Brisbane, Australia a few years ago, our American Area Code "All Star" team is playing the Queensland State team. The umpire [American] walks 'carefully' to our dugout and informs our players and coaches that when they go to the plate "they will already have one strike".
Boys, I said swing "quick" at the first good pitch. Since the Australian pitcher has the advantage. Final result USA 2 wins by a 10 run rule.
Bob
Last night my sons team won a doubleheader to move to the elite eight. When he got home we talked about the game. I asked about his strike outs he had. One in each game. First one he said was just a nasty curve fkr a 3rd strike. The second he was called out on a pitch way outside. He described it as 3 feet off the plate. Well i know that is an exaggeration. But be said the same parents went ballistic and yelled and screamed at the ump. The coach argued with the umpire. He said it got heated there for a minute. He just watches the chaos that ensues. Sometimes i think he gets a good chuckle at how some adults act - I know he has seen me insert foot in mouth.
The one thing I have never seen. An umpire change his call based on what a parent feels or thinks.
This afternoon 2024 was given the ball to put out a fire with bases loaded and one out. The next inning he ever-so-subtly "looked" at the umpire a couple of times when he didn't get a couple of calls. After the last out, I turned to chat with some parents when one of them said 2024 was talking with the plate umpire. I'm thinking "uh oh," turned around and they're next to our dugout and Blue was doing all the talking. Then they both smiled and gave each other a fist bump. I didn't ask what they talked about, and 2024 didn't offer. Whatever was discussed, a point was made and it was well-received.
Well JV season is over. Son was ready to start preparing for summer ball. Was put on hold. He was called up to varsity for the playoffs. They won the bi-district championship winning the first 2 of 3. On to the next round. They are looking good so far (knock on wood). We will see how the next round goes.
Son’s team travelled 4 hours south for elite 8. Lost first game 2-1, pitcher did great holding them to 2 runs, but we left a ton of runs out on the bases. Second game, win 1-0 as our pitcher struck out 9. Game was not as close as the score indicates, so everyone went to sleep last night with cautious optimism.
Then our #3 pitcher came up huge today and absolutely shoved for a 3-hit shutout. Best performance he’s had since late February.
On to the final 4 round, which we’ll host.
I am so damn fortunate to be able to watch our son on this ride. ❤️
Well Monday was not as fruitful for sons team. Lost both games. The other team came out and hit the ball. They were aggressive at the plate. Son said they were one of the better hitting teams they had faced. Son pitched one inning and gave up 1 run.
It was a good run. He has gotten stronger and much better at the plate. He said he almost put one out in his last at bat. Getting close.
Now he can prepare for the college level at Toccoa and playing in Myrtle beach this summer.
2024's season will continue at least until Thursday when they play in the district championship game. He got the call out of the pen today up 4-1 with 2 down in the 6th and 2 on. Got the K. Team scored a few insurance runs, and he took care of biz in the 7th. Team they are playing Thursday has already defeated them twice this season and really struggled to eke out a 4-2 victory tonight over a team (most) expected them to stomp. Should be fun!
Well Freshman season is over. They lost to a great team at areas. Time to get ready for a busy summer. 6 tournaments/team showcases in 7 weeks. Maybe adding a camp when those are over.
Son's team lost in final four. First game 3-2 in 12 innings, second game 4-2.
Summary would be they lost the first game (all 3 runs unearned), and the other team won the second game. Starting pitchers were outstanding, as was the relief pitcher. The two home runs the team gave up were twice as many as they gave up all year, and our top 5 in the order went 6 for 42 over 19 innings. Just couldn't find the holes they needed to generate the run support the pitchers needed.
Was a hell of a run, and I'll never forget watching them play, nor our son hugging his mother and I after the game.
2024's team was defeated 3-0 in district championship today. Very well-played by both sides, with really great pitching. Their P is going to continue his education at the University of Chicago and play ball there, while ours is going to Indiana to pursue a degree in finance. They're both winners! It was great to see our P finish his baseball career on the mound with a complete game. 2024 was ready to come in, but was glad he didn't.
1st of all..........THANKS TO THIS SITE. It help us through many things/questions on our journey. Lots of great information, people, and FRIENDS.
Season and high school career came to an end on Saturday. Made it 3 rounds deep in the 5a playoffs in Texas. Son came back from not pitching in about a year to start G1 of each series (3 innings, then 4 and 4 as he was on a pitch count of 60). 11 IP, 1 earned run.
Didn't win any of the flips, so we were always visitor in game 1 of each series.
Lost G1 of the 1st 2 series, but swept the next 2 games to take each series.
3rd round we went to East Texas and played in front of about 1,500 crazy East Texans yelling everything they could find on the internet about you. Proud of his effort. 4 strong innings including striking out the side in the 4th after a couple of errors and a hit. Taken out after we score 6 in the top of the 5th to save pitches...........maybe for Saturday. Won 7-3.
Play Friday night at home, basically nothing goes our way as all hard hit balls are right at em. Go to the bottom of the 7th down 7-3. Their bull pen has trouble shutting the door and soon it is 7-6 w/ the bases loaded and 1 out. Opposing pitcher has thrown 1 strike in 10 pitches. Their coach goes out to talk to him to settle him down. No one up in the pen, it's his game. We have our 7 hole catcher up who has had a decent post season hitting the ball hard, he's also had a few successful suicide squeeze attempt throughout the year.
Sitting w/ my older son who played 3 years in the program and knows the signs (have not changed in forever, but they are so convoluted you'ld never figure them out). Coach give the signs and we both mouth "NO" (from our position by 3rd baseline).
You guessed it........squeeze on 1st of the at bat. Pitcher bounces ball in front of plate and catcher blocks it, and we've got a 2 throw run down. 2 pitches later we hit deep FB to CF for 3rd out. I've heard it a million times "if the other team is trying to give you the game, let them". If a suicide was the option, do it after you get a strike, as you're counting on someone throwing a strike that has not been able to. Fan of the play, not a fan of the timing of the play. But the coach has won us plenty of games also, so I'm not one to judge or complain.
Needless to say the air is out of this over achieving team's balloon. Kids were basically in shock coming out of the locker room.
Show up back in east texas at a neutral field for game 3 on Saturday and we better get off to a good start to erase the taste from our mouth.
Give up 2 in the top of the 1st.
Son gets on to lead off the bot of the 1st, but untypically we do not bunt him over, or steal. Ground ball force, then 2 K's.
Infield eventually has 4/5 errors and anything we hit hard is right at SS or 2nd. Lose 6-0 in a very non-spirited effort (totally out of character for a team that scratched and clawed for everything they achieved this year).
Wish he didn't have covid year AND acl tear take away 1 2/3 seasons, but it is what it is.
Ended career w/ 92 hits (397 avg) and 15-1 on the bump w/ ERA of 0.93. Now we get to get ready for the next level. Taking @adbono's advice and gonna play where you're wanted. Cried many tears since Saturday, but the sun has come up each day. Couldn't be more proud to be his #1 fan.
And then Saturday night we got this done also. 
Thanks to everyone here. Good luck to everyone. Remember it's just a game that we all wish we were still playing. Take care.
@russinfortworth, great post! The playoffs in 5A & 6A Texas HS baseball are brutal. Absolute meat grinder and the better team doesn’t always win even in a 3 game series. Best of luck going forward. Lots left on your son’s journey!
… played in front of about 1,500 crazy East Texans yelling everything they could find on the internet about you.
Throw in a frat house, a keg and you have college ball.
Kid's HS team is playing for the league championship on Monday. If they win, they will play in the inaugural state tournament. That tourney is going to go through midJune. He was supposed to report to his college league on June 1 but he elected not to play there as he wants to train and play local. His college coach supports it which is good for him, but there is a league fee I probably will not get back. Luckily the kid is working this summer as he will pay me back.
Son's season just ended last night coming painfully short in the state championship. Their team came out of nowhere to surprise everyone. The team was not even in any preseason top 10 conversation and didn't crack the top 10 until after the first 2 weeks of the season. Their school has never been to the state quarterfinals ever, much less contend for a state championship. My son had a very successful season hitting at the top of the lineup. He slashed 464/500/616 for the season facing a bunch of D1 committed pitchers (maybe even some probable draft picks). They had a lot of memorable moments in the season. The best part is how the kids truly enjoyed each other and the relationship they developed with the coaching staff.
They played a really good team in the championship. One of their players is projected to go in the top 3 in this year's draft. That kid really lived up to his reputation in the 2 games we played last night. We played them close the first game. Our pitching kept us in the game but our bat was silent. The second game.... that was a different story. Our pitching staff lost control (not just 1 pitcher but the whole pitching staff). Lots of HBP and walks, and timely hits from the other team coupled with a few errors on our side (i.e. grand slam inside the park home run off a misplayed ball in the outfield and a missed cutoff). Still painful thinking about it right now.
What's exciting is that we have a young team with only 3 seniors who are regular starters. All of our pitchers are underclassman and have some really good position players coming up next year. We should have a really strong team next year.
Still in sections here in Minnesota. Sons team is a 3 seed and done enough to win the first 2 games. Son hits leadoff. Took the first pitch and then hit pitch #2 a mile. Got up again in the 1st inning with bases loaded and was intentionally walked to make it 7 runs in the first. The next batter struck out to end the inning. Ended up wining the game 10-7. Son said today that might be the only time in his life he is intentionally walked with the bases loaded. I agree!
Kid's HS team won their league chip in 3 exciting games. The inaugural state tourney will be at our local D1 a few miles from my home, praise be to the baseball gods!! He is graduating this Sunday. The tourney games are scheduled for the following Friday and Saturday one game each day. There are only 3 teams playing the state tourney, winners of their respective region. I am scratching my head on this one, surprised a state as big as mine has only 3 regions, parochial school or not (btw there a lot of schools across the state), that seems kinda small considering our parochial school state basketball tourney is a big deal among HS. I am sure the finality of this will hit me like a sack of baseballs next Saturday.
@2022NYC posted:Kid's HS team won their league chip in 3 exciting games. The inaugural state tourney will be at our local D1 a few miles from my home, praise be to the baseball gods!! He is graduating this Sunday. The tourney games are scheduled for the following Friday and Saturday one game each day. There are only 3 teams playing the state tourney, winners of their respective region. I am scratching my head on this one, surprised a state as big as mine has only 3 regions, parochial school or not (btw there a lot of schools across the state), that seems kinda small considering our parochial school state basketball tourney is a big deal among HS. I am sure the finality of this will hit me like a sack of baseballs next Saturday.
Unless it’s changed recently PA sends sixteen 6A teams to states. Seven come from District 1 (Philadelphia suburbs)
PA is still 16 teams. 5 from district 1
the 2 and 4 get sent west to play in western half to balance. The 5 seed plays district 12 1 first round which is always the Catholic league champ and loaded….typically with 90% district one kids!
Any team surviving district 1 is a threat to states every year, this year being no different. The 5th place game was played between the 2 and 4 seeds going in and ended 3-2 in 8
I can’t believe they aren’t live streaming the games in PA. Well, at least my sons game. Bummer!
@Dadof3 posted:I can’t believe they aren’t live streaming the games in PA. Well, at least my sons game. Bummer!
The state finals are broadcast for all levels, not sure about the early rounds.
last year 2021 District 1 was shutout of 6A finals, the last time before that was 2006. 5 or 6 of those years had 2 teams from D1 in the finals.
We won! Son went 1/3 with two very hard hit balls. One a triple, one a grounder and a wear pop up. Exciting.
That's a wrap for my favorite son and his HS baseball career. Very thankful that he was able to play the entire HS season. Had not played HS ball since his freshman year due to covid cancellation of Soph season and being out all junior season with a hand injury.
Parents thanked my wife and me too many times to count about how much their boys enjoyed their HS baseball experience because of the culture change and inclusivity my son was able to help with as 1/2 senior captains. Son learned a lot about team leadership and culture from captains in seasons past (a lot of what NOT to do) and from being a kid on the bench (due to injury). So proud.
Hit over .500 with 7 HR's in 21 games. Ended up tying the school record for career HR's in just one season and broke the single season record by 3. Again, happy for my kid.
Onward and upward into the summer and college! Plans are to have fun and eat/lift/train/eat/lift/play on repeat all summer.
Kid's team won the inaugural state tourney for Catholic Schools. His HS career has been bitter sweet, great freshman year (won the league standings but no playoffs), lost soph due to COVID and injury plagued Jr & Sr with limited playing time but won the league chip and state chip. I wanted him to focus on rehab and training to focus on college ball and pushed him on it, but he correctly stayed with the team. This will go down as one the best teams in his HS. He can be proud for choosing the team first and he will still have time to prep for college ball. He elected to play a local college league so he will be able to play his HS classmates one more time and get the ABs and in game fielding time he desperately needs. The only downside I planned the next 6 weeks without him and TBH the family was ready to see him go (fights). I am happy with the training, summer games, his job and now girlfriend, he will not be around much anyway.
Baseball really is a strange game.
As you may recall, my (senior) son had an injury this year that limited him to DH. He played the first 5 games of the season and then suffered a different setback that had him miss 7 games. Comes back, plays 3 games and then has another (minor) injury that makes him miss another 4 games.
This is where it gets unbelievable.
He comes back after the last injury.
In the last 12 games of the season, these are his stats:
.429 Batting Average, .619 On Base Average, .929 Slugging Percentage and he hits 3 HR and drives in 19 runs over the 12 games.
The team wins all 12 games after he comes back and goes on to win their State Championship. And, he was one of the hitting stars in the championship game.
I know...sounds like total bullspit but it's true. What started out as the worst ever senior season (limited to DH and missing 11 of their first 19 games) turns into a storybook finish that he will remember forever.
An OPS of 1.548...in 42 PA over 12 games. I am still in amazement.
Never saw this coming even in my wildest dreams.
Congrats Francis. Good ending to a good story.
Awesome! Congrats Francis!! Maybe your best post ever.
That is fantastic! It's not often that we get to hear a post-injury story like this. Hope you have a great summer!
Unfortunetly, injuries are part of being an athlete.
Fortunetly, most players are determined to over come those injuries.
Never give up on your son!
Way to go!
What a great story of perseverance…and welcome back!
