College Ball 2014

Swamp, he is. He worked really hard with his college pitching coach this summer and reworked his mechanics. He also pitched in a college league 1 day and week and did well so he decided to take it up again. 

He wants to close and continue to hit, so he thinks they will use him as a DH so he can continue to do both and go down to the pen and warm up pretty much any time during the games. We will see what happens he is in the mix on both sides of the ball so not sure how they will use him. Looking from the outside I think the team needs more pitching than OFers but I am just guessing. Season starts in a few weeks so we will see what he ends up doing. 

Received a great text from my son this evening after they were finally able to get in a good long scrimmage after about ten days of bad weather. He was happy that he got three line drive hits, two singles and a double with two of them coming off our 9-0 ace of last year. He knows that I like it when he hits the really good pitchers and uses the whole field. He also drove in three runs, scored a run and stole a bag so it was a good offensive day. First game is only twelve days away!

Good stuff.  Hope the hard work pays off this spring.  

Fenway, I just looked at the Cornell schedule - looks like they have 4 games vs SHU, in Bridgeport in late March.  Let me know when your son is expected to be on the bump at Harbor  Yard. I'd love to see him throw, and maybe even meet you and Mrs Fenway.

BaseballmomandCEP,

Will do.  Bridgeport has an allure and charm all to itself that Mrs Fenwaysouth needs to experience firsthand!  ;-)  I actually took a few high school dual enrollment classes at Sacred Heart back in the olden days....I'm wondering if they fixed the place up a little since then?  The ballpark looks nice.   FYI - That is the biggest right field foul pole I've ever seen!

Hey guys! Love this thread! So much excitement as we anticipate the coming season.

Son pitched in his first spring intersquad yesterday...

2 innings, 3K's, 1BB, 1H, velo up to 93. Only ball to the leave the infield was the leadoff  hit in his first inning...BUT he had to get 6 outs in his first inning and 4 in his second, because of very uncharacteristic number of errors during his innings! arrrgh...said he was getting frustrated at first, but then told himself to just do his job and not worry about what they were doing...settled down and did his thing.

He's a redshirt freshman, so just hoping to get some decent innings this season and continue to get more consistent...as always.

My son went back to school on January 5th for his last spring season of amateur baseball. For really the first time in his career he is working hard on getting himself into good shape. Although I've been riding him for years, like always, he had to get to this place on his own. I think it was the fact that 5-6 kids he played with over the years were drafted last year.

Since June he has lost over 35 pounds via running and lifting.It started over the summer while playing in NC. He would run the hills behind his apartment everyday. He lost about 20 # doing that. He still wasn't totally on board with the workout thing though. He came home in October break and didn't go to the gym once. A few weeks later during Thanksgiving break he went every day. Same thing during the winter break. Since going back to school he has continued his running and lifting. He's had a good preseason and the coaches and players are commenting on his new body and attitude.

I don't know how this spring will go but he's excited to play with his new body and so am I. I've always said some kids mature at 16 and some at 26. He's 21 so he's right in the middle. Better late than never.

Good luck to all the players this year! I'm hoping for a successful and healthy season for all of them.

My freshman son's team plays their first games of the season tomorrow.  He is slated to start the second game of a DH.  Big accomplishment as they had 15 pitchers on the roster and 4 were sophmores (Jr. College).  Really nervous as they are playing a preseason top 5 team.  Hopefully he will aquit himself well.  Hope everyone on this board has a great season.

#32 Dad - here's hoping he has a good day on the mound!

My son, also at a JuCo, has his first game (away) on the 8th.  He's a sophomore this year so we're a little more relaxed though not much I'll admit.  Last year he was the starting DH.  This year he is the starting 1B.  Momma wants to surprise him by showing up at the first game - and you know I have to keep Momma happy..  It's only a 3 hour drive compared to the 4.5 hour drive to see "home" games.  (lol!)

Hey fillsfan, I grew up in bucks county a Philly fan. Moved west in 81, still a fan but only if there not playing the Giants. Got a lot grief from friends & family over the years, but I've been in CA longer than I lived in Philly. 

My son went back to school(Jan 12) for his first spring season(LHP). When he came home for break he was 25 lbs lighter. I couldn't believe the change. They have since put 5 more pounds back on him, so now he's at 220 at 6'3". Can't wait to see if it makes a difference on the mound.

Ive been telling him for years that he needed to run more to shed some weight, never listened. Guess what he did from August 16 until December 18....run. Not sure about his maturing, but he certainly listens to his coach more his father. 

Good luck to your son on his senior year!

Good luck to your son #32 Dad!

5 degrees and icy at the office this morning, the forecast for the away season opener is 59 degrees and partly sunny...........let it be so!!

#32 DAD,

How great that your son's getting his first college start this weekend! I can assure you that if his coaches weren't certain that he's the right guy to do that, he wouldn't have been called upon to do so. 

I'll pass along a thought that always seemed to help me when my son was on the mound (at least, somewhat): Whenever your son's pitching, try to remind yourself that he's standing on the one place on Earth he'd most like to be...regardless of the situation or circumstances. From a parent's perspective, isn't that a wonderful thing to be able to say about one's child?!

Best wishes to him and his teammates!

Y’all that know me here know my posts are rarely about my own player.  Today seems like a good day...

(Sorry so lengthy )

Like most college sons of posters here, Cabbage (a 2012)was a highly decorated HS player.  He was small and needed to get stronger so his plan was to go to a strong Calif JC program and then earn his way to a 4-yr school.

He got the chance to play with a local summer college team out of HS, which was a great except about 1/3 into the season, he tore his tricep muscle.  This took some recovery time and jeopardized his status with the JC but he eventually made the team as an OF. 

During fall OF drills, he dove for a ball and jammed his wrist into the turf....  done for the year.  After reconstructive wrist surgery (non-throwing) a little over a year ago, he was told he would probably never be able to hit again.  OK, change of plans.  He then figured he would make a comeback as a LHP with a new school. 

After a very long recovery and PT, prior to heading off to his new college, he played some late summer games to work on regaining his sharpness on the bump.  Meanwhile, he couldn’t help himself and tried hitting again.  He had some instant success and, at that point, realized his real passion was more as a position player.  So, off he went to the new school he was enrolled at with yet another plan to make it back as an OF.   But wait, another problem – that school he chose partially due to graduating LHP’s had all their starting OFs returning.  

He earned a roster spot again, was climbing up the depth chart and was having a very good Spring with intersquads until about a week ago.  Got beaned... yup, on his surgically repaired wrist.  The trainer who was working with him said “this is really bad timing.  Coach was just telling me you had earned a possible shot at starting opening day.  We need to get you back on the field.”  At the moment, he is back on the field, although not 100%. 

It was never a given that he would have his first college AB or appearance but more or less expected and was something we looked forward to but not with great fanfare.  Things are certainly different now.  If he is ever able to step on the field for an inning of college game action, it will be something we will truly celebrate.   

Why this story today?  Opening day!

Good luck cabbage! I hope you get to celebrate cabbagedad!

Great example of persistence and never giving up.

My boy is a freshman and will start the first game of day two this Saturday (double headers).  He's always been a relief pitcher, except for little league.  At the start of fall camp, we were just hoping he would make the roster, now he's starting.  He's worked so hard and it's paid off.  It's not over and he knows there's some hungry arms behind him. 

He sent us a picture if his uniform and his momma broke down. 

Good luck to all your young men! 

Son will make start in first game on Saturday. Here's to hoping he and all my HSBBW friends have a great season. Go Eagles !!!

This is always one of my very favorite threads.  Stories of hope, uncertainty, adversity, and triumph.  To the senior parents, I think it has probably occurred to you by now just how special all this is.  How it goes by in a blink of an eye.  Best wishes to everyone this year.

Cabbage dad,

Great story.Hope he gets his chance and stays healthy.

Good luck to every ones son this season. Enjoy it.

Son starts next chapter in a little more than 24 hours from now.  Can't wait....

1st College Game...It feels like freshman year in HS all over again, except 100 times worse!  Much larger roster and tons more talent all competing for time on the bump.  Going from a KNOWN to a total unkown....Team has pretigious history to uphold.  Couldn't ask for a better spot start off the year!

All I can ask is that he makes the most of any opportunity he can get. 

Making the travel team was a huge 1st step!

Good luck to him!  Cant ask for a much better place to start your college career.  I'll be following him, and others from the summer team to see how they all do.  It'll be fun.

Mizzoubaseball....Thanks!

I'm going to be doing the same.  Have bookmarks for all the different colleges!

How do you think your Namesake will do this year?  Class of 2011 from son's alma mater now has 5 on the team!

I think they may still be rough this year.  Off all the sports, I figured baseball would struggle the most with the move to the SEC.  I have never been a fan of the head coach's hitting philosophy.  They seem to take too many pitches, and the next thing you know the count is 0-2, or 1-2.  Hard to hit like that.  But their pitching has been solid and should be again.

I also dont like their recruiting philosophy, but that is another long story.

As for your guys, Brett will be a weekend starter, Case will start in CF, and Steve will be the lefty specialist.  Like I said, their pitching will be good, so I cant complain too much about them not recruiting my favorite lefty   Oh, and his high school shortstop committed to Mizzou recently

Opening weekend.  bballson just found out he is not starting this weekend.  Not sure how he feels about it, but I'm a little bummed.  He worked hard this spring, didn't give up any runs in the intersquads, so I was kind of thinking he'd get the nod.  They have a freshman starting one game, a JC transfer another and a D1 transfer who started for us early last year and tore his UCL in his second start going over the weekend.  

I told him to hang in there, he'll get his shot.  They know he can start from last year and maybe they want to see how the two new guys do and see how the other guys does after his TJ last year.  Who knows, it's all a mystery to me (and bballson - Haha).  I do know this, he will get a chance at some point and he needs to be ready for it.  He's just a sophomore on a team with 16 pitchers, a lot of who are JC & D1 transfers.  Big competition.  He's mentally tough so I'm probably taking it harder than him.  I'll be following on live stats though, I know that!!

Welcome Baseball Season!!

Hey Mizzoubaseball, I am guessing your son goes to Mizzou.  My son has an ex HS teammate going there.  Dylan Kelly, a catcher transfer from Middle Georgia college.  Don't know if you know him or not, but if you do and talk to him, tell him Sean Muller and his dad say hey.  Hope you guys have a good season!!

No, sorry he doesnt.  I went to Mizzou(didnt play) and am just a fan, so I picked that name when registering, since it fit, I guess.  My son wasnt at that level to be recruited by them.  He is at a JUCO here so who knows in two years.  I can dream.

Dylan--great player, starting catcher all year and one of the better hitters on the team.  Handled the pitching staff well, too.

Dylan is a great kid.  Likes to talk -  Haha.  He will chat up the pitchers and batters ALL game.  He was my son's HS catcher his freshman and sophomore years on varsity.  Great receiving skills, great arm, great bat but he runs like a hockey player.  He happens to have been a very good hockey player too.  

Hope your son does wind up there.  SEC.  Very competitive in baseball as well as football.  Good luck!!

Bballman... I can feel your pain.  Son's D2 college team had 23 pitchers in the fall, brought in several Jucos and D1 transfers along with other Frosh....Redshirts took some, grades might have taken another and injuries a couple for now.  But each year its going to be like this!  Its a struggle "I" have to get used to it.

SON already realizes this.   He was killing himself in conditioning, weights and practice.  So sore that he couldn't move some days, too sore to sleep others, but still mustered through.  Last week with sore back, no legs (from conditioning) he had to max out on squats (nearly twice his weight and he's not a big kid).  I asked him why he didn't let up?

His reply:

"Cause I'm trying to be better than others." 

That says it all.  It's his (their) battle not ours.  As much as I wanted to tell him ease up, he didn't.  Moral of the story - tell them to be ready.  Support them and don't show them dispointment (due to a coaching decision) and make the most of every opportunity!

My hat is off to all parents of college pitchers. It must be a special anxiety, for want of a better word, that you go through. Good luck to all this season!

Oh it is!!!  No excuses, all eyes on them.  Bad outings are hard to endure.  Multiple bad outings are even harder.  My son had a tough year last year overall.  Recently I texted him and told him that I was proud of him for getting through that and keeping his confidence.  I said it must have been hard.  His response "It wasn't that hard".  Definitely harder on me than him.  I'm a pretty laid back guy.  Not much really gets to me - except this.  Still get nervous and anxious for him.  Worst has to be, when he has a bad outing, it may be a week before he has the chance to prove himself again.  But, when he does good, it's nice.  Then I get to sit on the good things for a week.  

bballman,

Your report about the upcoming weekend prompts a recollection:

My son's Freshman year, he entered the season as a likely mid-week starter and weekend reliever, if needed. The weekend starters were slated to be two stud Freshmen (both of whom were ultimately taken in the first round of the pro draft after their Junior years) and a returning Freshman All-American.

After the first few weeks, it was apparent that none of the 3 weekend starters was settling easily into their appointed roles. As a result, my son found himself being the chief "fireman." He'd get called into a weekend game to settle things down; and, if he didn't throw more than several innings, he'd start the Tuesday or Wednesday game.

Well, as the season wore on, the two Freshmen starters generally became more reliable; but, the returning Soph did not. ...so much so that the coaches stopped designating him the Sunday starter in the "Upcoming Weekend" report on their website. Instead, the "Sunday starter" line on that webpage began showing nothing more than the phrase, "To Be Determined."

What that really meant was that if my son didn't need to relieve on Friday or Saturday, he'd start on Sunday. Otherwise, they'd start the better-rested Sophomore.

Care to guess what nickname my son developed mid-season in the clubhouse? "T.B.D." LOL!!!

The point here is that the most reliable pitchers end up throwing the most innings over the course of a regular season. However, until things come to sort themselves out, it can play havoc with a family's scheduling and expectations. Until they do, you never really know when your son might pitch...and that's a drag.

I found myself nodding my head in agreement with everything you wrote in your last paragraph. That's both the attitude and approach every young player's parents need to have.

He'll get his chance, and he'll be ready for it.

Best wishes to him and his teammates.

Thanks Prepster.  I agree with everything you said.  We went through something very similar last year.  I think by the end of the season, there was only one guy that was a starter at the beginning of the year that was still a starter at the end of the year.  One other made it almost thru the whole year, but was academically ineligible for the conference tournament.  My son never made it to a weekend starter, but started 3 non-conference games and one of the conference tournament games.  The tournament game was by far his best outing.  So, you are right, chances are there will be opportunities.  It's a tough life, that of a pitchers parent.  Every game waiting for the text from my player to see if he might be pitching.  If he's not starting, deciding to go anyway on the chance he might get in.  Starting to get used to it a little, but it's not easy for sure.  I know this, there is nothing he'd rather be doing than being on the mound with the game in his hands.  I'm just happy that he's still doing what he love and I get to watch.  I want to enjoy every minute of it.    The ups, downs and in betweens.  There are a lot of parents whose time is over.  It will be very weird when that happens for sure.

Great posts gentlemen.  Really good insight for this freshman's dad.  The school posted an article about the starters and the weekend rotation.  My son had his picture and a little write-up as the #4 starter.  That was so exciting and can't wait for him to pitch.  His mom is doing the normal "sick to her stomach" routine.  She's done this since little league.  hahahah!!!!!  Some things don't change as were both nervous wrecks.

Very interesting reading! After five years, one a red shirt season it is with a very different perspective that I hear the anxieties, fears, hopes, etc. that many parents have as their son's first collegiate game approaches or has arrived.

Even if things get a little rocky in that first appearance or two, take it from me it can and will get better. As a freshman, my son came up in a blowout game in the opening game of the season as a pinch hitter with the bases loaded. I was praying but hoping against hope he would do something fantastic. Well, on a full count he took a called strike three! The next day he struck out again as a pinch hitter. Of course I was freaking out but a few games later he got his first hit and has gone on to have an tremendous  career--twice All Regional, twice first team all conference, All Tournament in the DII College World Series, MVP of the conference tournament, Academic All American, and Tino Martinez award nominee. As his senior year begins the Collegiate baseball news in January called him perhaps the top center fielder in all of DII baseball and has him as a preseason All American. All this can happen even if your son falls flat on his face in his first game so enjoy, don't panic and remember it's a marathon not a race!!!

Three Bagger captured my thoughts exactly.  It is very different being on the other end of a college career, but I remember exactly what it felt like to be a freshmen parent.  My son went through exactly the same thing as Three Bagger's son did but from a pitchers perspective.  His first college appearance was in relief against the #1 team in the country at the time from his home state.  He entered the game late, when it was all but over.  ,He executed the pitches called from the dugout.  He got a little roughed up as most freshmen do, but it was a learning experience.  He learned from it and brought that to his next appearance and eventually his first conference start after that.  Don't panic if they fail.  Coaches are watching how they adjust.   Keeping a positive attitude and learning from mistakes is key. 

Cabbagedad,

Reading about how your son has continued to perservere and fight for a spot in college ball is really inspiring, especially for those of us who have sons that are also battling injuries to make it back on the bb field.  I hope that you will continue to post about how things go for him.  I for one would like to read about him killing it in his first college apperance in the OF.

The boy had a great outing.  Got the "WP" for his first college baseball start.  I know there will be plenty of bad days to go along with the good ones but I'm savoring this until the next time he starts.

Hope all your boys had successful outings.

13LHPdad,

Congratulations to you and your son! Getting that first great start in the bag seems like it always takes a little bit of the pressure off. Good luck towards more success!

Congrats to your son 13LHPdad! Continued success!

2014, thanks to you and others for the positive thoughts!

My wife and I drove 3 hours yesterday to a game, knowing it was unlikely he would play, but it's about as close as they come to us so wanted to meet up, make some noise for the team, get a hug and drop off a goodie bag.

HE GOT IN!  Team won, he played well, got tons of action in just 3 innings and had his ballpark smile back.  Of course (remember, reconstructive wrist surgery) very first play in OF was a bomb over his head and he had to go full extension on the track.  Nervous moment but awesome day!

Congrats 13LHP and best to all this year!