Have 2 of them opening on the road within a 90 minute drive of each other. Picked a hotel right in the middle and of course all the games are at the same time. The oldest is on the better team, but will be trying to cancel the hotel and go to the youngest's games - hoping he makes his debut
@PABaseball posted:Have 2 of them opening on the road within a 90 minute drive of each other. Picked a hotel right in the middle and of course all the games are at the same time. The oldest is on the better team, but will be trying to cancel the hotel and go to the youngest's games - hoping he makes his debut
That’s a fantastic problem to have! Congrats!
Son is a senior pitcher at Davidson, committed to an Irish ACC school for graduate work. Baseball has been a gift in a multitude of ways. Will be cheering for all your players in ‘23.
Watched NJCAA D1 #5 Crowder play #18 Johnson County over the weekend. Lots of D1 drop downs on the field and on the mound. Amazingly high quality baseball. One of the pitchers was a D1 redshirt and now this is his second season in Juco. He was a grown man pumping 92 at the knees.
@Master P posted:Watched NJCAA D1 #5 Crowder play #18 Johnson County over the weekend. Lots of D1 drop downs on the field and on the mound. Amazingly high quality baseball. One of the pitchers was a D1 redshirt and now this is his second season in Juco. He was a grown man pumping 92 at the knees.
My son was at Crowder the previous two years. I watched some of the DH on Saturday on the live stream. The Johnson County lefty was rolling.
@d-mac posted:My son was at Crowder the previous two years. I watched some of the DH on Saturday on the live stream. The Johnson County lefty was rolling.
That kid totally shoved. Had a perfect game into the 6th. He had Crowder off balance off day. His velo never got above 87.
Son is a junior pitcher at Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
@d-mac posted:My son was at Crowder the previous two years. I watched some of the DH on Saturday on the live stream. The Johnson County lefty was rolling.
If you don't mind me asking - how did your son end up choosing Crowder? Was that the local school or was he recruited by other top jucos as well? Were there D1s in the mix?
I know how good the top jucos are. Always wondered how they did their recruiting for non transfers.
Deep breath for all the D1 players/parents - good luck today!
One of my son's travel teammates, who reclassed from 2023 to 2022, starting at shortstop for Texas Tech on opening day! Very cool! When you look at him, your first impression is "really?". Then you see him play. One of the best gloves I have ever seen through all my years.
@ARCEKU21 posted:One of my son's travel teammates, who reclassed from 2023 to 2022, starting at shortstop for Texas Tech on opening day! Very cool! When you look at him, your first impression is "really?". Then you see him play. One of the best gloves I have ever seen through all my years.
I have been watching this game. He wouldn't be starting at TT if he didn't have the goods and he looks like a good player on first impression. Good game. TT has lots of talent and Gonzaga had an early lead but is now down by 3. I am waiting for Coastal game to start but they are in weather delay. I'll be watching UTenn versus Arizona later this evening. What is really cool now, if any game gets out of hand, there are dozens of other games to switch to. Baseball (at least what I can watch on TV) is here! Hope all our kids, at all levels, have good years this year.
The kid's name you mentioned is Tracer Lopez. He made a number of fine defensive plays and had two hits in his first college game.
I am now watching UNC Charlotte versus Ball State. Why? The head Coach is Robert Woodard - former UNC great and now head coach. His Dad is Prepster (hsbbweb moniker) who is still a member here. I've been looking for Prepster in the stands but have not spotted him yet. Ball State up 1-0 top four.
I now find that between HS/travel friends, summer ball teammates, and hsbbw members, I have a ridiculous number of teams to follow!
@anotherparent posted:I now find that between HS/travel friends, summer ball teammates, and hsbbw members, I have a ridiculous number of teams to follow!
It is a small world after high school. The hsbbweb actually opens you up to just about every team in the nation. Thus, you know someone from kids your son has played with or against in the past and then you start following members kids here. I know D1 is getting all the attention right now because of TV coverage but as the season progresses and especially when college playoffs start, the other divisions of baseball can be watched. Some of the best/most exciting games I've ever seen were in college playoff games including JUCO, D3, D2, or otherwise.
@PABaseball posted:If you don't mind me asking - how did your son end up choosing Crowder? Was that the local school or was he recruited by other top jucos as well? Were there D1s in the mix?
I know how good the top jucos are. Always wondered how they did their recruiting for non transfers.
I can't comment on @PABaseball's journey, and @adbono would be best to answer this, but here are a few thoughts on how some end up at JuCo's:
- HS players that are legitimately in the draft conversion and want to improve their stock pick the highest profile JuCo's.
- High-profile D1's have relationships with top JuCo's and direct kids that they've hosed by pulling back offers and/or feel they need playing time and/or maturity to contribute at the next level.
- JuCo HC's often have relationships with foreign programs (at Hill College, they had a channel from PR and Aus).
- JuCo HC's also often have relationships with a network of HS head coaches - I've seen a stream of one or two players from the same HS for several consecutive years.
- JuCo camps - my son was offered at Blinn immediately after the camp ended. He'd already committed to Hill and went to the camp because the $50 was gone regardless, and any chance to play was a good day.
- Reference - I called the HC at Hill and arranged a private tryout. I was given the number by a current player's father, who told the HC I'd be calling.
- Cold-calling the coach (I'd left a VM for the HC at McLennan), he returned the call and attempted to get my son to reconsider after hearing he had a spot at Hill.
I'm sure @adbono can add many more channels...
@JucoDad posted:I can't comment on @PABaseball's journey, and @adbono would be best to answer this, but here are a few thoughts on how some end up at JuCo's:
- HS players that are legitimately in the draft conversion and want to improve their stock pick the highest profile JuCo's.
- High-profile D1's have relationships with top JuCo's and direct kids that they've hosed by pulling back offers and/or feel they need playing time and/or maturity to contribute at the next level.
- JuCo HC's often have relationships with foreign programs (at Hill College, they had a channel from PR and Aus).
- JuCo HC's also often have relationships with a network of HS head coaches - I've seen a stream of one or two players from the same HS for several consecutive years.
- JuCo camps - my son was offered at Blinn immediately after the camp ended. He'd already committed to Hill and went to the camp because the $50 was gone regardless, and any chance to play was a good day.
- Reference - I called the HC at Hill and arranged a private tryout. I was given the number by a current player's father, who told the HC I'd be calling.
- Cold-calling the coach (I'd left a VM for the HC at McLennan), he returned the call and attempted to get my son to reconsider after hearing he had a spot at Hill.
I'm sure @adbono can add many more channels...
That’s a pretty good summary @JucoDad. I see most guys recruited as a result of on campus camps, private tryouts, and word of mouth recommendations. I especially like camps that have coaches from a number of JuCos in a region. But all the things you mentioned are viable ways to be recruited to a JuCo. Former teammates of recruits are a good source too. When it comes to recruiting there are some major differences between JuCo and other levels. One of the biggest differences is that JuCo coaches are accessible. And they will talk with you. Recruiting budgets are pretty limited and on campus tryouts are allowed so most coaches are cooperative with this approach. Whether it’s on an individual basis or in a camp setting. JuCo camps are affordable, the ratio of coaches to players is usually favorable, and decision makers are always in attendance. Regardless of a player’s level of ability (assuming that he is a college prospect) I always advise HS players to try and develop JuCo interest first, and go from there. You never know when a JuCo connection will help out.
Adbono
Very true. Our Northern Calif. SR Summer team was a “farm team” for SRJC program. Each year we sent six to nine players to the JC.
We played our Home games at the JC.
In our California Summer League, 40 players played in the MLB. Pro scouts and College Coaches at every game.
Bob
@ClevelandDad posted:I know D1 is getting all the attention right now because of TV coverage but as the season progresses and especially when college playoffs start, the other divisions of baseball can be watched. Some of the best/most exciting games I've ever seen were in college playoff games including JUCO, D3, D2, or otherwise.
Some D3 and NAIA have been playing for 3 weeks already, and livestreams are pretty standard at all levels now, although the quality varies a lot. So, there's a lot to follow right now!
Someone could make money (probably not a lot) putting together a customizable site where you could pick all the teams you follow, at all levels, and it would give you schedule, game results, links to box scores and video, etc.
@PABaseball posted:If you don't mind me asking - how did your son end up choosing Crowder? Was that the local school or was he recruited by other top jucos as well? Were there D1s in the mix?
I know how good the top jucos are. Always wondered how they did their recruiting for non transfers.
He had a few low D1 offers and a lot of Juco offers including some top ones like Iowa Western and Walters. He chose Crowder for a few reasons. His showcase director advised him to over lower D1’s. They recruited him the hardest. Plus, they had a great track record of taking guys like him who topped 86-88 but could pitch and adding velocity and moving them up to higher D1’s or draft picks. Crowder is really good at identifying talent. They find a lot of guys who may not fit some of the D1 metrics but are good baseball players.
Some really good family friends/friends of my son had great starts to their college careers today and this weekend. Super excited for all of them!
Just got back from 2022's trip out to Cali. They didn't do well, but weren't expected to. Son did make his debut in a mop up roll. Went 1.1IP, didn't give up a run, 1H, but was effectively wild ;-).
While I made it back team's flight was cancelled. Half the team stayed in Cali and half flew to Seattle where they likely (I just landed myself so not sure) missed their connecting flight and have to find another. I *think* my son is part of the Seattle crew. Guess he's not giving the 9a class presentation he was supposed to.
Really happy for a former teammate of son's (RipkenFanSon was a senior when player was a freshman.) Player earned a bachelor's degree and committed to a SEC program for a graduate degree. Heard he would compete for a starting position. He started 2 games at second and the middle one at SS opening weekend. Went 5 for 11 as team took 2 of 3. Great consolation for a nice young man who lost nearly 2 seasons (2 conference seasons) to covid.
@ClevelandDad posted:I am now watching UNC Charlotte versus Ball State. Why? The head Coach is Robert Woodard - former UNC great and now head coach. His Dad is Prepster (hsbbweb moniker) who is still a member here. I've been looking for Prepster in the stands but have not spotted him yet. Ball State up 1-0 top four.
Sorry for the delay, CD. I must have been wearing my stealth outfit Friday night. 
Two tips of the cap to Ball State's pitchers, Trennor O'Donnell and Ryan Brown, who held a pretty stout Charlotte lineup to 3 hits on the night and prevailed 2-1. The remaining three games went in the other direction for them, but that Ball State team is going to win plenty of games the remainder of the season. They just missed the NCAA tournament last year after winning 40 games and the MAC's regular season; coming up short in the conference's tournament. (I could go off here on my dislike of automatically making any conference's tournament winner the conference champion, but I won't. )
I'd also like to take this opportunity to wish all HSBW'ers' sons all the luck in the world this season; especially when it comes to staying healthy!
Good opening weekend for both. One thing I was surprised to see - zero coaching on the base paths. One run games and the lead runner on second is two feet off the bag. Coach not telling him to get more. Ball in the dirt nobody even attempting to advance. Just really odd and pretty disappointing.
Sitting in the Phoenix airport waiting to fly home. Took the first two including an upset overTennessee but backed that up with losses to Michigan and Michigan St. Thats the life of a mid major. Son is still recovering so not sure when he will be available.
@d-mac posted:Sitting in the Phoenix airport waiting to fly home. Took the first two including an upset overTennessee but backed that up with losses to Michigan and Michigan St. Thats the life of a mid major. Son is still recovering so not sure when he will be available.
They played great. We are still trying to figure some things out. Tough to replace every fielder from previous year even with great pitching. And not having 2 transfers who will start. Plus way too many errors. GCU will be in regionals. Great team.
My new second favorite team is GCU. I watched the game (was on MLB)!
My son is a senior at Salisbury. He plays CF.
@BDA posted:My son is a senior at Salisbury. He plays CF.
Son of a family friend (who I coached) is a senior and team captain at Haverford. We were discussing The Ford’s schedule the other night and up popped Salisbury - who I know is a very good D3 team. But the name alone led us to a lengthy discussion about TV dinners in the 70s & 80s. And play on words that was entertaining for us but probably wouldn’t be for some. Your mention reminded me of that and brought a smile to my face. Go steaks?!?
@BDA posted:My son is a senior at Salisbury. He plays CF.
That is the understatement of the thread.
https://twitter.com/suseagulls.../1627377112335400960
He definitely had a good opening weekend @MidAtlanticDad
@adbono posted:Son of a family friend (who I coached) is a senior and team captain at Haverford. We were discussing The Ford’s schedule the other night and up popped Salisbury - who I know is a very good D3 team. But the name alone led us to a lengthy discussion about TV dinners in the 70s & 80s. And play on words that was entertaining for us but probably wouldn’t be for some. Your mention reminded me of that and brought a smile to my face. Go steaks?!?
I am stuck thinking about the Swanson dinner with the original aluminum foil tray
@2022NYC posted:I am stuck thinking about the Swanson dinner with the original aluminum foil tray
Yes, the Swanson Hungry Man dinner!
I am thinking about the 2021 D3 CWS winners...
@BDA posted:He definitely had a good opening weekend @MidAtlanticDad
Friend's son is on Cortland, I think you smacked him around a bit ;-)
They are a strong team. The boys did not take them lightly.
I’ve often found the more humble the parent, the better the player. Not always but often.
BDA - your son passes the eye test in every way. He looks like a big leaguer to me. I will not be surprised if he plays on the biggest stage someday.
@ClevelandDad we will see. Since the 20 round draft started only a couple of D3 position players have been drafted but thanks for the kind words.
Go Kavi!! You know we are in his/your corner!!