2020 give or take a year...

d-mac posted:

I'm in.  My kid just turned 14 and is a 2020.  He is playing his 5th tournament this weekend.  Team is struggling so far, but my son has played well at C and hit well.  Pitching has been a different story.  He has really struggled with command and I feel where we are getting closer to that point where he needs to go either catcher only or switch to CIF and pitch.  Catcher is his best position right now, but at 6'2" and growing, he has more of a pitchers build.  

He will have high school tryouts in about 6 weeks and if all goes as planned he will be playing extended high school ball in June with the team.  It seems like yesterday we were out at the t-ball and pitching machine fields.  High school seemed so far away, but then you blink and it is here.  

By the way D-Mac my 2020 is in the same boat.  He's 5'11 and has caught for years, but now his coaches are finding him more useful as a pitcher than a catcher, they call him the back up catcher and one of the primary pitchers. He also plays OF and some 1B and 2B. Up until last year he had a catchers body, now he's looking like a stereo typical pitcher or outfielder, he won't be 14 until August.

 He loves being on the field, he doesn't care what spot, he loves them all.  His hitting has been exceptional so far this year with three tournaments under their belt, the coaches moved him to three hole spot for tournament number 2 and 3. But I too am wondering how long this multiple position thing can last, and throw in his hitting ability and I am just throwing my hands up figuring it will work itself out eventually.

"Up until last year he had a catchers body, now he's looking like a stereo typical pitcher or outfielder, he won't be 14 until August."

Do you mean he used to be short and squatty, and now he is slim and long?  More and more coaches are wanting more athletic catchers nowadays. I believe that the days of catchers being the slow guys that hit well are getting to be a thing of the past. 

I'm sure as a mom you know how puberty goes as well. If he was a stocky boy when he was 8 or 9, chances are he will be a stocky man at 17 or 18. Keep those catcher skills sharp. He could very well end up there again! 

From reading your past post I'm sure I'm not telling you nothing you already know. You seem to hold your own in the baseball forums! 

Do they not play middle school baseball in yall's area?

PW posted:

"Up until last year he had a catchers body, now he's looking like a stereo typical pitcher or outfielder, he won't be 14 until August."

Do you mean he used to be short and squatty, and now he is slim and long?  More and more coaches are wanting more athletic catchers nowadays. I believe that the days of catchers being the slow guys that hit well are getting to be a thing of the past. 

I'm sure as a mom you know how puberty goes as well. If he was a stocky boy when he was 8 or 9, chances are he will be a stocky man at 17 or 18. Keep those catcher skills sharp. He could very well end up there again! 

From reading your past post I'm sure I'm not telling you nothing you already know. You seem to hold your own in the baseball forums! 

Do they not play middle school baseball in yall's area?

He was tall and solid, not stocky, always looked just solid, like a football player.  Now his legs are still muscle and his arms but his layer of padding went poof when he grew 14 inches in 12 months and he picked up a LOT of speed.

Some schools have middle school baseball, some have a freshman only high school team, some allow 8th graders to play on JV.  None of that happens at my sons soon to be high school.  Freshman need to make a 35 man team but will not be on varsity no matter their skill.  The LHP throwing low 80's as a freshman wasn't allowed so it may be some time before my son can work his way up to Varsity. With only 3 seniors on the team this year it's going to be difficult to make JV next year.  He will have to contend with ALL the incoming 2020's. It's a 6A school 10 minutes from East Cobb....I wish him luck!

Wow that's tough. Our school is quite the opposite. We are a 5A private school that plays in the public school association in south Alabama. We have a 7th grade team with 16 players, an 8th grade team with 18 players (2 ineligible) and 14 JV and 14 Varsity. JV and Varsity basically practice together. It is a top notch program. Varsity is 3rd in the state now and only have 3 seniors. Our 7th and 8th graders are pretty loaded with talent. We also have 3 more players in the 8th grade transferring in next year that won't play until their sophomore year. It seems crazy to me that your varsity coach doesn't try to have lower level programs to develop and attract talent that will help his varsity program. Especially at a large school where it seems there is talent for it. I'd make a spot somewhere for a freshman lefty in the low 80s.

Here's a question or topic for this group:  Under what circumstances would you be OK with your kid becoming a PO? Either:

(1) When the kid can't hack it in the field or at the plate, and a PO route is the only route to keep playing? or

(2) When knowledgeable, unbiased baseball people indicate that his ceiling is higher as a pitcher?

In other words, forced into it, or a choice to aim for a higher ceiling?

2019 good question.  I'm sure it depends on the kid, what he wants. Number one is kind of automatic.

I asked my son's pitching coach about PO (who only has seen him hit in cage) and he laughed at me and said keep him hitting until they come and take the bat away from him.

I'm sure right now, the top pitchers are the top hitters.  Too much fun to keep hitting and not enough gain to be PO.

When we were growing up, the question we would ask each other "If you play in the major league, would you rather be a .300 hitter or a 20 game winner?"  I still don't have an answer.

Kids (2021, 12yo Aug, 5'6 100lb, 7th grade, P, CF, 3B,1B) first game (scrimmage) on big field last night, he struck out twice and HBP, said he had hard time timing from that distance. Pitched 1 inning, threw 24, had trouble getting ball down in zone walked quite a few early but finished strong. After that game he had a LL game on 46/60, today we are off to Ripken Aberdeen for the weekend and playing 50/70. I'm afraid playing 3 different field sizes is going to screw him up, I cant wait till this fall when its all 60/90.

PW posted:

Wow that's tough. Our school is quite the opposite. We are a 5A private school that plays in the public school association in south Alabama. We have a 7th grade team with 16 players, an 8th grade team with 18 players (2 ineligible) and 14 JV and 14 Varsity. JV and Varsity basically practice together. It is a top notch program. Varsity is 3rd in the state now and only have 3 seniors. Our 7th and 8th graders are pretty loaded with talent. We also have 3 more players in the 8th grade transferring in next year that won't play until their sophomore year. It seems crazy to me that your varsity coach doesn't try to have lower level programs to develop and attract talent that will help his varsity program. Especially at a large school where it seems there is talent for it. I'd make a spot somewhere for a freshman lefty in the low 80s.

I don't think the Varsity Coach needs to worry about team development in Middle School, the area pretty much does it for him.  To understand where I live let me break it down by PG Team stats for 2015 Top Summer Teams (Nationally):

17u Top teams:

#13 Team Elite Prime (1 hour from me)

#15 East Cobb Astros Scout Team (10 minutes from me)

#20 Team Elite Roadrunners (30 minutes from me)

16u Top Teams:

#10 Team Elite Prime (1 hour from me)

#12 6-4-3 DP Cougars (20 minutes from me)

#14 Georgia Jackets (30 minutes from me)

#17 East Cobb Astros (10 minutes from me)

#18 Team Georgia Baseball Academy (10 minutes from me)

15u Top Teams:

#1 East Cobb Astros (10 minutes from me)

#9 6-4-3 DP Cougars (20 minutes from me)

#11 Team Elite Prime (1 Hour from me)

#14 East Cobb Braves (10 minutes from me)

#20 Team Georgia Baseball Academy (10 minutes from me)

Go44dad posted:

2019 good question.  I'm sure it depends on the kid, what he wants. Number one is kind of automatic.

I asked my son's pitching coach about PO (who only has seen him hit in cage) and he laughed at me and said keep him hitting until they come and take the bat away from you.

I'm sure right now, the top pitchers are the top hitters.  Too much fun to keep hitting and not enough gain to be PO.

When we were growing up, the question we would ask each other "If you play in the major league, would you rather be a .300 hitter or a 20 game winner?"  I still don't have an answer.

 

I would be the 20 game winner.  But then again I couldn't hit at all!  I think you hit til they take the bat from you. I don't see how hitting interferes with your pitching. But hitting and pitching don't always go together even at a young age.  Went to high school with two guys who pitched in mlb.  One was a great hs hitter and dh'd a lot on non pitching days.  The other had one career hs at bat and only because he begged the coach.  He struck out promptly.  But he did do a great Reggie Jackson impersonation!  There were two more who pitched minor league ball and i don't recall either of them ever hitting either.  

johnnysako posted:

Kids (2021, 12yo Aug, 5'6 100lb, 7th grade, P, CF, 3B,1B) first game (scrimmage) on big field last night, he struck out twice and HBP, said he had hard time timing from that distance. Pitched 1 inning, threw 24, had trouble getting ball down in zone walked quite a few early but finished strong. After that game he had a LL game on 46/60, today we are off to Ripken Aberdeen for the weekend and playing 50/70. I'm afraid playing 3 different field sizes is going to screw him up, I cant wait till this fall when its all 60/90.

Last year at 13 it did suck going back and forth from 54 and 60. My opinion all 13 and up should be 60ft. 

2019Dad posted:

Here's a question or topic for this group:  Under what circumstances would you be OK with your kid becoming a PO? Either:

(1) When the kid can't hack it in the field or at the plate, and a PO route is the only route to keep playing? or

(2) When knowledgeable, unbiased baseball people indicate that his ceiling is higher as a pitcher?

In other words, forced into it, or a choice to aim for a higher ceiling?

2019Dad, I'd be okay with it when he is.  It all boils down to that if someone has convinced him that he can't hit then he will psych himself out to the point where he can't anyway.  However, around here if a pitcher can still hit very well they will let him continue.

My son enjoys pitching and by all accounts he is very good at it for his age, but he enjoys being on the field in any capacity.  I asked him once about what he thought about relief pitchers in MLB he said "I think that would be the worst job ever, you have to suit up every game in case you are needed and get to watch everyone else play and hit and you just sit there like a fan while your teammates get to play, with little to no chance of getting in the game...sounds like torture to me!"  I said what if they paid you 5 million dollars a year to do it, he swears it still wouldn't be worth it to sit on the bench and watch your team play even though you didn't do anything wrong."...that was his mentality last year, I'm sure as he gets older his attitude on money will change but if someone said PO to him right now he'd never agree.

CaCO3Girl posted:

PW posted:

Wow that's tough. Our school is quite the opposite. We are a 5A private school that plays in the public school association in south Alabama. We have a 7th grade team with 16 players, an 8th grade team with 18 players (2 ineligible) and 14 JV and 14 Varsity. JV and Varsity basically practice together. It is a top notch program. Varsity is 3rd in the state now and only have 3 seniors. Our 7th and 8th graders are pretty loaded with talent. We also have 3 more players in the 8th grade transferring in next year that won't play until their sophomore year. It seems crazy to me that your varsity coach doesn't try to have lower level programs to develop and attract talent that will help his varsity program. Especially at a large school where it seems there is talent for it. I'd make a spot somewhere for a freshman lefty in the low 80s.

I don't think the Varsity Coach needs to worry about team development in Middle School, the area pretty much does it for him.  To understand where I live let me break it down by PG Team stats for 2015 Top Summer Teams (Nationally):

17u Top teams:

#13 Team Elite Prime (1 hour from me)

#15 East Cobb Astros Scout Team (10 minutes from me)

#20 Team Elite Roadrunners (30 minutes from me)

16u Top Teams:

#10 Team Elite Prime (1 hour from me)

#12 6-4-3 DP Cougars (20 minutes from me)

#14 Georgia Jackets (30 minutes from me)

#17 East Cobb Astros (10 minutes from me)

#18 Team Georgia Baseball Academy (10 minutes from me)

15u Top Teams:

#1 East Cobb Astros (10 minutes from me)

#9 6-4-3 DP Cougars (20 minutes from me)

#11 Team Elite Prime (1 Hour from me)

#14 East Cobb Braves (10 minutes from me)

#20 Team Georgia Baseball Academy (10 minutes from me)

I really want to get down there next year as 15's.  We few northerners on this site just have to keep hearing about Georgia Florida Texas and California...   And maybe we would get our lunch handed to us.  But maybe we wouldn't. Either way it would be a good experience. Us yanks will come on down there and put some cold on y'alls bats!!

2020dad posted:

johnnysako posted:

Kids (2021, 12yo Aug, 5'6 100lb, 7th grade, P, CF, 3B,1B) first game (scrimmage) on big field last night, he struck out twice and HBP, said he had hard time timing from that distance. Pitched 1 inning, threw 24, had trouble getting ball down in zone walked quite a few early but finished strong. After that game he had a LL game on 46/60, today we are off to Ripken Aberdeen for the weekend and playing 50/70. I'm afraid playing 3 different field sizes is going to screw him up, I cant wait till this fall when its all 60/90.

Last year at 13 it did suck going back and forth from 55 and 60. My opinion all 13 and up should be 60ft. 

I don't think the different sizes will mess with him. I found the kids that walked a bunch of other kids in 12u did it because they were SOOOO afraid the batter would hit the ball they missed their pitching spots.  Does he understand it is okay if the other team hits the ball? As for the hitting issue, it likely is a timing issue because this early in the year he's seen soft toss followed by some soft toss.  It might take a minute to adjust to live pitching from that distance but he needs to be aware of if he is swinging late/early and to adjust...not just keep doing the same thing over and over and expect a different result.

Scotty83 posted:

I'll jump in. I think it will be pretty neat to follow all these kids over the next 4-6 years and hopefully beyond for a few of them. 

Mines a 2019 6' 140lb P/mif  who, due to lack of talent on his HS team more than his talent, is starting varsity. I plan to post at the end of the year of the highs and lows of his situation. There has already been quite a few lol. 

Anyway were from the middle TN area if anyone is playing in Nashville or Memphis this year. 

See my post a few above yours.  We are in Nashville.  My boy is 13U and a year behind yours in school but we will be playing 14U in several local tournaments in addition to those that I posted.

I saw the field size issue last year - my son was playing up on 13U (he's 13U now) but also helped out with his organization's 12U team when they needed help. His primary is catcher.  Between playing some tournaments at intermediate (50/80), playing the 12U field and playing 13U league and tournaments at 60/90 - the 2nd base distance was all over the place. He was able to adjust fairly easily, though he tended to overthrow in the first couple of innings when he went down to the 12U field.  Maybe different for a pitcher but generally he was able to adjust fairly well.  As for batting, I thought last year it was definitely batter's advantage, especially early in the season. The batters have that much more time to read the ball. It showed in my son's hitting. He was crushing it early on and then as the pitchers got more used to the distance, things evened back out.

2019Dad posted:

Here's a question or topic for this group:  Under what circumstances would you be OK with your kid becoming a PO? Either:

(1) When the kid can't hack it in the field or at the plate, and a PO route is the only route to keep playing? or

(2) When knowledgeable, unbiased baseball people indicate that his ceiling is higher as a pitcher?

In other words, forced into it, or a choice to aim for a higher ceiling?

I would hit as long as you can. Especially as young as these players are. We had an 8th grader 3 years ago who threw 81-82mph, sometimes hitting 85. He went through puberty in 6th grade. He looked like he was 17 already. All the buzz from parents and private coaches was to let him be a PO. Everyone was sure he would be a huge guy throwing 95 by his senior year. We as his middle school coaches felt like it was a case of early puberty so we continued to let him play OF and hit when he didn't pitch. He is a junior now. A very hard working kid. Stays in the weight room. He's throwing around 84-85. Hasn't hardly grown at all since 8th grade. Puberty is a funny thing!

Regarding the field size, we see jumping back and forth difficult for some kids. Usually the more athletic the player the easier it is to change back and forth.

The main thing we deal with here in Alabama (and I'm sure others have dealt with the same thing) is that middle school plays by high school rules. So in 12u kids swing a -10 bat that's hot as a fire cracker. 7th grade comes around and same kid swings a -3 bbcor. Those home runs and doubles in the gap barely make it through the infield when you couple the bats with the 60/90. Parents are like, "Those coaches have ruined my kids swing! He hit 15 HRs last year!" It's always fun when a 5' 100lb kid that hasn't hit puberty yet comes to try outs with a brand new 33 30 Velo that his dad just bought and we won't let him hit with it. Oh well! What do middle school coaches know anyway lol

I am an old timer (son is 2014 HS). That makes me sad. Love reading this and remembering.  2 thoughts and then I will read, remember and enjoy.

Keep hitting until they made to stop. My son stopped hitting when he got to college. He talks about missing it and being on the field even when he is not pitching. As much fun as pitching is. Nothing like hitting a gap shot or a dinger.

My son at about 13 started transitioning from #1 catcher to back up, then by 14 was 3rd string and 15 did not catch. Because of his pitching and the arm wear an tear. If I were to do it over I would start that much earlier. He loved catching but was his team #1 pitcher. We (I) was young (er ) and stupid back then and did not do much arm care. Normal for him to pitch 8 innings and catch 2 games in a weekend.

Last thought. ENJOY EVERY MINUTE! 

Thanks. Good feedback. Seems like everyone thinks: keep hitting. That has been my sense, too.

2019Son's high school mostly steers kids towards one or the other (pitching or position player) . . . With so many future college players on the roster, there is no shortage of talent. For the kids trying to do both, it's hard -- for example, in the fall they have 3 practices per week; the pitching work occupies one full practice, which means the other position players (non-pitchers) get 50% more reps (3 practices vs. 2) compared to the kids trying to do both. Can be done, but not easy. 

My thought was, have him continue to play MIF for his travel team and then, maybe in the fall, get an assessment: what do we got here? And see what the experts think.

If 2019Son had to choose one, he'd pick pitching. But he likes to hit, too. I laugh about it, but it will be a bizarro world scenaro -- and one that is not too far-fetched -- if he is a P.O. for his high school and, for example, starting in the field for his travel team.

On the field dimension topic, two observations:

(1) I agree with 2020dad that it would be better to just go to 60-90 at age 13. It's one of the things that I think Little League has right.

(2) Man, BBCOR . . . In my experience, it doesn't matter what people say to parents of 12U or 13U players, like "just wait until BBCOR" . . . until you see it for yourself, you don't believe it. The discrepancy should lessen a lot when the new bat rules come into Little League in 2018.

2019Dad posted:

On the field dimension topic, two observations:

(1) I agree with 2020dad that it would be better to just go to 60-90 at age 13. It's one of the things that I think Little League has right.

(2) Man, BBCOR . . . In my experience, it doesn't matter what people say to parents of 12U or 13U players, like "just wait until BBCOR" . . . until you see it for yourself, you don't believe it. The discrepancy should lessen a lot when the new bat rules come into Little League in 2018.

I don't know that it is so much the bat as it is the underdeveloped kid.  My 5'11 kid had maybe a week's worth of glitches going from a drop 10 to a drop 3, it was just a timing thing according to him.  Many reps with the bat in the cage smoothed it out.  However, 2 of his former teammates (from 10u) that are about 5 foot and maybe 90 pounds have decided to take a break from baseball to explore other opportunities after it was clear that even if they made contact it wasn't getting out of the infield.

The kid who went through puberty in 6th grade should be fine, the kid who still has a squeaky voice may have a serious glitch with BBCOR.

CACO3GIRL I agree. The kid who is bigger and stronger takes less time to adjust. They are strong enough to create some bat speed wit the drop 3s. I'm just curious, do the kids playing 13u-15u travel ball in your area swing BBCOR? 

CaCO3Girl posted:

2019Dad posted:

On the field dimension topic, two observations:

(1) I agree with 2020dad that it would be better to just go to 60-90 at age 13. It's one of the things that I think Little League has right.

(2) Man, BBCOR . . . In my experience, it doesn't matter what people say to parents of 12U or 13U players, like "just wait until BBCOR" . . . until you see it for yourself, you don't believe it. The discrepancy should lessen a lot when the new bat rules come into Little League in 2018.

I don't know that it is so much the bat as it is the underdeveloped kid.  My 5'11 kid had maybe a week's worth of glitches going from a drop 10 to a drop 3, it was just a timing thing according to him.  Many reps with the bat in the cage smoothed it out.  However, 2 of his former teammates (from 10u) that are about 5 foot and maybe 90 pounds have decided to take a break from baseball to explore other opportunities after it was clear that even if they made contact it wasn't getting out of the infield.

The kid who went through puberty in 6th grade should be fine, the kid who still has a squeaky voice may have a serious glitch with BBCOR.

I guess. Here's the thing: at 14U they used BBCOR and played on a full-sized high school field (330 down the lines, 380 to center) and no one hit home runs. No one. Sometimes if they were on a smaller field, like the ones they used in 13U, it would happen, but not on a full-sized field. At 13U they played with the trampoline bats on, I guess, JV fields (say, 290 or 305 down the lines, maybe 330 or 340 to center) and there were quite a few home runs. For the developed kids, I'd say it was a 50 foot difference -- kids who hit it 350 ft. in 13U suddenly found that the ball went 300 ft. in 14U (and the field was bigger, too). After going through it, I remember having a conversation with a parent a year below and explaining that the number of home runs would go to zero, or close to it. Suffice to say, they didn't believe me.

So I agree with you -- the power hitters were "fine" . . . they just weren't home run hitters.

Heck, check out the number of home runs hit by high school varsity teams (provided they play on a large field) -- there are whole teams that hit, like, five home runs for the entire year. That is nothing like 13U or 12U . . .

Maybe this is a better explanation. Every year, the kids hit it farther (in general and on average): 11U hits it farther than 10U. 12U hits it farther than 11U. 13U hits it farther than 12U. 14U is the first year they don't (assuming that is the year in which they start using BBCOR) -- and in fact it goes backward, fairly materially. That is what's weird about it.

The bigger/stronger kids are still hitting the ball 350+ and it's not even hot yet. In a months or so the ball will start to carry more and you'll see more "taters"...but definitely not like last year. :-)

I have a 2017 (is that okay?), 2019, and 2022, so I'll be avidly following this thread (whatever form it takes) and will try to help with the lay of the land via my 2017's experience. 

A few details: 2017 is starting centerfielder on vars since beginning of soph year, and heading into THE very important summer as far as recruiting goes.  2019 is starting centerfielder on JV at the same school, and 2022 plays pretty much everywhere on his 12u community team but may also end up being an outfielder.  He'll be trying out for the intermediate program (7th/8th, 60/90) next February.  All boys at same school, with a very competitive baseball program.  Usually about 50 kids per grade level tryout at the younger ages.  About 20 kids on each team (two inter, 1 JV, 1 vars).  About ten-12 kids at each grade level in program once you get to HS. 

Our school seasons are almost over.  I can't emphasize enough how quickly these years go by.  2017 is starting his college search and I think it's crazy to know that a year from now, if not sooner, he'll be committing to a college.  Please enjoy these times with your kids.

hshuler posted:

The bigger/stronger kids are still hitting the ball 350+ and it's not even hot yet. In a months or so the ball will start to carry more and you'll see more "taters"...but definitely not like last year. :-)

Um Hshuler, your kids team is full of exceptional kids.  Not sure what you are feeding them but send some to the other 14u teams!

My sons 14u team has three consistent 350 ft hitters and one that does it when he doesn't strike out, lol.  They are the biggest/tallest on the team, 3 are 9th graders and the other one is an 8th grader who is also the tallest on the team.

hshuler posted:

The bigger/stronger kids are still hitting the ball 350+ and it's not even hot yet. In a months or so the ball will start to carry more and you'll see more "taters"...but definitely not like last year. :-)

That's good. If they're at 350+ at 14U, they should be hitting it well over 400 ft., maybe as much as 450 ft. by the time they are juniors and seniors.

Last summer 2019Son went to the USA baseball 14U event in Arizona (a/k/a the JOs) in late June. There were around 65 teams and over 1000 players. Around 200 games were played. They played on spring training fields. It was hot -- anywhere from 100 to 110 degrees. USA Baseball published stats. Here's what they reported (link below):

• 3086 hits in the tournament
• 467 doubles
• 105 triples
• 11 home runs

So about a home run every 20 games. It was nothing like 12U or 13U tournaments. 

web.usabaseball.com/article.jsp?ymd=20141112&content_id=138232570&v

Sitting at home waiting for my son to come out...   Got on the road for our first tourney. Pumped up.  Rollin' down the highway...   He forgot one of his jerseys.  Turn around...  Hopefully now we are ready to go!

smokeminside posted:

I have a 2017 (is that okay?), 2019, and 2022, so I'll be avidly following this thread (whatever form it takes) and will try to help with the lay of the land via my 2017's experience. 

A few details: 2017 is starting centerfielder on vars since beginning of soph year, and heading into THE very important summer as far as recruiting goes.  2019 is starting centerfielder on JV at the same school, and 2022 plays pretty much everywhere on his 12u community team but may also end up being an outfielder.  He'll be trying out for the intermediate program (7th/8th, 60/90) next February.  All boys at same school, with a very competitive baseball program.  Usually about 50 kids per grade level tryout at the younger ages.  About 20 kids on each team (two inter, 1 JV, 1 vars).  About ten-12 kids at each grade level in program once you get to HS. 

Our school seasons are almost over.  I can't emphasize enough how quickly these years go by.  2017 is starting his college search and I think it's crazy to know that a year from now, if not sooner, he'll be committing to a college.  Please enjoy these times with your kids.

Smokeminside, you are more than welcome on this thread, or whatever it becomes.  Most of our boys are just starting this crazy journey and we are all naive as to what will actually happen and what is important. I personally love the idea of this thread because I feel like I'm "allowed", for lack of a better word, to be excited about what an 8th grader is doing.  

Many people on this board are super knowledgable and great resources and I sort of get it when they say you haven't seen anything yet, oh nothing counts until varsity, oh that's not real pitching.....etc.  I get it, they are right, but sometimes I just want to be excited that my 8th grader did something cool, without hearing that it doesn't matter/count.  Maybe we should call it the don't burst my bubble thread? Lol!

smokeminside posted:

I have a 2017 (is that okay?), 2019, and 2022, so I'll be avidly following this thread (whatever form it takes) and will try to help with the lay of the land via my 2017's experience. 

A few details: 2017 is starting centerfielder on vars since beginning of soph year, and heading into THE very important summer as far as recruiting goes.  2019 is starting centerfielder on JV at the same school, and 2022 plays pretty much everywhere on his 12u community team but may also end up being an outfielder.  He'll be trying out for the intermediate program (7th/8th, 60/90) next February.  All boys at same school, with a very competitive baseball program.  Usually about 50 kids per grade level tryout at the younger ages.  About 20 kids on each team (two inter, 1 JV, 1 vars).  About ten-12 kids at each grade level in program once you get to HS. 

Our school seasons are almost over.  I can't emphasize enough how quickly these years go by.  2017 is starting his college search and I think it's crazy to know that a year from now, if not sooner, he'll be committing to a college.  Please enjoy these times with your kids.

Yes it's more than ok!

3 freshman that consistently hit the ball 350ft in games with BBCOR bats is pretty impressive. Especially against good pitching

New Jersey to thread! I've been mostly lurking here since I discovered this board several years ago, but with a 2020 (8th grader, turned 14 this week), things being discussed are starting to be a little less "distant future" and more "near future!" I have one of those classic slow (super-slow), power-hitter 1Bs who can also pitch. (I also have a 10U who is 100x more athletic than his big brother, but loves basketball more, though he likes baseball.) Looking forward to following everyone's experiences!  

CaCO3Girl posted:

d-mac posted:

I'm in.  My kid just turned 14 and is a 2020.  He is playing his 5th tournament this weekend.  Team is struggling so far, but my son has played well at C and hit well.  Pitching has been a different story.  He has really struggled with command and I feel where we are getting closer to that point where he needs to go either catcher only or switch to CIF and pitch.  Catcher is his best position right now, but at 6'2" and growing, he has more of a pitchers build.  

He will have high school tryouts in about 6 weeks and if all goes as planned he will be playing extended high school ball in June with the team.  It seems like yesterday we were out at the t-ball and pitching machine fields.  High school seemed so far away, but then you blink and it is here.  

By the way D-Mac my 2020 is in the same boat.  He's 5'11 and has caught for years, but now his coaches are finding him more useful as a pitcher than a catcher, they call him the back up catcher and one of the primary pitchers. He also plays OF and some 1B and 2B. Up until last year he had a catchers body, now he's looking like a stereo typical pitcher or outfielder, he won't be 14 until August.

 He loves being on the field, he doesn't care what spot, he loves them all.  His hitting has been exceptional so far this year with three tournaments under their belt, the coaches moved him to three hole spot for tournament number 2 and 3. But I too am wondering how long this multiple position thing can last, and throw in his hitting ability and I am just throwing my hands up figuring it will work itself out eventually.

Ok. I'm in .

I signed up on this site years ago but rarely post. This thread lured me in.

Son is 2021. Primary position catcher and he plays 1B and pitches. He also plays a little 3b when needed there. 

Also in Atlanta area so I'm pretty sure I might know some of you.

PW posted:

CACO3GIRL I agree. The kid who is bigger and stronger takes less time to adjust. They are strong enough to create some bat speed wit the drop 3s. I'm just curious, do the kids playing 13u-15u travel ball in your area swing BBCOR? 

PW, 14U/2020/Houston...my sons org requires all players to swing bbcor or wood since fall last season.  There is one other org I know of that requires it.  There may be more around Houston that require it.  Many of the other good teams switch back and forth depending on the team/pitch speed/situation in the tournament.

It really tough to watch a good team swing the Mako drop 5's when your kids swing the bbcor.  But this too will pass.  

My son pitches and I am crossing my fingers, only one more non-bbcor/wood tournament to go.

2020dad posted:

Sitting at home waiting for my son to come out...   Got on the road for our first tourney. Pumped up.  Rollin' down the highway...   He forgot one of his jerseys.  Turn around...  Hopefully now we are ready to go!

Good Luck!  Throw the change early in the count and then finish them with a fastball up!

Go44dad posted:

2020dad posted:

Sitting at home waiting for my son to come out...   Got on the road for our first tourney. Pumped up.  Rollin' down the highway...   He forgot one of his jerseys.  Turn around...  Hopefully now we are ready to go!

Good Luck!  Throw the change early in the count and then finish them with a fastball up!

Maybe we should start a thread called my son forgot!  Am I the only one who had to find a sports store an hour before the game because their kid forgot cleats/batting gloves/cup/ sunglasses/broke their bat????

Please say it's not just me!!!!

I guess this will help with some of the 12u kids transitionin to 13u BBCOR bats. Too bad USSSA and other travel ball associations aren't listed there. I wish this was done 6 years ago!

https://www.baberuthleague.org...ication-testing.aspx

CaCO3Girl posted:

Go44dad posted:

2020dad posted:

Sitting at home waiting for my son to come out...   Got on the road for our first tourney. Pumped up.  Rollin' down the highway...   He forgot one of his jerseys.  Turn around...  Hopefully now we are ready to go!

Good Luck!  Throw the change early in the count and then finish them with a fastball up!

Maybe we should start a thread called my son forgot!  Am I the only one who had to find a sports store an hour before the game because their kid forgot cleats/batting gloves/cup/ sunglasses/broke their bat????

Please say it's not just me!!!!

You are not alone! Cleats, socks, cap, water, belt, etc. -- it would be shorter to list the things he hasn't forgotten at one time or another. 

Initech posted:

New Jersey to thread! I've been mostly lurking here since I discovered this board several years ago, but with a 2020 (8th grader, turned 14 this week), things being discussed are starting to be a little less "distant future" and more "near future!" I have one of those classic slow (super-slow), power-hitter 1Bs who can also pitch. (I also have a 10U who is 100x more athletic than his big brother, but loves basketball more, though he likes baseball.) Looking forward to following everyone's experiences!  

Woo hoo we brought somebody out of the woodwork!

PlayWithEffort posted:

CaCO3Girl posted:

d-mac posted:

I'm in.  My kid just turned 14 and is a 2020.  He is playing his 5th tournament this weekend.  Team is struggling so far, but my son has played well at C and hit well.  Pitching has been a different story.  He has really struggled with command and I feel where we are getting closer to that point where he needs to go either catcher only or switch to CIF and pitch.  Catcher is his best position right now, but at 6'2" and growing, he has more of a pitchers build.  

He will have high school tryouts in about 6 weeks and if all goes as planned he will be playing extended high school ball in June with the team.  It seems like yesterday we were out at the t-ball and pitching machine fields.  High school seemed so far away, but then you blink and it is here.  

By the way D-Mac my 2020 is in the same boat.  He's 5'11 and has caught for years, but now his coaches are finding him more useful as a pitcher than a catcher, they call him the back up catcher and one of the primary pitchers. He also plays OF and some 1B and 2B. Up until last year he had a catchers body, now he's looking like a stereo typical pitcher or outfielder, he won't be 14 until August.

 He loves being on the field, he doesn't care what spot, he loves them all.  His hitting has been exceptional so far this year with three tournaments under their belt, the coaches moved him to three hole spot for tournament number 2 and 3. But I too am wondering how long this multiple position thing can last, and throw in his hitting ability and I am just throwing my hands up figuring it will work itself out eventually.

Ok. I'm in .

I signed up on this site years ago but rarely post. This thread lured me in.

Son is 2021. Primary position catcher and he plays 1B and pitches. He also plays a little 3b when needed there. 

Also in Atlanta area so I'm pretty sure I might know some of you.

 

A Nother one! This is awesome!