College Ball 2014

Son helped with his schools clinic. Several of younger sons team mates attended. Kind of a kick for him seeing these kids, who he always thought of as little kids.

Met son in the parking lot afterwards, to drop off some things he left at home. He walked out with a man I did not recognize. Turned out to be a father that I had been communicating with on another board. It was nice to put a face with a name.

My son is pumped and excited for the season to get going. Good luck to all!

My son is still competing for a spot on the 35 man roster.  Anyone else have a kid in the same situation?  I thought he would have known by the end of the fall.  He is a 'preferred walk-on' on academic money.  LHP supposed to pitch out of the bullpen and is an outfielder. 

That was the spot my son was in last year.  He's at a D2 JUCO.  In the fall there were 50+ players competing for 35 spots.  Coach did not make final cuts until about a week before the first spring game.  In the end he only had to cut 3 or 4.  Lost a few in the fall due to grades, disillusionment, etc and 7-8 redshirts.  That left only a few to actually cut.

Some coaches use the fall to make cuts, others don't finalize until the spring.

He needs to hang in there and do his best everyday in practice.  My son was fortunate - he hung in there, made the cut and by the first game was the starting DH and primary back up for 1B (his position).  This year he is on track to be the starting 1B.

Thanks, I don't get much information from him.  Typical texts answers, Yes, No. 

I am very excited about my first season as a college baseball dad. My son is at a D1 school only 90 minutes away so we are chomping at the bit to start the season on Feb. 14th.  Big South Baseball!!!!!!!

I know how you feel whammer.  Mine is 2 hours away and I have lots of personal days to use.  I am a first year college dad as well

I'm pumped and excited to see your son PLAY!  He's a special player and they are absolutely LOADED with talent this year.  Good luck golfball.

I'm jealous of all of you that can drive to see yours play.  Mine is still in high school, but most of the schools recruiting him are a long ways from home.  It will be worth it if he gets into the right situation, but I already am preparing myself to not be able to get to many games.  It will be a bummer, but hopefully it works out best for him.

I'm pumped and excited to see your son PLAY!  He's a special player and they are absolutely LOADED with talent this year.  Good luck golfball.

Thanks Fenway.

Overthehill.  First year college dad here as well (with LHP) so I know the feeling.

Committed late. Not that well known since most of the incoming freshmen were not from his recruiting area.  Lots of transfer kids (Juco, D1, D2).

Coach told Pitchers either your in the top 16 or not. Would not tell them where though.  Son made cut out of 24.  Got his travel gear when he returned to school, so round 1 passed.  I guess that's step one.  Step two will be an opportunity to show.

I'm right there with you....

I sort of know the feeling.

Even though we can drive to see his games, it's still a 4.5 hour drive (250 miles).  Last year we went down once a month.  One time he had an away series that was closer (only a 3 hour drive).  Ended up staying at a hotel so it cost a bit more.  When we go to see his home games we stay with him at his apt so our only cost is fuel and food.

Hope they have a good video feed, those double headers from the living room are pretty funny. Kind of like watching the Superbowl every weekend with food and everything all pilled up ready to go. All of the new TV's are great for internet video,

Hey another bonus, I got "A listed" on Southwest, and my son fly's back and forth home "for free"...right 

Leftydad.  Congrats to your son.  Mine is still in a dogfight from what I can figure out.  He is still working in the outfield, bp, and throwing in all the bullpen sessions and in simulated games.  He pitches today in the scrimmage and was told he would get at bats as well.  Guess the good thing is he is a utility type that can pitch out of the pen and play in the outfield.  In God's hands!

I'm both excited and sad for the season to start. Son is a senior this year, and it will be the last season to watch him play. It seems like only yesterday I was coaching his first season of coach pitch baseball. Its been a great journey!

2013leftydad congrats, overthehill good luck on the fight, & whammer31 can't wait for the 14th as well....

I too am a first year dad(LHP). I understand the grind that these kids are going through. Good luck to all your boys. Lets stay in touch.

My drive is 3 hours and it looks 30 home games. Cant wait to put some miles on the car.

I'm hoping my son will be back on the mound and be able to continue where he left off his freshman year. He missed the whole season last year because of hip surgery. We are always thankful for the games with live video feeds so we can still see the team play. I hope they get out of the sub zero temperatures before season starts. My Florida boy isn't liking this year's winter weather. 

I wish they did live video feeds for our son's games.  Are these video feeds/streams via the web or ???  Still nothing like being there though.  

Update from the dogfight!  Lefty got 8 outs and gave up 1 hit in the scrimmage yesterday in 30 pitches.  Was 2-3 at the plate. 

LauraZA, best of luck to him.

And now for something completely different...

Recently my freshmen (middle) son took a student job with his college's ACC baseball team.  He'll be helping with both home games, practices and anything else they need him to do.  He couldn't be more excited to be part of college baseball, in the dugout/clubhouse (again) with classmates, and earning work experience.  I didn't see this one coming, but I'm very happy for him.  He insists it will not get in the way of his engineering studies, so I'm on "very" on-board with it. 

Special thanks to Prepster for his help and guidance on this one!

That's great Fenway.  Good for your son.

Fantastic news Fenway.

Thanks guys.  That means a lot to me.  I spoke (he actually called!) to him yesterday before dinner.   They've put him to work immediately and he is loving life even more.  He's always been a very independent & hard working kid.  He'll do well.

Great stuff Fenway congrats. Love it when kids start to forge their own path. 

I'm relying on texts, Skype, facetime, etc....as I live in Japan and the boy is playing in Texas. 

You're welcome, fenway; but, heck, all I did was relay a few messages and try to stay out of the way the best I could!

Your son's obvious enthusiasm and self motivation landed this opportunity for him when it became available; and, I'm quite sure that it's going to end up being a mutually beneficial one.

I'll also take this opportunity to congratulate and send my best wishes to all of you whose sons play college baseball. From a parent's perspective, it tends to be pretty breathtaking; and it's fun for me to read your collective experiences through this thread. Here's wishing everyone a great season!

Received an interesting text from son this morning, "Its ten degrees out but feels like zero and we are about to take off the tarp off the field.  I'm pretty sure its one solid  piece of ice." 

Made me cold just reading his text and its about the same here at the house (11 F).

I guess they don't have a choice - opening game is 15 days away on February 8th.  They have been practicing indoors, but sooner or later ya have to hit the field.

With teams adding more and more games - its going to be a rude season opener.

Son's team heads to Texas next week.  Right now (in Houston) High 40, low 30....Good to see forecast jumps by 20 degrees next week. 

He woke up this morning to 8 degrees feels like -3.

Welcome to baseball season?

Congrats to Tom Dorminy, whose son was named to PG's list of top prospects in NAIA ball today.  Hope he has a great season!

http://www.perfectgame.org/Art...ew.aspx?article=9332

Thanks swampboy, I didn't even know that,lol . At hospital awaiting arrival of our first Grandson. Trying to reach son to see if he knows. Good luck to all who are awaiting start of the new season !!!

Got text from son last night that said "practiced in the freaking sleet today".  I had to laugh, but I don't think he was laughing.  Haha.  Can't wait for February 7th opener.  I just hope it warms up A LOT!

Congrats soon-to-be Grandpa Tom.  That is an awesome acknowledgement of his talents from one of the most reputable baseball orgs on the planet !

Son text'd me this morning saying they were going to scrimmage today with temp right around 34deg. "I am scheduled to pitch a couple so I am going to go hard inside and put some bees in their hands" LOL

Just got some rather shocking news. Son's coach is stepping down at the end of the season. Son is a senior, so it should have minimal impact on his season. Has anyone else had experience with a coach leaving a program? I am just wondering how much of a distraction this could be.

PO Jr team started back to their simulated game schedule scrimmages. Feel bad for all your son's that are doing it in freezing cold weather. Out here on the left coast it's been in the mid 70's. These kids don't realize how lucky they are!

Good luck to all the boys playing in the cold. I'm sure warm weather can't come soon enough. 

Sort of.  My son is in his 2nd year at a DII JUCO.  As a freshman he managed to earn his way on as a starter (DH) and primary back up to 1B.  Two days after the team returned from the regional tournament last June, my son received a text from his coach that he'd been asked to resign.  School hired a new coach about a month later.

With a new coach coming on board, I don't think he had time to do much recruiting for this year.  Last year there were 50+ trying to make the 35 man roster.  This year it's only about 40.  Anyway, it is pretty much a clean slate for returning players to earn their way onto the team.  They did play a limited fall schedule - about 10 games so I imagine the new coach was doing a lot of evaluating.

That said, my son is on pace to be a starter (1B) this year.  From what I can glean from him, it was his position to lose.

Any distraction would be from the administration as they search for a new coach.

Can't believe opening day is only one week away. Unfortunately, I won't be able to go to the games. My younger son is a senior in hs who wrestles and he has his area tournament for states. I'll be going to that. Hopefully I'll be able to follow the game on live stats.  

My baseball son had an intersquad today. Texted him and asked if he pitched. He said yeah. Asked how he did and he said ok. Asked if he gave up any runs and how many innings did he pitch and he said no runs and 3 innings. Any time you don't give up any runs is good in my book!!  He's always kind of hard on himself though. I think he's battling for a starters spot and he hasn't given up any runs in the spring yet (knock on wood), so hopefully he'll get the chance. 

Good luck to everyone this spring. Really looking forward to it. 

Opening game (away) for my son's team is two weeks away (Feb 8th) and is only a 3 hour drive.  For comparison "home" games are a 4.5 hour drive.  Anyway, wife wants to surprise him by showing up for the first game - she'll even pay for the fuel.  Looking forward to it.

Hopefully the cold spell hovering over the east coast is gone by then.  Otherwise we'll be packing blankets and sleeping bags as well.  Last year we drove through snow flurries and watched a doubleheader in 36 F weather for the first game home we attended.  Thought I'd never get the chill out of my bones.

BOF,

I missed this earlier.  Is your son going back to 2-way this year?