. Bob Feller grew up a little south of us. Just a few miles from where the famous Mr. Morrison grew up and more recognized as John Wayne.

With your experiences and travels you certainly have a wealth of great baseball stories you could share. If you haven't already, I encourage you to write a memoir for future baseball fans to enjoy.

Once again, thanks for all you’ve done and all you’ve yet to do.

SBK;

One of our Michigan State baseball players; Earl Morrall played one summer in Spencer, Iowa. He later played with the Colts and Miami in the Super Bowl.

Earl married a girl from Spencer.

There are many stories from Willie Mays to my recent trip to Australia. From Area Code to Madame Zhang.

Thank you for my recall of the "good old days".

Bob

PGStaff---

quote:

If it wasn't baseball it was softball or even whiffle ball. Spare time was spent playing indian ball, pickle, burnout, or just playing catch...Surely some of the old-timers here did the same thing while growing up....

SURE DID!!! Do I count? (I played with the boys)!

quote:

Originally posted by amom:
I've posted this before, but for me it was kickball! What fun that was- all the neighbor kids played nightly in the Convent parking lot which was right next to my house. Rectory was on the other side!!!!

Like PaMom, we played with the boys, and whoever else was allowed out after the dishes were done! The Nuns and parents watched.