Arlington Little League vs. Babe Ruth, which is better?

[Anonymous]

What is the difference between Arlington's little league baseball and ABR (Arlington Babe Ruth)? Which one has less politics (meaning placing kids in teams in a equal and fair way, not giving special treatment to coaches' kids). Also, is there a difference between Arlington's little league and McLean's little league, can Arlington residents join the McLean little league? TIA

[Anonymous]

Literally this exact question is asked every year. Search the forum.

[Anonymous]

The short if it is, there is not too much is different- we're a family who has done both leagues and travel baseball in Arlington. My husband has coached for both leagues over the years.

In the younger years there is no difference at all. Then, Little League does drafts earlier than ABR so some kids stick with ABR so they can stay with their friends. But its only like a year difference so its a toss up. The real factor is if your kid starts to play travel. If they play for Arsenal (Arlington Travel Baseball), they must also play Arlington Little League. If they play for Arlington Storm, they must also play for ABR.

McLean Little League has a good reputation, but if you want to play Arlington travel BB, you'll have to eventually switch. I've known only 2 kids to get an exemption (to stay with McLean but play for Arlington travel) but they were the best kid on the top team, so YMMV.

One more factor, the tournaments the teams go to are different. Little League all star teams (different from travel) can go to the Little League World Series. In Babe Ruth, they go to the Babe Ruth League World Series (same difference but for whatever reason LL has more name recognition/is televised).

Finally, Little League ends at 13U. Then kids that still want to play go to Arlington Senior Babe Ruth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The short if it is, there is not too much is different- we're a family who has done both leagues and travel baseball in Arlington. My husband has coached for both leagues over the years.

In the younger years there is no difference at all. Then, Little League does drafts earlier than ABR so some kids stick with ABR so they can stay with their friends. But its only like a year difference so its a toss up. The real factor is if your kid starts to play travel. If they play for Arsenal (Arlington Travel Baseball), they must also play Arlington Little League. If they play for Arlington Storm, they must also play for ABR.

McLean Little League has a good reputation, but if you want to play Arlington travel BB, you'll have to eventually switch. I've known only 2 kids to get an exemption (to stay with McLean but play for Arlington travel) but they were the best kid on the top team, so YMMV.

One more factor, the tournaments the teams go to are different. Little League all star teams (different from travel) can go to the Little League World Series. In Babe Ruth, they go to the Babe Ruth League World Series (same difference but for whatever reason LL has more name recognition/is televised).

Finally, Little League ends at 13U. Then kids that still want to play go to Arlington Senior Babe Ruth.

I have had terrible experience with ABR so far. A few coaches run the program and always make sure their own teams have the most top players, while other teams have no talent whatsoever. Some teams will lose all season while 1-2 basically undefeated (until they face off each other). Also, ABR coaches' kids definitely get special treatment, it's very obvious. At what age/level does ABR do a draft?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The short if it is, there is not too much is different- we're a family who has done both leagues and travel baseball in Arlington. My husband has coached for both leagues over the years.

In the younger years there is no difference at all. Then, Little League does drafts earlier than ABR so some kids stick with ABR so they can stay with their friends. But its only like a year difference so its a toss up. The real factor is if your kid starts to play travel. If they play for Arsenal (Arlington Travel Baseball), they must also play Arlington Little League. If they play for Arlington Storm, they must also play for ABR.

McLean Little League has a good reputation, but if you want to play Arlington travel BB, you'll have to eventually switch. I've known only 2 kids to get an exemption (to stay with McLean but play for Arlington travel) but they were the best kid on the top team, so YMMV.

One more factor, the tournaments the teams go to are different. Little League all star teams (different from travel) can go to the Little League World Series. In Babe Ruth, they go to the Babe Ruth League World Series (same difference but for whatever reason LL has more name recognition/is televised).

Finally, Little League ends at 13U. Then kids that still want to play go to Arlington Senior Babe Ruth.

I have had terrible experience with ABR so far. A few coaches run the program and always make sure their own teams have the most top players, while other teams have no talent whatsoever. Some teams will lose all season while 1-2 basically undefeated (until they face off each other). Also, ABR coaches' kids definitely get special treatment, it's very obvious. At what age/level does ABR do a draft?

We had the same experience in LL FWIW. Bro dads trying to get their kids to the LL World Series.

ABR starts drafting when they go to Majors:

Majors 60' and 70', Player Pitch (Ages 10 - 12)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The short if it is, there is not too much is different- we're a family who has done both leagues and travel baseball in Arlington. My husband has coached for both leagues over the years.

In the younger years there is no difference at all. Then, Little League does drafts earlier than ABR so some kids stick with ABR so they can stay with their friends. But its only like a year difference so its a toss up. The real factor is if your kid starts to play travel. If they play for Arsenal (Arlington Travel Baseball), they must also play Arlington Little League. If they play for Arlington Storm, they must also play for ABR.

McLean Little League has a good reputation, but if you want to play Arlington travel BB, you'll have to eventually switch. I've known only 2 kids to get an exemption (to stay with McLean but play for Arlington travel) but they were the best kid on the top team, so YMMV.

One more factor, the tournaments the teams go to are different. Little League all star teams (different from travel) can go to the Little League World Series. In Babe Ruth, they go to the Babe Ruth League World Series (same difference but for whatever reason LL has more name recognition/is televised).

Finally, Little League ends at 13U. Then kids that still want to play go to Arlington Senior Babe Ruth.

I have had terrible experience with ABR so far. A few coaches run the program and always make sure their own teams have the most top players, while other teams have no talent whatsoever. Some teams will lose all season while 1-2 basically undefeated (until they face off each other). Also, ABR coaches' kids definitely get special treatment, it's very obvious. At what age/level does ABR do a draft?

We had the same experience in LL FWIW. Bro dads trying to get their kids to the LL World Series.

ABR starts drafting when they go to Majors:

Majors 60' and 70', Player Pitch (Ages 10 - 12)

It stinks to hear that LL is just as bad. I hope the ABR draft isn't rigged but I suspect it will be based on how the league currently functions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The short if it is, there is not too much is different- we're a family who has done both leagues and travel baseball in Arlington. My husband has coached for both leagues over the years.

In the younger years there is no difference at all. Then, Little League does drafts earlier than ABR so some kids stick with ABR so they can stay with their friends. But its only like a year difference so its a toss up. The real factor is if your kid starts to play travel. If they play for Arsenal (Arlington Travel Baseball), they must also play Arlington Little League. If they play for Arlington Storm, they must also play for ABR.

McLean Little League has a good reputation, but if you want to play Arlington travel BB, you'll have to eventually switch. I've known only 2 kids to get an exemption (to stay with McLean but play for Arlington travel) but they were the best kid on the top team, so YMMV.

One more factor, the tournaments the teams go to are different. Little League all star teams (different from travel) can go to the Little League World Series. In Babe Ruth, they go to the Babe Ruth League World Series (same difference but for whatever reason LL has more name recognition/is televised).

Finally, Little League ends at 13U. Then kids that still want to play go to Arlington Senior Babe Ruth.

I have had terrible experience with ABR so far. A few coaches run the program and always make sure their own teams have the most top players, while other teams have no talent whatsoever. Some teams will lose all season while 1-2 basically undefeated (until they face off each other). Also, ABR coaches' kids definitely get special treatment, it's very obvious. At what age/level does ABR do a draft?

We had the same experience in LL FWIW. Bro dads trying to get their kids to the LL World Series.

ABR starts drafting when they go to Majors:

Majors 60' and 70', Player Pitch (Ages 10 - 12)

It stinks to hear that LL is just as bad. I hope the ABR draft isn't rigged but I suspect it will be based on how the league currently functions.

For the draft they first distribute the travel players amongst all the teams. This accounts for sometimes up to half of the teams. Then they do try their best to equally distribute. At this age it’s honestly unsafe to have kids who can’t catch/field balls on a team so everyone is generally a decent player. It would be a very frustrating experience to have a team lose all their games in the season, I have never seen that happen. We are in our third year of majors and I can say that while there is usually a team that always wins because they have one superstar (I mean I could has to go somewhere), it’s not uneven across the board at all.

[Anonymous]

^ that kid has to go somewhere

[Anonymous]

In little league the manager (head coach’s) kids get drafted in a certain order. If they are league age 12 they have to get drafted by the third round and league age 11 by the fourth round. So if the head coach has an amazing son who is a first round pick the coach gets to wait and pick 2 other really good players in the first and second round before stating his son.

This means team where the coach’s kid is really good have an advantage and teams where the coach’s kid is not good and should be a 6th or 7th round pick or lower have a disadvantage. This can be enough to create unbalanced teams.

[Anonymous]

"For the draft they first distribute the travel players amongst all the teams." - how do they distribute the travel players? There is a huge range of abilities among those travel players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In little league the manager (head coach’s) kids get drafted in a certain order. If they are league age 12 they have to get drafted by the third round and league age 11 by the fourth round. So if the head coach has an amazing son who is a first round pick the coach gets to wait and pick 2 other really good players in the first and second round before stating his son.

This means team where the coach’s kid is really good have an advantage and teams where the coach’s kid is not good and should be a 6th or 7th round pick or lower have a disadvantage. This can be enough to create unbalanced teams.

Does ABR do this too? I like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In little league the manager (head coach’s) kids get drafted in a certain order. If they are league age 12 they have to get drafted by the third round and league age 11 by the fourth round. So if the head coach has an amazing son who is a first round pick the coach gets to wait and pick 2 other really good players in the first and second round before stating his son.

This means team where the coach’s kid is really good have an advantage and teams where the coach’s kid is not good and should be a 6th or 7th round pick or lower have a disadvantage. This can be enough to create unbalanced teams.

How is the team draft order determined?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Literally this exact question is asked every year. Search the forum.

Things change, every year both leagues get new coaches, new players, old threads simply are irrelevant at this point. I am asking about the current ABR culture vs. LL

[Anonymous]

You can look up league rules for things like tryouts and drafting players. They are not secret.

Drafts are not really drafts. All the coaches agree on who is likely to be a pitcher so they can be divided between teams.
If a coach's kid is a likely pitcher then they get included in this group. Do to pitch count rules this is most of the work when it comes to forming reasonably balanced teams. It is also why the asst. coach usually has a kid who is a good pitcher.

If you want to sway things to benefit your kid - (1) become a coach; and (2) spend time working with them all year - throwing, fielding, batting. Don't want to do those things? Then sign up and have your kid play like a good number of other kids. It is fine. But, they will not be as good a player as a kid who practiced all year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can look up league rules for things like tryouts and drafting players. They are not secret.

Drafts are not really drafts. All the coaches agree on who is likely to be a pitcher so they can be divided between teams.
If a coach's kid is a likely pitcher then they get included in this group. Do to pitch count rules this is most of the work when it comes to forming reasonably balanced teams. It is also why the asst. coach usually has a kid who is a good pitcher.

If you want to sway things to benefit your kid - (1) become a coach; and (2) spend time working with them all year - throwing, fielding, batting. Don't want to do those things? Then sign up and have your kid play like a good number of other kids. It is fine. But, they will not be as good a player as a kid who practiced all year.

1000% this