2020 Little League Thread of Dominance

[jkates 316]

42 minutes ago, ballrific said:

our local league had 3 kids test positive for covid and they're not pausing/stopping the season, full speed ahead.  Basically just got a message saying "be sure to social distance". nice

That's reasonable. COVID-19 ain't killing the kids. 

[Pato del Muerto 52640]

8 hours ago, jkates said:

That's reasonable. COVID-19 ain't killing the kids. 

The kids have parents and grandparents and many kiddos don’t live by themselves. 

[Huckleberry 33120]

One of our team's assistant coaches tested positive. Our team is done for 2 weeks.

[Pato del Muerto 52640]

Was the only 11u team in a tourney of 12u. Lost all 3, the last two were last at-bat walk offs. 10-6, 1-0, and 7-6.  But, playing better teams than you has a purpose. 

[Jshep34 2323]

Barbers hill little league for spring is cancelled now due to a parent from a team testing positive. Sick of this covid19 BS.

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[troph 24915]

Back from camping vacay and first game for my boys. 10u - he was a total mind over matter today. catched a helluv an inning. Held a runner on second for multiple pitches despite some tough pitches. Caught the ball and presented ready to throw to third. A solid sense of where the runners are. Not sure how you teach that. Anyway, he struggled collapsing down some on the balls in the dirt and on lateral movement with wild pitches and let two runners score but that happens. He at least threw his helmet off and got to the ball. Gonna work on lateral movement, flipping his glove on dirt balls, and framing the pitch this weekend. Bad at the plate but some solid swings. 12u - he’s almost done with baseball, we arrived late from CO, 12:30am and he didn’t want to play but we sucked it up and made it. Down one run middle of the game, one out no one one, nothing happening in this inning yet, he drove it up the middle on an 0-2 pitch. Ended up 5 running that inning after my boy started the rally. God I missed baseball. When they are done I may just have to buddy up with a guy and coach the coachless scrubs.

[F250 28830]

On 6/20/2020 at 8:44 PM, troph said:

Anyway, he struggled collapsing down some on the balls in the dirt and on lateral movement with wild pitches and let two runners score but that happens. He at least threw his helmet off and got to the ball. Gonna work on lateral movement, flipping his glove on dirt balls, and framing the pitch this weekend. Bad at the plate but some solid swings.

 

 

I've probably mentioned them before but when things get back to normal get your kids to one of these camps by these guys.

[troph 24915]

 

 

I've probably mentioned them before but when things get back to normal get your kids to one of these camps by these guys.

Just watched that video with him. Working to get that boy engaged on blocking the trash balls. Once he realizes blocking the wild pitch is a big deal he will catch on. He still thinks runs from a wild pitch are inevitable. I guess in 10U they are.

[wood 11287]

Jesus ... I really missed being out there with the kids ... but Got damn, I had forgotten how much I didn't miss some of these unbelievably shittastic umps. Fuck. Me. Absolutely stole a win from us today at Drippin. 

Edited July 5, 2020 by wood

[Mez2 4027]

game week for us!

I've never been more excited to see 4, 5, and 6 year old kids play teeball. lol 

[Jshep34 2323]

game week for us!
I've never been more excited to see 4, 5, and 6 year old kids play teeball. lol 

Good luck sir. Enjoy the memories

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[F250 28830]

Any of y'all have kids play tournaments at Old Settlers Park/Silver Sluggers Complex in Round Rock? Blue Diamond usually hosts Super Series tournaments at the complex. Its a small organization but is usually made up of quality teams. The rankings are pretty accurate as opposed to USSSA teams that are all over the place.

Anyways, Old Settlers Park was always one of my favorite places to go for tournaments. Well run tournaments with great facilities.

 

[Pato del Muerto 52640]

Well we got about 20 games in over the past 6 weeks. Obligatory masked team photo, as this last tourney required masks while in the dugout. 
 

 

[troph 24915]

Fine looking group of young men (all of them) in that pic.

[PappyVanVinceYoung 85]

Anyone know of a Houston 10U team looking for a player for the Fall? Preferably one that practices out at Baseball USA. 

[Mez2 4027]

finished up our season last weekend - ended up winning the teeball championship at ODC and couldnt be more proud of the kiddos, they played awesome. were down 4 runs going into the bottom of the 4th, ended up scoring 4 runs with 2 outs with some of our lesser hitters, loaded up the bases and our leadoff hitter - my son's best friend - hit a game winning single into left field. couldn't be any more proud of the boys and watching them play a team game and come out on top. now, some of us move up to coach pitch - looking forward to new challenges and new teaching for my son and his friends. i already dread the day i am no longer his head coach

[wood 11287]

Yeah, we're done, too. Very proud of the boys. They practiced hard and got a lot better. They did not do well in the tournaments, but they never stopped fighting.  Our team was composed of a few experienced, above average rec players and some athletic but inexperienced kids, 'playing up' against select travel teams. When we started out the summer, they were at a level that wouldn't even have won our 14U rec league. They improved a great deal throughout the summer, however, & would probably dominate now in the same scenario. 

Edited August 11, 2020 by wood

[jkates 316]

I thought our select team was finished. But yesterday we got an email gauging interest on playing this weekend, and here we are...signed up to play this weekend! One final hurrah at 10UAAA ball. Then the mounds move back and bases move out. 

[TonyTexas 10535]

Is junior football happening?  I figured posters here would know

[mbtex 683]

46 minutes ago, TonyTexas said:

Is junior football happening?  I figured posters here would know

Seeing sings posted for sign up around Pearland

[jkates 316]

17 hours ago, TonyTexas said:

Is junior football happening?  I figured posters here would know

It's happening for SBMSA in Houston. We just wrapped up skills camps. Assessments will be Saturday. Draft on the 18th. Practices start the 19th. Games start September 12th. 

[Dennis Taylor 18886]

 

 

On 7/11/2020 at 4:52 PM, F250 said:

Any of y'all have kids play tournaments at Old Settlers Park/Silver Sluggers Complex in Round Rock? Blue Diamond usually hosts Super Series tournaments at the complex. Its a small organization but is usually made up of quality teams. The rankings are pretty accurate as opposed to USSSA teams that are all over the place.

Anyways, Old Settlers Park was always one of my favorite places to go for tournaments. Well run tournaments with great facilities.

 

My oldest played there a long time ago and I loved the park. 

Younger son went to a football camp there a couple weeks ago and a nest of baby hawks or eagles or something was squawking so loud you could hear them from 200 yards away 

[Dennis Taylor 18886]

On 8/12/2020 at 3:29 PM, jkates said:

I thought our select team was finished. But yesterday we got an email gauging interest on playing this weekend, and here we are...signed up to play this weekend! One final hurrah at 10UAAA ball. Then the mounds move back and bases move out. 

 

On 8/12/2020 at 4:04 PM, TonyTexas said:

Is junior football happening?  I figured posters here would know

 

On 8/13/2020 at 9:20 AM, jkates said:

It's happening for SBMSA in Houston. We just wrapped up skills camps. Assessments will be Saturday. Draft on the 18th. Practices start the 19th. Games start September 12th. 

you all need to visit the high school football thread to discover what horrible parents you are because someone, somewhere might get sick 

[F250 28830]

On 8/12/2020 at 3:29 PM, jkates said:

I thought our select team was finished. But yesterday we got an email gauging interest on playing this weekend, and here we are...signed up to play this weekend! One final hurrah at 10UAAA ball. Then the mounds move back and bases move out. 

A five foot bump. Shouldn't be noticable for 11 year olds by Spring. If it's Fall baseball there might be a slight difference but it probably isn't noticeable after the first game.

[jkates 316]

A five foot bump. Shouldn't be noticable for 11 year olds by Spring. If it's Fall baseball there might be a slight difference but it probably isn't noticeable after the first game.

We have mostly avoided fall ball with this crew. 4 spring/summer seasons. We might play some tournaments this fall, but no formal team practices. So pitchers will have to be ready on their own. We'll see. Every kid on the team is playing either football or AAU hoops in the fall.


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[jkates 316]

you all need to visit the high school football thread to discover what horrible parents you are because someone, somewhere might get sick 

Ha! Will do.


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[BrazilHorn 6637]

Older son tried out for a select team here in Austin with a buddy of his. My son made the team and his buddy didn't.

I am looking forward to some fall baseball as I am 100% sure that middle school football (my older son is in 8th grade this year) will be canceled.

I feel bad for my son's friend as it may well be (with Covid etc) his last run at baseball.

 

Edited August 18, 2020 by BrazilHorn

[pepper brooks 580]

We’ve played the last two weekend and plan to play this weekend which will be our last 12u event. Our team is staying together although we will have a new coach and a few new players. Pepper jr has had a couple of good weekends hitting bombs on those little fields.  Also now hitting low 70’s on the gun.  

[bschoolprof 6273]

On 8/18/2020 at 4:07 PM, BrazilHorn said:

Older son tried out for a select team here in Austin with a buddy of his. My son made the team and his buddy didn't.

I am looking forward to some fall baseball as I am 100% sure that middle school football (my older son is in 8th grade this year) will be canceled.

I feel bad for my son's friend as it may well be (with Covid etc) his last run at baseball.

 

The primary reason we put my middle son in select is because I have no faith that rec will play or for long.  

47 minutes ago, pepper brooks said:

We’ve played the last two weekend and plan to play this weekend which will be our last 12u event. Our team is staying together although we will have a new coach and a few new players. Pepper jr has had a couple of good weekends hitting bombs on those little fields.  Also now hitting low 70’s on the gun.  

Kyle?  Even my peanut contact hitter son almost hit several out.  He thinks he's Bryce Harper now.  His teammates pop them up and they go out.  It's a joke.  

[Huckleberry 33120]

I'm excited because I'm going to finally get to see some bombs with USA Baseball bats. My son's Little League is running an Intermediate league (50/70 for 12-13 year olds) for the fall instead of Majors division. The plan is if it's popular to have both in the spring. But either way the league is using the old majors field with 205 foot fences for the fall.

I'm banking on standard size and strength growth over a 6 month stretch at 12 years old so some more of these kids can hit some out. In the spring it seemed like each team had 1 or 2 with the bat speed to do it. I'm hoping for 3 or 4 in the fall.

[pepper brooks 580]

On 8/24/2020 at 2:39 PM, Huckleberry said:

I'm excited because I'm going to finally get to see some bombs with USA Baseball bats. My son's Little League is running an Intermediate league (50/70 for 12-13 year olds) for the fall instead of Majors division. The plan is if it's popular to have both in the spring. But either way the league is using the old majors field with 205 foot fences for the fall.

I'm banking on standard size and strength growth over a 6 month stretch at 12 years old so some more of these kids can hit some out. In the spring it seemed like each team had 1 or 2 with the bat speed to do it. I'm hoping for 3 or 4 in the fall.

My son lost his 12U year of WULL.  We had two kids hit balls out prior to the season shutting down.  My kid hit one, and another kid  who plays on our tournament team hit one . 

[Huckleberry 33120]

Yeah, my son hit one in practice but we only got two games in before it was shut down. He only had 3 PA that weren't walks or HBP.

One kid from another team hit the fence on the fly. 

[Dennis Taylor 18886]

On 8/24/2020 at 2:39 PM, Huckleberry said:

I'm excited because I'm going to finally get to see some bombs with USA Baseball bats. My son's Little League is running an Intermediate league (50/70 for 12-13 year olds) for the fall instead of Majors division. The plan is if it's popular to have both in the spring. But either way the league is using the old majors field with 205 foot fences for the fall.

I'm banking on standard size and strength growth over a 6 month stretch at 12 years old so some more of these kids can hit some out. In the spring it seemed like each team had 1 or 2 with the bat speed to do it. I'm hoping for 3 or 4 in the fall.

My older son's first kid pitch home run was in 9u at a giant tournament in Flower Mound and Lewisville. With so many teams they were playing all over the place and this game was on a field that was 225. It was an absolute bomb and the only homer hit in that division on that field. It was like Bob Beamon's jump in Mexico City it was such an outlier.  His teammates went crazy and the poor pitcher was so devastated he started crying.  Other than the pitcher part it was a really cool moment 

[BrazilHorn 6637]

Select Practice for both boys starts next week, along with back to school (Thank God). Just got note from WHLL saying fall ball is back on but after the way they took all the $ and ran from the Spring season, I don't think I will have boys play fall ball with them. Will wait until Spring as I have zero faith that the commissioner (Pluckers dude) won't do the exact same shit this fall.

Gave excuse that all the $ went to uniforms - but all teams have sponsors that pay for the uniforms. Basically WHLL just grabbed all the cash and held it when vast majority of teams hadn't even played a game. Was really kind of bullshit. I mean Camp Longhorn is even rolling camp dues from this year to next as is UT football for donations. The way WHLL managed this past spring really left bad taste in my mouth towards them. (realize this is total first world problems)

[Huckleberry 33120]

I don't know squat about WHLL these days, but did the teams actually collect donations from sponsors and give them to the league before the season was canceled?

[BrazilHorn 6637]

14 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

I don't know squat about WHLL these days, but did the teams actually collect donations from sponsors and give them to the league before the season was canceled?

To be fair that I do not know. I would imagine in that we had played one game prior to season cancellation.

[F250 28830]

On 8/24/2020 at 2:39 PM, Huckleberry said:

I'm excited because I'm going to finally get to see some bombs with USA Baseball bats. My son's Little League is running an Intermediate league (50/70 for 12-13 year olds) for the fall instead of Majors division. The plan is if it's popular to have both in the spring. But either way the league is using the old majors field with 205 foot fences for the fall.

I'm banking on standard size and strength growth over a 6 month stretch at 12 years old so some more of these kids can hit some out. In the spring it seemed like each team had 1 or 2 with the bat speed to do it. I'm hoping for 3 or 4 in the fall.

Those fields start to look like they were built for ants once kids sprout at 12 years old. Even at 11 225 and below is pretty small but ridiculously small for pubescent 12 year olds. One of my kids drove a ball straight into a scoreboard on a 220 field and put a good dent into it at 12.

It's not even just the hitting. The outfield shrinks and tall athletic outfielders can pretty much snag anything in the air that isn't going over the fence.

The reality check is in 13U when those 220 ft moonshots become automatic outs.

 

[Mez2 4027]

Oaks Dad's Club fall ball season starts next friday; coach pitch 7 and 8 year olds. I "contract" 4 kids of my choosing onto my new team - those I'm carrying over were my 6 year olds from teeball who are moving up to coach pitch, my son included. Gonna get killed a few games, my contract boys are good but young and smaller than the older kids already, it'll be good for them though. I'm not too high on my 8 year olds, we got a lotta work to do. But, at the end of the day, they get to play ball and i'm happy for them. hopefully we continue into play without any pauses - we were lucky in summer with no cancellations 

[troph 24915]

First game in 12u, first game playing first base.  We will work on fundamentals but we’ll take this out on our first day on the job anytime.

[torre 1286]

12 hours ago, troph said:

First game in 12u, first game playing first base.  We will work on fundamentals but we’ll take this out on our first day on the job anytime.

Great photo and stretch for the high throw.    Like the apprehensive look on the player in the background.

Do you have another son who is a catcher,  or same  ?

[troph 24915]

23 minutes ago, torre said:

Great photo and stretch for the high throw.    Like the apprehensive look on the player in the background.

Do you have another son who is a catcher,  or same  ?

same son.  he's catching second string in 12u first season but playing first and second otherwise.  his catching has led to him having a pretty solid glove in the field.

Edited September 10, 2020 by troph

[Huckleberry 33120]

First fall ball game tomorrow morning. My team has got some challenges ahead of them overall. I am the new manager in a fall season with 5 teams and the other 4 managers had years of experience in this league. I knew I was in trouble during the draft.

They printed out the spring evaluation scores for all the players because there were no fall tryouts due to COVID. I drafted straight down the list in order because I didn't know anyone on the entire list other than my son. Only one of his teammates from the canceled spring season is playing this fall. So when every single other manager started jumping around the list because they knew which players are actually good based on experience rather than evaluation scores I said uh oh.

I've got two kids with home run power including my son, and one more who should have it if I can get him swinging correctly. Overall we've got some weak spots but it's a fall season so I'll be moving kids around at different positions most of the regular season anyway. Should be interesting.

 

[F250 28830]

On 9/9/2020 at 8:21 PM, troph said:

First game in 12u, first game playing first base.  We will work on fundamentals but we’ll take this out on our first day on the job anytime.

[F250 28830]

9 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

First fall ball game tomorrow morning. My team has got some challenges ahead of them overall. I am the new manager in a fall season with 5 teams and the other 4 managers had years of experience in this league. I knew I was in trouble during the draft.

They printed out the spring evaluation scores for all the players because there were no fall tryouts due to COVID. I drafted straight down the list in order because I didn't know anyone on the entire list other than my son. Only one of his teammates from the canceled spring season is playing this fall. So when every single other manager started jumping around the list because they knew which players are actually good based on experience rather than evaluation scores I said uh oh.

I've got two kids with home run power including my son, and one more who should have it if I can get him swinging correctly. Overall we've got some weak spots but it's a fall season so I'll be moving kids around at different positions most of the regular season anyway. Should be interesting.

 

Fall ball is all about development. If those kids finish the Fall season better than they started and have an appreciation for the game you've done good.

[BrazilHorn 6637]

Have first tournament for my boys this weekend. One is 13 playing on a 14u team other is on 11u. Looking forward to seeing them in action for first time since June for younger and March for older.

 

[BrazilHorn 6637]

So one kid is playing in Georgetown this weekend and the other in San Marcos.

Any surlsters at those tournaments? Georgetown is 14u and SM 11u.

Would socially distance shoulder check you and mumble "muledick" if so

[Huckleberry 33120]

Crazy tough week for the Huckleberry family. Oldest child has been in the hospital since Tuesday night (relapse of chronic condition). Our team had lost a game earlier that evening to move to 1-1 on the season.

Things went real shitty at the hospital and we had to eventually demand a transfer back to the first hospital when the second one sucked. Daughter was Life Flighted from the first to the second, then rode an ambulance back. But things were slowly getting better back at the first hospital. Then had a game this morning. We won, highlight of the game for us was my boy coming up with the bases loaded in the second inning and hitting the very tip top of the fence. It bounced almost straight up...but barely back in the field of play. Ha. Frustrating to say the least. But it cleared the bases, we won the game, he got to tell the story to his mom and sister in the hospital and it made everyone smile. Good stuff.

Now we have a week of canceled practices and games I'm sure due to Beta.

[Anastasis 23473]

Sorry to hear about your daughter Huck. Good job to the boy. Must be nice to have that distraction for a bit. 

[torre 1286]

11 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

Crazy tough week for the Huckleberry family. Oldest child has been in the hospital since Tuesday night (relapse of chronic condition). Our team had lost a game earlier that evening to move to 1-1 on the season.

Things went real shitty at the hospital and we had to eventually demand a transfer back to the first hospital when the second one sucked. Daughter was Life Flighted from the first to the second, then rode an ambulance back. But things were slowly getting better back at the first hospital. Then had a game this morning. We won, highlight of the game for us was my boy coming up with the bases loaded in the second inning and hitting the very tip top of the fence. It bounced almost straight up...but barely back in the field of play. Ha. Frustrating to say the least. But it cleared the bases, we won the game, he got to tell the story to his mom and sister in the hospital and it made everyone smile. Good stuff.

Now we have a week of canceled practices and games I'm sure due to Beta.

Wish the best for your daughter and family.

Congrats on the game winning hit.    So you think you can hang with the other teams that the coaches knew the players during the draft  ?

Edited September 20, 2020 by torre

[troph 24915]

I hope she’s ok. Thinking about y’all, hang in there.