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RACGOFAR
208 Posts |
 Posted - 07/23/2010 : 11:36:55
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I believe the watering down is due to the influx of teams at A/AA. The small number of Major teams is puzzling. How many major players do you have to have to be considered a Major team? 4, 5 or 6+? Unless the team culture has been well developed and all the parents and coaches are on the same page, too much talent creates just as many problems as too little talent. We've all seen what hgappens to those type of teams. Maybe its the Major teams that need to be watered down. Would be better to have 20 Major teams made up of half Major, half AAA players or just a few with 10+ major caliber players on the roster? I don't know the answer to that, but there always has and always will be a pecking order of talent in any baseball league.
Personally, I think a kid should play at the level that he is mature enough to handle. I saw plenty of players at all levels of play this year melting down, crying, pouting. Baseball is a game of failure. The higher the level of play, the more likely you are to fail. Parents would better serve their kids by finding the level of failure that their kid can handle and letting them develop their. Ther are plenty of 11's with bodies that are physically at age 12, 13, or 14. But very few have a higher emotional age than their true age.
A kid may have Major level talent, but if he can't handle Major level pressure and Major level failure, he should play at a lower level until he is emotionally (and talented enough) for the next level.
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Spartan4
913 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2010 : 14:25:36
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Biggin, not every sanctioning body/classification with no frozen rosters. I would like to see one win no matter what league just to see what kind of teams they could field. Some of these teams have amazing infielders and nothing in the outfield, other teams have it the other way around, combining these teams would make for an awesome show to watch. I'm not saying permanently but even just one tourney.
The family concept is good, but it can be done both ways....Look at the Bandits, that team is the closest "no drama" team I have ever seen. Also, I completely disagree with the "attention" comment. The best team we have ever played on my nephew was nothing more than a fill-in outfielder but we tried to win the games. I could care less where mine plays/hits all I care about is playing with the intent to win every game and with comparable kids. And when he was on the mound and a ball got hit directly at an infielder it was usually an out. If they keep score you should try and win the game, and I will never believe it is fair to put a pitcher on the mound without the best 8 behind him, it will ruin a kids confidence to have the same kid or two continually make errors behind him.
Back to the original topic, I spoke with a TD from my area and we both agree that as long as USSSA continues to cater to the AA and AAA teams travel baseball will continue to become watered down. More teams/more money and there is obviously no shortage of boys in our area. |
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ecbinsider
318 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2010 : 15:05:29
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quote:
Originally posted by RACGOFAR
I believe the watering down is due to the influx of teams at A/AA. The small number of Major teams is puzzling. How many major players do you have to have to be considered a Major team? 4, 5 or 6+? Unless the team culture has been well developed and all the parents and coaches are on the same page, too much talent creates just as many problems as too little talent. We've all seen what hgappens to those type of teams. Maybe its the Major teams that need to be watered down. Would be better to have 20 Major teams made up of half Major, half AAA players or just a few with 10+ major caliber players on the roster? I don't know the answer to that, but there always has and always will be a pecking order of talent in any baseball league.
Personally, I think a kid should play at the level that he is mature enough to handle. I saw plenty of players at all levels of play this year melting down, crying, pouting. Baseball is a game of failure. The higher the level of play, the more likely you are to fail. Parents would better serve their kids by finding the level of failure that their kid can handle and letting them develop their. Ther are plenty of 11's with bodies that are physically at age 12, 13, or 14. But very few have a higher emotional age than their true age.
A kid may have Major level talent, but if he can't handle Major level pressure and Major level failure, he should play at a lower level until he is emotionally (and talented enough) for the next level.
I think majors is just a label and only used by USSSA. If you look at the major/AAA teams in GA, there are 3 teams (Braves, Stealth & Yard Dogs) that stand out amongst the others. The rest are just AAA level teams, look at many of the other major teams and you'll see plenty of losses to AAA ones. |
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ERROR ON 6
47 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2010 : 17:31:09
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quote:
Originally posted by RACGOFAR
I believe the watering down is due to the influx of teams at A/AA. The small number of Major teams is puzzling. How many major players do you have to have to be considered a Major team? 4, 5 or 6+? Unless the team culture has been well developed and all the parents and coaches are on the same page, too much talent creates just as many problems as too little talent. We've all seen what hgappens to those type of teams. Maybe its the Major teams that need to be watered down. Would be better to have 20 Major teams made up of half Major, half AAA players or just a few with 10+ major caliber players on the roster? I don't know the answer to that, but there always has and always will be a pecking order of talent in any baseball league.
Personally, I think a kid should play at the level that he is mature enough to handle. I saw plenty of players at all levels of play this year melting down, crying, pouting. Baseball is a game of failure. The higher the level of play, the more likely you are to fail. Parents would better serve their kids by finding the level of failure that their kid can handle and letting them develop their. Ther are plenty of 11's with bodies that are physically at age 12, 13, or 14. But very few have a higher emotional age than their true age.
A kid may have Major level talent, but if he can't handle Major level pressure and Major level failure, he should play at a lower level until he is emotionally (and talented enough) for the next level.
your last statement is the truth but is as far from reality as we get, which is the sole reason of this topic, we have way to many dads turned "coach" overnight because they have the notion that their kid is the next best thing out there, they shop them around to all the teams, when nobody good picks them up, he turns into a coach all of sudden and creates a team with Timmy next door and Tommy across the street , pick up a few discarded players from other teams and bam!, they have a "travel team". An EC coach told me yesterday that there were going to be 12 teams at 11 years old next year. It sounds like 643 will be there shortly with multiple teams at most age groups now. But once again, the almighty dollar will prevail every time.
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theTRUTH
7 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2010 : 22:53:07
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OK guys, this just in from the newly formed "Travel Baseball Executive Committee."
All coaches must coach a team at their own "son's" baseball skill level is at..BAM there goes many Major and AAA level teams.
All coaches "sons" MUST try out for the team, an be assesed by a non biased qualified baseball player from at least a College level experience...BAM even less Major and AAA level teams.
All coaches must have played at the minimun, College Baseball..Bam even more less Major an AAA
Finally..One of our executive Directors will be at all practices and make the line up and batting order in order to assure no daddy ball...BAM!!!! Guees what happens next
YUP...ERRORO6.."""we have way to many dads turned "coach" overnight because they have the notion that their kid is the next best thing out there, they shop them around to all the teams, when nobody good picks them up, he turns into a coach all of sudden and creates a team with Timmy next door and Tommy across the street , pick up a few discarded players from other teams and bam!, they have a "travel team".""
Guess what then?????? YUP! a/aa is watered down!!!
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ecbinsider
318 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2010 : 14:51:20
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Ha! very funny post and I really laughed at the first part of it because in many cases it's so true. If you look at some of the top teams, the coaches kids are the weakest players.
I'm not going to bash dad's that want to coach. Remember, their out here donating their time and effort so these kids can get a chance to play. For most, their intentions are good and there are plenty who are capable coaches. Of course there are those "daddy ball" types but those teams never last. |
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puppetmaster
11 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2010 : 22:14:13
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| I think the Ga Grays did a very good considering getting a late start this year. The Grays split games with both the Bombers and the Braves. I think they will make some noise @11u> |
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oldschooldad
203 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2010 : 09:03:39
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quote:
Originally posted by ecbinsider
Guys, this has got to be the craziest time of the season for both coaches and parents, everyone is recruiting and jockeying for position.
The biggest break up seems to be the Kennesaw Mustangs, the head coach and a couple of his players have gone to the 643 Cougars. Signature Park would be a bigger breakup, delays in construction are one of the bigger issues there so we'll see what happens. There are some other serious rumblings regarding a couple of other teams, they've suffered some major losses of players and are kind of hanging on by a thread.
I really like what these teams have done and each should be stronger next season:
Stars - If this were a race they would win by a landslide, seem to be done early by picking up a couple of players from the Tigers while dropping a couple as soon as the season was over.
Rays - I look for them to make the biggest jump next season if they can keep their core together, sounds like they've added some very good players to go along with their 3 musketeers.
Yankees - Picked up a couple of good players from Kennesaw and one from the Braves but lost their starting catcher, they will be a handful of games better then last season only because the bottom 3-4 of their order could struggle.
Outlaws - Looks like they've gone after speed by adding one from the Stars, Tigers & Kennesaw. Should be a nice compliment to go with the big bats, still need to add a big arm imho.
643 - I'm going to take a wait and see on this one, this is the 2nd year that they've made major changes (5+) and they've lost their #1 pitcher. Carrying 12 and playing everyone makes it difficult to win on Sundays.
Braves - Still early, they usually drop 2-3 each year and pick up some very strong players. Who will they get this year?
Heard the Rays lost SS and outfielder to Braves
Outlaws picked up one from the Braves. Alot more team speed to go with batters.
Raptors looking to combine teams with another EC team. never a good sign.
Yankees look to still need a big batter cleanup hitter type and dominate big game pitcher
Both 643 teams playing to play AAA/major schedule |
Edited by - oldschooldad on 07/26/2010 09:16:15 |
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ecbinsider
318 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2010 : 10:22:55
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oldschooldad,
If what you say is true re: the rays kids, that's a big loss because those kids were the spark plugs to the Rays offense not to mention their best defensive players.
I know the Raptors have lost 2 of their top 5 to the Rays & Titans along with several other players not coming back. It'll be tough to replace 6-7 players again this year so it makes sense for them to try and merge. Perhaps, if a few new teams are added, that will be an opportunity for them. Maybe a Tigers/Raptors merger makes more sense??
Anybody know what's going on with the 643 Cougars? I know they had a good turn out but have they finalized their team yet? I think several players they are after are still coming to the EC try outs and will wait till then but that's jmho. |
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moccs
349 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2010 : 16:41:59
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| These are 9-10 year olds right. If the ec program is this political at this age it must really get interesting when you get older. Is there a place to go to find out how the ec program operates. I wouldnt mind setting up a similar one in Middle Georgia.. |
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tae281
447 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2010 : 22:45:18
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quote:
Originally posted by moccs
These are 9-10 year olds right. If the ec program is this political at this age it must really get interesting when you get older. Is there a place to go to find out how the ec program operates. I wouldnt mind setting up a similar one in Middle Georgia..
Mocs, who won that woodbat tournament this past weekend up in Dalton? |
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moccs
349 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2010 : 12:15:19
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| dont know.. we were up 8-2 in last inning of semi final when I pulled my starter to save for championship that never happened. lost 9-8. When will I ever learn that you gotta get their first. The only two teams left were Naturals and choo choo mustangs. We had fun with the only complaints being that we were forced to play 1 20 time limit on Saturday by mistake and required us to play ec titans on sunday first. Although beat titans 5-2 we had to burn pitching. |
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