Is this a little much?

Welcome kanga!

I am a parent of two pitchers.

It is more than a little much...its a "lot" much.

Agreed...a little to much

Wow......just wow. So what was his speed on the scoreboard? For his sake to at least be in the neighborhood of justified I hope he was throwing 90's. Although there really isn't any justification.

On to the important stuff - welcome kanga.

He was throwing mid 80's consistently. Saw upper 80's a few times and 90 once. Good pitcher, just thought it was a little weird. Thought maybe this was something that is supposed to be done and wondered if I was a little behind the times.

And thank you for the welcome!

They may be taping something to send to coaches, and wanted to get the velocity on there.

Could be, but I think he is already committed to a college. I'm not sure what division. He's a senior.

I'll differ on this, because I am well familiar with a counter example.

I know a family with two sons. For both, they kept exact notes on each pitch, frequently checked speed with a Stalker, and sometimes took video. I first saw this when the younger boy was 13.

These activities were requested by their pitching coach. Based on results to date, I would say that it worked out just fine.

Seems a bit much. I like to take pictures and do that. I do need to videotape him I guess for recruiting purposes.

But my thinking with all this is how do these parents get to just sit and enjoy watching their son play baseball? I find myself not taking any pictures this year for that reason.

quote:

Originally posted by kanga:
Could be, but I think he is already committed to a college. I'm not sure what division. He's a senior.

Not sure why one has to sit behind the backstop filming and taking notes of a committed senior.

Unless someone asked, I agree that is a bit too much.

quote:

Originally posted by Mizzoubaseball:
But my thinking with all this is how do these parents get to just sit and enjoy watching their son play baseball?

Maybe they feel the need to have it on tape so when the player is away they can sit back and relive his HS games?

.

"I find myself not taking any pictures this year for that reason."

I hear ya' Mizzou...I'm like you and not taking pictures anymore.

It wasn't really my decision though.



When Polaroid© quit selling film for my camera I had no choice.




.

"A bit much" for who? You? I'm sure they could care less.

quote:

Originally posted by LHPMom2012:
They may be taping something to send to coaches, and wanted to get the velocity on there.

Just one video camera? They should be taping themselves tape their son, all while tweeting on facespace.

Actually, I've got some old video that we look at from time to time. They get more valuable as we go.

Even though I wouldn't do this, why would anyone on this thread even care. The players parents are taking interest in their sons development and are not intruding on anyone else. Too me "No Harm No Foul" its OK as long as the player isn't bothered by it. Is it over the top? who cares!

quote:

Originally posted by standballdad:
Even though I wouldn't do this, why would anyone on this thread even care. The players parents are taking interest in their sons development and are not intruding on anyone else. Too me "No Harm No Foul" its OK as long as the player isn't bothered by it. Is it over the top? who cares!

You are right, why would anyone care about what anyone else would do.

However, if you go back to read the question, the OP thought he/she might be missing something (I am assuming thinking they are not doing enough).


From lots of posts that I read here, lately, there seems to be a concern that people sometimes feel that are not doing enough to get their players noticed. Human nature makes us question when we see something out of the ordinary, perhaps you think you might be missing something, the question asked was appropriate as were all of the responses.

quote:

Originally posted by TPM:

quote:

Originally posted by standballdad:
Even though I wouldn't do this, why would anyone on this thread even care. The players parents are taking interest in their sons development and are not intruding on anyone else. Too me "No Harm No Foul" its OK as long as the player isn't bothered by it. Is it over the top? who cares!

You are right, why would anyone care about what anyone else would do.

However, if you go back to read the question, the OP thought he/she might be missing something (I am assuming thinking they are not doing enough).


From lots of posts that I read here, lately, there seems to be a concern that people sometimes feel that are not doing enough to get their players noticed. Human nature makes us question when we see something out of the ordinary, perhaps you think you might be missing something, the question asked was appropriate as were all of the responses.

Including mine!

quote:

Originally posted by kanga:
I have been a lurker here for a while, but decided to jump in after I saw something at a game the other day and wondered if this is the norm if you think its a little much.
The parents of the pitcher were sitting behind home plate with a video camera, their own radar gun (even though the speeds were showing up on the scoreboard) and a notebook in which I assume they were tracking the pitches. Is this the norm or is it a little much? Am I missing something?
I'm just curious on your thoughts.

While most will think it's "over the top" I'm a firm believer that as long as they're not flaunting the results whos business is it what they do as a family? I don't sit behind the backstop, next to my wife at games, nor have I ever recorded games or held a radar gun when my son pitched. Does that tag me a non-caring? There are many things that glue families together and steer them in a certain direction that many will chastise.

I film swings and pop times. I film volleyball matches (usually 4 in a day at the tournaments we go to). I figure if nothing else my husband and I will have something to keep us entertained in the nursing home. "Wow! he/she is good ! Whose kid is that?

quote:

Originally posted by kanga:
Is this the norm or is it a little much? Am I missing something?
I'm just curious on your thoughts.

Dont ask me, this sunday I drove an hour to the scheduled doubleheader, stopped off at the convenience store to buy his customary orange gatorade and slim jims and a pack of beef jerky...lugged my chair and my nikon to the field....set up and took pictures of all his at-bats....until the skies opened up and rained out the twin bill....

I've been doing this since he was 5....and this summer, god willing, he will turn 25......

I've followed him through youth ball, select ball, legion ball, HS ball, College ball and now semi-pro ball....I do what I want, how I want and when I want....

Watching him play baseball is one of my lifes great joys because of the joy it brings him...I only have one son, he is not going to play forever and Im not going to be here forever.........

To me...as long as they arent saying that their way is the only way or that we are not as caring/involved as they are to not do it, then I'm okay with it....

quote:

Watching him play baseball is one of my lifes great joys because of the joy it brings him...I only have one son, he is not going to play forever and Im not going to be here forever.........

To me...as long as they arent saying that their way is the only way or that we are not as caring/involved as they are to not do it, then I'm okay with it....

how very true............well said.

I started taking pictures at games as a means to keep me occupied and silent.....as my kids seemed to prefer pitchers over live game advice.

A lot much for me....but to each their own!

I take video of every AB, and always of him pitching to a few batters. No radar gun, though. If he's struggling, he uses the video as a coaching aid. If he's not and I happen to get a good one, then the video might just go up on Facebook!

Like others have said, to each his own. As long as they're not blocking your view or dissing anyone, then who cares.

.

Hanging out on the artificial turf all day could leave you a little crabby and wanting to take a swipe at the camera!




.

quote:

Originally posted by SultanofSwat:
"A bit much" for who? You? I'm sure they could care less.

No need to get so testy! I really was just curious if this is the norm and how its done now. I have taken my own videos of my son and taken lots of pictures. I think it will be fun to look back on those someday. I just can't do it every game because I get too involved in the game itself. I just had never seen that before and thought maybe I should be doing more. Whatever they do is fine with me, I just know that I couldn't do it and I doubt if my son would want me to.

.

A little much? I dunno'. You decide.

Years ago I got a real sweet deal on a used RCA© TK-41C. I lugged it around to all of the kids' T-Ball games. It always took a fair amount of time to set up, but my oh my the amount of film I could shoot was unbelievable!

Every once in awhile someone behind me would complain. They would settle down after I told them to watch the news at 11:00!

Too much?






.

quote:

Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
They would settle down after I told them to watch the news at 11:00!

heh, a local news crew showed up at one of our away games with one of their big cameras. We beat their team, so we were not on the 11 o'clock news.

Mommy and daddy measuring and recording little Johnny the way that was described is too much.

Whether or not it helps the player, it's bad for the TEAM.

If Johnny was a centerfielder, mommy would video from behind the CF fence. Daddy would get the side view. Excellent.

quote:

Originally posted by freddy77:

Whether or not it helps the player, it's bad for the TEAM.

I remember when MLB came to film son, he was embarrassed and felt uncomfortable. It was a one time deal but it still bothered him. He didn't like the attention brought to himself, and we understood, pics worked for him but he would have not been recepetive to film. If he had issues then the coach made adjustments, not our place at that point in time to make him a better player, that was his job.

I guess it all depends to what degree and for what purposes, but as an observer, I would find it annoying. As a parent, we realized when it was time to let it go. JMO.

No video but my wife is an avid sports photographer. TAkes pictures of our kids and others and gives them to the parents. My sons comes home after almost every game and wants to see mom's pictures. That means the world to him and he also uses them to critique himself. I very rarely look at them but have in the past when he was struggling just to help him find mistakes.
I did video from phone the other day to show him that he was flying open on pitching. When I told him I had it videoed he said I knew I was doing it just could not change at the time.
I say no harm no foul but don't see the reasoning unless it is just for documentation later for the family.
Any of us who have done travel ball, the world that doesn't thinks we are crazy for travelling everywhere and putting so much emphasis on baseball.

I don't think anyone was questioning pics, if so we all would be considered crazy, right.

..

"heh, a local news crew showed up at one of our away games with one of their big cameras. We beat their team, so we were not on the 11 o'clock news."

Shoulda' hired me...I work cheap. A soda and a dog woulda' done it!




.

it was awhile back but both of my boys were filmed by MGM (my grand mother). didn't think much of it .

.





Your grandmother? She lives next to Patty O'Furniture?

You crack me up 20dad! I wish you were my neighbor!




.