My son was just made aware that he will be playing with the Martha's Vineyard Sharks next summer. Any info on the New England League or the MV Sharks would be greatly appreciated.
We are very familiar with the NWL, have hosted for past 10 years. Just curious about this works on the Vineyard with it being a prime summer destination.
Any info appreciated.
Thanks
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Son played the last 2 weeks of the season in the NECBL (team needed pitching). Overall a good experience. He had a few friends on the MV team. They seem to draw some of the bigger crowds in the league. Only complaint was after home games you're not getting back until 2a between buses, ferries, etc.
This league is a possible destination for my son next summer. The league is so geographically spread out but I see they only play the regular season within the division. So the max drive would be Danbury to Martha's vineyard (based on where we live). That is a long trip and go play on a Tuesday night..... just crazy. I have to think the whole team doesn't travel to all games.
@Gunner Mack Jr. posted:This league is a possible destination for my son next summer. The league is so geographically spread out but I see they only play the regular season within the division. So the max drive would be Danbury to Martha's vineyard (based on where we live). That is a long trip and go play on a Tuesday night..... just crazy. I have to think the whole team doesn't travel to all games.
From my son's experience they do. He had about a 30 minute drive from his host families house to bus pickup and drop off.
@nycdad posted:From my son's experience they do. He had about a 30 minute drive from his host families house to bus pickup and drop off.
That is a sizeable commitment given the travel. I guess I will start a thread in a few months about balancing internship needs to get a great after-school career vs working on your baseball game all summer...... I think those in MA have a great advantage due to leagues that are very good and teams that are not too far apart. Maybe I will have my son stay up in that area, do summer school or internships in Boston, and play up there (if they want him). No easy choices.
@2020Lefty posted:My son was just made aware that he will be playing with the Martha's Vineyard Sharks next summer. Any info on the New England League or the MV Sharks would be greatly appreciated.
We are very familiar with the NWL, have hosted for past 10 years. Just curious about this works on the Vineyard with it being a prime summer destination.
Any info appreciated.
Thanks
2020Lefty: Great that your son knows where he's going to play next summer, and quite a landing! I can't say much about MV (only been in league I think 2 years). The league is fantastic- great competition. The last several years it's been ranked 2nd behind the Cape in Summer Leagues (sometimes Northwoods is second, NECBL is 3rd). Due to its proximity to the Cape, some players get a taste of the Cape if their team doesn't make the playoffs, and Cape is still going. Son played one one team a few games one year, and full summer with another after his JR year. Lots of Scouts at games as well, often for specific players. Teams tend to recruit more than one player from same school on roster.
@Gunner Mack Jr. posted:That is a sizeable commitment given the travel. I guess I will start a thread in a few months about balancing internship needs to get a great after-school career vs working on your baseball game all summer...... I think those in MA have a great advantage due to leagues that are very good and teams that are not too far apart. Maybe I will have my son stay up in that area, do summer school or internships in Boston, and play up there (if they want him). No easy choices.
Son played in the similar Futures League up there and is rostered in NECBL for next Summer. From my understanding of the schedule I don't see how much meaningful non baseball activity could be squeezed in. Lots of bus travel for road games. During homestands most guys get up late, workout midday and have to be at the park several hours before game time. I'm pretty sure the whole team, even pitchers unlikely to throw, travel to away games.
@Gunner Mack Jr. posted:That is a sizeable commitment given the travel. I guess I will start a thread in a few months about balancing internship needs to get a great after-school career vs working on your baseball game all summer...... I think those in MA have a great advantage due to leagues that are very good and teams that are not too far apart. Maybe I will have my son stay up in that area, do summer school or internships in Boston, and play up there (if they want him). No easy choices.
Pretty damn tough to do both. Your coach won’t care, that you can be sure. We opted out because there needs to be balance in life and I don’t believe you will find that in most summer leagues.
It’s a good league, several scouts at games. One player from son’s team was drafted, couple others signed FA contracts. I would think travel for those on MV team is rough, as you’re coming and going quite often. But I can’t imagine spending a better place in the summer than Martha’s Vineyard. Wonderful place if you’ve never been there.
Gunner, not sure about internships and summer ball, as you’re at the field well before game time, plus morning workouts.
Re baseball and summer internships
After playing in the Northwoods League my son asked his college coach to hook him up with an Atlantic CBL team in Northern New Jersey. The reason was an internship in NYC. His college coach flipped out on him he wanted to play in such a lower level league.
As fate would have it a late season injury and surgery eliminated playing that summer. My son has now worked five years for the company he did the internship.
A player has to decide what his long term goals are.
Totally agree, your son needs to be man enough to tell the coach no. It isn’t easy but if you want to intern it is almost impossible
For some kids Baseball is the #1 priority. For others Baseball is their vehicle to another career. Neither is “wrong”. You simply cannot be in two places at once.
As a long time host family in the NWL, I can say , that there is no way for a player to work at an internship or anything else. The summer in the NWL is a full time internship for the minor leagues! If you son wants to experience the grind of pro ball, this is the place to do your internship.
Over the course of 10 years, there wasn't one full season player that didn't need to talk about the grind and how that felt to them. Most wanted to go home at one point or another.......... Good coaches and host families support the player and explain that this is a test...........a test to see if that type of lifestyle turns you on or off.
Nothing wrong with either answer to the question!! just a bit of clarity on where you want to go.
Most players stick around.......some don't. We remember all of them fondly!
This feedback is tremendous. Unless my son starts throwing 90+ the internship route is the way for us. Free time for him would be in the gym and bullpens. Maybe one last year of summer ball though..... However, internships between Soph and Junior year are great to have on your resume but also to firm up if you are heading in the right direction. We have a little time to figure it out.
@2020Lefty posted:As a long time host family in the NWL, I can say , that there is no way for a player to work at an internship or anything else. The summer in the NWL is a full time internship for the minor leagues! If you son wants to experience the grind of pro ball, this is the place to do your internship.
Over the course of 10 years, there wasn't one full season player that didn't need to talk about the grind and how that felt to them. Most wanted to go home at one point or another.......... Good coaches and host families support the player and explain that this is a test...........a test to see if that type of lifestyle turns you on or off.
Nothing wrong with either answer to the question!! just a bit of clarity on where you want to go.
Most players stick around.......some don't. We remember all of them fondly!
Playing in the NWL helped my son decide he wasn’t interested in the minors unless he was a top prospect. When told he was likely to go in rounds 27-32 he was clear he wasn’t interested. He wasn’t drafted.
@Gunner Mack Jr. posted:This feedback is tremendous. Unless my son starts throwing 90+ the internship route is the way for us. Free time for him would be in the gym and bullpens. Maybe one last year of summer ball though..... However, internships between Soph and Junior year are great to have on your resume but also to firm up if you are heading in the right direction. We have a little time to figure it out.
When I graduated from college companies were big on hiring high gpa’s and training them to death. The world has changed. It’s harder for kids coming out of college now. One way around the challenge is internships. My son is still working at the company he interned five years after graduation. My daughter asked the track to return. She was told and got a quality reference from them for step one.
@RJM posted:When I graduated from college companies were big on hiring high gpa’s and training them to death. The world has changed. It’s harder for kids coming out of college now. One way around the challenge is internships. My son is still working at the company he interned five years after graduation. My daughter asked the track to return. She was told and got a quality reference from them for step one.
I will take the other side of the bolded statement above. Now is probably one of the BEST times for kids to be graduating. There are so many real job openings. We are losing our junior talent at alarming rates and have been forced to increase compensation and give one-time bonuses and that is still not working! Could just be my industry tho. I remember trying to get $500 (five hundred dollars) added to my salary when I got out of undergrad and I got laughed at, literally. 100% agree that an internship will help you land that first job, the problem is landing that internship.
@CTbballDad posted:It’s a good league, several scouts at games. One player from son’s team was drafted, couple others signed FA contracts.
This year's leading strikeout pitcher in the ENTIRE minor leagues is a 2020 draftee who last played in the NECBL. His signing bonus was a $25, 000. Love those underdogs!
@Gunner Mack Jr. posted:I will take the other side of the bolded statement above. Now is probably one of the BEST times for kids to be graduating. There are so many real job openings. We are losing our junior talent at alarming rates and have been forced to increase compensation and give one-time bonuses and that is still not working! Could just be my industry tho. I remember trying to get $500 (five hundred dollars) added to my salary when I got out of undergrad and I got laughed at, literally. 100% agree that an internship will help you land that first job, the problem is landing that internship.
I believe it’s a great time to be young and have a couple of years of experience. My son receives contact for interviews all the time. Corporations aren’t training out of college like they used to.
@RJM posted:I believe it’s a great time to be young and have a couple of years of experience. My son receives contact for interviews all the time. Corporations aren’t training out of college like they used to.
No question if you are in the mid to late '20s and want to switch firms you are in the driver's seat. I can only speak to my industry but there are huge groups of undergrads that are hired and then trained over a 3 year period. It is industry-specific though. You are likely correct in the broader sense which is unfortunate.
