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Hey everyone,

I'm coming to y'all about something that has really been weighing on me lately and I needed to get it off my chest and get help. I don't know what to do about finding a summer team to play on. As a RHP from a small D3 school in Virginia only throwing mid to low 80's, it's extremely hard to find a team. I spent last summer after my freshman year of college playing for a Palomino team close to home that went to the Palomino World Series. It was a team comprised of D1 commits that could play ball so it was a fun experience.

Right now I'm searching hard for a summer team to take a chance on me and give me an opportunity to show what I can do. I've emailed just about every GM or coach of any summer team along the East Coast and had one or two tell me they would keep me in mind..not very promising. I talked to hokieone about playing for him and he was an absolute class act but it doesn't look like it will be in the cards there either. I talked to my high school coach about it the other day and the one thing we kept talking about was how hard it is to find a team to take a shot on a guy like me who just doesn't throw as hard as some other guys. I have no doubt I'll be successful when I find a team but how do I go about finding one? I've been proactive but it's just not happening.

Really, the whole situation has been extremely depressing for me as a baseball player. It has definitely been the most trying time in my career so far. I'm one of the most passionate guys about this sport that you'll ever find and you'd be hard pressed to find another kid who loves this game as much as I do but recently I've just been brought down so much by this that I questioned whether to continue playing. I've run out of ideas for finding a team now. Coaches and GM's hear about my velo numbers and I completely understand where they are coming from and that it's risky to have a guy like me but how do I prove them wrong if no one gives me a shot? I need some help. All suggestions are welcomed at this point. I apologize if this whole post comes off as a mopey cry baby or something along those lines, I don't intend for it to be. Thank you for taking the time to read this,

ATP
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Hello Riot,

I enjoyed reading your post, and I am rooting for you to find a team. I hate to see anyone with your kind of passion give up the game.

Last summer, my son completed his freshman year at a DIII college. He too is a pitcher. Because of some arm issues, he had very few stats to parade around to summer league coaches, so he decided to come home to play ball for the summer.

He played in the Tri State Collegiate League. The teams are located in Ohio and Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh area). That might be a little closer to home than Arizona! Smile

It was a nice league, with a lot of D11 and DIII players, a few lower level DI's. The DIII player of the year actually played in the league. It seems to be designed for players who would like to stay closer to home to play, maybe to have a chance to work during the summer. There seemed to be all levels of talent. I do believe that the league has a website, if you are interested.

Just kind of putting this out there . . . what are the chances of getting together your own team? It would take some doing, and a good deal of commitment from some trusted adults, but maybe if you had a team in your local area, you could compete in the Tri State League.
Another pay for play league that is close to you is the Carolina Virginia Summer Baseball League. My son (a DII pitcher) has played in the league the last two years for two different teams. Most teams are comprised of a mixture of mainly DII and DIII players with a few DI players mixed in. There are two teams in Virginia, one in Roanoke and one in Danville.

Here is the link to the league website:

cvscl.com

Hope it works out for you.
Riot,
Don't give up. alh mentions the cvsl. There was a discussion ablut this league earlier (2010)

Here is a link to that thread:

[URL=Carolina/Virginia Summer Collegiate League]http://hsbaseballweb.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2706080091/m/119101604[/URL]

There ia also the MABL, not exactly Collegiate woodbat but still an opportunity to play:

http://www.charlottesvillemabl.com/mabl18teams.html

Charlottesville ahs a league and There are probably others around VA.
Last edited by BishopLeftiesDad
Just wanted to say thank you to those who responded. Actually after I got done posting this, I sat down and emailed every single team I could find from Alaska to Florida and have gotten some responses and offers to play so it looks like I'll have a team. This was definitely a trying time and it just goes to show that God answers prayers!

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