Baseball

[BaseballCoach (Rev A)]

Spring training has started and like many of you, I can't wait for opening day. Tomorrow is also the first day of 'spring' sports practice here in VA. That means my oldest will be practicing or playing baseball 5 -6 days a week for the next 3 months. He and I both love every minute of it. High school is the end of the road sports wise for most of the kids. No contracts or money in site, probably not enough talent to play college ball, but they are out there every day because they love the game. Get out there and support your local HS sports when you can. It's always better to play with a few fans in the seats and I'm sure the teams could use the ticket dollars too. Whether they win or lose, you will be better off to have spent a couple of hours watching boys be boys.

[LW]

Well said. Nothing better than watching a baseball game on a pretty day. Even if your one of those weirdos that dont like baseball, the entertainment of watching the sideline show of the boys doing what boys do is funny enough.

[LW]

I got to see one of my boys make his first trip to the mound since starting college ball this year. He did well. Came into the game in the top of the 8th tied up with bases loaded and 1 out. Pitched scoreless until he got the win in the 10th. And it was against a rival team. Good outing. Cant wait for my 8th grader to get his season started next week.

[BaseballCoach (Rev A)]

Seeing them on the mound for the first time at a new or different level always worries me. It's been that way since they started playing. He is never nervous, I'm in pins and needles. He is 9th grade playing his 2nd year of JV ball. Our school is small so 8th graders can play up. He started every game at 1st last year and looks like he will start there again this year. He didn't pitch any last year by his choice but he has been working out with the pitchers this year.

[LW]

He really wants to be a third basemen and he can hit a little. But when you show the coaching staff 92 mph, they have a funny way of wanting you to primarily be a pitcher.

[BarryBobPosthole]

That's a heckuva deal LW!

Coach, That age is about when the kods who are gonna play get separated from the kids that aren't. Seems like 12-14 is about the age that happens.

BKB

[Buckrub]

and that's the age that "Yes Sir" gets replaced with "Say WHAT?" a lot of times.

P.S.
It also takes 92 mph to play the hot corner.

[BaseballCoach (Rev A)]

Bucky, you are right. 92 + something offspeed = pitcher. 92 and nothing else = 3B.

[LW]

92+ a cutter + a 6 12 curve.

[LJ3]

I tell ya... I've shot a few HS games and the pitchers are freakin' impressive! Doubt I could hit them at all.

[BarryBobPosthole]

And not braggin' or nuthin' but the high school from my little town is ranked numero uno across this great land of ours. That would be the Big Kahuna, aka the Big Dog. The ones that put the MEAT into TEAM.

BKB

[Buckrub]

Owasso OK are baseball studs. That is the truth.

[LW]

Yes it is.

[LW]

Of course, they are that good because they recruit all the good players from the tulsa metro area and beyond. They start EARLY. I was approached when my kid was in 3rd grade and asked if I was interested in moving to the owasso area. Not because my kid was that great but they suck up anybody that might have potential. They have a system.

[BaseballCoach (Rev A)]

Most high schools that sustain success in any sport usually recruit. It's almost impossible to replace graduating talent year after year without doing it. A school about 30 miles from here has been a football power for about 12 years now. They grow big strong kids there but lack speed and skill players. They haven't started a hometown QB or RB in the past 9 years. They even pull kids from out of state. Schools that play by the rules get trampled.

[LJ3]

Same with football powerhouses around here. My oldest daughter is close friends with a star of one such school. They've been close since elementary school. He lived in poverty in a small town in a ghetto like apartment area. Then... right after middle school, his single Mom suddenly was able to move to a much more affluent area that just so happened to be about half a mile from said powerhouse football high school. Lots of whispering and turning heads the other way has occurred. He now has a full ride to a prominent football college. I'll let you know when he starts in the NFL. Should be right around draft class of 2016 when he'll be a junior in college.

[Big Muddy]

There's a 7th grader down here who is a HS varsity starter at shortstop, and hits homers like he's swatting houseflies....not even big for his age, just a day'um awesome athlete....family has moved four times in the last four years....each move has been to a different school district....money, money, money.