Little League 2018 season

[jkates 316]

11 minutes ago, Jacob McCandles said:

I was a commissioner in SBMSA 10+ years ago and see that things haven't changed. LOL.

It's mostly a ton of fun, of course. I played in SBMSA 30 year ago. I'm sure there were crazy parents then too.

[jkates 316]

20 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

My little league has 5 teams...

Y'all are taking the "little" too literally.

[Hanrahan 1306]

12 minutes ago, jkates said:

Many did not complain and that is good. I certainly can't stop anyone from feeling how you stated you feel about it. The fact remains that teams are formed like this every year at Rookie and Midget and nobody batted an eye until the Mexicans won.

This is my third year in the league and the first I've heard of it.  I also think your way overblown on the racist angle.  I didn't hear the word "Mexican" from anyone, not one person, except you.  I heard there was a tourney team that didn't have to draft that was beating everyone.  And that turned out to be true.  Do you think it's good for the league if the board puts together a team represents the 2% of the league to go undefeated, while everyone (or almost everyone) else has to put up with the downside of the draft, i.e., having a couple of good players, a handful of JAGs, and a couple of really bad players?  Cause that seems really shitty to me.

[jkates 316]

21 minutes ago, Hanrahan said:

This is my third year in the league and the first I've heard of it.  I also think your way overblown on the racist angle.  I didn't hear the word "Mexican" from anyone, not one person, except you.  I heard there was a tourney team that didn't have to draft that was beating everyone.  And that turned out to be true.  Do you think it's good for the league if the board puts together a team represents the 2% of the league to go undefeated, while everyone (or almost everyone) else has to put up with the downside of the draft, i.e., having a couple of good players, a handful of JAGs, and a couple of really bad players?  Cause that seems really shitty to me.

 

Not many verbalized the Mexican thing, for sure. Trust me, I'm not overblowing it because I'm not saying it's a huge issue. I'm simply saying it exists. And, given the facts I have in my possession, I'm quite comfortable stating that.

First you've heard because, as I said, first time they won. Nobody bothered to care when Connor and Brice were winning. Many of those same kids were on the same team (Barnstormers) with the same coach in Rookie. But they went 4-7 or something so nobody cared. 

I think it was great for the league and am happy for the kids that won. The concerns about the downside are what is overblown. 100% of the Board examined this issue and was fine with it. Most of them, to their credit, said something along the lines of, "Good for the Royals."

Edited May 18, 2018 by jkates

[Pato del Muerto 52902]

My little league is 100% white kids and white coaches so far. 

Different world. 

[Hanrahan 1306]

Not many verbalized the Mexican thing, for sure. Trust me, I'm not overblowing it because I'm not saying it's a huge issue. I'm simply saying it exists. And, given the facts I have in my possession, I'm quite comfortable stating that.
First you've heard because, as I said, first time they won. Nobody bothered to care when Connor and Brice were winning. Many of those same kids were on the same team (Barnstormers) with the same coach in Rookie. But they went 4-7 or something so nobody cared. 
I think it was great for the league and am happy for the kids that won. The concerns about the downside are what is overblown. 100% of the Board examined this issue and was fine with it. Most of them, to their credit, said something along the lines of, "Good for the Royals."

Maybe I’m missing something in the big picture here because I find that viewpoint shocking. The league is intentionally structured at this level to have kids of all skill levels on every team. If SBMSA wants to load teams, they should adopt the model the older league uses and break off the most skilled kids into their own league. But midget doesn’t do that and I find it fundamentally wrong that a team can load 2/3 of their players from a super-all Star team, have them be the only team of 50 to go undefeated and think that is a “good” thing. It’s not. I watched the Warriors 7u team practice yesterday (and, yes, noticed some fellows from the championship game) and they are freaking awesome. Sprinkle in some kids from their 8u team and you get what we had this year.

I could take 8 hand-picked kids from Wilchester and 4 JAGs and have a team as good as the Royals but the league puts in oversight to make sure I can’t do that. Because it would be unfair if I did. Those kids have to spread out over all 8 Wilchester teams and the league makes sure that happens. Would the board consider it a “good” thing if I stack a Wilchester team next year and we go undefeated? If “no,” why not? I don’t get the difference.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

4 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

My little league is 100% white kids and white coaches so far. 

Different world. 

POLL is pretty diverse.  There are white kids with blue eyes and blonde hair. And some white kids with brown hair and brown eyes. And some brown haired kids with blue eyes like mine. 

[F250 28959]

On 5/18/2018 at 3:49 PM, jkates said:

It's mostly a ton of fun, of course. I played in SBMSA 30 year ago. I'm sure there were crazy parents then too.

The entire premise of the 1976 movie Bad News Bears is about crazy parents making a kids game about themselves. This behaviour probably goes back to the beginning of Little League Baseball over 75 years ago.

 

[jkates 316]

On 5/18/2018 at 8:48 PM, Johnny Sack said:

POLL is pretty diverse.  There are white kids with blue eyes and blonde hair. And some white kids with brown hair and brown eyes. And some brown haired kids with blue eyes like mine. 

I caught a couple of POLL championship games on Saturday night. I was pulling for the Irish (PeeWee) and Sea Dogs (Minors) and both won. Some YMCA member chewed me out for where I parked. Saw some old friends from high school. Solid little night.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

2 minutes ago, jkates said:

I caught a couple of POLL championship games on Saturday night. I was pulling for the Irish (PeeWee) and Sea Dogs (Minors) and both won. Some YMCA member chewed me out for where I parked. Saw some old friends from high school. Solid little night.

I was at the PeeWee champ game.  The Irish smoked the Bears.

[jkates 316]

3 minutes ago, Johnny Sack said:

I was at the PeeWee champ game.  The Irish smoked the Bears.

I coached with the coach of the Irish - Johnnie Randolph - last summer. Fun guy.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

9 hours ago, jkates said:

I coached with the coach of the Irish - Johnnie Randolph - last summer. Fun guy.

They had a machine by the end of the year. We actually beat them in a close game early.  

They deserved the title.  Great team and played the right way. 

Edited May 21, 2018 by Johnny Sack

[dcar00 14616]

this takes me back.  coached a bit of 12U and first year of 14U.    made 2 bad mistakes. once, as assistant, got way too upset at a home plate ump after our kids made a perfect LF to SS to Catcher relay for an out at home in a close game. we won 1 game that year and this was one of the last games of the year. the frustrations boiled over.

another time in a practice game called a kid out(we were umping ourselves) at first, when my RF threw him out.  he was out by at at least a step.  put him on the base after I realized what I had done but I wish I hadn't done it.

2 best moments.

we were in semifinal and went to extras, california tie breaker , other team(home team) loads the bases and with 2 out.  kid hits a high pop to RF. the kid with the best attitude on the team, just loves baseball, and is probably the 10th best player on the 11 man team is in right.  I'm thinking game over but the kid races in full speed and sno cones it for the 3rd out.  we score in the top of the next inning and win. never seen a kid so happy. won the championship the next day.

I get a kid as a hat pick at end of draft, 2nd year of 12U. show up to first practice. he's never played baseball before at all. ended up with  4 real hits for the season and between that, walks, HBP, errors, he was 6th in OBP on the team. the kid wasn't afraid to take a pitch. He doesn't play again.  I'm in the stands 4 years later at a high school football game and he comes up to me and says "Hi Coach".

Good times.

 

 

 

 

[Anastasis 23514]

Boy's team in the championship game tomorrow coming out of the winners bracket. little league has reinvigorated my love of the game. 

 

 

 

[Huckleberry 33599]

15 hours ago, dcar00 said:

this takes me back.  coached a bit of 12U and first year of 14U.    made 2 bad mistakes. once, as assistant, got way too upset at a home plate ump after our kids made a perfect LF to SS to Catcher relay for an out at home in a close game. we won 1 game that year and this was one of the last games of the year. the frustrations boiled over.

another time in a practice game called a kid out(we were umping ourselves) at first, when my RF threw him out.  he was out by at at least a step.  put him on the base after I realized what I had done but I wish I hadn't done it.

2 best moments.

we were in semifinal and went to extras, california tie breaker , other team(home team) loads the bases and with 2 out.  kid hits a high pop to RF. the kid with the best attitude on the team, just loves baseball, and is probably the 10th best player on the 11 man team is in right.  I'm thinking game over but the kid races in full speed and sno cones it for the 3rd out.  we score in the top of the next inning and win. never seen a kid so happy. won the championship the next day.

I get a kid as a hat pick at end of draft, 2nd year of 12U. show up to first practice. he's never played baseball before at all. ended up with  4 real hits for the season and between that, walks, HBP, errors, he was 6th in OBP on the team. the kid wasn't afraid to take a pitch. He doesn't play again.  I'm in the stands 4 years later at a high school football game and he comes up to me and says "Hi Coach".

Good times.

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite coaching experiences was many years ago helping my old little league coach out with his team for a season before I had kids of my own. One of our players was the coach's nephew (a family with a long history with WHLL in Austin) and early in the season didn't seem confident about being up at the top level of the league. All year long I worked with him on throwing from the outfield. He was always too worried about throwing the ball away or making an error so he couldn't convince himself to just let the ball go and throw hard. He got a lot better at the plate during the season but still wasn't making good throws from the outfield. Our team wasn't actually that good but got on a run and was in the playoff tournament championship game (we shouldn't have even been in the playoffs but I guess the change had been made from having to be good in the regular season to "everyone plays in the playoffs" system between when I played and the season I coached there). Sure enough, bottom of the 6th inning up by a run with two outs and a runner on second there's a base hit to left field where this kid is playing. He throws a dart right to the catcher and the runner is tagged out at the plate to win the championship. 

Biggest smile you've ever seen on a kid's face. So awesome.

[VolenteHawk 495]

15 hours ago, dcar00 said:

I get a kid as a hat pick at end of draft, 2nd year of 12U. show up to first practice. he's never played baseball before at all. ended up with  4 real hits for the season and between that, walks, HBP, errors, he was 6th in OBP on the team. the kid wasn't afraid to take a pitch. He doesn't play again.  I'm in the stands 4 years later at a high school football game and he comes up to me and says "Hi Coach".

My son is 9 (first year of kid pitch) and has finally stopped having the insta-reaction to get out of the way.  Stood in and took two like a GD man this weekend (one against a kid that threw pretty hard) and tried to turn into one other inside one.

I was bursting with pride.

[F250 28959]

15 hours ago, Anastasis said:

Boy's team in the championship game tomorrow coming out of the winners bracket. little league has reinvigorated my love of the game. 

 

 

 

One of the many reasons I love Little League is the sense of community. Our league championship games "Tournament of Champions" always generated big crowds. The stands are full, people lined up all the way up and down the fence line, pick up trucks behind the field with people watching from the bed of the truck. All of the kids that didn't make the championship showing up in their jersey and hats.

My boys have played in tournament championship games in Florida, Arizona, Colorado and Nebraska with crowds of maybe 50 people. Nothing ever came close to the thrill of playing a Little League championship game in front of the community except maybe an All Star tournament championship game because usually it's multiple communities gathered at the game.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

Any of you guys in POLL doing the blue grey tournament?  

[Johnny Sack 8397]

6 minutes ago, F250 said:

One of the many reasons I love Little League is the sense of community. Our league championship games "Tournament of Champions" always generated big crowds. The stands are full, people lined up all the way up and down the fence line, pick up trucks behind the field with people watching from the bed of the truck. All of the kids that didn't make the championship showing up in their jersey and hats.

My boys have played in tournament championship games in Florida, Arizona, Colorado and Nebraska with crowds of maybe 50 people. Nothing ever came close to the thrill of playing a Little League championship game in front of the community except maybe an All Star tournament championship game because usually it's multiple communities gathered at the game.

Couldn’t agree more. We had fun and attended multiple playoff games after we were eliminated. Good fun and cheap

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2741]

Ugh. 5 yo developed a fear of the ball this year. He’s been playing sports for a few years and this is the first time it’s come up.
We are still in Tball so it isn’t coming from the coach pitch aspect.

I’ve tried tennis balls to warm up but it hasn’t worked.
Any suggestions?

[Stros 153]

My 9yo son is playing in Dripping Springs this weekend. Does anyone know how the fields are there?  

[Stros 153]

How can I post here if I'm banned? I don't even know how I got banned.

[F250 28959]

29 minutes ago, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

Ugh. 5 yo developed a fear of the ball this year. He’s been playing sports for a few years and this is the first time it’s come up.
We are still in Tball so it isn’t coming from the coach pitch aspect.

I’ve tried tennis balls to warm up but it hasn’t worked.
Any suggestions?

I assume you mean afraid of catching a ball since it's Tball. Playing bare handed catch with a tennis ball is really good for developing hand-eye coordination. Just instruct the kid to receive the ball like he would with a glove. Fingers down towards ground when ball is below the waist, thumb side facing ground when reaching across the body, pinky side down when reaching away from the body, etc... It also has the benefit of teaching how to catch with soft hands.

Once the coordination kicks in the confidence will too.

As far as hitting pitched balls, 5 is young so I would stick to tennis balls and whiffle balls for awhile.

 

[Newdoc 3465]

3 minutes ago, F250 said:

As far as hitting pitched balls, 5 is young so I would stick to tennis balls and whiffle balls for awhile.

No, you give em something harder to train with and then the T-ball/baseball doesn't seem so bad.

Exhibit A:

Edited May 22, 2018 by Newdoc

[F250 28959]

2 minutes ago, Stros said:

My 9yo son is playing in Dripping Springs this weekend. Does anyone know how the fields are there?  

Pretty terrible, don't go. I've been out there a few times over the past 5 years and hate the place.

All the fields are turf. The place lacks natural shade or any shade for that matter and is a heat magnet. The fields are decent but the environment is pretty crappy.

The complex in New Braunfels/Zorn is much nicer.

[F250 28959]

9 minutes ago, Newdoc said:

No, you give em something harder to train with and then the T-ball/baseball doesn't seem so bad.

Exhibit A:

The Patches O'Houlihan method.

[Stros 153]

18 minutes ago, F250 said:

Pretty terrible, don't go. I've been out there a few times over the past 5 years and hate the place.

All the fields are turf. The place lacks natural shade or any shade for that matter and is a heat magnet. The fields are decent but the environment is pretty crappy.

The complex in New Braunfels/Zorn is much nicer.

That sucks, thanks for the heads up.

[Nolacycling 893]

I'm a high school swimming coach and would always volunteer to be the assistant coach on my girls softball teams. I didn't need/want the headache of being head coach in something additional. I enjoyed watching the parents coach and always learned something from them to add to my own bag of tricks. 

[jkates 316]

1 hour ago, Nolacycling said:

I'm a high school swimming coach and would always volunteer to be the assistant coach on my girls softball teams. I didn't need/want the headache of being head coach in something additional. I enjoyed watching the parents coach and always learned something from them to add to my own bag of tricks. 

I am a head coach during the local league play - and this year was league coordinator. Bumping down to just an assistant coach on our select team is sooooo fun. I don't have to make a lineup, figure out scheduling, create a practice plan, etc. I just show up and help. And, because the head coach and another played professionally, I learn a lot that I can use later on. 

[Anastasis 23514]

Boy's team locked down the championship. Bats were lit. 3rd baseman basically sealed the game with a bases loaded line drive catch that resulted in a triple play, after dropping one earlier. I'm gonna have a hard time with the boy when he has to choose between fall ball and soccer. 

[F250 28959]

2 hours ago, Anastasis said:

Boy's team locked down the championship. Bats were lit. 3rd baseman basically sealed the game with a bases loaded line drive catch that resulted in a triple play, after dropping one earlier. I'm gonna have a hard time with the boy when he has to choose between fall ball and soccer. 

Congratulations! Sealing the deal with a triple play is pretty bad ass.

 

[troph 24929]

Boy's team locked down the championship. Bats were lit. 3rd baseman basically sealed the game with a bases loaded line drive catch that resulted in a triple play, after dropping one earlier. I'm gonna have a hard time with the boy when he has to choose between fall ball and soccer. 

Congrats!! A trophy actually deserved!

[troph 24929]

My sons team finished third. Second season of playing, so a late start but the kiddo is locked in on baseball now, that’s the real win. Gonna get some prof evaluation done this next month and learn how to coach him at the park all summer, try and jump a league up for next spring. One more coach pitch season this fall.

 

Side note saw a mom, definitely a full on lesbian - you know the types the ones you think are dudes at first - short hair, no make up, wear the same clothes as the dads... she was coaching the team we lost to. Def not the dugout mom. Made me think the dads might let me tag along as a coach next year.

 

And one reason to do that? Deep in the playoffs the coaches positioned their sons in places they had no business being. Best glove played third not first. My son doesn’t miss grounders and he was in the outfield... worked well because he kept a number of infield grounders that were missed from being doubles but damn if they wouldn’t put the best gloves where they belong. We had a pretty sick first second combo and that didn’t happen at all when the game was winnable. Finally we are behind the last game and they mix it up the way it should be and we almost come back. Happened two games in a row.

 

[troph 24929]

Oh and during the game a coach on the other team spoke loudly “miss it, miss it, miss it” while a ball was being thrown to first when one of his players was running out the throw. I was on the first base side in a tailgate chair. I heard it loud and clear and I know our first baseman could. Terribly uncalled for. I stood up and spoke out. Made a lot of moms and dads uncomfortable. cheering against kids is disgusting.

 

 

But fuck ou.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

8 minutes ago, troph said:

Oh and during the game a coach on the other team spoke loudly “miss it, miss it, miss it” while a ball was being thrown to first when one of his players was running out the throw. I was on the first base side in a tailgate chair. I heard it loud and clear and I know our first baseman could. Terribly uncalled for. I stood up and spoke out. Made a lot of moms and dads uncomfortable. cheering against kids is disgusting.

 

 

But fuck ou.

Yeah. That isn’t cool

[Anastasis 23514]

10 minutes ago, troph said:

And one reason to do that? Deep in the playoffs the coaches positioned their sons in places they had no business being. Best glove played third not first. My son doesn’t miss grounders and he was in the outfield... worked well because he kept a number of infield grounders that were missed from being doubles but damn if they wouldn’t put the best gloves where they belong. We had a pretty sick first second combo and that didn’t happen at all when the game was winnable. Finally we are behind the last game and they mix it up the way it should be and we almost come back. Happened two games in a row.

 

From the LTYA rule book:

4. Each player must play an infield position in two of the first five innings. These positions include first base, second base, third base, shortstop, pitcher and catcher.

Seems like that rule could set up some calculus. Coaches are probably trying to cycle the players in the earlier innings and put the best infield together for the later innings of the game?

[troph 24929]

From the LTYA rule book:

4. Each player must play an infield position in two of the first five innings. These positions include first base, second base, third base, shortstop, pitcher and catcher.

Seems like that rule could set up some calculus. Coaches are probably trying to cycle the players in the earlier innings and put the best infield together for the later innings of the game?

 

Maybe. I didn’t say anything. But down 8-1 to start the bottom second isn’t a recipe to win. Maybe you’re right. The less than optimal first baseman played for 3 innings.

[F250 28959]

My wife gave me the green light to sign up my 7 year old daughter for machine pitch in a summer league. She has been in gymnastics for the past 3 years and the wife didn't want any interference during the school year. So no Spring ball.

I took her to Baseball Express to do some preliminary shopping for new gear. I tend to go get carried away with baseball gear. I have a ton of equipment put away that my sons have outgrown. The wife tried to convince me to reuse the old stuff. I said, nah that's boys equipment, we are going to get some Girl Power equipment.

We spent a little under 2 hours in the store. Tried a bunch of bats out in the cage, tried out a lot of gloves, spent a little too much time color coordinating Pink/Purple stuff LOL. That was a first for me. Ended up having to put in an order for a purple and pink bat and glove we will pick up later this week. Bought a helmet with face guard, backpack, purple and white batting gloves. My youngest son tagged along and managed to get a Wilson A2000 glove out of the trip, the guy knocked $60 off the price so I got it for $200 which is pretty good.

 

 

[Ghost of 3:16 7]

My kid hit a nice stand up triple tonight. 10Uhttp://

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[Ghost of 3:16 7]

He tried out and made the 10U banditos ball club. Has his first select tournament this weekend.


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[F250 28959]

2 hours ago, Ghost of 3:16 said:

My kid hit a nice stand up triple tonight. 10Uhttp://

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great contact!

[bschoolprof 6280]

Nice swing.  Those kids look pretty big for 10U.  Maybe the kids in my son's rec 10U league are just midgets.  

[Pato del Muerto 52902]

Finally played a team with a kid who could pour strikes in there, and a lefty even. Result?  They still didn’t swing and struck out a ton. It was all I could do not to scream at them to swing the fucking bat. 

[pepper brooks 580]

Not sure how I missed this. Our season is over and it’s on to all-stars (west university LL).  

We finished 3rd this year. Had a shot at winning the division, but in the semis our pitcher went 5 innings, struck out 12 batters on 62 pitches. Handed the game over and the bullpen immediately shit the lead away.  We went to the losers bracket and again got really good pitching from the starter, but once he left the bullpen gave it away.  

Anyone playing Memorial Day madness out at fcll this weekend?  

[pepper brooks 580]

On 4/27/2018 at 9:38 AM, MAROON said:

Ya South campus thankfully didn't materialize as a place to play games (we just practiced there) until my son was already in Juniors.  When we had McGovern it was better, from a travel perspective, but selling McGovern enabled us to develop South Campus and set-up the long-term survival of the league.  It insured we had control of our fields and were no longer subject to the whim of a school board or elementary school principal.

Or those “enlightened” city council assholes threatening to pull funding because the league doesn’t recycle enough. Can you imagine the blowback those dipshits would get if they messed with the neighborhood league like that?  

[Ghost of 3:16 7]

Nice swing.  Those kids look pretty big for 10U.  Maybe the kids in my son's rec 10U league are just midgets.  

This is katy. We are all big kids!! LOL


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[Pato del Muerto 52902]

Son put the ball in play for the first time last night, rbi groundout to tie the game in the last inning. He was so happy. As was I. Hoping that gets him more comfortable in the box. 

Kids are starting to throw strikes now, which means more balls in play, which means I’m seeing actual baseball, which is fun to watch. 

[pepper brooks 580]

Sons team just won the first colony Memorial

day madness event. Pretty big deal. 

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

On 5/23/2018 at 8:00 AM, Anastasis said:

From the LTYA rule book:

4. Each player must play an infield position in two of the first five innings. These positions include first base, second base, third base, shortstop, pitcher and catcher.

Seems like that rule could set up some calculus. Coaches are probably trying to cycle the players in the earlier innings and put the best infield together for the later innings of the game?

 

I'm out of state but I coach my sons who play in a 7-8 developmental league. The team we played last night was undefeated and we won 11-6. I don't care if we win or lose and play kids all over the diamond (nobody ever plays more than twice in the outfield) the other team's two coaches played their son's at 1st and SS the entire game. Those are the asshole dads and parents that I have no patience for.  

On top of the fact that they scored 3 of their 6 runs when our youngest kid was playing 1st base and dropped a couple of outs. Again who gives a shit. He made the catch on a bases loaded play to end the inning. THAT is what is it should be about, kids getting better and being put into positions to have fun and get better. 

 

TLDR- Don't be the asshole dad that only cares about winning. 10 years from now your kid isn't going to remember what place his team placed in the meaningless weekend tournament. Let kids be kids. 

[Tailgate 3027]

This is my eight-year-old daughter.

Bring your best pitchers.

\m/