How many baseball teams has your son played on

Are you bragging or complaining? However, it looks like four of them are the same program (LL) and two travel teams are just filling in when needed.

My kids have never been on more than two teams with very little overlap in play during middle school. Rec in the spring and summer travel when they were younger. Then school and a travel team when they hit middle and high school. My son filled in during summer vacations on a couple of teams playing up when he was 13U for the challenge.

Edad,
Welcome to the board.
If you mean the calendar year instead of the May 1st season it would be:
79 games 12U travel January through June
23 LL including AS April through June
12 games JO three tournaments September/November
10 games 13U two tournament October/November
8 games 14U two tournaments October
Numerous scrimmages at each level except JO and 14U

So I guess 5 teams this calendar year. We will stay with the 13U the rest of the year. It is his primary team and he won't fill in for anybody else the rest of the year and probably not until after June '08. But you never know.
And don't worry about TG/RJM, he is always looking for a fight.

I was not bragging or complaining,just surprised
how many teams my kid has played on & wondering what
other kids played.
Thanks for the reply doughnutman

EC ...

I'm not looking for a fight. I didn't understand the angle of your question. I sometimes hear parents wear their kid's sports schedule like a badge. Others complain they feel it's the way it is just to keep their kid in the competition.

My feeling is find a good program and stick with it. Of course there's also school ball. Once in a while if a team needs a fill in player and the level is a challenge, why not?

My son got to play a couple of games with a 16U/JV prep summer team when he was thirteen filling in for summer vacations. He put himself on the high school radar screen with those two games.

One team Jan through Dec. Approximately 100 games and 14 to 15 tournaments. This team practices Tue and Thu with lessons on Tue and Wed. Wouldn't have it any other way though.

Wow! That is a lot of teams. Mine plays for just one. He did however play for his old coach to help him out in a tournament but he really plays for just one.

He loves this team and I can't imagine him wanting to play anywhere else.

Next year he will be in HS so I am sure he will do that during spring then travel ball in the summer/fall.

Mine played on
Middle School Team for season
High School Summer Team for 4 tournaments
Elite Tournament Team for Summer
18U Tournament Team during Summer
16U Tournament Team during Summer
16 and 18U Tournament Team during Fall
One weekend he played games for 3 different teams in three different tournaments.
He played on 7 different teams this year in approx. 100+ games.
Probably too many but great opportunities and great exposure.

How often did he practice?

Hi Folks:

We live in a colder climate and our season runs from May 1 to Sep 1. Last season my son (he will be 12YO in February) played in 54 games during that period.

As indicated earlier in this post, training and practise are very important to development. Last spring my son trained for the pre-season with three teams (two older and one the same age). The closest session was half an hour away and the longest was an hour and 15 minutes. This year it will be pretty much the same.

I have never seen my son as focussed as he seesm to be right now. Besides Rep basketball and HL Squash, we are training on Tuesday and Saturday's for Baseball a half hour away and then on Saturday afternoons we travel two hours each way for another clinic. They gunned his fastball last night and it has picked up a legitimate 3 mph since season-end (incredible)! WooHoo!

As can be seen below, he has played or worked out with a number of teams from both Canada and the USA. The new season is shaping up pretty good and it looks like he will get the chance to go to Cooperstown this summer.

He will probably go to the Bucky Dent camp again this winter and in years to come camps at Clemson and Tennessee (recommendations from folks here).

This is an excerp from my son's BB resume:

Training History:
Nov. 2003 – Begins training at Frozen Ropes (Guelph, ON).

Jan. thru May 2004 - Frozen Ropes an average of four days per week with numerous private lessons.

Jan. 2004 – Indoor training with Cambridge Minor Baseball (Greg Coughlin - former Jay)

Mar. 2004 – Catcher Training with Wayne Foreman at Baseball Zone (Mississauga)

Aug. 2004 – Rep Camp Frozen Ropes, Guelph

Oct. 2004 – thru Apr. 2005 Works out with Brantford Minor Mosquito team while still a Rookie.

Oct. 2004 – thru Apr. 2005 - Don Martins Winter Baseball School (Brantford).

Jan. 2004 – Pitching lessons at Frozen Ropes. Developed as a ¾ sidearm thrower (later changed to full overhand).

Jan. 2005 – Pitching lessons at Frozen Ropes.

Jan. 2006 – Catchers Clinic, Wayne Foreman, Baseball Zone, Mississauga

Aug. 2006 – Baseball Zone – Summer Camp Brampton (Primary Instructor: Paul Solarsky, Milwaukee Scout)

Aug. 2006 – Visual Mechanics Training (Hitting) – Ted Novio, Frozen Ropes, Boston

Aug. 2006 – Assisted Coach Walsh (shagging balls etc.) with Harvard University High School Try Outs at Boston

Sep. 2006 – Boys of Baseball (AB) – Training/Try Out Camp – Steve Cosgrove at Baltimore

Feb. 2007 – Catcher Training with Matt Stocco, Frozen Ropes, Guelph (Matt was picked by SD Padres in 2002 draft, currently with “A” Fort Wayne, IN, Wizards)

Feb. – Apr. 2007 – Team Training – Waterloo Major Mosquito Tier 2

Feb. – Apr. 2007 – Training (Minor PeeWee) Rick Calich, Waterdown

Mar. – Apr. 2007 – Overload/Hitting Training – Domenic Feroni – Stoney Creek

Mar. – Apr. 2007 – Development of Change-Up with John Benvie, Frozen Ropes, Guelph

Mar. 2007 – Bucky Dent March Break Camp, Del Ray, FL

Jun. 2007 – Pitching Lessons with Mel Melehes (former Olympic Pitcher) at Frozen Ropes

Jun. 2007 – Beginning to develop switch-hitting capability – Joel Lynch, Frozen Ropes, Guelph

July 2007 – Intercounty Terriers/Frozen Ropes High Performance Camp, Pearson Field, Guelph

Augusts 2007 – Duane Ward Pitching Clinic, Etobicoke

Oct. – Dec. 2007 – Winter BB with Frozen Ropes Guelph (2 days per week)

Oct. – Dec. 2007 – Winter Clinic with Scott Bullett (former Pittsburg Pirate and Chicago Cub), Welland

Playing History:
Summer 2002 – Plays organized baseball for the first time with Centre Wellington Fastball Club. Won Finals.

Summer 2003 – Did not play (Played S****r)

Summer 2004 – Plays for Centre Wellington Cougars and underage on a Centre Wellington fastball team.

Apr. 2005 - Tried out for Brantford Tier 1 Minor Mosquito (1 Yr. underage)-unsuccessful

May 2005 – Waterloo President agrees to place him in Minor Tyke House League (underage). Won Summer Tournament, Won Season, Won Finals. Selected to All Star Team for Labrys Cup in August 2005. Irv Mundt his coach continues to instruct him as a Pitcher. Batting Average 750.

Sep. 2005 – Successful at Try Outs with Bill Bychowski (at that time a Tampa Bay Devil Rays scout – now with Cincinnati Reds) at Georgetown

Feb. – May 2006 – Georgetown Minor Mosquito.

Jun. – Sep. 2006 – Waterloo Minor Mosquito. Batting Average 300

Sep. – Oct. 2006 – Participates with Lewiston-Porter LL Fall Ball to prepare for play with Boys of Baseball.

Nov. 2006 – Participates in Inferno Baseball’s indoor Turkey Shoot tournament in Depew, NY. Team is a finalist.

Dec. 2006 – Plays with Boys of Baseball National Travel team at tournament in Gainesville, FL. Team is formed with players from 6 states and 1 from Canada. Among other opponents they face are Alabama Viper Baseball Academy. His team is coached by Kevin Christman, a San Francisco Giants scout.

2007 – Waterloo Major Mosquito Tier 2. Batting Average 580, > 80 Innings pitched, > 50% K’s

Jun. 2007 – signed to Waterloo Minor PeeWee roster as a Call Up – pitched 4 innings one game.

That's all she wrote.

D

My son (12 yr old)played on 3 teams this season:

Cal Ripken including All-Stars

Cooperstown team

Step-up Fall ball team (big diamond)



Next year should be 3 as well, Middle School, AAU and Babe Ruth.

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Connell:
Elite Tournament Team for Summer

That's debatable!

Is he playing for the same team this coming summer as he did at 13u? Just wondering if we'll run accross the JC clan out there.

quote:

Originally posted by Notlongtilicantcatchim:
Hi Folks:

We live in a colder climate and our season runs from May 1 to Sep 1. Last season my son (he will be 12YO in February) played in 54 games during that period.

As indicated earlier in this post, training and practise are very important to development. Last spring my son trained for the pre-season with three teams (two older and one the same age). The closest session was half an hour away and the longest was an hour and 15 minutes. This year it will be pretty much the same.

I have never seen my son as focussed as he seesm to be right now. Besides Rep basketball and HL Squash, we are training on Tuesday and Saturday's for Baseball a half hour away and then on Saturday afternoons we travel two hours each way for another clinic. They gunned his fastball last night and it has picked up a legitimate 3 mph since season-end (incredible)! WooHoo!

As can be seen below, he has played or worked out with a number of teams from both Canada and the USA. The new season is shaping up pretty good and it looks like he will get the chance to go to Cooperstown this summer.

He will probably go to the Bucky Dent camp again this winter and in years to come camps at Clemson and Tennessee (recommendations from folks here).

This is an excerp from my son's BB resume:

Training History:
Nov. 2003 – Begins training at Frozen Ropes (Guelph, ON).

Jan. thru May 2004 - Frozen Ropes an average of four days per week with numerous private lessons.

Jan. 2004 – Indoor training with Cambridge Minor Baseball (Greg Coughlin - former Jay)

Mar. 2004 – Catcher Training with Wayne Foreman at Baseball Zone (Mississauga)

Aug. 2004 – Rep Camp Frozen Ropes, Guelph

Oct. 2004 – thru Apr. 2005 Works out with Brantford Minor Mosquito team while still a Rookie.

Oct. 2004 – thru Apr. 2005 - Don Martins Winter Baseball School (Brantford).

Jan. 2004 – Pitching lessons at Frozen Ropes. Developed as a ¾ sidearm thrower (later changed to full overhand).

Jan. 2005 – Pitching lessons at Frozen Ropes.

Jan. 2006 – Catchers Clinic, Wayne Foreman, Baseball Zone, Mississauga

Aug. 2006 – Baseball Zone – Summer Camp Brampton (Primary Instructor: Paul Solarsky, Milwaukee Scout)

Aug. 2006 – Visual Mechanics Training (Hitting) – Ted Novio, Frozen Ropes, Boston

Aug. 2006 – Assisted Coach Walsh (shagging balls etc.) with Harvard University High School Try Outs at Boston

Sep. 2006 – Boys of Baseball (AB) – Training/Try Out Camp – Steve Cosgrove at Baltimore

Feb. 2007 – Catcher Training with Matt Stocco, Frozen Ropes, Guelph (Matt was picked by SD Padres in 2002 draft, currently with “A” Fort Wayne, IN, Wizards)

Feb. – Apr. 2007 – Team Training – Waterloo Major Mosquito Tier 2

Feb. – Apr. 2007 – Training (Minor PeeWee) Rick Calich, Waterdown

Mar. – Apr. 2007 – Overload/Hitting Training – Domenic Feroni – Stoney Creek

Mar. – Apr. 2007 – Development of Change-Up with John Benvie, Frozen Ropes, Guelph

Mar. 2007 – Bucky Dent March Break Camp, Del Ray, FL

Jun. 2007 – Pitching Lessons with Mel Melehes (former Olympic Pitcher) at Frozen Ropes

Jun. 2007 – Beginning to develop switch-hitting capability – Joel Lynch, Frozen Ropes, Guelph

July 2007 – Intercounty Terriers/Frozen Ropes High Performance Camp, Pearson Field, Guelph

Augusts 2007 – Duane Ward Pitching Clinic, Etobicoke

Oct. – Dec. 2007 – Winter BB with Frozen Ropes Guelph (2 days per week)

Oct. – Dec. 2007 – Winter Clinic with Scott Bullett (former Pittsburg Pirate and Chicago Cub), Welland

Playing History:
Summer 2002 – Plays organized baseball for the first time with Centre Wellington Fastball Club. Won Finals.

Summer 2003 – Did not play (Played S****r)

Summer 2004 – Plays for Centre Wellington Cougars and underage on a Centre Wellington fastball team.

Apr. 2005 - Tried out for Brantford Tier 1 Minor Mosquito (1 Yr. underage)-unsuccessful

May 2005 – Waterloo President agrees to place him in Minor Tyke House League (underage). Won Summer Tournament, Won Season, Won Finals. Selected to All Star Team for Labrys Cup in August 2005. Irv Mundt his coach continues to instruct him as a Pitcher. Batting Average 750.

Sep. 2005 – Successful at Try Outs with Bill Bychowski (at that time a Tampa Bay Devil Rays scout – now with Cincinnati Reds) at Georgetown

Feb. – May 2006 – Georgetown Minor Mosquito.

Jun. – Sep. 2006 – Waterloo Minor Mosquito. Batting Average 300

Sep. – Oct. 2006 – Participates with Lewiston-Porter LL Fall Ball to prepare for play with Boys of Baseball.

Nov. 2006 – Participates in Inferno Baseball’s indoor Turkey Shoot tournament in Depew, NY. Team is a finalist.

Dec. 2006 – Plays with Boys of Baseball National Travel team at tournament in Gainesville, FL. Team is formed with players from 6 states and 1 from Canada. Among other opponents they face are Alabama Viper Baseball Academy. His team is coached by Kevin Christman, a San Francisco Giants scout.

2007 – Waterloo Major Mosquito Tier 2. Batting Average 580, > 80 Innings pitched, > 50% K’s

Jun. 2007 – signed to Waterloo Minor PeeWee roster as a Call Up – pitched 4 innings one game.

That's all she wrote.

D

Wow! When my son was on the small fields he played from March to the middle of August, and never had any paid training. He played s****r and basketball from September through March.

I hate to be a kiljoy on the increase in velocity, but younger kid's velocity will increase just by growing and getting stronger.

Hate to be a kiljoy again, but when your son goes out for the high school team if you start discussing the resume, other dads will laugh at you. All that will matter to the coach is "What can the kid do now?"

I don't place a lot of relevance in preteen success. Too much happens (or doesn't happen) physically, mentally and emotionally to all the players in the early teens. I'd provide the rediculous, dominating numbers my son put up when he was eleven and twelve, but they're irrelevant now that he's fourteen and a freshman in high school.

Relax, take a breath and enjoy the game. Make sure your son is enjoying the game.

Not,
I know you are proud of your son and his accomplishments.

Some helpful advice, in years to come, when doing his baseball resume, try to cut it down to playing in major tourneys, HS regionals, showcase results and any awards given.

Any college coach seeing that would give it a quick toss.

quote:

Some helpful advice, in years to come, when doing his baseball resume, try to cut it down

how's this for a 11 yr old's resume?

quote:

my son (he will be 12YO in February) played in 54 games

and w/exchange rate that would be 47 games U.S.

RJM

I am pretty familiar with the kiljoy stuff. We place little faith in the performance numbers... as far as what it will mean in another 4 or 5 years.

My son is a Rep Basketball player and participates in a men's squash league, right now as well the baseball. Fortunately his academics are strong to allow a lot of this.

He has been an early maturing kid who is currently 5'-4" 150 pounds at 11YO. He knows that others will catch up in body size/ability over time and thus, wants to be a better player for his size rather than age. It's just a hunch but, I think that some kids who are big for their age rest on their laurels a bit. For example, "I am an 11 YO who can hit 190', which is better than the pack, so I'm OK". When the other kids catch up, it turns out the 190' was a ceiling because of poor mechanics masked by a big body. Better to be the 11YO who works to be able to hit in the 240' - 270' category and by 15YO have 4 years of experience hitting the ball the right way for long distances. Maybe a lot of early maturing players dont take advantage of a greater number of years of "At Bats" where they are hammering balls.

The 3 mph is exciting right now because of the mental part of pitching rather than the physical. In 2007 he was a control pitcher with a good change-up. A more dominant fastball will make things more interesting in 2008.

Thanks for your comments confirming how the physical change will change the speeds.

He is really enjoying the training right now - even moreso than the past. This year he is the #5 position in basketball and he has chosen to go to baseball (an off-season workout) rather than one of his basketball practises.

D

Bee:

NB: The exchange has gone the other way recently...

Then again going back to 2006, he would probably get about 45 games with exhange and 5 or so at par 'cause of playing in FL...

2008... He could be playing half his games in Buffalo and half in Canada... and I think he's going to Cooperstown... Hmmm...

D

quote:

Originally posted by Notlongtilicantcatchim:
He has been an early maturing kid who is currently 5'-4" 150 pounds at 11YO. He knows that others will catch up in body size/ability over time and thus, wants to be a better player for his size rather than age. It's just a hunch but, I think that some kids who are big for their age rest on their laurels a bit. For example, "I am an 11 YO who can hit 190', which is better than the pack, so I'm OK". When the other kids catch up, it turns out the 190' was a ceiling because of poor mechanics masked by a big body. Better to be the 11YO who works to be able to hit in the 240' - 270' category and by 15YO have 4 years of experience hitting the ball the right way for long distances.

You recognize something very valid. A lot of early bloomers get by on physical strength and get smoked later when other players catch up. My son was the late bloomer who had to be technically as close to perfect as possible. He's just now starting to catch up physically. The game is getting a lot easier.

Don't worry about hitting for distance. The concern should be hitting the ball hard. Hitting for distance will happen by itself when pitchers make mistakes.

As far as pitching, don't get him in the stud's seat at an early age. It runs the risk of a coach overusing him. One of the benefits Canadian pitchers have had in the past is low mileage arms.

Good luck!

To both questions.
He did not practice at all with most teams. He practiced with travelling team during summer but none during fall. Played varsity football as a 9th grader. He showed up and played on weekends.
Beezer, don't know for sure. We are trying to keep them together. They finished 2nd at World Series in Jackson, TN last year. They are all playing high school and some coaches are balking at them staying together and not playing full summer school schedule.
He has opportunities to play with other teams so we are trying to get a definite right now. Was offered a chance to play with East Cobb 16U but was not ready to give up everything (football and basketball) for baseball. 80 games in 90 days.
He was clocked at 86 at a pro showcase game in August. Not bad for little kid.

In my son’s case, the high training activity rate is not a move to become a “superstar” – it is a survival move to STAY in baseball.

We live in a small town where the local team plays about 15 games a season in a “D” loop (AAA, AA, A, B, C, D are the categories for OBA in Ontario - see Aside below). The few teams in this loop are scattered across longer distances (half hour to 1 ½ hours away). To play more baseball and to become better at the game, he has to go to larger centers.

That means, he must train to play at a higher level. It’s OK – he likes good training.

I completely agree with the hard-hitting being more important than distance. I have seen infielders back off his grounders for fear of any kind of hop. The best hitting training he ever received was this summer at the FR/Intercounty Terriers Camp (4-position tees, and enforced line-drives back to the L-screen day after day). As well, we have kept his pitching down to 2-innings per game for most of the season (3 and 4 on a couple of occasions). I have heard before that one of the advantages for Cdn pitchers is the low-milage. Thanks for the comments and I will definitely change the resume from a log to a far more abbreviated format as he gets older.

D

Aside (One Guy’s Read On the Youth Baseball in Ontario that became a rant):

Little League does not appear to be strong in Ontario. At 11U there are about 85 OBA (City Rep) teams (many of these have accompanying House Leagues) and there are approximately 40 Little Leagues. The majority of the Little Leagues though, are located in outlying areas that surround larger centers. As such, it is not surprising that Ontario rarely wins LL Nationals and goes to Williamsport for the LL WS. The TBA, COBA, YSBA affiliates of the OBA are comprised of 17 teams at the 11U age group. I would contend that it is this pool that comprises the vast majority of the best teams in the province. Of these, the strongest has always been shown to be North York, who has won AAA OBA’s three years in a row.

The OBA has an established Release System which governs the way players can move from one centre to another. They also will not allow players to play in other Leagues such as Sandlott and Little League while participating in their program. This seems to be changing but, at a glacial pace. Further, many teams within the OBA have written and unwritten rules (that fluctuate) about allowing non-resident players to play in their organizations Rep programs. My understanding of Little League in the province is that they do not allow non-resident players to play All Star.

Recently, a number of so-called Elite Travel Ball programs have emerged which, are currently limited to 14U at the youngest.

Further, there are Ontario teams that are beginning to participate in Buffalo, NY area leagues. The other Ontario leagues are doing all in their power to prevent this – I have heard whisperings of players threatened to be “black-balled” etc. if caught participating in two leagues. Heaven forbid, a kid might play a lot of baseball!

So… if you’re a kid who is from a small town and want to play a more competitive game and a higher number of games, what can you do? You can’t go to Little League because there is no All Star option. If you choose to go to OBA, you really have to plan well. First, you need a “Release” to leave your small centre. Next, you have to determine whether there are any written rules that a team will not accept a non-resident player. Then you have to try to establish whether there are any unwritten rules about non-residents. Next you have to determine which of the remaining teams hold their next year Try Outs in the fall (about 80% of teams) and which hold them in the spring? Of these lists, you then take into consideration what the local politics are (remember you’re doing this from a relative distance) and the way your kid might or might not fit that team and you pick a candidate for each of the fall and spring Try Outs. If you fail to succeed at fall Try Outs it doesn’t end there… you must get a Release (or several Releases) before you can participate in a spring Try Out with another team. If that fails, you have to travel to a city House League. Or… you choose to go to the Outlaws…

In my kids case, he is big (right now) and a slower runner. As a non-resident, you have to walk-on-water to make a team unless they don’t have enough quality players. In his case, he has to be the “stud” pitcher, “crush the ball” and un-seat the incumbent First Baseman, show ability to act as a second catcher. There are not a lot of fall-back options. He trains to make it possible to play.

Having been an assistant coach in larger centers, attended a lot of Try Outs, and talked with other coaches who are long-of-tooth: it’s very difficult to move into the higher levels of play if you are coming from a season with 30% fewer games; less experienced coaching; average pitching speeds that are 5 mph or more slower, etc.

A few nights ago, I arrived late and sat beside a AAA Tier 1 Coach in a training facility, where my son was being “gunned” near his own son and a group of other kids. “This kid is a stud (referring to my son).” “He is faster than any kid I had this year and I have been watching him throw strike after strike.” This is not a unique thing.

A few weeks ago, I listened to another AAA Tier 1 Coach from that same OBA loop tell my son that he did not make that team because “he did not have enough arm strength.” At 1B, I had watched my son take digs and snags (forehand and backhand) better than I had seen all season – more than a dozen the result of poor throws from 3B. Hard hit balls - and some deep ones in front of a pretty anemic hitting team. How do you rationalize this? Remember, given the resume above, my 11YO has the eyes to recognize what most of the kids on that same field were not doing (not even aware of for that matter). You don’t rationalize it – you go back to work for Spring Try Outs.

It’s a funny system.

quote:

Further, there are Ontario teams that are beginning to participate in Buffalo, NY area leagues.

These are ECTB/USSSA tournaments. The older teams are starting make it to Allentown and Reading, Pennsylvania which is the heart of ECTB country. We also played in a 13U with a Canadian team in Massachusetts a couple of summers ago.

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Connell:
Not bad for little kid.

Jeff - I almost choked on this!!!! What is he now...6'3"? He had to have been pushing 6'1" at 13 because was about my height!! If he's unsettled yet this summer, my son's team could probably use a stud southpaw for a few tourneys. PM me and I'll fill you in.

quote:

Originally posted by ECTBDAD:


seven teams 79 games

one team, about 85 games, USSSA 14U. I feel 79 games for a 10 year old are way too much. Think back to the old day, I start to feel the game my son played and the championship he won really doesn't mean a thing although I was very excited at that time. You will know it when your son get into the HS.