Here in NW Florida it’s getting going. The boys have been at practice for awhile now. Tonight was the first of two pre-season games and the regular season starts next week.
Good Luck to all the HSBBW players and families!!
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We just finished tryouts here in NC. 2024 made varsity so he was excited. But, he's still in his boot for his ankle injury for at least 3 more weeks so he won't be seeing much action anytime soon.
Everyone have a safe and fun season!
First official games in Georgia started on Monday. Team won their first one on Tue. Have 7 games in the next 10 days (weather permitting). Def going to find out what arms they have early.
Good luck to everyone, and enjoy the ride!
We start next week with a tournament with a bunch of the top teams in the state that have some high profile prospects. Son is scheduled to start on the bump against last years state champs. But in legging out a triple in last weekend's scrimmage, he tweaked his hamstring. It appears to be a grade 1 strain. He was having a great pre-season at the plate and on the mound and he was really distraught. After two days of icing, rest, and elevating his leg, he started with reciprocal inhibition exercises on Monday. Today he moves into light stretching. Coach has him sitting out of practice. He is doing arm care exercises and static hitting drills. When he is not on the bump, he bats lead off and plays CF. But I think the hope for next weekend is that if his hamstring is not bothering him, he will take the bump for a few innings, but no hitting or CF. Not an ideal to the start of his junior year.
First HS game is in the books for this season (loss unfortunately). Like Senna we have 6 games over the next 8 days (also in GA). Looking like son will play primarily 3B this year with a little pitching here and there. Coach also has him taking reps at SS and 2B at practice and told him to be ready to fill in at either of those spots if the starters there go in to pitch. All good news for the kid (primary catcher) who is trying to diversify his skill set and resume based on some advice from here on another thread (catcher position limiting recruiting?).
Good luck everyone as you get your seasons going!
2024's Missouri HS season begins on March 18th, with tryouts starting on 2/28. 2024 and his class will be pushing the upperclassmen really hard, with several juniors having already dropped from the program as they aren't willing to compete, potentially not start, and be relegated to the JV squad or become varsity backups.
School isn't known for baseball, but made a run to the "elite 8" last year, losing to the eventual (and defending) champs on a little league trick play (pic below after it happened). Best finish in over 20 years, and 4 of the starters were freshman.
Heading to Jackie Robinson Training Center (old Dodger Town) in Vero Beach next month to begin the season, and learned that 3 of the 5 teams who will be there are from St. Louis, including one from our conference we haven't defeated in over 20 years! LOL!!
Good luck to your boys!
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@CubsFanInSTL posted:School isn't known for baseball, but made a run to the "elite 8" last year, losing to the eventual (and defending) champs on a little league trick play (pic below after it happened). Best finish in over 20 years, and 4 of the starters were freshman.
Love the picture. It shows the pain afterwards, but I'm curious to know -
what was the trick play?
EDIT: 2024 reminded me of what really happened -- trying to block the memory!
Quick recap: We had just taken a 1-0 lead in the 6th. Bottom of 7, we get 2 quick outs. Kid smacked a double, so one on, 2 out. Next batter is walked. Ground ball to 3rd, and the ball is sailed over the 1st baseman, runner on 2nd scored, now runner on third. Next guy walked. Now 1st and 3rd, 2 out. Here we go...runner on first jogged midway to 2nd and parked there, pitcher stepped off and walked towards him, runner on third scored to end the game. Yup. That happened. The other coach mentioned in the news that he saw our guys with "their heads down" and figured why not try it...
First regular season game in the books. 10-5 win over a not so great team. Son came back from his hip injury and played great. Arm strength to 2b was excellent and the added 40lbs really made a difference. Didn’t think he’d hit today because he couldn’t swing last night. Somehow he ended up in the lineup and actually had decent swings and was on time.
Jealous of the folks in the West and South that have already started their seasons. PA baseball practice starts Monday. 2022 starts his senior season, where did the time go. Good luck all!
cuts today for 2022's team. "Friendly" two game tourney this weekend, another one next weekend with real games starting first week in March.
Could start all seniors, but won't. P5 players at 1st. and 3rd. Mid Major D1s at catcher and second. short and of are all d3 HA guys. Lot of parity in the league. Will be a four team shoot out for 3 state berths.
1st day of the season/tournament canceled because of freezing weather and rain. Tournament was reorganized to play DH's on back to back days. The schedule update did us no favors. We now have to play the state champs, one of the state semifinalists, and a school that is traditionally good and has probably the top prospect in the state. Throw in the cold weather this weekend (40-45 degrees). A grind to start the season.
Baseball starts Monday in WA. It's been cold all week, got a dusting of snow last night. It's supposed to warm up this weekend, fingers crossed that they actually get to go outside next week.
Supposed to be sitting at the 1st game of the 2022's final HS season this morning (after breakfast at George's in Waco).
Instead I'm working from home, watching the dogs chase squirrels around the icy back yard, and keeping and eye on the news from Europe on TV.
BTW, it was 85 on Monday.
@russinfortworth posted:Supposed to be sitting at the 1st game of the 2022's final HS season this morning (after breakfast at George's in Waco).
Instead I'm working from home, watching the dogs chase squirrels around the icy back yard, and keeping and eye on the news from Europe on TV.
BTW, it was 85 on Monday.
Any chance you guys are playing in the Round Rock tournament this weekend? That is where we were supposed to be today. The bus was leaving at 7am for an 11:30am DH. But since today was canceled, we are now heading out later today for two games tomorrow.
@ARCEKU21 posted:Any chance you guys are playing in the Round Rock tournament this weekend? That is where we were supposed to be today. The bus was leaving at 7am for an 11:30am DH. But since today was canceled, we are now heading out later today for two games tomorrow.
No we were going to Waco. That got cancelled on Monday, so we organized a tournament in Odessa, but on Tuesday evening that idea got "nixed". Hopeful to get in a DH on Fri and Sat close to home (DFW area).
Travel safe
@ARCEKU21 posted:Any chance you guys are playing in the Round Rock tournament this weekend? That is where we were supposed to be today. The bus was leaving at 7am for an 11:30am DH. But since today was canceled, we are now heading out later today for two games tomorrow.
I always thought the Round Rock tourney was a great way to start the season. The level of competition is really good and in one weekend you can get a decent idea of what you have to work with. The first time there was in 2015 when my middle son was a senior. His HS baseball program had been a dumpster fire for years and a good coach (that knew how to build a program) had been brought in. But parents got wind that he was going to cut upperclassmen that couldn’t help the team in favor of some younger players that could (including my youngest son). These parents (which included 3 RISD employees) banded together, created false allegations, and got the good coach run off over Christmas break to protect their kids spots on the roster. They then brought in a puppet, with zero experience as a HC, that they could control. Puppet’s first game was the opener of 2015 Round Rock tournament. His team were visitors in that game and went into the 7th inning trailing 7-3. Team goes 3 up and 3 down - and the players started packing up their gear. Puppet had not left the 3rd base coaching box and began hollering at his players to get their gloves and take the field. The base umpire was standing nearby with drop jaw (as I was). Ump walks over to Puppet and says, “coach, the game is over.” Let that sink in for a moment. The HC for a 6A HS baseball program in Texas didn’t know when the game was over. An umpire had to tell him. The three most talented underclass players in the program (including my son) all transferred at the end of the year. Puppet lasted 2 more years before the snakes that brought him in got rid of him and he hasn’t coached a baseball game at any age level since then. To steal a tag line from @Consultant, true story!
I’m so glad my kids didn’t grow up at one of the places I live now. The Maine high school ski team championships were last weekend. It’s going to snow 8-12 tomorrow. Basketball and hockey don’t play their championship games until March 5. The high school baseball season opens mid April. The regular season is fourteen games in six weeks. MaxPreps doesn’t even have the schedules posted yet.
The Portland Sea Dogs opening day is April 8. There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of the game selling out unless it’s abnormally warm that day with heavy walk up ticket sales.
I’m going skiing Monday.
Game 2 in. It was hot. Boys lost 6-5 in a sloppy game. One more game tomorrow. It will be 3 games a week for a while.
Tournament canned because of the cold weather and rain coming in.
Snow was almost gone a week ago here in Minneapolis then 10 inches of snow here the last 3 days. Boo. Hoping that we can start on time March 21st with throwing/conditioning week and then first week of full practice March 28th and game #1 April 6th. Cant wait for the season to start...
Tryouts are the 7th. First official practice the 10th. They have been having practices and it’s been going well. 73+ kids going out for three teams.
Team is on the bus heading for Brunswick for a 3-game tourney, after dropping one last night on errors and having the first two games of the week cancelled. Looking forward to the games and a lovely field (Adam Wainright donated $ for the facility, and it's really nice), not looking forward to the gnats.
Lefty got his first loss (and first for team, now 4-1). Very good team (8 in lineup headed to draft or P5s/top 25 programs). Went 6.2 innings, no runs. Lefty is getting up there in pitch count and gives up a piddly hit to a kid headed to Arizona to put two on with two outs in a scoreless game. Instead of letting him finish coach pulls him. Two pitchers later....5 runs have scored. Team goes into the final at bats reeling and defeated, I don't think any of the kids actually swung at a baseball.
Weather has been cold for SoCal, but that's mid 60's so I won't complain
The Ortho will not clear hitting and running for my kid until April or May. He has been hitting for a month now and sprinted for the past few weeks, but I get his conservative approach. The kid is likely to miss his final HS season and he is wearing it well but I can see the hurt.
2 games in and it's going the way i expected...mysson isn't getting anything to hit. 8PA, 3bb, 1hbp, lol. he's the only real returning threat in the lineup and the other teams know it. he's frustrated but needs to figure out how to get through it. 2-0 against weaker preseason teams. couple weeks until league starts and we'll really know what this team is made of.
Really sorry to hear that, @2022NYC. Fingers crossed that he gets back at it this season.
8-0. Went from unranked to #2 (PBR) in Georgia. 3 of the top 10 are in our region. He's played catcher, 1B, RF, 3B, LF and closed the game at pitcher last night. Looks like this year may be an entertaining ride.
First game on the mound this season to close out a game. He’s never been a big strikeout guy but he was blowing it by the kids tonight. He definitely throws harder than the summer. It was funny to hear the dads trying to guess the velo.
@2022NYC - So sorry to hear that. 
Hopefully he can get a few games in his senior season.
The weather has been fantastic in southwest Mo this week and my boys are on their second day of practice. Both are healthy and ready to go. Scrimmages Friday and Saturday with the first pre-season game next week. First year of them driving to practice, and it's about 25 miles to the school. The wife is having a little separation anxiety but we are all ready for some baseball!! As a bonus the travel uniforms came in and we are ready to see some new country this summer. Folks as screwed up as this country looks at times, we are so incredibly blessed to live in the USA!! Best of luck to all the players this season. Let's go boys!!
Well so far season is going well. Son is playing great. Hitting the ball hard and catching better then I have seen him play. But, I have to say some of the decisions made by the HS coaching staff make no sense and is really hurting the team. I guess that is HS ball in some places. Looking forward to summer ball.
So far so good. 2-1 with a good win over traditional power Torrey Pines. Son is warming up. We played Orange Lutheran in preseason and we still have the tire marks on our backs to prove it. My goodness, what a team.
@OskiSD posted:So far so good. 2-1 with a good win over traditional power Torrey Pines. Son is warming up. We played Orange Lutheran in preseason and we still have the tire marks on our backs to prove it. My goodness, what a team.
Most squads would get trounced by the backups for OLu, no shame in those treadmarks
Congrats on the solid start!
@OskiSD posted:So far so good. 2-1 with a good win over traditional power Torrey Pines. Son is warming up. We played Orange Lutheran in preseason and we still have the tire marks on our backs to prove it. My goodness, what a team.
Orange Lutheran (wink, wink) doesn’t recruit. Right?
@RJM posted:Orange Lutheran (wink, wink) doesn’t recruit. Right?
It's so bad the public schools are asking to change the rules, opening to recruiting for all schools. I can almost forgive the recruiting during middle school, but the transfers of kids going in to their senior season leaves a really sour taste in my mouth. I feel like the sit-out period should be longer. On the other hand they are really, really good. And really fun to watch.
First game started off great. Son was on the bump. Had a handful of various entities there to see him pitch. Threw five shut out innings with 7 K's. Also hit a double in his first at bat and drove in a run later in the game. Was riding high going into game 2. Then the baseball gods humbled him. 0-4 with 2 K's in the second game and left about 5 runners on base. But the team did go 2-0 on the day.
@LousyLefty posted:It's so bad the public schools are asking to change the rules, opening to recruiting for all schools. I can almost forgive the recruiting during middle school, but the transfers of kids going in to their senior season leaves a really sour taste in my mouth. I feel like the sit-out period should be longer. On the other hand they are really, really good. And really fun to watch.
After freshman year of high school my son was offered an academic scholarship to a private Catholic ** if he played at least baseball and soccer. He was also a basketball player. This was a perennial participant in the state baseball playoffs. He was a top student. But the connection humored me.
Until the school approached with the scholarship he was badgered by athletes and friends he knew who were already there. The kids did the recruiting. The academic ride was the attempted close. After all, recruiting is illegal.
He stayed at his high school. The private Catholic went to states the next three years and won once while his high school only went once. But his soccer team went to states three times.
** Think Mater Dei, Servite relative to Southern CA. I lived in SoCal for 22 years.
I am starting to think that my son may end up playing more games the covid year than we will this year. Another canceled game yesterday because of weather. While some teams in the area are getting into double digits of games, we are stuck on 5 games. And more weather expected this weekend.
Another weird scenario with the season. MaxPreps released their new top 25 teams yesterday. My sons team was ranked, which has me puzzled. The top teams in the state in other polls (PG, PBR, etc) are not even in their rankings. In the PG & PBR state rankings, they cracked the top 10. One state poll doesn't even have my son's team in the top 25. So really strange to see them in the top 25 national rankings for MaxPreps. Maybe they know something we don't.
Going into last Friday, MaxPreps had our team ranked #1 in all divisions in the state of Georgia. MaxPreps just uses a math formula, almost zero scouting. # of wins and losses and difficulty of schedule. At this point in the season, it's almost random chance.
Too bad the kids don't understand that. They got the big head and were beat by two teams that never should have been in the game.
Prep baseball has us 2nd in 5a. I can almost believe that but some heavy hitters are just getting warmed up.
Ignore the random polls. A lot of them don’t make sense. It all gets settled at the end of the season in the playoffs. Until then focus on winning every game and being a better team next week.
Tryouts are over, season begins today
2024's "sign up" period is over. After a thorough review of the sign-up sheets and a few late-night consultations with a Magic 8 Ball, the head coach announced that everyone who signed-up made Varsity or JV. Varsity was pretty cut and dry: all seniors (including one who quit during sign-ups last year) and juniors made varsity, along with several very solid sophomores. There are sophomores who were assigned to the JV team that are significantly better players than many of the seniors (there are only two juniors). No one is surprised -- just another "eye-roll" moment in the annals of the school's fine baseball tradition.
Heading to Vero Beach next week for a round of games, the team will consist of 12 sophomores, 1 junior, and 2 freshman.
Last season the team won its first district championship in 18 years, and had its best finish since 1973. Only 2 starters graduated. High expectations this year. Well, sort of...
@2022NYC posted:The Ortho will not clear hitting and running for my kid until April or May. He has been hitting for a month now and sprinted for the past few weeks, but I get his conservative approach. The kid is likely to miss his final HS season and he is wearing it well but I can see the hurt.
Sorry to hear this NYC. Hopefully, he'll get cleared soon enough and enjoy at least part of his senior season.
Sooooo, a friend's son was facing an uncommitted 2024 RHP that throws 90. RHP strikes him out and one of those player ranking orgs posted a video of it to social where you can hear him say "sit the eff down you little b****". Well, next AB by buddy's kid hits a BOMB. I told him he should reply to the original post with that video and "why don't you show his next AB?" From a social media etiquette standpoint, would that be frowned upon?
@CubsFanInSTL posted:2024's "sign up" period is over. After a thorough review of the sign-up sheets and a few late-night consultations with a Magic 8 Ball, the head coach announced that everyone who signed-up made Varsity or JV. Varsity was pretty cut and dry: all seniors (including one who quit during sign-ups last year) and juniors made varsity, along with several very solid sophomores. There are sophomores who were assigned to the JV team that are significantly better players than many of the seniors (there are only two juniors). No one is surprised -- just another "eye-roll" moment in the annals of the school's fine baseball tradition.
Heading to Vero Beach next week for a round of games, the team will consist of 12 sophomores, 1 junior, and 2 freshman.
Last season the team won its first district championship in 18 years, and had its best finish since 1973. Only 2 starters graduated. High expectations this year. Well, sort of...
At my son’s high school the coach gave uniforms to seniors who never gave up and quit. These were competent, but part time JV players as juniors. The uniform came with the understanding they were mostly cheerleaders and foul ball chasers. When my son was a soph one of these seniors was so popular and well respected he was considered a leader. These were players talented enough to start on teams in the bottom half of the standings. In the summer they played Legion ball.
The team hasn’t been too hot as of late. My boy got a few innings against one of the top teams in the state and did well. Looks like he’ll be seeing a lot more time on the mound this year. Switched up my avatar accordingly.
Spring break is here and there are no team functions until they get back. It’ll be nice to do our own thing for a few days
@TerribleBPthrower posted:Sooooo, a friend's son was facing an uncommitted 2024 RHP that throws 90. RHP strikes him out and one of those player ranking orgs posted a video of it to social where you can hear him say "sit the eff down you little b****". Well, next AB by buddy's kid hits a BOMB. I told him he should reply to the original post with that video and "why don't you show his next AB?" From a social media etiquette standpoint, would that be frowned upon?
If a kid wants to talk sh$t he deserves what he gets. I would normally say no but I think the smack talking is out of control and some need their comeuppance. So post away.
I never had an opposing player say sit the "f" down you little "B", but then again I only struck out 3 times my varsity year and I weighed 265. I understand that things have changed dramatically since the early 80's, but I really wish people could clean up their language, especially children playing a game. I understand that some folks may disagree, but I think we can do better. A little negative reinforcement wouldn't hurt. Our principal had a three foot long paddle that would motivate the biggest and toughest. He had a solid two hand swing, and a handle that would accommodate it.
Having fun playing the game is part and parcel to the experience. It’s one of the main reasons to play at all. The game isn’t always fun but for the most part players play for love of the game. There is a line between “having fun playing the game” and “behavior that disrespects the game and disrespects your opponent” - and players have been allowed to live on the wrong side of that line. The same way that much of society is on the wrong side of the line too, but I digress. Baseball has historically been a game that self-polices inappropriate behavior. In recent years snowflakes have voiced their objections alleging unsafe practices - which has promoted a surge in bat flips, stare downs, flip offs, sh&t talking, and other forms of bad behavior that some people want to normalize. I’m not one of them. I will never condone throwing at a batter’s head. But there is a time for a knockdown pitch and if a hitter ever flipped a bat when I played the next guy was getting plunked in the ribs. So guess what? Players didn’t pull those stunts. The unwritten rules of baseball (that people that never played the game object to) exist for a reason. And that reason is to preserve the integrity of the game thru insuring some behavioral standards. Call me get off my lawn guy if you want. The game is better when it’s played the right way.
@adbono posted:Having fun playing the game is part and parcel to the experience. It’s one of the main reasons to play at all. The game isn’t always fun but for the most part players play for love of the game. There is a line between “having fun playing the game” and “behavior that disrespects the game and disrespects your opponent” - and players have been allowed to live on the wrong side of that line. The same way that much of society is on the wrong side of the line too, but I digress. Baseball has historically been a game that self-polices inappropriate behavior. In recent years snowflakes have voiced their objections alleging unsafe practices - which has promoted a surge in bat flips, stare downs, flip offs, sh&t talking, and other forms of bad behavior that some people want to normalize. I’m not one of them. I will never condone throwing at a batter’s head. But there is a time for a knockdown pitch and if a hitter ever flipped a bat when I played the next guy was getting plunked in the ribs. So guess what? Players didn’t pull those stunts. The unwritten rules of baseball (that people that never played the game object to) exist for a reason. And that reason is to preserve the integrity of the game thru insuring some behavioral standards. Call me get off my lawn guy if you want. The game is better when it’s played the right way.
Played a middling team yesterday (game 2 of 3 due to weather today).
Their bench was awfully loud and obnoxious even though they were down 8-1 in the 3rd.
In the 4th their catcher gets on 2nd and wasn't even shy about it. He's yelling "inside" or "outside" on every pitch giving location......if you want to be subtle about it ok, but I still digress.
I'm tracking pitch count by the dugout and before I can even say anything to the son (he's at SS) he gives me the "zip it" sign to his mouth.
Catcher comes up 2 innings later, our catcher sets up so far outside on 1st pitch it is crazy.......................batter dives for outside pitch and ball goes behind him. I get a little grin, nod my head, and take a sip of my diet coke and feel a little of that baseball player / dad moment that gets you all warm inside.
Next inning when son came up to bat there looked to be a one-sided 10 second conversation w/ the catcher.
Got home later and asked what he said, and he said "I just told him don't do that, or he's going to get one of his teammates hurt one day".
It's the little things sometimes.
Are we at a time where society has degenerated to the point where the dystopic actions that we are discussing have become commonplace and now are the norm rather than the exception? I mean, there are states legalizing illicit narcotics (heroin, cocaine) and they are being applauded by large segments of our society. Is baseball and other sports just becoming a micro of the macro society? It's troubling and concerning to me, but it seems as though others are apathetic.
By the way this ^^^^ Completely Acceptable!!! but you got to buckle one of the best power hitters in the country for a called 3rd strike to beat the #1 team in the nation. 
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@ReluctantO'sFan posted:
By the way this ^^^^ Completely Acceptable!!! but you got to buckle one of the best power hitters in the country for a called 3rd strike to beat the #1 team in the nation.
Very happy for Steve Trout and Texas State. They are a very good mid-major program that flies under the national radar for some reason. I absolutely love the coaching staff there. They recruited my son and he committed to them before his back injury ended his career. Sadly he never even reported to campus. But both me and my son root for the Bobcats and enjoy their success. Besides taking down the ‘horns this week they also took 2 of 3 from Arizona (on the road) last weekend - and Arizona is really good. Texas State is a team to keep an eye on.
@Triple J posted:Are we at a time where society has degenerated to the point where the dystopic actions that we are discussing have become commonplace and now are the norm rather than the exception? I mean, there are states legalizing illicit narcotics (heroin, cocaine) and they are being applauded by large segments of our society. Is baseball and other sports just becoming a micro of the macro society? It's troubling and concerning to me, but it seems as though others are apathetic.
Facts matter.
Cocaine is not a narcotic. No state has legalized heroin or cocaine for recreational use. Cocaine has been legal in the US for medical use for some time.
Decriminalization and defelonization are not the same as legalization. And in the instance of Oregon, it wasn’t the “state” that decriminalized, but the voters who passed the ballot initiative. In Colorado, it was the state senate and house representatives that passed it, representing the will of their electorate.
There are certainly some areas of society can one can argue as being dystopic, but I for one don’t feel that the dismantling of the wasteful and racist 50 year old “war on drugs” is one of them. And a large majority of Americans (70% by most counts) feel that the federal drug policies are not working and need reform. But that’s completely off topic here.
On topic: I love appropriate emotion in games. But I think it’s hard for all of us to define “inappropriate”, other than to channel Justice Potter Stewart’s “I know it when I see it”.
The fact is voters are the "State". Cocaine or heroin are "narcotics" or "drugs" depending on which state you reside in. Still an illicit narcotic here anyway. Slight modifications in terminology are really splitting hairs. Legalization is a relevant term as I applied it. We could debate that the amounts possessed are specifically prescribed within the law but that it not relevant. Bottom line is no amount of heroin or cocaine is good for anyone. I'm not going to debate the criminal statues and federal criminal codes that apply. We could get off into the world of derivatives but that is not relevant either.
@TerribleBPthrower posted:Sooooo, a friend's son was facing an uncommitted 2024 RHP that throws 90. RHP strikes him out and one of those player ranking orgs posted a video of it to social where you can hear him say "sit the eff down you little b****". Well, next AB by buddy's kid hits a BOMB. I told him he should reply to the original post with that video and "why don't you show his next AB?" From a social media etiquette standpoint, would that be frowned upon?
This is just like the video one of the ranking orgs posted the other day of a hard throwing pitcher, that while in his wind up, he waves bye bye to the batter and then throws a fast ball buy him. Just shook my head when I saw it.
Years ago friends would tell me they were turned off by basketball because AAU tournaments became more about how bad you could embarrass your opponent and post it to social. That's kinda how I feel things are going now.
I’m don’t want to start a drug debate. So, I’ll only post this article. Sometimes you have to open your mind to possibilities …
I'm not interested in debating it RJM. I've seen what it does to people and society. Not debatable for me. I understand the sociological debate, but most have an agenda or profit to be realized. I did however read the article. Personal experience through occupation has proven these so called "experts" to be radically and overwhelmingly wrong, without exception.
Now back to baseball.
Who introduced the topic of drugs?
🤷♂️
@Triple J posted:I'm not interested in debating it RJM. I've seen what it does to people and society. Not debatable for me. I understand the sociological debate, but most have an agenda or profit to be realized. I did however read the article. Personal experience through occupation has proven these so called "experts" to be radically and overwhelmingly wrong, without exception.
Now back to baseball.
You’re denying twenty years of statistical proof.
@JCG posted:Who introduced the topic of drugs?
🤷♂️
CNN
@RJM posted:You’re denying twenty years of statistical proof.
No I'm not. I simply don't agree with it. Sorry.
Let it go.
@adbono posted:
Very happy for Steve Trout and Texas State. They are a very good mid-major program that flies under the national radar for some reason. I absolutely love the coaching staff there. They recruited my son and he committed to them before his back injury ended his career. Sadly he never even reported to campus. But both me and my son root for the Bobcats and enjoy their success. Besides taking down the ‘horns this week they also took 2 of 3 from Arizona (on the road) last weekend - and Arizona is really good. Texas State is a team to keep an eye on.
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The knucklehead was cleared to DH so he will play his final year of HS. It is very talented and crowded roster (17-18 commits and they even cut a D3 commit...shocked by that). Hopefully he can work his way back into the lineup. Thanks everyone for the well wishes.
So my 2022 had his first scrimmage today. In NYC you have to use wood bats. My 2022 is committed to being a PO in college but still hits and plays 1B in HS. A few weeks ago he was looking for a wood bat. I knew we had multiple cheap wood bats in the basement. Long story short, he wanted a nice new wood bat. I laughed and told him to use his teammates Baum bat. He used his own money to go buy a nice new shiny Victus bat.
First swing of First At Bat of First scrimmage.....hits it off the end and he breaks the bat (It also had a lizard skin grip that I put on for him). I laughed until I almost cried. Then I did feel a bit bad.
Next AB using his teammates Baum Bat, hits it off the top of the fence for a double. I'm done....
I hate you Victus! My kid broke his x50 custom about 2 months ago, then his new x50 during bp...also first time using it. I hate you Victus!
@russinfortworth posted:Played a middling team yesterday (game 2 of 3 due to weather today).
Their bench was awfully loud and obnoxious even though they were down 8-1 in the 3rd.
In the 4th their catcher gets on 2nd and wasn't even shy about it. He's yelling "inside" or "outside" on every pitch giving location......if you want to be subtle about it ok, but I still digress.
I'm tracking pitch count by the dugout and before I can even say anything to the son (he's at SS) he gives me the "zip it" sign to his mouth.
Catcher comes up 2 innings later, our catcher sets up so far outside on 1st pitch it is crazy.......................batter dives for outside pitch and ball goes behind him. I get a little grin, nod my head, and take a sip of my diet coke and feel a little of that baseball player / dad moment that gets you all warm inside.
Next inning when son came up to bat there looked to be a one-sided 10 second conversation w/ the catcher.
Got home later and asked what he said, and he said "I just told him don't do that, or he's going to get one of his teammates hurt one day".
It's the little things sometimes.
Earlier this week we had a Dad for the opposing team set up right behind the backstop calling where the catcher setup every time. We won 11-1 in six, so it really did not matter. But it reminded me why I never sit behind home or with other parents. This field was designed in a way we could only sit in the bleachers.
2024 played his first-ever varsity game in our season opener vs. a solid team from Virginia. Down 7-1 after 4, he's brought in to "eat some innings." Retired the first 9, and we knotted the game up in the top of the 7th at 7-7. Took a 10-7 lead in the top of the 8th, and four batters later helped the team win its season opener! 4 K's, no walks, and 1 for 3 at the plate. Probably still has the smile on his face as he's sleeping!
@Around_The_Horn posted:Earlier this week we had a Dad for the opposing team set up right behind the backstop calling where the catcher setup every time. We won 11-1 in six, so it really did not matter. But it reminded me why I never sit behind home or with other parents. This field was designed in a way we could only sit in the bleachers.
This problem is solved by extending a tarp from pole to pole.
HS season starts in 10 days.
Kid is a senior catcher and he suffered a grade 1 UCL tear exactly 8 weeks ago. He's just been cleared to start a RTT program but he says his arm doesn't feel right when just trying to throw the ball 45 feet. The RTT program runs 12 weeks but some said he might be able to throw normal in six.
Anyway, kid can't throw and the HS coach knows it. Kid has offered to DH until he can throw. (He can physically catch now but he just can't throw.)
Everyday for the last 2 weeks - including text messages at night and on the weekends, the coach asks the kid "Can you play catcher now?"
And, every time he's asked, the kid says the same thing: I haven't thrown since January. I can't throw now. I don't know when I will be able to throw in a game yet. But, as soon as I feel like I can throw in a game, I will let you know.
Yet the coach keeps asking and pressuring him, constantly. (There's also like 4 other kids who can catch.)
Yesterday at practice, coach tells my son to go play 1B. Kid says "But, I can't throw." And coach says "I don't care. Play first. If you want to hit then you have to play a position. We're not just going to use you as a DH." So, the kid plays 1B in practice and tries to avoid using his throwing arm.
Now, on top of this, one of the best players on the team is a L/L who is primarily a 1B and a real good one. He's out in RF now and pissed that he's been moved off 1B because of all this. (We know this because he's great friends with my son.)
I'm not looking for an answer here with this post. Just venting. And, for sure, I'm done with this HS baseball drama crap. I will not miss this at all when it's over.
If it were my son he would be off the team.
He needs to be able to play this summer before he heads off to school in the fall and be ready for fall practice. If he isn't supposed to throw that's exactly what he is supposed to be doing, not throw. But he is still a kid and he is being bullied into a situation that's not good for him.
YOU need to have a conversation with the coach.
@TPM posted:If it were my son he would be off the team.
He needs to be able to play this summer before he heads off to school in the fall and be ready for fall practice. If he isn't supposed to throw that's exactly what he is supposed to be doing, not throw. But he is still a kid and he is being bullied into a situation that's not good for him.
YOU need to have a conversation with the coach.
I offered. Told my son: You're 17. Maybe he needs to hear it from an adult and a parent "Kid can't throw. Don't play him until he can throw. He will let you know as soon as he can throw. No need to ask him about it everyday." But my son doesn't want me talking to the coach. He feels it's important that he handles it. So, I'm respecting his wishes.
@Francis7 posted:I offered. Told my son: You're 17. Maybe he needs to hear it from an adult and a parent "Kid can't throw. Don't play him until he can throw. He will let you know as soon as he can throw. No need to ask him about it everyday." But my son doesn't want me talking to the coach. He feels it's important that he handles it. So, I'm respecting his wishes.
Gotta admire the kid for that stance, and yet, unless all he did was toss lollypops or throw underhand while practicing at first, he allowed himself to get bullied into doing something unsafe, so I'm with @TPM.
Thx @JCG
The funny thing is that the coach and I have spoken a few times in the past - just when I would run into him somewhere. It was limited to "Hi, how are you? Good luck this season" and stuff like that. But he knows who I am when he sees me. So, it wouldn't be totally out of nowhere if I talked to him. I think the last time I talked to him was October 2020 when my son verbally committed. We talked about it. Maybe I will get lucky and he will say something to me? Then I can say my thoughts and it's not because I went to him.
Sorry but he is 17 and legally he is still a minor. This is the ugly side HS ball. So I would tell him that you AND him will have a sit down because he isn't handling it well.
It sure is a lot easier than having TJS.
Edit. For insurance purposes it's best to listen to the doctor not the coach. JMO
@TPM posted:Sorry but he is 17 and legally he is still a minor. This is the ugly side HS ball. So I would tell him that you AND him will have a sit down because he isn't handling it well.
It sure is a lot easier than having TJS.
Edit. For insurance purposes it's best to listen to the doctor not the coach. JMO
Thanks. The other part of it is that his college coaches are aware of his injury and RTT program. And they are telling him "Do it right. Take your time. We want you 100% when you get here." (And that makes sense!) But, for the kid, he's got a current coach pressing him and a future coach telling him the opposite.
I'm going to see what happens at practice today. I might just tell my son to quit, if he wants to...
I know the coach will never let him quit because that will become a grand jury investigation at the school once the word got out that he was quitting. So, maybe he has to play that card to get the coach to get off his back?
This coach's impatience is delaying your son's return date and putting him at risk of a more serious injury. I think an email is in order. Also, if he doesn't feel right throwing 45, something is wrong, he shouldn't be doing the RTT program and he should go back to the doctor. Pain isn't the only indicator for when something isn't right. Firsthand experience here.
Thx @LousyLefty
Francis, you are an adult and your son is a child. Even 17 year old athletes who look like men think and act like children. If your account is accurate the HS coach is also acting like a child. He is putting your son in harm’s way and putting his future at risk. As a father it’s your responsibility to take care of your child and make sure he isn’t in harms way. I don’t care what your son says or what kind of scene it creates, you need to do your job as a parent and protect your son.
When son was in his senior year husband and I not happy with how he was being a bit overused. The HS coach was getting ready to retire and he wanted to get to regionals and putting pressure on son. Since son was also being used as DH, first base we felt that long outings at the coaches expense was not necessary.
He had a 90% scholarship and we decided that was more important. The future pcoach made a phone call.
That was the end of staying in the game too long.
Protect your player for as long as you can.
Agree with all the above. Should talk with the coach ASAP. If it were me and he has pain from 45', I'd probably lead with "my son can't play in the field this season". It stops the coach from asking and takes pressure off your son. If he does make it back and can throw before the end of the season, great, and my guess is the coach would let him throw.
Son missed out on Summer ball heading into freshman year of college due to a HS injury...absolutely recommend that you don't let that happen.
@Francis7 posted:Thx @adbono
He has practice today after school. If things haven't improved, I'm going to come up with a way to connect with him.
If I were in your shoes this is what I would do. Get a note from the physician that’s attending to your son’s injury. Make sure it specifically describes what activities are allowed and what is not. Email a copy to the HC, AD, and school principal. State in your email that you expect the physician’s guidelines to be adhered to without question and without undue pressure being put on your son. If that doesn’t take care of it then I would turn up the heat.
@adbono posted:If I were in your shoes this is what I would do. Get a note from the physician that’s attending to your son’s injury. Make sure it specifically describes what activities are allowed and what is not. Email a copy to the HC, AD, and school principal. State in your email that you expect the physician’s guidelines to be adhered to without question and without undue pressure being put on your son. If that doesn’t take care of it then I would turn up the heat.
That's already done. The note from the orthopedist says "once he comfortably completes the RTT program, he can return to catching in games." The coach and the trainer have it. The principal is an old lady and a waste of time. The AD is arrogant from what I have been told.
Maybe the coach thinks 1B is a loophole here?
@Francis7 posted:That's already done. The note from the orthopedist says "once he comfortably completes the RTT program, he can return to catching in games." The coach and the trainer have it. The principal is an old lady and a waste of time. The AD is arrogant from what I have been told.
Maybe the coach thinks 1B is a loophole here?
Here is the problem. It should state ALL practice activities, it just says catching.
Make a call to ortho office and explain for clarification.
Come on Francis you can do this!
@Francis7 posted:That's already done. The note from the orthopedist says "once he comfortably completes the RTT program, he can return to catching in games." The coach and the trainer have it. The principal is an old lady and a waste of time. The AD is arrogant from what I have been told.
Maybe the coach thinks 1B is a loophole here?
Then it’s time to turn up the heat. I’m with TPM on this one. A lot of people in Texas would say it’s time to “Cowboy Up.” Considering my already mentioned lack of diplomacy, that’s the kindest way I can say it.
Francis;
Definite the word "comfortably". It is the key to your solution.
Bob
When my son had shoulder separation surgery he wasn’t allowed to throw until he had a note from the ortho stating it was ok. He needed written clearance just to take BP. You might want to check into the school and state athletic rules. You might have the rules on your side before even addressing the coach.
Call the Ortho stat. Explain the sitch and I guarantee the Ortho will change the rtt note
Btw my kid can only DH and the Ortho was very cautious about even approving it. The kid is in the middle of his rtt program and wishes the coaches would let him play 1B.
IMO as long as there’s no physical or emotional damage, then I’ll respect my kids’ decisions and choices. However, until they’re adults, if one of those two items are in play, I’m involved.
So, today he was back at 1B - until the coach asked him to catch some bullpens. He had to borrow a helmet and mitt because he didn't bother bringing them today. He ended up catching 8 different pitchers. WTF? There's 4 other catchers at the varsity practice. It's also really cold here today. Hmmm...punishment? I asked my kid how he felt about it and he said he's OK...but if he does this again, he's telling the coach no. And he still doesn't want me getting involved.
Might be a solution? 🙄
Francis
how did he throw the ball back to the pitcher? Is his mitt, a one handed catchers mitt? Why not carry all your equipment to practice?
He is sending you a message.
Bob
He's been underhanding the ball when catching pens.