Well it is that time of year again (at least down south). First day of practice is next Friday.
Son's (2025) team is "expected" to have another good season. All starters except for one from the 2023 Area Champion team are returning. Only lost 3 seniors total. Returners: 1 So. 4 Jr. 7 Sr.
Hope everyone is looking forward to the new season as I am.
When does everyone else start? What do you think the seasons will look like.
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We had our first official umpire training last night (FL) ;-) Oh wait - you meant the kids!! We'll be on the field in late Jan / early Feb with season around 12-Feb.
For those that care - a couple of rule changes / adjustments... One allowing electronic communication from dugout to catcher, minor adjustment to game mgmt (unruly spectators cannot be reason for forfeit), the cheat sheet wristbands have to be single, solid color and worn on forearm, but not pitching arm (and not white, gray, or "distracting"), and a speed up rule alteration (don't need to hand the ball to umpire to place on rubber - that's a softball thing). To "whom" something is "distracting" is a gray area which I suspect will only matter at pivotal points in the game or to get in some pitchers head.
Without umpires there would be no games. You are just as important to the season. IMO
Love the new comm rule. Should make things move faster. No longer have to get the number from the coach, look at the wristband, give sign to the pitcher. Now it's hear it, give sign and go. This should make pitchers that like to work fast (like mine when he pitches) a little happier.
Still early conditioning/lifting/open gym phase here with tryouts in late February. Son, a 2026, played JV last year and has a very decent shot at Varsity. Still, he'll have two large grades of players ahead of him, with a large returning class of seniors. Large public high school, so you are considered lucky to just make a team at his school. He is just working hard so he earns the chance to play as much as possible.
Tryouts are in the beginning of March here. Winter workouts going well. Tuesday, coach will list who the starters are going to be as of that day and will update it every two weeks. First scrimmage is March 11th. Son has been hitting really well and doing well defensively too. He is only a 2027 so most likely will be a crossover (jv and varsity) although the coach did tell him he will be giving a couple of the seniors a run for their money. I’m excited to say the least.
@Dadof3 posted:Tuesday, coach will list who the starters are going to be as of that day and will update it every two weeks.
Can I ask about this? I've never heard of anything like that. Is the point to motivate everyone to work harder?
@anotherparent posted:Can I ask about this? I've never heard of anything like that. Is the point to motivate everyone to work harder?
Sounds like a plan to get everyone in before season.
I guess a number of colleges do this. Yes, I think it is a way to motivate kids. Also, it will eliminate any surprises I’m thinking.
I like the idea. I think it works.
So, just to clarify: this is, "if the season started tomorrow, here's who the starters would be."
Not, "here's who is starting in the scrimmages this week."
Correct. Season doesn’t start until 3/15 or so
That is, first scrimmage not until March 15th or thereabouts. Tryouts March 4th or around there.
Not a fan of this approach. Playing little mind games for no discernible reason in a sport that doesn't work that way. Plus, I feel like it's hard enough to make decisions after a whole preseason of trying out and working out. Why do that to yourself every week?
Maybe to motivate kids to try and work harder to earn the spot? I guess some colleges take this approach?
@PTWood posted:Not a fan of this approach. Playing little mind games for no discernible reason in a sport that doesn't work that way. Plus, I feel like it's hard enough to make decisions after a whole preseason of trying out and working out. Why do that to yourself every week?
Also, not a fan of this, specifically posting a roster. And 100% agree, baseball is not like other sports and motivation in this manner is not conducive to development. I've seen coaches use this little mind game to give the kids he already knows are making the team a "kick in the pants" at what ends up being at the expense of the players he "acknowledges" (gaslighting).
I think if you are going to have winter practices you should also be having conversations with those participating in them, since these are the real tryouts anyway. Expectations and evaluations can be handled in private with goals.
Kids know when a coach is full of BS because their actions don't follow in line with their words.
Up here, tryouts will be late march, season starts first week of April. Winter practices before school and strength training after school have been going on since Late November.
@TxballDad posted:Well it is that time of year again (at least down south). First day of practice is next Friday.
Son's (2025) team is "expected" to have another good season. All starters except for one from the 2023 Area Champion team are returning. Only lost 3 seniors total. Returners: 1 So. 4 Jr. 7 Sr.
Hope everyone is looking forward to the new season as I am.
When does everyone else start? What do you think the seasons will look like.
It's funny how when your son graduates you pretty much lose all insight or knowledge of what is going on in the high school baseball world. LOL. I have talked to a few people about the season here and there, but really haven't followed much. I guess when the season starts, I will go watch a couple of Woodlands games when I am not coaching (got roped back into travel ball). But from what I am hearing on this side of town, Tomball looks to be loaded this year with Arrambide and the young players they had last year. I hear they have another round of freshman studs this year and more in the pipeline for the next year or two.
With the returning players son's team has, this may be the best team in a long time and the best team they will have for some time coming. There doesn't seem to be a lot of players in the pipeline coming in (could be wrong). The team made the top 30 in the state list for division. Don't think that has happened before. If the boys can stay heathy and focused, it could turn out to be a great year. They seem to have all the pieces this year.
The day is here. First day for Texas HS practices.
@HSDad22 posted:I think if you are going to have winter practices you should also be having conversations with those participating in them, since these are the real tryouts anyway. Expectations and evaluations can be handled in private with goals.
They are absolutely real tryouts. Firmly convinced that the coaches last year knew heading into official tryouts what they wanted to do, based on how it played out. The coaches had very much already sized up the boys based on the winter workouts.
The boy's first 100% bullpen since shutdown was today. 15 pitches, FB only. 92-94, T95. Practice starts March 4th.
Son's school tryouts were broken into 3 groups. First group was all new incoming Fr, players that didn't make the team last year that wanted to try again, and players that had not tried out before. Second group was returning JV. Third was returning Varsity (more of a practice). 4 returning JVs were asked to practice with Varsity to see if they were a fit. For the JV and Varsity groups, you could see the players that work hard in summer and fall to get better.
Tryouts started at the end of last week but the weather hasn’t cooperated. It’s not clear yet whether it might need to extend into this weekend but I’m guessing they won’t have a choice but to hunt for sunny days asap.
It is a completely different year as a sophomore. Last year, as an incoming Freshman, it was critical to make the team as validation of the youth rings we’ve accumulated 🤣. After playing very lackluster sub-varsity competition in HS last spring and then top tier competitive summer ball, HS baseball doesn’t seem that important to me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing and crazy fun and I love watching my son play, but it is more of a treading water until the real show begins in summer. TexasLeftySon plays for a pretty competitive HS (make playoffs every year and usually advance a round and almost 2 every year before getting bounced in close games).
There is an outside chance to make varsity this year but he’d be outside the top 4 pitchers as we have some talented upper class-men pitchers. I’d prefer him to cruise at the JV level this year and get lots of mound time and ABs as he’s still starting as a two-way.
What I’m really wondering is whether his fall trajectory will continue while under the HS program. He made big gains in every aspect of his game and physical fitness this fall. The HS tryout delay has also taken him out of his workout schedule and bullpen schedule, which he dictates, but I quietly monitor. I’m silently disappointed in that.
Watching JV ball freshman year was hell. Once he was playing varsity soph year it was fun. It was cool when he was competing against his travel teammates.
One game my son stoled second a second time. He signaled 2 for 2 at his travel teammate catcher. The catcher signaled back 2-0. It was the score. His team was ahead.
Son's team was able to get through initial tryouts Fri and Sat (determined the first cut). They were able to get on the field to hit Monday night but, have not touched the field since and probably won't till next week from rain and flooded field.
Team selection normally continues until before the first game when uniforms are handed out. This was hard for son not knowing if he made varsity until he got his uniforms. Most of the players know by who they are practicing with, one of the 2 JVs or with Varsity. However, there are some player that are on the bubble of the next level up, that practice with the higher team, that don't not find out till uniform day.
Playing against travel teammates is fun. One of the tournaments that is scheduled, has four of the teams entered each with one player from son's travel team from last summer.
Last year at the Area championship, the starting pitcher for the other team is one of the guys that my son caught all summer.
Due to coaching changes at my son's school we know very little of what the jv season will bring. He is a freshman and there are alot of good sophomores so he probably won't play much. My son knew the former jv coach well and has played for him before. I had a fair amount of confidence he would make the team before but now anything could happen as there is new leadership. We don't know much about the new guy.
Our season doesn't start for a while so there is time. Son is working hard, goes to all the workouts offered by school plus trains on his own alot and is one of those kids who just enjoys being with his teammates and the daily practices for school ball.
So for freshman year just participating combined with a competitive summer season should be enough.
Best wishes to all the players through tryouts and into the season. I hope all players are at least given a fair opportunity to tryout. Grades, character, tools, work ethic, leadership...these are things that a coach should consider. It saddens me when I hear about decisions being made before the season starts. I just saw a HS post their team GPA for the fall semester...they haven't even had tryouts (I know because the state HS athletic associate sets the earliest date that tryouts can be held).
@RJM posted:Watching JV ball freshman year was hell.
This was exactly how I felt freshman year (last year) watching JV. The goal did not necessarily seem to be to win (philosophy definitely seems to differ from Varsity). We had not felt so frustrated watching baseball since house league (which son had not played since he was 9-years-old when he started playing full time travel). So so baseball in poor weather (punctuated by a game with a snow delay) is not much fun. Hoping this year is better.
@ILoveBaseball04 posted:This was exactly how I felt freshman year (last year) watching JV. The goal did not necessarily seem to be to win (philosophy definitely seems to differ from Varsity). We had not felt so frustrated watching baseball since house league (which son had not played since he was 9-years-old when he started playing full time travel). So so baseball in poor weather (punctuated by a game with a snow delay) is not much fun. Hoping this year is better.
My son’s JV team was good. They wouldn’t have come in last in the varsity league. Neither would the one team they lost to twice.
My son started on varsity soph year. A couple more sons came up mid season. Other JV guys came up junior year and helped win back to back conference titles. It was the competition that stunk. There was only one other good team they played twice. The JV team was 16-2.
Given the best freshmen played JV I can’t imagine what watching a freshman team game would have been like. In the years my son was in high school only one late bloomer freshman team pitcher ultimately made varsity.
Just received the full spring schedule. 33 total games to include scrimmages and tournaments (Tournament games were also included 2 four game and 1 five game). Then on to playoffs.
Those that have your schedules what does the game count look like?
19 Games 2 scrimmages. Starting 4/8 ending 5/24. Then Playoffs which I believe is 3 games to the championship.
We can now play 26 regular season games, which is up form 20 in years past. We start the season March 15th traveling to Dallas for 2 games.
30 games. 5 scrimmages.
Scrimmages are going good. 2 down so far. Team is looking great. Players are being moved around a lot. Son played some OF for the first time since he was 10.
How is everyone else scrimmages going?
Practicing outside today. Going to be 49 and sunny! Supposed to be going live. "try outs" are in a month. First scrimmage shortly after.
@TxballDad posted:Scrimmages are going good. 2 down so far. Team is looking great. Players are being moved around a lot. Son played some OF for the first time since he was 10.
How is everyone else scrimmages going?
Inept just like most of the HS coaching and most of HS baseball except for the top tier HS programs. Edit: they are batting the entire lineup including POs in scrimmages makes no sense
Our team makes the playoffs every year and usually makes it to the second round but it always ends there, but it’s really the lack of development and bloated rosters that contribute to that. I’m wondering after watching a few early scrimmages if my son should consider sitting out to train outside of the program. I’ll start another thread.
Season begins on March 21st with 24 games on the schedule plus 2 pre-season scrimmages. Being a very small school, the team lacks depth, particularly on the mound (2 legitimate starters), so it will be "all hands on deck" for several games. No trip to Florida this year, which is fine by us parents as our daughter's club volleyball season will be in full-swing.
The playoff schedule format definitely helps our pitching staff, so there is a good opportunity to make a run if everyone stays healthy. Two of the last 3 state champs in our class knocked the boys out. Just getting out of our district is challenge!
Good luck to all your boys!
2027 son just hit a 94.5 Exit velocity off a pitching machine ball. He has a few over 90 now with that being his highest. Just got him a baseball focused strength trainer as well.
2025 son's team has first 2 preseason games next week.
Just finished his first varsity basketball season last night. Went from JV bench warmer to starting every game this year on varsity. So that was a pleasant surprise.
It will be interesting to see if / how spending so much time on basketball will impact his baseball.
They made him a PO for now and was told he will be starting one of the games next week.
Will be hard to go from loud and excited basketball crowds full of students to baseball where it's basically just families.
Just thankful he made it through the season healthy and he had a blast playing basketball in front of his friends.
@DaddyBaller posted:Just thankful he made it through the season healthy and he had a blast playing basketball in front of his friends.
Just out of curiosity, how much weight did he lose during the basketball season?
Innocent question that cuts deep.😁
He's rail thin to begin with. Been telling him for years that lack of strength is going to be his downfall.
No commitment to weight training or diet.
He is 6'3 and floats between 165 to 170 lbs. Very athletic. Sub 7 runner, can do trick dunks, but lacks strength.
So while I don't think he lost much weight, he definitely did not gain ANYTHING as basketball has been pretty much Non-Stop since Thanksgiving.
Claims he was sitting 85 in his last "loose & easy bullpen." He thinks he will be around 90 by the end of the season?
I've stopped fighting and just let him do his thing.
