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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Most people are right that the answer is to do multi-sport for as long as possible.

Unless its baseball.  Then, honestly, around 12, the best players, and the ones that make varsity, are the ones that specialized.  But truthfully, that's bc much of baseball is skill based, not necessarily athleticism.

But for the other sports, cross-train.  3 sports a year for as long as possible.

And hopefully one of them is either wrestling or swim.  Bc that sets you up to be the fittest on the "other teams" in spring/fall[/quote]

No, not unless it is baseball. Lots of great baseball varsity players play multiple sports. [/quote]

There is no one answer.  Kids in the DR do nothing but play baseball and they have the highest per capita representation in the MLB.

Regardless of Trevor Bauer’s personal issues, he readily admits he is a terrible general athlete and would never have played in college and the MLB without devoting his efforts to pitching.

It’s rare that someone is a multi sport athlete that isn’t just a top athlete in general.  That said, both Brock Purdy and Patrick Mahomes eventually gave up baseball around 16 to focus on football.

You don’t see a HS kid that is a superstar in one sport and just meh in another and continues with both.[/quote]

Nobody is talking about professional athletes.

And correct, there is no one answer. Thus, the statement “unless it’s baseball” is nonsense. There are many kids who play baseball at a very high level along with another sport. [/quote]

Sure.  There are just "studs" at every school.  Kids that can do anything

But baseball also has the higher percentage of kids that wouldn't stand a chance at any other competitive varsity athlete.  Kids that are PO who would never make any other sport, JV or otherwise.

[b]I guess my point is that there are parts of baseball that don't rely as much as on athleticism, and much more on skill. [/b] If your kid isn't one of those "studs" that can pick up any sport in a week and be the best player on the field, then baseball is a good sport for them to specialize in early.  If they can throw a nasty slider, but can't squat their own bodyweight at 15 or run the 40 in under 7 seconds, you'll still have a shot at a baseball career.

But slow and/or weak won't work in any other sport.

And FWIW, I say that as a baseball Dad (and former baseball coach).  On my MS aged teams, I always looked for athletic kids first, but would happily take the kid that only weight 70 pounds that could locate a curveball.  [/quote]

I know Trevor Bauer is controversial...but he will be the first to describe himself as a terrible athlete.  He's slow and his vertical leap is about 4 inches.  But, he devoted himself to pitching and was one of the first Driveline adherents and was one of the best MLB pitchers for several years.[/quote]

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