How important is hitting at the 13u baseball level?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Um OP I just thought I wrote this. Exact same scenario for us to the point where I’d be outed if I posted any more. My son has adhd and I don’t think the coaches could handle him.

Dugout behavior matters.

Of course it does. But many very talented athletes have issues and good coaches know how to get the best out of them. My son has many issues and isn’t very “smart.” But he is an excellent baseball player, and it’s always been an area for him that’s easy up until this team. The kids that make these LL teams try out often several times and are generally very competent players. They are picked based on their overall performance during the season. There’s not really any valid reason for not playing any of them.

The last 2 kids or so are usually courtesy pics in my kids’ league. Kids of board members or coaches usually. No sour grapes as my kids made the teams when deserved, but it is true.

Behavior wise I think it depends…at 12, sitting and pouting after a strikeout or being silly is one thing…vs doing something dangerous or being mean to teammates or hurting the experience of other kids is a bigger issue. Not saying your kid did that, just giving examples.

This is true, for sure. And those kids often get more play time than they should. My son with adhd is neither and had the best batting stats and is a really good pitcher. No, it wasn’t behavior like that at all, actually. It was not looking “dialed in” when the coach was lecturing/coaching at 7 pm for 25 min blocks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Um OP I just thought I wrote this. Exact same scenario for us to the point where I’d be outed if I posted any more. My son has adhd and I don’t think the coaches could handle him.

Dugout behavior matters.

Of course it does. But many very talented athletes have issues and good coaches know how to get the best out of them. My son has many issues and isn’t very “smart.” But he is an excellent baseball player, and it’s always been an area for him that’s easy up until this team. The kids that make these LL teams try out often several times and are generally very competent players. They are picked based on their overall performance during the season. There’s not really any valid reason for not playing any of them.

Often true. The most talented kid mine has ever played with was this way. For one coach he was a terror TBH, and other coach nearly perfect. No idea why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Um OP I just thought I wrote this. Exact same scenario for us to the point where I’d be outed if I posted any more. My son has adhd and I don’t think the coaches could handle him.

Dugout behavior matters.

Of course it does. But many very talented athletes have issues and good coaches know how to get the best out of them. My son has many issues and isn’t very “smart.” But he is an excellent baseball player, and it’s always been an area for him that’s easy up until this team. The kids that make these LL teams try out often several times and are generally very competent players. They are picked based on their overall performance during the season. There’s not really any valid reason for not playing any of them.

The last 2 kids or so are usually courtesy pics in my kids’ league. Kids of board members or coaches usually. No sour grapes as my kids made the teams when deserved, but it is true.

Behavior wise I think it depends…at 12, sitting and pouting after a strikeout or being silly is one thing…vs doing something dangerous or being mean to teammates or hurting the experience of other kids is a bigger issue. Not saying your kid did that, just giving examples.

This is true, for sure. And those kids often get more play time than they should. My son with adhd is neither and had the best batting stats and is a really good pitcher. No, it wasn’t behavior like that at all, actually. It was not looking “dialed in” when the coach was lecturing/coaching at 7 pm for 25 min blocks.

Not looking “dialed in”? 🙄 ridiculous. Some coaches have personality preferences for sure. My younger kid is loud and aggressive- coaches either love it or hate it, no in between. My older kid is quiet and serious- again, coaches either like it, or he gets overlooked due to not seeming engaged or enthusiastic enough at times. 🤷‍♀️

[Anonymous]

Daddy ball?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why he might be sitting. He is one of the top hitters. Is he not a good fielder? Or are you saying you think politics/favorites/prioritizing some kids over others is making coach bench your kid?

I wouldn’t have my son stay on a team where he didn’t play in the field and bat. You don’t improve and it feels terrible. There are other teams.

He is a good fielder in club ball, but apparently not in Little League? - and that is on a smaller field….🤷‍♀️ Now I’m concerned that this will carry over to club ball, since it is many of the same kids on the roster.

Have you talked to the coach? A year older and it would have to be your kid who talks to coach (and it would be great if kid could now) but you could tell coach you would like to know what your kid should be working on, and what is preventing him from rotating onto the field.

It’s just really weird - sometimes kids don’t hit but coach will still put them out in left field for two innings. Hitting but never playing the field is weird, and weird enough that a conversation is warranted, I think.

Not really. In some summer tournaments you use all your hitters (eg 11 of them) but obviously only field 9. So 2 sit. Usually the worst fielders.

Usually only occurs at the little kid ages, when it doesn’t matter much anyway.

That said, many travel teams do bat 10 with an XH at the older ages.

It happened regularly in 12u at Cooperstown this summer. Teams from all over the country. I run gamechanger so can see it happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why he might be sitting. He is one of the top hitters. Is he not a good fielder? Or are you saying you think politics/favorites/prioritizing some kids over others is making coach bench your kid?

I wouldn’t have my son stay on a team where he didn’t play in the field and bat. You don’t improve and it feels terrible. There are other teams.

He is a good fielder in club ball, but apparently not in Little League? - and that is on a smaller field….🤷‍♀️ Now I’m concerned that this will carry over to club ball, since it is many of the same kids on the roster.

Have you talked to the coach? A year older and it would have to be your kid who talks to coach (and it would be great if kid could now) but you could tell coach you would like to know what your kid should be working on, and what is preventing him from rotating onto the field.

It’s just really weird - sometimes kids don’t hit but coach will still put them out in left field for two innings. Hitting but never playing the field is weird, and weird enough that a conversation is warranted, I think.

Not really. In some summer tournaments you use all your hitters (eg 11 of them) but obviously only field 9. So 2 sit. Usually the worst fielders.

Usually only occurs at the little kid ages, when it doesn’t matter much anyway.

That said, many travel teams do bat 10 with an XH at the older ages.

It happened regularly in 12u at Cooperstown this summer. Teams from all over the country. I run gamechanger so can see it happening.

Oh I don’t disagree- 12u is little kid age to me. The end of kiddie ball

[Anonymous]

It sounds like the travel coach is focused on development and getting everyone time in the field and at bats. There is absolutely not scenario a 12u travel team should have POs or perpetual DH. Every kid should be hitting and fielding.

The LL all stars were there to win, and if your kid is a strong hitter and there is another kid they thought had a fielding advantage, they are going to do what they thought was best to win. Whether they were right or wrong in their assessment of your son’s fielding, I have no idea, but it seems like they valued his bat.

This is a coach thing, not a kid thing, and so I wouldn’t worry that it is the same kids. The travel coach is doing the right thing. 13u is a big adjustment so don’t judge any of the kids too hard this fall!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As you should know, everything changes in a few weeks when they get to the bigger field. Big hits become singles. Was he hitting far, or frequently or both?

Can he throw far enough from LF? Can he make the throw from 3rd to 1st? That's what he needs to be working on right now.

This is so true.

My boy struggled with some balls that probably would have been XBH or even over the fence, get tracked down and caught by the OFers. It's definitely a mindset change.

12U is the best age for youth baseball

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Daddy ball?

That would be my guess. I think summer little league is the height of daddy ball to the point where teams will willingly lose games if that means favored kids get to play shortstop and bat 3rd

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Daddy ball?

That would be my guess. I think summer little league is the height of daddy ball to the point where teams will willingly lose games if that means favored kids get to play shortstop and bat 3rd

No, not in the all star tournaments. Not at all. Daddy’s kids may make the team but they have to be realistic. Everyone from the LL community is watching

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Daddy ball?

That would be my guess. I think summer little league is the height of daddy ball to the point where teams will willingly lose games if that means favored kids get to play shortstop and bat 3rd

No, not in the all star tournaments. Not at all. Daddy’s kids may make the team but they have to be realistic. Everyone from the LL community is watching

Absolutely in all star tournaments. I've seen it happen and it cost them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Daddy ball?

That would be my guess. I think summer little league is the height of daddy ball to the point where teams will willingly lose games if that means favored kids get to play shortstop and bat 3rd

No, not in the all star tournaments. Not at all. Daddy’s kids may make the team but they have to be realistic. Everyone from the LL community is watching

Absolutely in all star tournaments. I've seen it happen and it cost them.

True. I have too. It cost us this year. All the other age teams made it to regionals and we did not thanks to this issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Daddy ball?

That would be my guess. I think summer little league is the height of daddy ball to the point where teams will willingly lose games if that means favored kids get to play shortstop and bat 3rd

No, not in the all star tournaments. Not at all. Daddy’s kids may make the team but they have to be realistic. Everyone from the LL community is watching

Absolutely in all star tournaments. I've seen it happen and it cost them.

Same

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Daddy ball?

That would be my guess. I think summer little league is the height of daddy ball to the point where teams will willingly lose games if that means favored kids get to play shortstop and bat 3rd

No, not in the all star tournaments. Not at all. Daddy’s kids may make the team but they have to be realistic. Everyone from the LL community is watching

If they were going to be realistic, they wouldn't include so many daddy coach kids on these all star teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Daddy ball?

That would be my guess. I think summer little league is the height of daddy ball to the point where teams will willingly lose games if that means favored kids get to play shortstop and bat 3rd

No, not in the all star tournaments. Not at all. Daddy’s kids may make the team but they have to be realistic. Everyone from the LL community is watching

If they were going to be realistic, they wouldn't include so many daddy coach kids on these all star teams.

My kid’s team had a daddy ball kid on it. The dad is an outstanding coach. The kid was at the bottom of the batting order (had to bat per LL rules) & pretty much never played the field. Hard to say what to do in those circumstances..the dad would not want to coach with no kid on the team, yet there were kids equal or a little better than his kid that didn’t make the team (but they would not have played much either). The dads of those kids don’t coach…so IDK what the right choice would really be.