What happened to baseball?

I need another cuppa coffee.

What was the question again?

(I usually say yes, but if the person wants further details I give 'em.)

Yes, all the above!!! GED10DaD

I normally say "He plays baseball out of such &such park." Then if they ask why he's there (it's not the closest) we tell them what team he's on.

It is a real journey to have the opportunity to play baseball beyond the aforementioned "Parkball" days. A fair amount of effort and dedication is required to stay with the game. Few people outside of the game have any clue how hard it is to make a varsity baseball team, much less finding a home on a college team or beyond.

To those who have traveled or are traveling this path, where we are on it is important as an indication as to how far we have come, as well as where we hope our son (s) may end up.

Baseball is baseball to the casual observor, but the deeper you get into the game, all the various levels of ball become distinct and important as our sons persue their dream. Almost like, the game within the game...

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Almost like, the game within the game

I agree. I used to watch baseball games for the pleasure of watching baseball games. But when my son started playing it became more than just a game. I can remember the "Ofer" games where the team won but had nothing to do with son. Of course I was glad we won but the joy in Mudville was not what it should have been.
Fungo

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I can remember the "Ofer" games where the team won but had nothing to do with son. Of course I was glad we won but the joy in Mudville was not what it should have been.

I think every baseball parent knows that feeling and if they say otherwise they are not being truthful.

There are productive ofer's however. Sometimes hustle can get you on base during a fielding miscue and that leads to scoring a run. Other times a walk might lead to helping the team somehow. Still yet a better way is to contribute defensively if possible. Somedays, a player will just not show up in the box score. Those days you have to encourage your son to be a good teammate and pick the other guys up. Hopefully, when his teammates see them struggle, they will return the good feelings of support in kind.

There was another thread on the difficulties of being a DH. That is one of the reasons it is a tough position. You go ofer, and what do you have to hang your hat on?

I think it is like asking someone if they own a car. They can answer just yes, but most likely they will let you know the make and model too, which the "first name" of baseball kind of indicates IMO.

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FUNGO..

Sure you weren't watching Forrest Gump the other night?

Shrimp gumbo
Shrimp salad
Shrimp cocktail
Shrimp ice cream

....


cadDAD

.

What does the Ump say?

PLAY BALL

EH

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Originally posted by theEH:
What does the Ump say?

PLAY BALL

EH

nuff said!

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If someone were to ask you if your son plays baseball could just say "yes"? Bet not!

Most people I encounter know what level he plays. But if talking with someone who doesn't know, I don't define it unless they ask where he's playing. They ask if they know baseball.

When I played it was simple. Through high school it was LL, Babe Ruth and Legion. The kids who were cut from BR would play LL Juniors. The conversation would be ....

Yes, he plays.

How old is he?

Sixteen.

Which Legion team does he play for?

I miss the way ball was played in my day. We grew up playing together. My city had nine LL's. Four of us went though the entire process together. A majority of the Babe Ruth all-stars went through Legion together.

However, with the awful politics in our local programs from 13-18 I'm glad my son has options. I deleted low talent level. After thinking about it, if all the travel players were tossed back into the community pool of talent, there's plenty of talent. The problem is a coup d'etat would be needed to clean up the brutal daddy ball coaching issues in Junior Legion and Legion.

"I think every baseball parent knows that feeling and if they say otherwise they are not being truthful."

I don't since most people know. It's an issue in the community. I'd rather not have the discussion. I started the first travel team pulling players from the local program. Several other dad/coaches with talented players have followed. Since I started the exodus there's an attitude I think my son is too good to play with their kids.

I'm amused by the parents who wear "travel ball" like a badge of honor. They comment on the financial sacrifices and time demands like they gave up their first born. They want you to ask how much it costs. They've built their social life around the team. From having one "graduate" out of 18U. I've seen the "depression" from parents not knowing what to do with themselves when it's over.

They've built their social life around the team. From having one "graduate" out of 18U. I've seen the "depression" from parents not knowing what to do with themselves when it's over.
--------------------------------------------------

i think this is part of the natural progression. it's moving on to college,or not playing at all you miss the regular routine. when you spend that much time together you tend to biuld relationship's. i still talk regularly with a half dozen dads.

i'll say i had some great time's traveling. for ball.




i still go watch the high school team, and local games, i sponsor a team so i try to watch as many of their games as i can. at least 4 times a week. to me it's baseball, i know most everyone as well. so i guess it is social for me as well.

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Originally posted by RJM:
They've built their social life around the team. From having one "graduate" out of 18U. I've seen the "depression" from parents not knowing what to do with themselves when it's over.

What is it these parents are doing that they're so depressed? After my son's graduation, everybody went their seperate ways including the parents. The local league that feeds the high school is populated with the next generation of ballplayers, maybe a couple parents who have younger sons get to do it over.

Sure, you miss the games after being part of it for 12 yrs from t-ball to varsity but once it's over, you move on. The game ends for everybody at some point. Most kids that start out playing never make it to a high school team so anybody who had a kid that played up to the varsity level had to be a good player to get that far and should feel proud their kid could play at that level.

I look at it this way. My son came from a school system of about 3,000 9-12 graders and was one of only 9 starters on the varsity baseball team which means he was probably one the best baseball players in the township. Not too shabby.

Maybe if parents were caught up in this social thing, maybe they just need to look at it from another perspective.

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I look at it this way. My son came from a school system of about 3,000 9-12 graders and was one of only 9 starters on the varsity baseball team which means he was probably one the best baseball players in the township. Not too shabby.

Not too shabby indeed! You make excellent points. To have even played in high school is a huge honor. How many of us "experts" that post here had our miniscule careers end well before the high school level.

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How many of us "experts" that post here had our miniscule careers end well before the high school level.

My career ended early but no telling how far I could have gone ---- I have to explain:
Politics entered in somewhere along the way, I didn't have the money to showcase my talent, I couldn't make the adjustment to ash bats and the coach was an idiot! I didn't have any cleats to hang up --- so I just QUIT.

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Originally posted by Fungo:

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How many of us "experts" that post here had our miniscule careers end well before the high school level.

My career ended early but no telling how far I could have gone ---- I have to explain:
Politics entered in somewhere along the way, I didn't have the money to showcase my talent, I couldn't make the adjustment to ash bats and the coach was an idiot! I didn't have any cleats to hang up --- so I just QUIT.

Now that we are confessing....

I could throw the ball really hard - accuracy was an issue but no one ever coached me to not throw it with every fiber in my being. I learned to pitch after I had hurt my arm and was decent for a time. I still have arthritis in my shoulder and can only throw about half speed without pain. Being a lefty, baseball was not a good sport for me after I could no longer pitch. I would have loved to be a catcher or a shortstop but nobody would let me play there.

I wanted to play for a HS legendary coach, not where I attended. I got lost in the stew, but in retrospect, all my fault.

Take the post for what its worth. Not much.

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I wanted to play for a HS legendary coach, not where I attended. I got lost in the stew, but in retrospect, all my fault.

That sounds kind of interesting - care to elaborate?

Who was the coach? Did you try out for him and it didn't go so well?

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Originally posted by RJM:
I'm amused by the parents who wear "travel ball" like a badge of honor.

Travel ball is a venue to try and provide better instruction to kids. "Back in the day", early 70's, there were a few forward thinkers who took LL all-star teams and went barnstormin in other communities.

I played in these suburban weekend tourneys as a youngster, and although long ago, I recall how cool it was. Our Cleveland LL had some dang good players. Thats all we did was play baseball dawn to dusk, no mini-vans, no parents, just play baseball.

I never knew kids ages 11-13 could be so full of themselves, but with good reason

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I played in these suburban weekend tourneys as a youngster, and although long ago, I recall how cool it was. Our Cleveland LL had some dang good players. Thats all we did was play baseball dawn to dusk, no mini-vans, no parents, just play baseball.

I have heard similar stories about the high quality of baseball in the Cleveland sandlots. I know a gentleman who won a national championship at Arizona State in the mid 60's. He was recruited by Bobby Winkles after a Cleveland sandlot coach recommended him. After Coach Winkles saw him play, he asked if he knew any other kids and he recommended two future All-American's from Cleveland - Sal Bando and another kid. He told me stories about Reggie Jackson and Rick Monday. He told the story of when a traveling barnstorming team visited Cleveland with a young 17 year old firballer on their team. Said it was the best stuff he had ever seen in his life. His name was Jim Palmer.

Fungo,
On Saturday, I sat with justbaseball watching DI baseball, with the young man we are mentoring who was at his first baseball game...ever.
When the score was 9-1 in the 5th, our mentee said he was bored, not with justbaseball, but with DI baseball.
justbaseball could not have been nicer with Jacob. In fact, he was much more pleasant and interesting than watching this game of DI baseball.
But then, a foul ball, a real baseball foul ball hit close to us, and Jacob suddenly realized there was a baseball in DI baseball..and he wanted one.
Alas, no foul balls from the DI baseball so..bored.
But then, Mrs. infielddad arrived and it was time for a hot dog and garlic fries, and then DI baseball was boring, but baseball was okay again. However, justbaseball was was visiting with some other folks, one of whom was a former DI pitching coach for the DI baseball team.
When the day ended, off we went for Wii.
Now how do you have anything other than "Wii?" Will there soon be a day when you ask "what happened to Wii?"

quote:

"Back in the day", early 70's, there were a few forward thinkers who took LL all-star teams and went barnstormin in other communities.

I played in these suburban weekend tourneys as a youngster, and although long ago, I recall how cool it was.

My son's 9U and 10U travel teams were from his Ripken league. We saw it as extended play rather than building to something bigger. At eleven and twelve his LL all-stars teams would have done the same had they not competed into August.

In my view these are community based rec teams, not the travel teams like USSSA, AAU, TC, etc.. These teams can't compete in these kinds of tournaments due to lack of depth created by boundaries. My (coach) 13U USSSA team faced a team that went to the 13U BRWS after they used their first two pitchers. We beat them 17-4. They were the best in their region. We were only 6th in our state.

quote:

Originally posted by ClevelandDad:

That sounds kind of interesting - care to elaborate?

I would send a PM