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BravesFan
533 Posts |
 Posted - 05/26/2010 : 16:02:34
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Guys, I can't believe it but for some teams the 2010 season is almost coming to a close. Starting in a few weeks teams will begin shutting it down for the rest of the year just when it seems like it got started.
For most, the transition towards 50/70 (11U) ball and the bigger fields will be an adjustment. Does your recruiting strategy change? Do you go for more speed and power?
Those 10U pitchers who were able to overpower kids this year might not have the same success with the extra 4ft and the hitters getting bigger & stronger. Thoughts? |
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SSBuckeye
575 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2010 : 18:16:43
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| My 10u son subbed for a 11u team one game and told me after how much easier it was to hit. They were playing a AAA team, so they were a good test, but he hit the ball really hard each time up. After watching that game, I realized that foot speed is more important in 11u and our pitchers need to learn how to do a better job spotting pitches and changing speeds for next year. I'm looking forward to it! |
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ERROR ON 6
47 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2010 : 18:52:00
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Speed is the key at all ages but yes the transition from 10 to 11 will be difficult for the medium to slow runners, not only on the base paths but the bigger fields.
From what Ive seen and heard, there's only a couple 10u pitchers that have been overpowering, the big kid from 643, the big kid from Shiloh and I believe the yard dogs have a big time gas thrower, other than those 3, most are in the middle to lower 50's, which is good for 10's but not overpowering. Naturally, the added 4 feet from 10 to 11 will cause a group of pitchers to struggle. Ive seen coaches trot out pitchers that the kids fastball barely reaches the plate much less the junk balls, they are 2 hopping the plate at times, from 50', it will be ugly.
It seems the majority of the 10u pitchers that have shut down teams completely(or overpowering) are throwing a true curve ball, not because of a fastball |
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GA YARD DOG 05
23 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2010 : 21:42:38
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| The Yard Dogs are very excited about the jump to 11U ..... The bigger field plays right into our strengths and we have already had some success against 11U AA and AAA with 2 tournament wins ....... But the thing we look forward to the most is we can play 12U since we cant find anyone in our age group other than EC Braves and Stealth when they are in town to play us. So all 10U teams going to 11U take notice that we will only play Super NIT, State Championships and Invitational 11U tournaments starting in the Fall. |
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MadSkills
128 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2010 : 08:36:58
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All of you guys makes some great points, team speed becomes a bigger priority as the fields get bigger. And to your point Error, I think if you see the better 10U pitchers struggle, the more you will see them learn the curve ball.
Yard Dog, are you guys playing a fall schedule? |
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GA YARD DOG 05
23 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2010 : 10:10:20
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Mad,
We are going to try ..... As I just said we hope to be competative at 12U due to all of the ducking and dogging going on not just with us ...... but with all the top teams Major, AAA, AA going on in our age group. I dont see why the fall tournaments would be anymore competative than what we have seen this spring/summer and EC Braves dont play fall ball. We are scheduled to go to the TC Fall Nationals in St Augustine, FL and back to Florida for the Winter Classic. Locally Im not so sure .......... |
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ERROR ON 6
47 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2010 : 12:46:10
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GYD05,
Easy there, I have seen you guys play but dont get to ahead of yourself with your success at 10u. Playing up an age in AA or AAA may work but you mentioned "at 12u". However if you guys enter a normal 12u Triple Crown next year that has 20-30 teams in it, my guess you would fall in the bottom 5. There is a huge difference in the playing the middle/lower of the pack in the age above and playing the middle to upper part of the pack, reason I say this, you guys dont like to lose, and if you choose to play a normal 12u schedule, you will lose a lot, which we have all witnessed in the past, that doesnt sit well for the YD Family. |
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DecaturDad
619 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2010 : 13:51:17
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quote:
Originally posted by SSBuckeye
My 10u son subbed for a 11u team one game and told me after how much easier it was to hit. They were playing a AAA team, so they were a good test, but he hit the ball really hard each time up. After watching that game, I realized that foot speed is more important in 11u and our pitchers need to learn how to do a better job spotting pitches and changing speeds for next year. I'm looking forward to it!
I agree that speed seems to be the big difference. Just watching a few games, it seems to take a lot longer for the runner to get to first. |
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GA YARD DOG 05
23 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2010 : 14:32:54
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Error,
You are right we dont like to lose and that will be the challenge for our parents as the coaches understand the situation. We will identify a goal this fall for our 11U year and once we have qualified then we will proceed at 12U and let the chips fall where they may. I like our chances in silver bracket play by the time spring ball hits ....... We have a scrappy group and they will be ready for the challenge.......although I am disappointed that there seems to be little hope for a deeper competative 11U Major next year........Why do you think that is Error? |
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MadSkills
128 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2010 : 15:05:08
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| So then, does it become easier to throw runners out who are trying to steal? With the extra 5 feet, one would have to imagine that the ratio of throwing out runners increases slightly. |
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DecaturDad
619 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2010 : 21:16:36
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quote:
Originally posted by MadSkills
So then, does it become easier to throw runners out who are trying to steal? With the extra 5 feet, one would have to imagine that the ratio of throwing out runners increases slightly.
That was my impression. You also have a stronger arm behind the plate to make a good throw. |
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moccs
349 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2010 : 19:56:25
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We have tested the waters at 11 under recently and made the following observation:
Our hitters hit the ball better but pitchers have struggled a little. We have slowed down a little on the bases because of the distance . Defensively our infielders enjoy the additional time to throw the ball. The 11 under tournaments allowed our batters to see the "junk " a lot better but I believe location will be the key to our pitchers. |
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10U dad
6 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2010 : 00:30:30
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| Why is it that at 11U and 12U the bases get longer but the teams that rely on speed tend to drop off? I Think the advantage somehow shifts to the hitters and the catcher. |
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 06/07/2010 : 08:20:17
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| GaYardDog: Papa don't post much on the 10U Discussion but I do read a lot and saw where you feel you are ready to play up on the 12U major level. Bandits followed many other teams and did that very thing this year and I have some advice for you. The con's outweigh the pro's on this one and you should just allow you boy's to enjoy where they are. I am not saying that you wouldn't get any benefit from the excursion into 12's because there are many good things that the Bandits experienced but the overall experience didn't appear to get us ready like we thought it might and although our trip into the 12's was very successful and we skipped the AA and AAA teams and played the major 12U teams. Try it and have fun doing it but don't stay too long like I think we did as it tends to become counter productive. Just thought I might give you a heads up. |
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ecball
72 Posts |
Posted - 06/07/2010 : 17:20:13
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Papa - this is the East Cobb Braves coach. Can you explain in more detail the pitfalls of playing 12U next year? I'm guessing that not all of the kids can play at that level but can you name some other things? We had planned on playing a lot of 12's but I will take advice from those that have already done it.
Thanks,
Mike |
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GA YARD DOG 05
23 Posts |
Posted - 06/07/2010 : 22:03:56
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Papa,
We would benefit from some details as well......because in our current age group there are not many major teams.....or for that matter teams that are willing to play in tournaments if they dont think they have a chance to win. 10U has struggled all year to produce quality tournaments and I expect that trend to continue next year ....... So whats worse playing up or not playing quality week end and week out. |
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10U dad
6 Posts |
Posted - 06/07/2010 : 23:10:27
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Papa,
Please, advise them both to invite the Stealth to LaGrange and the three of them battle it out GrandSlam Baseball stye, every weekend next year. That's some good Comp.. Nobody Could Run or hide. And the rest of us can play AA without being looked down upon. |
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GA YARD DOG 05
23 Posts |
Posted - 06/08/2010 : 17:20:22
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10U Dad,
Grand Slam does put on a good tournament ....... when they can put a tournament on ...... so are you suggesting that Yard Dogs, Braves and Stealth play a round robin tournament every weekend against each other all year......thats crazy......if the following teams move up to Major and show up to a few good tournaments we might have a better 11U next year:
1. SHILOH.....SHILOH......SHILOH
2. Macon Cardinals
3. Sig Park Spartans
4. Wills Park Scorpions
5. Elite Gamers Blue ..... Red Came up whats the differance
6. Middle GA Moccs
7. GA Grays dont let a few loses discourage them
8. Homeplate
9. Kennasaw Mustangs
10. And word is theres going to be a team out of Palmetto next year resurfacing.......we want to play them first time out the gate.....lol |
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BravesFan
533 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2010 : 09:48:16
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Yard Dog,
There seems to be a lot of chatter regarding some of the better players moving along so I think you have to wait until most of that dust settles to see where everyone is at in August. I think some on your list will bring back most of the same players but others might look completely different. You also have several decent teams that might add 3-4 very good players to be put into this conversation.
I think in your case, if a few teams went away that would increase the talent pool and make several teams stronger so they could compete on a major level. |
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bb2210
16 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2010 : 13:45:34
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of these 9 teams and others who have played regularly in the spring - which ones will continue to play in the fall? and will all of their players still play or will they pick up players to fill in for football players? Just curious to see how other teams play a year round schedule
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moccs
349 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2010 : 10:18:07
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| Most will play limited schedules but without a lot of the football players. That is why it is difficult to see what you have in fall. |
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ecbinsider
318 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2010 : 10:44:08
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quote:
Originally posted by bb2210
of these 9 teams and others who have played regularly in the spring - which ones will continue to play in the fall? and will all of their players still play or will they pick up players to fill in for football players? Just curious to see how other teams play a year round schedule
There are usually only a handful of teams that play in the fall, last year the Raptors, Rays, Outlaws, Kennesaw, Shiloh, Acworth, Alpharetta, Sandy Plains and a few others fielded fall teams. As far as picking up players, don't know but I could see where that would happen. |
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ERROR ON 6
47 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2010 : 13:30:10
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| you could basically call the fall the minor leagues. A couple of the diehards play in all of the fall tournaments and get to take home some hardware, because once February gets here and all the regular teams start to crank it up, those same fall tournament winners fade out. |
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MadSkills
128 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2010 : 14:42:29
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Error,
Well, the top 5 teams will all take off in the Fall but that's a little harsh to call the rest minor leagues. Some have been calling the Rays, Shiloh, Kennesaw and a couple of others majors for next season. There are plenty of kids who don't play football so there is nothing wrong with playing a few tournaments. After all, it's beats the alternative of playing recreational ball at the park.
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