Does size matter???

While size may make a player visible and more projectible, he still has to be able to play the game. If a kid can play it doesn't matter what size he is. Here's a role model for your son. If your son is a guaranteed triple by reaching first, you might want to reconsider the level of competition he's playing against. I know kids who fly (6.5 to 6.8 60's) who aren't guaranteed triples.

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Size does matter in order to get the first look. Beyond the first look, fundamentals are a necessity. As your son grows and matures, he will gain power. Keep working on the fundamentals and as previously mentioned, get him in a competitive program.

I assume he plays a middle infield position?

Thanks, RJM! That does help. QQ - what did you mean by saying he should reconsider the level of competition he is playing against? I am a bit new to this level of competitiveness, so I am not up on all the lingo.

Roll-it-up, my son is currently the center fielder, but also does play 2nd, short, 3rd, and even sometimes pitches. Though, he won't be a pitcher as he gets older. His strengths are in center/short/2nd.

What kind of summer baseball program is he playing? I didn't give much consideration to how well my son played in middle school and JV's (frosh year). A lot of those kids were reaching the end of their playing days. I evaluate how my son plays against top level travel competition and high school varsity ball.

Oh, I see. He plays for a top-notch tournament team. But other than that, I don't know how to rank it. They are playing at the top of their age group though. But you're right, he's only 14 so he doesn't have the level of competition he needs yet. I see him doing well as he gets older, but only time will tell if that's the case.

yes.

quote:

My 14-year old son is small. He is only 4'11 and weights 84

My son was almost the exact size at 14. Now at 19 hes 6'0 and 175. did his small size matter at the time, yes at times he got overlooked, but it motivated him, and now 5 years later he is doing very well. And has begun to hit homeruns. So ever say never. Just as time goes on he has to work hard every day.

fanofgame - it's funny you say that your son's previous size motivated him to try harder. My son tells me he likes being small because people underestimate him and then he's able to prove them wrong. I am glad he has that attitude because he could be very self-conscious of it.

I do see his lack-of-strength possibly being a problem for him when up-to-bat. He very rarely strikes out, but usually only hits singles. Which is fine because he can steal his way around the bases, but at the same time, his speed is what gets him on base a lot opposed to solid hits. Maybe he just needs to find a way to utilize strategy opposed to relying on strength?

I think he needs to do both. Stenght is a very important component of the game as you move up.
As an example a ball up the middle that a player can get to but doesnt quite have to strenght, arm strenght included to make the throw from the hole.Strenght on every level comes into play with baseball. Because if you are smll, you better be strong.There will be so many fast guys as your son goes up the ladder,my son went to a pro try out last week, a guy there ran a 6.2 60.That is freakish speed,so those guys are out there.He was from a PAC 10 school.
Have your son begin a workout program, since hes small , go to a trainer that knows what hes doing. Lots of weight isn't needed , just repetition with light weights to start.My son began in 8th grade, very light weight,and little by little over the years he has put on good solid muscle.It helps with fielding, strenght and even speed.
Working on your body is overlooked by many, and as much baseball these kids play, it is ofetn overlooked.Being strong, having good core strength helps reduce injuries down the road.
I beleive the workout programs my son has done over the years, is one of the most important aspects of helping him to be a better player.

The program my son plays for currently has them doing strength conditioning and it's definitely helping. He overthrew the ball a couple weeks ago (fortunately, just at practice) because he didn't realize that he was getting stronger. It was actually pretty funny.

He does not do weights now so that is definitely something he can try. He looks like a little boy still, but he has to grow at some point.

Thanks for your input!

Your welcome,he will grow , trust me.
Enjoy him playing. dont start a weight program on your own, if you can afford it have a trainer set something up.You want to be carefulwith growth plates etc.
Weight lifting doesnt have to be huge amts of weights.My son started with a one pound dumbell when he was ten, he wanted muscles lol, and i didnt want him hurt.But he faithfully used that dumbell and eventually got up to a heavier one.
A good trainer will use alot of theri own body strenth and not just weights.Lots of med balls and cool stuff that builds all the muscle groups.
I wish you the best with your son, tell him to keep plugging away,the extra work will pay off , trust me.If you have any ohter questions feel free to private messgae me.

He is getting all at his strength conditioning and although he looks so small still, he is excited about his 'guns'. Oh brother....

Thanks for the offer. I just may take you up on it.

Here is a story that shows you do not have to be 6' and 225 to excel.
http://allshoremedia.live.subh...om/articles/20090613

here is my take... it may be wrong we are just getting in the starting gate but I'm basing it on life expereinces...

The more tools of the 5 the less size matters. If you have size and are five tool you have no issues. BY this I mean you can look at many examples of prospects who had size and were 5 tool players with poor attitudes and their attitude was overlooked.

If you have no size and are an Eckstein type player you need someone who believes in you, ie its not what you are perceived as but who you know.

It is interesting to me when you look at the history of this great game how many undersized players made it to the bigs. As I said I am just starting the journey with my son but what this shows me is that stats dont lie.. when you make it past getting drafted. If you can hit and not make a ton of errors at your postion you have a chance.

This is perhaps one of the most debated topics here at the hsbbweb. Here is a recent one from the pre-high school forum:

Size DOES Matter

Eckstein is a good example of someone overcoming their size limitations. I think better examples are hall of famers Joe Morgan and Yogi Berra who were listed at 5-7 and 5-8, respectively. Not only were they great at their positions but they had some home run pop in their bats as well. Talent is always the final arbitrater.

Size matters but so does talent, but at 14 I really wouldn't worry about it. And you have no clue at this age what his position will actually be someday.

Try to enjoy these younger years for what they are, a time for your son to have fun and you as well.

Yesterday I watched the UVA-LSU game in the College World Series. A very small freshman player for UVA, Keith Werman, went gangbusters at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI as he set a career high in hits. Werman, who is 5'7" and weighs only 140, is an infielder and catcher who has battled his way into the UVA lineup in recent weeks. For the season, he has 65 at bats and is hitting .400! Here is some additional information about him:

* 2008 Washington Post Northern Virginia Player of the Year
* Named First-Team All-Met, All-State, All-Region and All-District as senior
* Did not commit an error or passed ball during his junior or senior seasons
* Hit .435 as senior and .521 as junior
* District Player of the Year and team MVP as junior
* Named First-Team All-State as designated hitter and First-Team All-Region and All-District as catcher his junior year
* Brother played baseball at UVa (2001-05), signed with the New York Mets and played independent ball with the Washington Wild Things. He currently is an assistant coach at George Mason.
* He is ambidextrous – once pitched a seven-inning complete game, throwing 3.1 innings left handed and 3.2 right handed to get the win

In Werman's case, size does not matter!!

Here's another one, 2nd article down on the link. Recently named Freshman All-American and playing on the Cape this summer.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn...d=3957910&type=story

I wouldn't get too worried about it at this point although it is a common concern. I was talking to a former MLB pitcher. Neither of our wives is all that tall. He was concerned that his son wasn't too tall yet. My son is now relatively tall but was the same height as his son at that age. You never know and if both of you are fairly tall then he's got a fair chance of growing some more.

BTW, we also know of a family with a very talented older son who took their short younger son to a doctor and told him he had the choice of prescribing HGH or having them get it on the black market. I certainly wouldn't recommend that approach, but if you are both fairly tall, 4'11" seems a bit undersized at 14 and you might want to look into your options with a reputable doctor.

Not for Ben Orloff...all 5'11" of him

UC Irvine senior Ben Orloff was named the recipient of the 2009 Brooks Wallace Award, given to the top collegiate shortstop in the nation, on Saturday by the College Baseball Foundation.

“Ben Orloff is literally on the shortest list of the best and most complete baseball players I have coached, seen or known,” UC Irvine coach Mike Gillespie said.

http://www.venturacountystar.c...tions-top-shortstop/

Good idea to have a doctor check just in case. Son had a teammate who was close to this size at 14, was pound for pound the best player. Did not hit doubles like son, but could bunt, field and rarely struck out. He did eventually grow to 5ft 9 inches as a senior and hit one out his last home game. Many kids are just late in maturing, I've seen college guys who don't shave yet.

My husband (6'2) and stepson (6'4) both had their growth spurts the summer before 10th grade. So if my son follows suit, that will be next year. Though, my grandfather and father-in-law are both short, hence my concern about it. Though, concern is too strong a word for how I feel, but I couldn't think of another word to use.

I am really enjoying this time and not putting a lot of thought into his future. I do think about it though and just want to make sure we are well-prepared and well-informed.

I do appreciate the articles and advice that I have been given. It looks like my son is on the right track to go as far as his talent will take him - whatever that may be. So thank you!

While I do believe that size gets you noticed I also feel that talent is ultimately what keeps you there.

However with that being said I compared the first 40 LHP and RHP taken in this years draft. As you might imagine SIZE DID MATTER.

LHP:

5' 10" - 1
6' 0" - 3
6' 1" - 3
6' 2" - 10
6' 3" - 18
6' 4" - 3
6' 5" - 1
6' 6" - 1

So 28 out of 40 (70%) were either 6' 2" or 6' 3" tall and all but one were 6 feet or taller. (Told my son he has to stop growing at 6' 3"...lol)

RHP:

5' anything - zero
6' 0" - 3
6' 1" - 3
6' 2" - 8
6' 3" - 7
6' 4" - 13
6' 5" - 3
6' 6" - 3

If anything they like righties even taller then lefties!! 34 out of 40 were 6'2" or taller.

I'm sure that there were plenty of smaller pitchers taken lower on in the draft that will end up out performing some of these guys but fact is the big bucks will go to the bigger more physically imposing players.

Looks like my 6'2" son has 3 choices:
1. Switch to throwing lefty.
2. Grow a couple inches.
3. List himself as a couple inches taller than he is.

My 5'9" son is only measured with NEW cleats on.

Yes, the pro scouts do tend to like more physically mature (i.e. bigger) players, but there are plenty of success stories for smaller players in the college ranks. Two pretty good freshmen in the SEC this season were a pair of little guys that didn't appear much bigger than 5-6: LSU 3B Tyler Hanover and South Carolina LHP Nolan Belcher. They showed talent and desire can be as important as size.

quote:

Originally posted by ken:
My 5'9" son is only measured with NEW cleats on.

Can't lose that 1/8 of an inch where they're worn down! I noticed my son was taller than me standing on concrete in cleats. His response, "Get used to it. I'm only sixteen."

2nd basemen for Virginia was 5'7 and 140 pounds. Started and played as a freshmen.Pretty solid player if you got the chance to watch.

Cleats on! 6'4" it is.

Whats more important than how tall you are? Everything that really matters.

How well you can hit.
How strong your arm is.
How well you can field.
How accurate your arm is.
How much power you have at the plate.
How fast you are.
How fast you can play.
How good you are at actually playing the game.
How tough you are.
How smart you are.
How you make adjustments during the game.
How you make adjustments from game to game.
How you make adjustments from level to level in the game.
How hard you work at getting better.
How bad you want to work at getting better.
How you handle adversity because it will come.
How you handle success.
How you handle failure.
How you well you stay focused from lifes distractions.
How you choose your friends.
How you get along with your team mates.

Man I could go on and on with this list.

I have yet to see a boxscore where it listed how tall the kid was that struck out 15 and got the win. Or the boxscore where it listed the guy that was 4-4 was 6-2.

My son is 6-1 in his bare feet and around 225 and very strong especially for a freshman in college. But his size will have absolutely nothing to do with how good of a player he ultimately ends up being. But all the things listed above will weigh heavily into that equation.

The same with your kids as well.

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I am right with you Coach May.

Improve EVERTHING you can improve, don't worry about your size or the size of the compeptition or the draft...trust me you've easily got MORE than enough to keep you busy improving. Height is too often a scapegoat, like politics. I watch players of all sizes fail for three main reasons...and its not height and often not talent.

First, Player often fail to recognize the wonderful opportunity they have been given and make the most of what is right with their situation. Instead, focusing on the politics, and the height of players and the problems.

Case #1: The second best player on a very high end team, 5'5" fast as lightning, agreesive, hard nosed, had a DI scholarship dropped abck to JC to get more PT. Will start and star...Coach asks him to cut his hair, quits in protest.

Second, Players often fail becasue they will not pay the price. Most often this is discpline and focus to do what it takes/is required when what is required is not always easy or "fun" or when their are other distractions. Who wants to get A's to keep the doors open? Who wants to take 18 units? Who wants to get up early day after day for weights? Who wants to work on their day off? Who wants to work hard to eeek out the last bit of speed and agility? Lots of players talk a good game in this respect, the reality is that few follow through.

Case #2: 5'11" Pre Season All American, falls off the academic chart in the fall, becomes ineligible. Blames his roomate.

Third, Players often fail because they face adversity and refuse to respond in a positive manner. Who wants to momentarily see failure as an opportunity to learn and use it to motivate? Who wants to work on handling failure and challenege, to learn to use it as a tool? Rememebr every player fails, every player is challeneged...the difference is how you respons.

Case #3: Player works hard but gets precious little PT. Next year he ups the ante, player elicits an assistant coach out every Sunday morning for two hours personal work out's on all his weakness. Assistant coach loves it as he gets a chance to make a difference, to coach. Player goes from the end of the bench to all conference, the next level notices....gets a DI scholarship.

Case #4: 6' pitcher gets DI scholarship...pitches 1/3 of an inning his entire freshman year, school refuses to try to work a redshirt and pulls his scholarship...limps back to JC...all conference pitcher of the year, all state...gets offered another scholarship at a higher end DI...but lost two classes in the transfer...has to take 2 summer school classes to get enrolled...does so.

True stories, same team, same year.

44
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Coach May good post.
You have to seperate college and pro when talking about size and ability.

Another thing to remember is that for each level you go, there are a different set of rules. Yes, pro ball prefers taller faster pitchers, many college coaches do not. Position players, my son's college coach likes the smaller compact, faster guys who find a way on base, because he plays a lot of small ball. And if you look at his lineup, lefty's rule. Some programs like bigger heavier guys who hit the long ball.
Remember in recruiting you are recruited mainly based on the programs NEEDS and how they play their game. Sometimes it's good to evaluate what you do best, and then seek those programs that "fit" you as a player. If you are a RHP throwing mid 80's and the teams pitchers are hitting mid 90's, or you are 5'8" and everyone is way over 6ft why the he ll are you set on that is the only place you want to go play? Then you get into a situation just like we recently read about (from Vinny) and you sit, you get mad, your folks get mad, said the coach lied, etc.

Regardless of the situation your height will not be the determining factor. Of course MLB prefers guys be 6'3 he ll they would prefer all of them to be 6'10 and throw 100 plus with command. But the determining factor will be how successful you are actually playing the game.

Some worry about height and think if their son has it he is going to be just fine. Some worry about height and think if their son does not have it he is done. Forget about what you can not control and focus on what you can control.

The bottom line is "can you play the game?" If not your height means nothing. If you can it still means nothing.

If a college coach prefers his pitchers to be 6-2 or taller but they cant throw strikes , cant get anyone out , does he still run those guys out there? If he has a pitcher thats 5'9 and throws strikes and gets guys out does he sit him because he is not 6-2? If so dont worry he wont be coaching very long.

TPM

I do not understand your logic---are you saying that Maddux, Pedro and Johan won't succeed?

C'mon now--if a pitcher can pitch they could care less how tall the player is.

We have two rising seniors on our team , on is a 6-4 lefty and a 5-10 righty--both throw high upper 80's and are great students---got the same college coaches talking to both of them--I guess those coaches are height blind!

I loved Coach May's post.

IF your son is a position player, his first item (IMHO) trumps all else:

How well you can hit.

I believe (and have seen with my own eyes) that if you can hit, a coach (in almost every case) is going to find a spot in the lineup for you.

Kudos Coach May!!!!

jb

My last son was a "hitter" --played major Division I ball--- played all three outfield positions and DH'd as well

When you can hit you do not sit out too many games

The average height of the WBC championship team was 5-10 and 180 lbs. The championship team before that was 5-10 180.

So size does not seem to matter to win a championship, but to get your foot in the door at college and in the MLB, it sure does help.

Our son has always been one of the smallest, if not the smallest, player on every team he's played on since he started playing baseball at 10, and he has always been a regular starter because of his batting and fielding ability (he's not the fastest either).

Would recommend that smaller pitchers work on having superior arm strength and smaller position players work on superior speed and hitting. Even so, the arm should never be a liability.