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Youth Sports Action

Johnny Lunchbucket
May 09 2021 05:17 PM

Today the Cheetos rallied for 4 in the bottom of the last inning to defeat the maroon team, 9-8. The Maroons had rallied on Saturday to take the first of this home-and-home series by 1, so it was nice revenge. Both games had lead changes, good stuff.



A very unusual play in the 4th, the Cheetos had the bases loaded and no outs. What you need to know in this league is, probably 10% of all baserunners reach on dropped strike 3's, so we want them to be aware and hustle. Our batter battled but on strike three, passed ball, instinctively ran to take first (good hustle --but!) but the runners on base saw it and each seprately determined they too should also run. The batter was tagged about a third of the way to first and the runners --all 3 of them -- stopped as though the play was over, each about two-thirds of the way to the next base. The lead runner who was tagged next: He'd have scored for sure had he just said fuck it and never stopped running -- but he'd stopped after the kid on the way to first was tagged, thinking it was a foul ball or something, there was a moment when nobody did anything and that was when he should have charged to the plate. The kid between 2nd and 3rd was similarly hung out to dry. He first tried to retreat, saw the kid who'd taken off from first approaching the bag and was out by 20 feet at 3rd.



So, K, PB 2 unassisted, 2 unassisted-5. Triple play, inning over. AND YET WE WON

whippoorwill
May 10 2021 05:28 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Quite confusing!



Good job for the Cheetos to pull it out :)

Edgy MD
May 10 2021 05:43 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Did the manager keep his or her head? Did you get to see him or her age in real time?

Johnny Lunchbucket
May 11 2021 08:23 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

I was the manager. I was coaching third base. When the kid took off he had a shot to score so I let him go but when he stopped I could only shout go go go. Nothing doing.

Ceetar
May 11 2021 09:09 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

wait, you've got an expanded dropped third strike rule!? That rule is stupid to begin with (but I guess it can certainly boost offense in kids leagues) , but it doesn't typically apply with a runner on first <2 outs.

Johnny Lunchbucket
May 11 2021 10:16 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

No the kid hitting didn't realize he couldn't have advanced and was just struck out. But when he ran, the catcher chased him, and the other clueless guys on base thought they had to run too. So it was like strike out, failed triple steal



Bases loaded, or anyone occupying first base for long, is a rarity in our league as the baserunner typically steals second by the time the following batter can whiff. But this was a combination of hit-walk-walk

Edgy MD
May 11 2021 11:23 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

That first year or two on full-sized fields is really discouraging for catchers. The only guys who can make that throw are guys who should be pitching. Everybody steals second — short kids, husky kids, sleepy-eyed kids.



You've got a better chance just letting them take second and trying to pick them off there.



One small thing the defense has going for them is that the outfielder can sometimes get force at first on an apparent single to right.

Willets Point
May 15 2021 04:38 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My daughter had her first, and second, hits of the season today. It's good to get off the schneid.



Now to work on her fielding.

Johnny Lunchbucket
May 15 2021 07:09 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Cheetos went out and shit the bed today. Our catcher, who's usually our best fielder when the day is done missed the game, nobody we put back there helped a lot, and our pitchers went wild, which screwed up all our firlders. Our leadoff guy is slumping. Lunchpail drew a couple walks, he's more valuable when he puts the bat on the ball, kids take strike 1 AND strike 3, it's maddening.

whippoorwill
May 16 2021 04:13 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Trouble is when your most reliable player misses a game, the rest of the kids feel vulnerable



Not that I have to tell you that



Cheetos next time!

whippoorwill
May 16 2021 04:14 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Willets Point wrote:

My daughter had her first, and second, hits of the season today. It's good to get off the schneid.



Now to work on her fielding.


Yay for willetette!

Fman99
May 16 2021 06:15 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My kids are also playing sports.



Due to some juxtaposition of normal schedules my son went right from JV volleyball to JV wrestling. He's had pins in his last two matches. The road matches are not allowing road parents/fans to attend, so that sucks. His last match was on the road and he had a pin in 11 seconds and I missed it because they were not announcing the opponents before each match :/



Fgirl is in her first year of modified track, though she missed the better part of two weeks due to shin splints. Their coach had them run 3 miles/day the first week, all week, no wonder she got locked up. That's some dopey shit there. They also are traveling to road matches with a reduced team lineup and so despite being four weeks into practice she's yet to attend a match. Which is some more nonsense.

MFS62
May 17 2021 06:26 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My grandson, who is a Junior, was named captain of his high school swim team. He swims the butterfly in individual and medley races.



Later

metsmarathon
May 17 2021 06:45 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

ummL has taken a keen interest in the tools of ignorance, stepping up when nobody else really wanted to give it a shot and has now been his team's catcher for nearly every inning since. they're three-inning games and it's coach-pitch to a bunch of first graders, where everybody gets a hit eventually, but still, its fun to see. he tries very hard to do the full job, and is always willing to pounce on a short swinging bunt. with his height, and the long hair, he's got a young mike piazza vibe going.



ummR tried catcher, didn't like being a target, and lobbies instead to be key defensive infield positions (they're not really hitting it to the outfield grass yet), and when not there, lays down in the dirt in protest. but he really loves baseball and doesn't carry his frustration from the field to the bat, or to the next defensive position. still, it's maddening as a parent. regardless, he's got a nice contact-hitting swing going.



side note: i keep trying to strike all these first-graders out, but nobody keeps a darned count. but i do have quite the swing-and-miss stuff, apparently.



minimm's soccer team has been struggling this past year. covid cost them three of their better players, who moved on last year to other teams that had a better likelihood of actually playing a season, and on-field chemistry has been a bit of a mess since, with too many new pieces. they're slowly rounding into form, though. minimm is transitioning from a defense center-back mindset to offense-first, and it's coming along nicely. he had a great goal in his last game, and a sweet assist.

Willets Point
May 17 2021 09:42 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action


Willets Point wrote:

My daughter had her first, and second, hits of the season today. It's good to get off the schneid.



Now to work on her fielding.


Yay for willetette!

Ha-ha! Thanks.



I went to my son's doubleheader yesterday and he had two hits (including a triple), two rbis (including driving the teams only run in one game), and a sliding catch of a line drive at second base.

Ceetar
May 17 2021 11:44 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

I'm still in the 'clinic' phase of sports, we don't really play official games or anything.



first-second softball right now, we generally play game format but everyone bats until they hit and we don't really chase kids off base when they're out (as if that happens more than once in a while)



My main concern is keeping her interested. She was more into softball this year than she was for Baseball, Basketball or Soccer in previous years, but her enthusiasm is definitely tanking now.



I pitched Saturday, batters had a 1.000 batting average off me, and zero Ks!

Johnny Lunchbucket
May 17 2021 07:57 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Cheetos pitchers walked 12 and hit 2 in 5 innings today. We outhit the bad guys but lost 8-6

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jun 05 2021 08:09 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Help: Even though the Cheetos are getting better at executing difficult plays the scourge of opponents taking ludicrous leads off base is still raging in our league, particularly on 1st and 3rd, 2nd & 3rd or bases loaded.



If a kid is leading halfway between 2nd and 3rd, and we don't want to move our infielders behind them, can a pitcher make a pickoff throw to shortstop -- at the shortstop position? We figure that could be an easy tag if it's not a balk or otherwise illegal.



I guess our other options are 1-3-2 or on a pitch, 2-6: but we want to avoid throwing the ball into the outfield and letting 2 guys score.



Advice?

Edgy MD
Jun 05 2021 08:14 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

6.02(b) There is no violation if a pitcher attempts a legal pickoff at second base and, seeing no fielder covering the bag, throws to a fielder, who is neither in the vicinity of the bag nor making an actual attempt to retire the runner.

Willets Point
Jun 05 2021 02:18 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My son is making his debut as an umpire for a Farm Division (1st-2nd grade players) game right now.

Edgy MD
Jun 05 2021 03:29 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

The pitcher can chase the runner if he breaks contact without starting his or her motion. Don't ask me how that is correctly affected, though.



More importantly, he can fake to second, and if the runner breaks for third, he's a dead duck.



But I'm sure there a billion youtube videos about holding runners on.

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jun 05 2021 06:22 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Yeah I got confirmation from an umpire today. If the pitcher steps off the mound, he's essentially a fielder.



Practiced the play but didn't use it. Cheetos had a disaster inning today, coughing up 11 runs in the 4th. We're pretty much out of answers; the right play executed wrongly is okay, but just a shitload of lazy plays and bad approaches (kid gives up when a line drive goes right to the shortstop but he bats it off his glove and still throws him out; another kid watches the second baseman make an error and is thrown out.; At least 4 occasions where our fielders plant their feet and and ole a throw that's not right where they'd like it instead of getting in front. They need to do this for themselves, not for us but nobody is stepping up and saying to their teammates, let's play some fuckin baseball.



The line drive giver-upper batted just before the Lunchpail smashed a home run.



https://www.instagram.com/p/CPwUg4eHMyE/?utm_medium=copy_link

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jun 05 2021 11:02 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Willets Point wrote:

My son is making his debut as an umpire for a Farm Division (1st-2nd grade players) game right now.


That's great. I'd like the pail to give that a try but he needs to be about 500 times more assertive than he is irl

Willets Point
Jun 05 2021 11:11 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

It was good for him to ease into in in the coach-pitch level since they don't have balls or called strikes so he basically just had to make safe or out calls.

Frayed Knot
Jun 05 2021 11:13 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Tell him the best thing he can is be decisive in his calls.

The better he sells the calls the less blowback he'll get.

LWFS
Jun 05 2021 11:21 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Learn-to-pitch leagues with every game played at our usual dinner time on Tuesdays and Thursdays-- such as the softball league YoungerPooper is handling quite decently (line-drive hitter... but with iffy selectivity/solid second basewoman/indifferent outfielder)-- are a ROUGH watch. Every team has 1-2 girls who can REALLY pitch. The problem is that the ones who are trying are all over the place, release-point-wise, and the umpires, to a man/woman, call a REALLY tight zone.

Edgy MD
Jun 06 2021 06:35 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Softball needs to evolve. We made a gentler version of baseball because we assumed females weren't competitive enough to handle the hard ball, overhand throws, and distances of baseball. And then we realized just how competitive they can be, and pitchers make a mockery of the distance between the rubber and the plate.



You get to a certain level and there's a Jacob deGrom on every team.

Willets Point
Jun 06 2021 10:25 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

I don't think softball was originally invented for women and girls, but your general point stands.



I also support getting more girls playing baseball. A lot of the girls in our co-ed neighborhood baseball league also play on an all-girls team called the Boston Slammers. The Slammers have played in tournaments where they've clobbered all-boys teams. They've also won the national Baseball For All tournament of all-girls teams.

Edgy MD
Jun 06 2021 01:16 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Great for the Slammers.

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jun 06 2021 04:45 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My friend just texted



---------s travel team is playing a Championship Game in Palmyra, PA right now. The opposing team is the Bronx Bombers 16u. Their head coach is Julio Franco.

Lefty Specialist
Jun 07 2021 06:57 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote:

My friend just texted



---------s travel team is playing a Championship Game in Palmyra, PA right now. The opposing team is the Bronx Bombers 16u. Their head coach is Julio Franco.


Check 'em for steroids.

Ceetar
Jun 07 2021 08:27 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Willets Point wrote:



I also support getting more girls playing baseball. A lot of the girls in our co-ed neighborhood baseball league also play on an all-girls team called the Boston Slammers. The Slammers have played in tournaments where they've clobbered all-boys teams. They've also won the national Baseball For All tournament of all-girls teams.


Just spitballing from what I see, but it seems girls playing baseball is going to have to happen in like the 10-14 range and be girl-driven. Or happen at the town level where they just say "screw it, it's just baseball, no softball"



But where's the incentive to choose baseball over softball? We're coming at it from a MLB/baseball/history type stance, but why would a 10 year old girl care about playing baseball instead of softball? Maybe inequality of resources, interests, promotion, but the solution to that might be "pay more attention to softball" not "move all the girls to baseball".





It's the same game until kids pitch anyway, perhaps it should ONLY be softball until third grade or so?



http://www.ceetar.com/optimisticmetsfan/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/20210518_190455.jpg>

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jun 08 2021 05:58 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

There is 1 girl playing in Lunchpail's 14-15 y.o. division. She has one of the most aggressive batting stances in the whole league, and would easily outhit the bottom third of our lineup. She mostly plays the outfield.



dubble-elimination playoff tourney for the Cheetos begins on Friday.



We've got a little bit of a Lindor-McNeil controversy clouding our outlook. Our regular shortstop did not demonstrate the arm strength we really needed to reliably throw guys out at first so we've switched up with the second baseman who has a strong arm, but also, a tendency to half-ass things. It's not working out: the SS feels like he's been demoted, and the half-assery of his replacement is resulting in plays not made, only for a different reason. Making it worse, the 2B-turned-SS is the head coach's son, and the SS-turned-2B is the assistant coach's son. I'd like to put both of them in the outfield.

Edgy MD
Jun 08 2021 07:19 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

That's the Lifetime drama of many a Little League team.



Weak infield arms frequently aren't exposed until you get to the 90-foot basepaths. Sometimes, it's not so much a lack of talent, so much as bad mechanics that never got corrected at a lower level because the shorter distances hid them.



I was a secondbaseman, and the one time coachie put me at third after we expanded to the full-sized field, I hoovered up everything, but then I would look up and the firstbaseman looked like he was in another county. I wanted to cry as I gritted my teeth and heaved the ball as best as I could. The ball kept coming to me, and I made all my plays — fortunately, there was time for the firstbaseman to come off the bag and make a tag play or something — but the coach never put me there again after seeing the parachutes I was throwing.



I didn't figure it out until college, but I just wasn't locking my front leg and hip. All the momentum I was generating with my push-off leg was collapsing in the bottom half of my body instead of KABOOM!ing out of my top half. I started playing short and center in intramural leagues, and I was, briefly, a defensive phenomenon. The ball exPLODed out of my hand.

Lefty Specialist
Jun 08 2021 08:24 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

I was a Little League coach for a few years and I'm scarred for life. It wasn't the kids who were the problem, it was the adults. Kids are resilient, adults hold grudges.



I coached Lefty Jr's 4th-grade team, and I knew I was in trouble when they were drafting the league. We walked into a room where guys had stats and comparisons on players- these were 9-year-old kids! We snagged 'Mets' as our team name, but our luck pretty much ended there. We were thoroughly outclassed, but I was able to pick a few kids that I knew who had some athletic talent.



A few days later, I got a call from the head of the league that two of the kids I'd picked were no longer on our team as another coach had requested them because they 'wanted to play with their friends'. We got a couple of daisy-pickers in return.



The season was a disaster. We had nobody who could pitch, which is the biggest requirement at that point. You just need someone who can get the ball near the strike zone consistently, since kids will swing at almost anything. It was a long season full of bases-loaded walks; every time the Mets do it I get flashbacks. I had mothers coming up to me in tears because I was ruining little Billy's confidence by leaving him out there. I had a coach whose team scored 10 runs in the top of the first inning and when I tried to convince him to call the inning and let us bat, he refused, saying, "but my guys want to hit". I had fathers who wanted their kids playing shortstop and batting higher in the order. Nobody wanted their son to be the catcher.



The only saving grace was that the father of one of the kids owned an ice cream parlor in town, so we got a lot of free ice cream. At the end of a miserable season, he threw a party for us and the kids gave me a baseball signed by every one of them. Still one of my prized possessions.



I recently asked Lefty Jr, a good-field, no-hit second baseman, if he regretted being a part of that team (that went 1-12). He said, "No way! We got ice cream after every game!" So the trauma didn't linger, for him anyway.

MFS62
Jun 08 2021 09:06 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Lefty Specialist wrote:

I recently asked Lefty Jr, a good-field, no-hit second baseman, if he regretted being a part of that team (that went 1-12).

How do you think the coach of the team you beat feels?



Later

Centerfield
Jun 08 2021 09:40 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Super busy spring for Short Center. High school ball, travel ball, and little league. For his school, he tried out for varsity and secured the starting 2B job. He was one of two freshmen starters. He had a pretty good season, and got a nice hit off a senior that he's known and looked up to for a few years. Huge parenting fail for me though. The day after his COVID vaccine he was pretty sluggish and out of it, but insisted on going to school and playing in the game. He made two errors and was a step slow on a few other plays. Was really upset after the game, and I'm sitting there wondering if I should have stopped him from playing. Stomach was in knots. I mean, how do you know what to do there. The coach was super supportive though, and he bounced back the next game.



Little league and HS ball end, so just travel ball for the summer.

metsmarathon
Jun 08 2021 12:52 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

minimm just declared that he wants to run cross country in the fall, in addition to soccer. it's the one sport that's offered in the school, as opposed to through a town program. he'll be in 6th grade, which is when school sports first start up.



he has also declared that he would be willing to run over the summer to practice. but also that he not run with me. which, well, i can appreciate.

Centerfield
Jun 08 2021 06:56 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

=metsmarathon post_id=67267 time=1623178337 user_id=83]
minimm just declared that he wants to run cross country in the fall, in addition to soccer. it's the one sport that's offered in the school, as opposed to through a town program. he'll be in 6th grade, which is when school sports first start up.



he has also declared that he would be willing to run over the summer to practice. but also that he not run with me. which, well, i can appreciate.



Has he admitted he's a runner?

Fman99
Jun 08 2021 07:11 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My daughter 'participated' in modified track -- though she got shin splints the first week and despite her best efforts, did not get chosen to participate in a single meet this year. I just fired off a nasty gram to the coaches. It's modified sports -- what's the damn point if kids don't get a chance to try? Shit makes me nutso.



In other news, Fboy has his last JV wrestling meet of the season tomorrow and hopes to go out with a victory. He's had an up and down season but coming off of a 4-5 match losing streak.

metsmarathon
Jun 08 2021 09:00 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

=Centerfield post_id=67313 time=1623200171 user_id=65]
=metsmarathon post_id=67267 time=1623178337 user_id=83]
minimm just declared that he wants to run cross country in the fall, in addition to soccer. it's the one sport that's offered in the school, as opposed to through a town program. he'll be in 6th grade, which is when school sports first start up.



he has also declared that he would be willing to run over the summer to practice. but also that he not run with me. which, well, i can appreciate.



Has he admitted he's a runner?


not yet. i think thats been his problem. but he does admit to being a soccer player. which really isn't all that much different.

Centerfield
Jun 09 2021 09:26 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

=Fman99 post_id=67324 time=1623201100 user_id=86]
My daughter 'participated' in modified track -- though she got shin splints the first week and despite her best efforts, did not get chosen to participate in a single meet this year. I just fired off a nasty gram to the coaches. It's modified sports -- what's the damn point if kids don't get a chance to try? Shit makes me nutso.



In other news, Fboy has his last JV wrestling meet of the season tomorrow and hopes to go out with a victory. He's had an up and down season but coming off of a 4-5 match losing streak.



What is “modified” in modified track?

Edgy MD
Jun 09 2021 09:41 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Yeah, that word isn't really useful in that context.



I think that "modified" means, like, particularly uncompetitive. Long distances aren't included, meets don't really add up their points. It's just about getting kids acclimated to running as a team sport.



A modified track coach may be teaching kids the proper way to climb into the starting blocks one day and just breaking out frisbees the next. It's often populated by a lot of kids who aren't particularly joiners or were pushed into it by parents to get them to do anything but videogames, so coaches get a lot of different levels of commitment.



Fgirl's coach fucked up — and clearly is about to hear about it — but I'd bet 75 cents that coachie didn't actively disclude her from meet participation so much as didn't have his or her shit together, put Fgirl on a no-fly list after the splints developed, and never reviewed it again.



Those of us who don't have our shit together recognize the process in others.

Willets Point
Jun 09 2021 09:57 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My daughter got selected for the All-Star Game. It's a bit of a quota system because the coaches chose her as the girl with the most votes from her teammates, but still, she got votes from her teammates.

Fman99
Jun 09 2021 12:01 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

=Centerfield post_id=67367 time=1623252419 user_id=65]
=Fman99 post_id=67324 time=1623201100 user_id=86]
My daughter 'participated' in modified track -- though she got shin splints the first week and despite her best efforts, did not get chosen to participate in a single meet this year. I just fired off a nasty gram to the coaches. It's modified sports -- what's the damn point if kids don't get a chance to try? Shit makes me nutso.



In other news, Fboy has his last JV wrestling meet of the season tomorrow and hopes to go out with a victory. He's had an up and down season but coming off of a 4-5 match losing streak.



What is “modified” in modified track?


Modified = 7th & 8th grade sports (pre-JV level)

Willets Point
Jun 09 2021 05:55 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

In the youth baseball game I'm watching now there's a kid on the other team doing the Soto Shuffle.

Centerfield
Jun 10 2021 08:10 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

=Fman99 post_id=67380 time=1623261695 user_id=86]
=Centerfield post_id=67367 time=1623252419 user_id=65]
=Fman99 post_id=67324 time=1623201100 user_id=86]
My daughter 'participated' in modified track -- though she got shin splints the first week and despite her best efforts, did not get chosen to participate in a single meet this year. I just fired off a nasty gram to the coaches. It's modified sports -- what's the damn point if kids don't get a chance to try? Shit makes me nutso.



In other news, Fboy has his last JV wrestling meet of the season tomorrow and hopes to go out with a victory. He's had an up and down season but coming off of a 4-5 match losing streak.



What is “modified” in modified track?


Modified = 7th & 8th grade sports (pre-JV level)


That's messed up. In middle school, all kids ran at meets. As many races were needed.

Fman99
Jun 10 2021 12:25 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

We got good feedback from the coaches. My daughter was also self-sabotaging to an extent. Which she had neglected to mention. Naturally there are more sides to the story.

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jun 12 2021 06:13 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Cheetos took the first game of the tourney. First time in Cheetos history they played 7 complete innings, complete games for both starters. I have to admit, our efforts were bolstered by missing 2 of our weaker hitters. Key play, fifth inning, bases loaded, they brought the infield in, Lunchpail lined one just out of the reach of the SS. Easy out in normal depth. Good game, we face our rival royal blue team and their bullshitty coaches today at 3-- don't miss it

Edgy MD
Jun 12 2021 07:03 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Livestream it!

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jun 12 2021 11:23 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

I'll try. Forgot that I played a key role in the win last night. Kid hammered an RBI triple to right but totally missed first base. I knew it, but didn't have the procedure for an appeal down pat. I'm shouting to our pitcher. Appeal! Appeal! He doesn't understand. His dad walks by. Former college pitcher. Step off the mound and throw to first! Boom. Run doesn't count, third out.

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jun 12 2021 06:28 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Clobbered. Into the losers bracket with authority.



On the upside losers play Monday instead of Tuesday so my Mets date is still on

Edgy MD
Jun 12 2021 08:40 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

#priorities

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jun 15 2021 08:31 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Cheetos live to fight another day. Come-from-behind win vs. the Red Hots last night in the losers' bracket. Wasn't the prettiest win ever but we'll take it.



Friday night we've drawn the maroon team with whom we spilt home-and-home walkoffs this year. They have a badass lefty who wears a karate-style headband and eye black when he plays. He was no hitting us for 3 innings until Lunchpail took him to the moon in our first encounter. He made a show of how unperturbed he was by it while proceeding to surrender hits to the next 4 batters and a bases-loaded walk to get himself yanked.



We need that kinda inning again. Don't miss this one!

Edgy MD
Jun 15 2021 12:13 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Do it again, Pail.



Hey, if you get Joey Turner pitching against you again, a good way to get under his skin is to have your whole lineup wear goofy headbands and eyeblack. And get the moms to help you trick it out with some KISS-like designs.



#GoodTimes

#ShoutItOutLoud

Willets Point
Jun 16 2021 10:24 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My daughter's team, the Flying Squirrels, started the Junior Division Semi-Final last night. They were rallying from behind in the bottom of the 3rd when the heavens unleashed and flooded the field. The exciting conclusion of the game should take place tonight. The final is on Thursday, should they win.

Willets Point
Jun 17 2021 07:46 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

The Flying Squirrels season came to an end last night in a loss to the purple team.

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jun 17 2021 08:15 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Fuckin purples. They probably cheated

Centerfield
Jun 17 2021 08:54 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote:

Cheetos live to fight another day. Come-from-behind win vs. the Red Hots last night in the losers' bracket. Wasn't the prettiest win ever but we'll take it.



Friday night we've drawn the maroon team with whom we spilt home-and-home walkoffs this year. They have a badass lefty who wears a karate-style headband and eye black when he plays. He was no hitting us for 3 innings until Lunchpail took him to the moon in our first encounter. He made a show of how unperturbed he was by it while proceeding to surrender hits to the next 4 batters and a bases-loaded walk to get himself yanked.



We need that kinda inning again. Don't miss this one!


Who's home for the rubber match?

Edgy MD
Jun 17 2021 09:49 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Willets Point wrote:

The Flying Squirrels season came to an end last night in a loss to the purple team.


If "The Purple Team" is really advancing, I think America needs to put our heads together and get them a better nickname.



Consolation to The Squirrels.

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jun 17 2021 09:57 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

It's a coin flip for home/away.



Our head coach, with whom I've become sorta estranged over the course of this year, is pushing us to go with our No. 2 starter in this one, looking ahead to better positioning us to win the finals.



I think, no matter what happens, our pitching depth will catch up to us as we play lose-and-go-home games Friday evening, then saturday morning if we win Friday, then would have to sweep the winners' champion on Sunday.



Our No. 1 guy gives us the best chance to get to Saturday (and that's only if everything else goes right--namely, we make plays and the bottom end of the lineup draws walks and gets HBPed) then we take our chances on a balls-out bullpen game Saturday. But you'd hate to end the season with a No. 1 starter in the holster.

Willets Point
Jun 17 2021 09:59 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

The star pitcher for the purple team who also hit a home run goes to my daughter's school and is the nicest kid. Makes it hard to hate them.



Edgy, they are named for the local institution that sponsors them but I figured I'd just keep them generic.

Willets Point
Jun 17 2021 07:31 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My wife took my daughter to watch the championship game tonight. They got the Fenway Park announcer to announce the kids' at-bats. Apparently my daughter spent the game talking the Fenway Park announcer's ear off.

Edgy MD
Jun 17 2021 07:42 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Terrific.

LWFS
Jun 18 2021 03:36 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Willets Point wrote:

My wife took my daughter to watch the championship game tonight. They got the Fenway Park announcer to announce the kids' at-bats. Apparently my daughter spent the game talking the Fenway Park announcer's ear off.


THAT is boss

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jun 19 2021 07:35 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Well, let's just say that the Cheetos didn't play championship-level defense last night.



The Maroons tried to get away with saving their lefty and the Cheetos did a decent job of taking advantage of their No. 2 guy, going up 7-1. Shoulda been more but a kid inexcusably got picked off 3rd, with no one out, in the 4th. That was that was a critical turning point, as it came with our weaker hitters on the way -- and sure enough they all made outs (the kid batting at the very least would have reached 1st on a dropped 3rd strike were that kid still at 3rd. Absolute disaster.



Our ace was tiring by that time and frustrated with a tight strike zone and walked some kids he shoulda put away in the 5th. Then it became a complete Bad-Fielder's-Choice fest. Kids threw to wrong bases and/or over the heads of the basemen, the basemen receiving throws planted their feet and were afraid to adjust when throws didn't come exactly where their target was (this was an issue all year long for us), we completely fucked up a dead-duck pickle when our lazy shortstop didn't cover third base, our second baseman let a pop fly drop in front of him. They really embarrassed themselves.



We eventually drew their ace out whom they were holding for the the next game and nicked em for a few but when it was over the Cheetos were deserving 13-9 losers.



In the end we finished 8-8 (6-6 regular season 2-2 in the playoffs) which sounds okay but sort of masked how badly they executed.



I privately announced my retirement from the coaching box after the game and Lunchpail's agent said he likely would test the free-agent market next season.



We just didn't do these kids right in terms of practice time and improvement for which I blame COVID (we couldn't really gather at the batting cage or have proper tryouts), and the head coach who didn't have the time to arrange real practices, was way too loose about mandatory attendance, never invested in a single baseball or piece of practice equipment, and came from a point of view that kids would succeed (and others would fail) based on impossibly small samples, or at the position they played when they were 6 years old (not 14), and no real demonstration of their abilities except under the fire of games. We talked about fundies and situations a lot more than we ever practiced them.



I guess it's worth noting the 3 remaining clubs in our division are all associated with a Catholic school athletic program and are basically coached by gym teachers with access to campus practice facilities

Edgy MD
Jun 19 2021 08:08 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

There's this great theme running through the Charles Schulz biography by David Michaelis, discussing the silent rivalry between Minneapolis and St. Paul. One is Lutheran, and the other is Catholic, one drives Fords, and the other drives Chevys, etc. They drink different beer and read different newspapers, and are both very much alike and aliens to one another. To make matters more awkward, Schulz' extended family and crew are on the wrong side of the track — Lutherans in St. Paul.



When he and his friends break into a Catholic high school to use their hockey rink, he initially feels guilty, but soon finds he's seemingly having the best day of his life. He can't believe that such professional facilities are available to children (children!) and they are kids who live on the next block over from him. He never wants to leave.



So of course, when he gets rick and moves to California, the first thing he does is build a hockey rink.



Congrats to the Cheetos. All kids deserve gym teachers for coaches. Yeah, there aren't a lot of gym teachers who aren't at least a little bit crazy, but it's asking a lot of dads and moms to give them the fine-tuning they deserve to avoid those playoff letdowns. Most teams I was on, we didn't even pick up a bat until the third or fourth practice. This was torment, but we were generally ahead of the other teams on defense.



That said, the one time I played first, I totally fell for the old plant-your-feet-too-early routine. I was 13 by this point and should have known better. Stupid.

Willets Point
Jun 19 2021 12:34 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My daughter's All-Star Team lost an exciting game, 12-11 this morning. The end of the game was one of the best 10-year-old hitters in the neighborhood against one of the best 10-year-old pitchers in the neighborhood, 2 outs, with runners on 2nd and 3rd. He hit the ball sharply to 2nd and was thrown out by maybe half a step. Just a little bit faster (or a bobble by the defense) and it would've been a walk off for my daughter's team.



There was SO. MUCH. DRAMA.

Willets Point
Jul 06 2021 09:49 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My son's team played a wild game last night in a Babe Ruth tournament (he was DH so wasn't involved in the shenanigans I will describe). The middle infielders on his team managed to pull off the hidden ball trick. The next inning, the other team kept trying and failing to do the hidden ball trick. It was kind of embarrassing. Later in the game their pitcher balked in a run. Then he cursed out the ump and got ejected. Our team was ahead but the game was suspended for darkness in the 6th inning because for some reason the lights never turned on. Anyhow, I've never watched a youth baseball game like that before.

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jul 16 2021 08:11 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My friend who's kid played against Julio Franco's team called me today to relay a story from a different tournament this week in Georgia (Francos team is also there). Anyway a bad umpire who gave a pitcher a warning for a balk when he shouldn't have for the age level earned abuse from a guy in the crowd whom the umpire ejected. "Where's my warning?" the guy said as he left. The guy? 300-save reliver Joe Nathan

Edgy MD
Jul 16 2021 09:20 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Just one more episode in America's favorite new reality show, Stony Brook Education in Action!

Centerfield
Aug 03 2021 03:23 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Exciting times for Short Center. He was asked to move up and play with the 16U for the rest of the summer. It's been an adjustment for him as it's meant less playing time and batting lower in the order. He's the smallest on the team, but he's having fun. They won their tournament this weekend in Long Island.



https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/render/00-5yqTsQuqPPELIcU5wq5gZCUGvDIy4vWpys8FzfQO3jqfCxzMP0VGAAZyB6cV1FvRV7ntXQOewWgszVPDOQPWWw?cn=THISLIFE&res=medium>



He's the one on the far right.

MFS62
Aug 03 2021 03:33 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Congrats, CF.

You should be very proud.



Later

Johnny Lunchbucket
Nov 29 2021 03:02 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Lunchpail had his 1st winter track meet this weekend. Finished 2nd in his 55 heat after a stumbled start and his group took bronze in the 200 relay. They make the kids compete in masks, a little over the top. His challenge is in overcoming heritage as a distance runner

Centerfield
Dec 02 2021 10:58 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Great job Lunchpail! Multi-sport athlete.



Are the track meets indoors? Where do they hold them?

Johnny Lunchbucket
Dec 02 2021 12:49 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Armory, which is a great old facility with little parking

metsmarathon
Dec 02 2021 01:33 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

minimm's soccer team lost a lot of personnel to local club teams, added a bunch of out of town kids and brought up some from teh younger team. despite all of this, they actually moved up a flight after a mediocre year last year.



they got their asses handed to them this year, unfortunately, giving up an average of about 8 goals per game, scoring 2 on the season. (minimm had one of them, in the last game -really making the play happen all on his own)



after about three games, minimm was visibly defeated on the field, and it showed in his approach and his attitude. me being the super parent i am, got on his case about it. too much, really.



i'm worried that between the shitty season and the shitty dad, he's lost a lot of love for his sport. and confidence, too. despite being clearly the best player on his team. he was scheduled to do a tryout for an advanced winter clinic, but he's asked to not to. i need to talk to him about it some more. mostly to apologize, and try to take some of the pressure off. and really just see if he truly needs a bit of a mental break from soccer, or is just discouraged from the last season and thinking emotionally. he also had a sub-par turkey trot 5k after a great XC season, failing to really improve on his time from last year, despite having actually had more training to support it, and i think that's a factor as well.



he's now doing basketball, and the group of kids seems like a pretty good bunch. not too serious, but not too jokey, either. might be just the break he needs. games start next week. i think the kid needs a win.

Johnny Lunchbucket
Mar 09 2022 05:58 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Lunchpail didn't make varsity baseball, and no JV this year so he is gonna do track instead, which a lot of his school friends do.



He had to rest a sore hip and missed some indoor season this year but his class finished 3rd in the city championship this weekend. He ran 4x200 and 4x400 and is going to try pole vaulting this spring

Edgy MD
Mar 09 2022 06:08 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Not making varsity baseball and no JV is a whole lotta bullshit.



Sounds like they want more juvenile crime.

metsmarathon
Apr 26 2022 06:14 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

ummL & ummR had their pitching debuts in U9 baseball this weekend. both need some work on their mechanics, but otherwise did well. and had a ton of fun. threw a fair bit of strikes, albeit with very generous calls.



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52029547087_144a79a740_z.jpg>

ummL rocks the flow.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52029547072_d02889abbc_z.jpg>

and... maybe sometimes throws... is that a screwball.!? pretty sure i need to correct this....



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52029544952_d87d4b3230_z.jpg>

meanwhile, ummR brings the intensity

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52030590716_5d48f7fa1d_z.jpg>

... and the heater.

Frayed Knot
Apr 26 2022 06:28 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Good to see that the 2nd baseman is primed and ready for action.

metsmarathon
Apr 26 2022 07:33 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

that could be a rather shallow right fielder. hard to tell.



tonight i have our first coach-pitch game. at least 4 of the 10 kids on my team seem like they've never seen, let along swung, a baseball bat in their lives. we had but one skinny practice so far, and hitting off the tee was difficult enough. we'll be using it a bunch tonight, too, i expect.

Edgy MD
Apr 26 2022 09:12 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

That secondbaseman/outfielder is the best. I'd put the engagement level at perhaps a 3 or 4.



A 2 is when you start becoming more interested in the goose shit around you. A 1 is when you're actually facing away from the plate toward the outfield fence.

Edgy MD
Apr 26 2022 09:17 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Also ...



[FIMG=200]https://images.findagrave.com/photos250/photos/2009/102/35830436_123966636434.jpg[/FIMG] [FIMG=550]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52029547087_144a79a740_z.jpg[/FIMG]

Fman99
Apr 26 2022 09:35 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Edgy MD wrote:

Also ...



[FIMG=200]https://images.findagrave.com/photos250/photos/2009/102/35830436_123966636434.jpg[/FIMG] [FIMG=550]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52029547087_144a79a740_z.jpg[/FIMG]


Well done, this

Fman99
Apr 26 2022 09:36 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Fgirl is on the novice crew team for her high school. We put her in "learn to row" programs last summer and fall and then she spent the winter doing off season workouts with the crew coaches. She loves it. They have enough girls at the novice level for two boats (8 rowers + a coxswain) but only the top 8/9 get to compete. She is consistently in that top 8 group and loves being part of a team for the first time and repping her school.

Johnny Lunchbucket
Apr 26 2022 10:45 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Edgy MD wrote:

Also ...



[FIMG=200]https://images.findagrave.com/photos250/photos/2009/102/35830436_123966636434.jpg[/FIMG] [FIMG=550]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52029547087_144a79a740_z.jpg[/FIMG]


great

Edgy MD
Apr 26 2022 10:48 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Unfortunately, Bird is a beat and a half ahead of ummL in that shot, but I instantly recognized the compact all-elbows-and-knees motion and the angle. And the flow.



I'm sure there's a shot somewhere of Fidrych earlier in the windup that's an even better match.

metsmarathon
Apr 26 2022 11:02 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Edgy MD wrote:

That secondbaseman/outfielder is the best. I'd put the engagement level at perhaps a 3 or 4.



A 2 is when you start becoming more interested in the goose shit around you. A 1 is when you're actually facing away from the plate toward the outfield fence.


so... what is it if the 2b is picking up the dirt clumps at his feet and throwing them towards the right fielder, because that was ummR during his turn there!

metsmarathon
Apr 26 2022 11:03 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Edgy MD wrote:

Also ...



[FIMG=200]https://images.findagrave.com/photos250/photos/2009/102/35830436_123966636434.jpg[/FIMG] [FIMG=550]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52029547087_144a79a740_z.jpg[/FIMG]


outstanding!

Frayed Knot
Apr 26 2022 11:13 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Not un-Sid Finch-like either IIRC

Edgy MD
Apr 26 2022 11:14 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action


Edgy MD wrote:

That secondbaseman/outfielder is the best. I'd put the engagement level at perhaps a 3 or 4.



A 2 is when you start becoming more interested in the goose shit around you. A 1 is when you're actually facing away from the plate toward the outfield fence.


so... what is it if the 2b is picking up the dirt clumps at his feet and throwing them towards the right fielder, because that was ummR during his turn there!


Sounds like a 1.85 to me.

Willets Point
Apr 26 2022 01:58 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

[attachment=0]IMG_2336.jpg[/attachment]
Younger child bats while older child umpires. Also, younger child had a big hit in the bottom of the sixth and then scored the winning run in her team's walkoff win.

Centerfield
Apr 28 2022 11:33 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Outstanding work by all the offspring! Can't tell you how much I miss 9U baseball. Those goofy baseball years are really the best.



ShortCenter's been enjoying his sophomore year season. Last year as a freshman, he got to play his natural 2B. The incumbent (a junior) was moved to 3B. Now that junior is a senior, and wants to play his last year at his natural position. The coach gives a lot of deference to the seniors (which I agree with). So SC's playing 3B. Wears #5. So really 3B is where he should be anyway. Was nervous at first about the move, but seems comfortable now.



I really wish I could make all of the games, but was glad I was there to see this one.



https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/278658973_10228002846440262_3980654353508549497_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_p180x540&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=Dcd5Temw6OgAX_DiyqS&_nc_oc=AQnp5i59FJLtkvWTvtGnCoge2cZSoHSDZCcNVGtGGTlemb9qW6zli_9NfVsCq0XnoUc&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=00_AT_PLuSG8FGwyaqEyOBxkDUsiTsy9MgQVqbMJUZaO7W1wg&oe=626F8A17>

Centerfield
Apr 28 2022 11:35 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Edgy MD wrote:

Also ...



[FIMG=200]https://images.findagrave.com/photos250/photos/2009/102/35830436_123966636434.jpg[/FIMG] [FIMG=550]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52029547087_144a79a740_z.jpg[/FIMG]


This should be framed and hung in Stockholm.

Edgy MD
Apr 28 2022 11:52 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

=Centerfield post_id=90696 time=1651167196 user_id=65]So SC's playing 3B. Wears #5. So really 3B is where he should be anyway. Was nervous at first about the move, but seems comfortable now.



I was a secondbaseman, and I felt I could catch anything hit my way by the time we moved up to the full-size field. I was concerned that my throwing wasn't coming along. I got the ball over to first, but I didn't have the zip I needed to excel the way I hoped I would.



Then the one time I was put at third on the full-size field, I fielded my first grounder with aplomb, transferred the ball to my throwing hand, looked up, and — Good God — the first basemen was three inches tall. I tried not to hide my panic as I realized how suddenly out-of-my-depth I was. I let the ball rip and it arced over the diamond in plenty of time, but it was at least five or six feet wide of the bag. It was in plenty of time, because the ball had come to me so quickly, so the first baseman abandoned the bag, caught the ball up the line, and tagged the runner.



For two or three innings, everything came to me. I caught it all. Popups, liners, and one or two more grounders. And the heaves it took for me to get it across the diamond must've been comical, because despite my five-chances-and-no-errors performance, coachie never put me there again. If your kid got past that adjustment, he has my respect.

Edgy MD
Apr 28 2022 11:55 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

And, oh yeah, short center looks like a beast turning on that pitch.

Frayed Knot
Apr 28 2022 12:38 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Yeah, that's some nice hittin' form: good hip turn; meeting the ball out in front; power off the stiff front leg.

And he can always just blame his parents for not being born left-handed.









And speaking of good form:







Edgy MD wrote:

Also ...



[FIMG=200]https://images.findagrave.com/photos250/photos/2009/102/35830436_123966636434.jpg[/FIMG] [FIMG=550]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52029547087_144a79a740_z.jpg[/FIMG] [FIMG=300]https://dac8r2vkxfv8c.cloudfront.net/images/blog/si-60-sidd-finch-story-top.jpg[/FIMG]


This should be framed and hung in Stockholm.

Edgy MD
Apr 28 2022 01:56 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

As the years go by, Fidrych is starting to seem like as much of a myth as Finch.

whippoorwill
Apr 28 2022 05:44 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Fidrych. What a sad sweet memory

Edgy MD
Apr 28 2022 08:35 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

I believe he remains, to this day, the only baseballer to be featured on a Rolling Stone cover.*



https://www.vintagedetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/22693_lg.jpg>



* It occurs to me that this fact must really haunt Tsuyoshi Shinjo.

kcmets
Apr 28 2022 09:04 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

A few of my early organized baseball memories:



I was a pitcher in three levels; they called it little league, major league

and then senior league. I was an all-star. Couldn't hit but no one could

hit off me. My shoulder still hurts.



In high school I developed crazy bat speed and could hit a softball a mile.

My gym teacher was always like why don't you play HS ball with us and I

said I work after school... pot costs money.



He was cool. We used to make fun of the other gym teacher talking to

each other between ourselves. He got me, and it's a nice memory.

A Boy Named Seo
Apr 28 2022 09:10 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

=kcmets post_id=90725 time=1651201499 user_id=53]
A few of my early organized baseball memories:



I was a pitcher in three levels; they called it little league, major league

and then senior league. I was an all-star. Couldn't hit but no one could

hit off me. My shoulder still hurts.



In high school I developed crazy bat speed and could hit a softball a mile.

My gym teacher was always like why don't you play HS ball with us and I

said I work after school... pot costs money.



He was cool. We used to make fun of the other gym teacher talking to

each other between ourselves. He got me, and it's a nice memory.



This is a good post. Linklater could've used a couple of these stories in his baseball movie.

whippoorwill
Apr 29 2022 06:00 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

=kcmets post_id=90725 time=1651201499 user_id=53]
A few of my early organized baseball memories:



I was a pitcher in three levels; they called it little league, major league

and then senior league. I was an all-star. Couldn't hit but no one could

hit off me. My shoulder still hurts.



In high school I developed crazy bat speed and could hit a softball a mile.

My gym teacher was always like why don't you play HS ball with us and I

said I work after school... pot costs money.



He was cool. We used to make fun of the other gym teacher talking to

each other between ourselves. He got me, and it's a nice memory.


I love this also!



It's been a long time since I could post youth sports news if my own , but tomorrow I'll see my grandson play soccer for the first time!

(My first time, not his)

Edgy MD
Apr 29 2022 07:53 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Edgy MD wrote:

I believe he remains, to this day, the only baseballer to be featured on a Rolling Stone cover.



https://www.vintagedetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/22693_lg.jpg>


By the way, wtf is "Keith Richard"?

Willets Point
Apr 29 2022 09:20 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Andrew Loog Oldham dropped the "s" from his name in 1963 and Keith didn't resume using the pluralized version of his surname again until the late 70s.

Centerfield
Apr 29 2022 09:34 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Edgy MD wrote:

So SC's playing 3B. Wears #5. So really 3B is where he should be anyway. Was nervous at first about the move, but seems comfortable now.


I was a secondbaseman, and I felt I could catch anything hit my way by the time we moved up to the full-size field. I was concerned that my throwing wasn't coming along. I got the ball over to first, but I didn't have the zip I needed to excel the way I hoped I would.



Then the one time I was put at third on the full-size field, I fielded my first grounder with aplomb, transferred the ball to my throwing hand, looked up, and — Good God — the first basemen was three inches tall. I tried not to hide my panic as I realized how suddenly out-of-my-depth I was. I let the ball rip and it arced over the diamond in plenty of time, but it was at least five or six feet wide of the bag. It was in plenty of time, because the ball had come to me so quickly, so the first baseman abandoned the bag, caught the ball up the line, and tagged the runner.



For two or three innings, everything came to me. I caught it all. Popups, liners, and one or two more grounders. And the heaves it took for me to get it across the diamond must've been comical, because despite my five-chances-and-no-errors performance, coachie never put me there again. If your kid got past that adjustment, he has my respect.


I remember feeling like that too about the field when I moved up. I think it was when we were 13. Felt bad for the third baseman but especially the catcher. That poor guy had no chance to throw anyone out.



SC seems ok with the throw. He's been lucky that his chances have been pretty routine so far. I think he's most nervous about the little roller he has to barehand and throw on the run. He's never been all that comfortable with sidearm.



Cut out of work early yesterday to try to catch his game. Got there top 2 with his team up 2-1. They pushed it to 3-1 but then the opposing team's pitcher started complaining of arm trouble. I guess he was their last pitcher(not unusual for a Thursday. Most teams play 3x in a week). The poor kid they brought in had a good arm but wasn't a very good pitcher. He got hammered whenever he threw a strike, walked a few kids, and hit a few more. Aggressive dad on our side starting barking at the other coach to make a change. "Come on. This isn't baseball. What are we doing here". Stuff like that. Another dad tried to diffuse it by saying they probably didn't have anyone else but aggressive dad wasn't having it. "You gotta make a change. We're not going to be able to play." He ended up being right. The kid gave up 11 runs. The game ended at the end of the inning due to the mercy rule and we all went home much earlier than we expected. While the boys were shaking hands, he was muttering loudly that it was a waste of time, and that his kid would have been better just staying back and hitting in the cage. A few of us kept looking over at the other side to see if any parents were going to say something to us but no one did.



I don't know if there is a point to this story. It was a beautiful day. The kids were having fun playing baseball, and then everyone went home feeling kinda shitty.

Centerfield
Apr 29 2022 09:44 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Frayed Knot wrote:

Yeah, that's some nice hittin' form: good hip turn; meeting the ball out in front; power off the stiff front leg.

And he can always just blame his parents for not being born left-handed.




Thanks FK! He's worked hard at it. And trust me, he's got a lot of things he can blame his parents for. Mainly his dad.

kcmets
Apr 29 2022 09:46 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Freddie Mercury, King of Queen. Love it. Please tell me Lorreta Lynn isn't

in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.



I was thinking this morning some more. I got bumped to 'senior leagues'

in 8th grade and was easily the youngest guy on the team. My voice hadn't

changed yet and there were guys on my team with moustaches and a foot

taller than me and I was like where the fuck am I? Coach shows up and the

first words out of his mouth were, "Who's Carter?" I forget my answer and

he instructed me that he needed me to catch because the catcher was sick.

I sheepishly told him I never caught, that I was a pitcher and added for good

measure that I wasn't wearing (or had) a cup. He told me I'd be ok, and that

I had nothing down there to protect yet. Everyone laughed. "Gear's in that

bag kid, suit up!" I did alright, I guess. That's the one and only time I donned

the tools of ignorance thank god.

Edgy MD
Apr 29 2022 11:54 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

=Centerfield post_id=90740 time=1651246473 user_id=65]
SC seems ok with the throw. He's been lucky that his chances have been pretty routine so far. I think he's most nervous about the little roller he has to barehand and throw on the run. He's never been all that comfortable with sidearm.



I don't know if it's on YouTube, but I learned how to field the slow roller (and bunts) watching Mike Schmidt give a great lesson on The Baseball Bunch. Basically, you've got to commit early to whether you're making the play with your glove or throwing arm. You have to charge as if you're running just past the ball on that side of your body. If you charge right at the ball, you get your footwork all shmutzed up, or worse, you kick your hands while making the pickup.

Johnny Lunchbucket
Apr 29 2022 12:03 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My own career as a little leaguer was pathetic, 3 seasons 1 hit -- but it was a booming double to center field that I think fell beyond the cones and should have been a home run. No kid on my team -- and there were like 18 of us and we all hit -- knew as much or loved baseball as much as me but I got bad advice on taking a batting stance from our coach -- "elbows out" he said which was completely unnatural for me, and combined with my own nervousness had me beaten before I ever got up. I also reached base once on a painful hbp. I was positioned in the outfield except once at second base where I froze and let a pop fly fall at my feet, after which a teammate cruelly suggested I let it fall because I was rooting for the other team. My parents were distrustful of the league and the administration and never encouraged me to re-enroll. Sad.

metsmarathon
Apr 29 2022 12:57 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

i always wished that i had gotten



a) encouraged to play baseball more, even though i wasn't good at it, and

b) remotely competent coaching, because, well, see a)



most of my coaches never bothered with the nerdy, skinny kid with a big head and enormous glasses. baseball, basketball, track. none of 'em. i'm still somewhat bitter if i think about it even for a second.



ummL & ummR have a great baseball coach, and i'm picking up ALL the things i wish i'd ever known about how to swing a bat.



i just wish my work softball league would come back so i can put it to good use.

Lefty Specialist
Apr 29 2022 05:10 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

I was horrendous my first year in Little League. I think I had one real hit the entire year and missed more than I caught in right field. I was small, skinny, with thick specs. Then I grew a bit and the coordination got better. I played second and I was fairly good at it. Got my hits, too. But the third year everybody else grew more than me and I wasn't as good. Opted out after that. Played High School JV one year at second and didn't see too much action, so I packed it in again. Then in the 80's/90's I played in the Publisher's League on the Great Lawn in Central Park. I was a machine, hitting .614 one year. I hit everything up the middle and they never shifted on me. But then a kid came along and my career ended; his career as a second baseman made it as far as 7th grade, when the other kids were getting bigger and stronger than him. He shot up in high school, but it was too late by then; soccer was his first love anyway, and he played it all through high school.



Back when I was playing Little League, the coaching was basically 'swing when it's near you'. You were either talented or you weren't. But as a former coach, the kids are fine; it's the parents who are the problem these days.

The Hot Corner
Apr 30 2022 06:01 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

I lived to play baseball as a kid. In Little League I didn't hit much, but I was a defensive ace at 3rd base and shortstop. As a child in a military family, I only got the opportunity to play in actual organized leagues on a sporadic basis. I played Tee Ball as an eight year old in California. I next played in a Little League as a 12 year old in Minnesota. I next got to play as a 15 year old Senior Leaguer in WVA. I became a starter on the High School team as a sophomore. My 3 years as a starter in High school was the first time I played consecutive seasons. I played American Legion in the summers during my high school years, so I was essentially playing baseball year round. . I played college baseball as a walk on and lettered as a freshman as a defensive sub and pinch runner. I became the starting second baseman (on scholarship) during my sophomore year of college.



I was often the youngest player and always the smallest player on my teams. I was a so so hitter with a great eye at the plate. I earned my plying time by being a defensive stalwart, being fundamentally sound, and hustling (like Brandon Nimmo) in practice and games. I surprisingly got a try out with the Phillies following my sophomore year in college. That experience quickly showed me that it was a good thing that I was taking my college classes seriously, as I had absolutely no shot of making a living playing baseball. The guys doing that are an entirely different (bigger, faster, stronger, and more talented) breed of baseball player.



I enjoyed my time playing baseball. My father encouraged me, but never pushed or coached me. Basketball was his sport in HS (he won 2 state championships as a Jr & Sr. and a Tournament MVP as a Senior). I was hopelessly inept at basketball. I avoided coaching my son as I didn't want him to feel pressured to follow me (and the parents were more than I wished to deal with). My son eventually found his niche as a distance runner (5K, 10K, and half marathon) later in life,

Edgy MD
Apr 30 2022 08:51 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Willets Point wrote:

Andrew Loog Oldham dropped the "s" from his name in 1963 and Keith didn't resume using the pluralized version of his surname again until the late 70s.


Very weird that I didn't know this, but I totally didn't know this.

Johnny Lunchbucket
May 01 2022 08:47 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

same

Edgy MD
Jun 10 2022 12:14 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Another disciple arrives.



[FIMG=200]https://images.findagrave.com/photos250/photos/2009/102/35830436_123966636434.jpg[/FIMG] [FIMG=550]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52029547087_144a79a740_z.jpg[/FIMG] https://img.comc.com/i/Baseball/2017/Topps-Online-5x7-Los-Angeles-Angels-Team-Set---Base/ANG-9/Nick-Tropeano.jpg?id=472575e9-7810-4549-92d0-5b487d3bcfd6&size=original>

metsmarathon
Jun 10 2022 12:44 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

tropeano needs to grow his hair out.

Willets Point
Jun 13 2022 03:38 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

My daughter will be given the Coach Award for the most spirited player on her baseball team at the end of year picnic on Saturday.

Ceetar
Jun 13 2022 05:04 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

did a pre-K/K little pretend scrimmage thingy, my daughter was standing near first base and doing the whole "chat up the runner" thing, asking them their name and age and stuff.



herding 4--6 year olds to focus on softball is..something.

Centerfield
Oct 11 2022 12:11 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Much drama in Long Island this weekend. Tournament final. Our catcher didn't realize he left his equipment at the other site until just before gametime. His dad drove back, but it was long gone. Our backup catcher was away so that was our only set of gear. We called the tournament director, who said it's no big deal. The site doesn't have extra equipment, but just borrow gear from the other team. It was late Sunday night. No stores were open.



The other team had four catchers, all with their own gear. After first agreeing to let us use the backup catcher's gear, they changed their mind and said no. The coaches said something like "They don't want to share their gear. It's expensive, and covid, it's personal to him, and bla bla bla...". All of the parents on our side offered to have it sanitized and returned. We offered to buy it. We offered to buy the backup catcher a brand new set. It became pretty clear they were trying to force a forfeit.



Lots of yelling. Our coach offered to forfeit and have them declared champions if they just agreed to play the game. We had traveled 1.5 hours. Our boys wanted to play. 45 minutes of arguing until the tournament director showed up. He told the other team that refusing to share gear went against the spirit of youth baseball. He said if he was coaching a team and a kid refused to share his gear, that kid would be off the team that minute. The tournament director agreed to buy the kid brand new catcher's gear. They were given a choice to take that deal, or forfeit. The other team finally agreed.



The umpires had stayed pretty neutral throughout all the yelling, but they began to show what they thought of the situation once the game started. A close ball/strike call went our way. Another not so close call at first also went our way. The other coach came out to argue and was ejected.



They might have had a legitimate gripe if the game was close, but thankfully it wasn't. The good guys scored 3 in the first and never looked back. One of those runs came on an RBI double by Short Center.



I don't remember ever wanting SC's team to win so bad.

Fman99
Oct 11 2022 01:11 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Why are some people such twats? For fuck's sake.

Edgy MD
Oct 11 2022 01:28 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

I don't know, but they're such an institution that I get the idea that half the purpose of youth baseball is to realize that the world is full of them.



[YOUTUBE]HoTu0U6AhdA[/YOUTUBE]



Congratulations to Short Center. I saw your photo at the other place and his team looks athletic and polished just standing there.

MFS62
Oct 11 2022 01:39 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Good for Short Center, good for the Umps and good for the spirit of youth baseball.

Nice story.

Later

Ceetar
Oct 11 2022 02:30 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

yay champions!



I've only made it as far as fall of 3rd grade and I'm already wanting to throw in the towel on the whole youth sports things. No one communicates anything, everything just expects you to know because they've been doing it this way for 3 decades, why haven't you caught on? and none of the sports communicate with each other, so everything's a clusterfuck, and then everyone just takes everything so damn seriously! and we haven't even really started travel yet, this is all intra-town nonsense!

Frayed Knot
Oct 11 2022 03:30 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Youth sports would be so much better if the majority of the adults would stay the fuck out of them.

Ceetar
Oct 11 2022 04:24 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

I learned the difference between softball cleats and soccer cleats this week though!

batmagadanleadoff
Oct 11 2022 05:24 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Oct 11 2022 05:35 PM

=Ceetar post_id=111125 time=1665520247 user_id=102]
I've only made it as far as fall of 3rd grade and I'm already wanting to throw in the towel on the whole youth sports things.



Yeah, I know what you mean. Did you see the full unedited version of that video posted just above your post? At the end in the full video version, one of the kids says he's so happy to be playing for the championship and alongside his best friends that he's having the fun of his life. And then the manager went totally apeshit on the kid for saying what he said about having fun, pulled the kid out of the starting lineup and made the rest of the team do 100 pushups right there on the spot. Then the manager went off on a rant and said he was going home to have a moratorium and told the kids to manage themselves but that they better not have any fun.

The Hot Corner
Oct 11 2022 05:35 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Edgy MD wrote:

I don't know, but they're such an institution that I get the idea that half the purpose of youth baseball is to realize that the world is full of them.



[YOUTUBE]HoTu0U6AhdA[/YOUTUBE]



Congratulations to Short Center. I saw your photo at the other place and his team looks athletic and polished just standing there.


I am so glad that I was fortunate enough to play baseball from Tee ball through high school, American Legion, and college without ever once having a coach as disgraceful and ignorant as the idiot in this video. I just don't know what is wrong with these people. I think most of these idiots coaches are trying to validate their themselves through the success of their team. I have seen parents act just as shamefully as this coach.

batmagadanleadoff
Oct 11 2022 05:38 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

The Hot Corner wrote:





I am so glad that I was fortunate enough to play baseball ... without ever once having a coach as disgraceful and ignorant as the idiot in this video.


When I first saw that video, I thought the whole thing was a joke - a put-on - because I found it unimaginable that a coach could give that speech in earnest to those little boys.

Edgy MD
Oct 11 2022 05:42 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

I'm right in the middle of the fence, myself.

The Hot Corner
Oct 11 2022 06:18 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Though I never had a coach like the one in the video, I have witnessed some pretty disgraceful behavior from coaches and parents, that I unfortunately had no difficulty believing the video was real. I can see that it could be a put on, but it wouldn't surprise me if it were real.

Edgy MD
Oct 11 2022 07:27 PM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Great comments from the gallery.


Nothing like an 80 proof pep talk to rally the troops.


Things have changed so much since I was in little league. In those good old days parents would get drunk and fight it out with opposing teams parents. And no one could remember a week later who won.


It's nice to see that Johnny Lawrence is still involved in youth sports. I'm glad he was able to transition from karate

metsmarathon
Oct 12 2022 07:19 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

"gooder on three."



perfect. i'm surprised he could count that high.

Centerfield
Oct 14 2022 11:40 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

Catcher Gear Controversy - Epilogue



Yesterday the had of SC's program got an email from the head of the other team's program. The gist of the email was:



*I just heard about the catcher gear incident from Sunday. I'm glad it all worked out.

*At ________ program, sportsmanship and learning are our top priorities.

*The kid will not be accepting any gift of new catcher's gear



Good on him. Not an apology, but not bad.

Willets Point
Oct 15 2022 08:39 AM
Re: Youth Sports Action

There's a team that my kids' teams play (not coincidentally representing Boston's most racist/Trumpist neighborhood) that is a constant thorn in local youth baseball with coaches and parents pulling shit like this.