Anonymous
Post 10/28/2020 15:05     Subject: Re:Baseball Development AMA
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This fall, we switched my 11 year old son to a new team where most of the kids have been playing together for the past couple of years. It's a pretty good team and they have won the majority of their games. My son is decent, but not the best and also pretty reserved, but plays and practices hard and loves the sport. He really doesn't get much playing time and and is almost always placed in right field, except for pitching when he gets the chance. Besides for practicing a lot in the off season, anything else we can do to get him more playing time? How is he ever suppose to improve if he doesn't get to play in the games? Also, at his age, is always playing right field a bad thing and a position we should try to get him out of? ( I don't plan on switching teams either as an option). Thanks in advance for your help!!!


Sounds like my kid! He joined a travel team at 12u after years of rec. He was the top of his rec team and the bottom of the new team, and it was a hard adjustment. The first year he shared a position with another player, alternating innings. He usually batted at the end of the order, but sometimes didn’t make the lineup. He slowly improved, nothing dramatic, until he was a solid middle of the team player at 13u. Then he sort of camped there. What made the difference was having him do more than his teammates - they were all improving together at the same rate, so if he wanted to climb the ladder he had to do more. We gave him private lessons (went to one of the big baseball facilities) and also got him a net and tee to hit into in the backyard. We go to the batting cage as a family to hit for exercise. We spent the winter and spring hitting fly balls for him in the park. He also started doing daily push ups, sit ups, and pull ups to build strength, and I find him in his bedroom practicing finger positioning or balance for pitching. In short, he started to drive himself. This year is 14u and he starts his position, has added another, and is the #2 hitter. He has found that it took a lot of time to feel like the other boys were friends. He says they are a lot friendlier now that he is at the top of the team than the bottom, which seems not so nice. I hope your son continues to thrive and love baseball!


Not that you need to hear this, but as a coach, this is excellent parenting. Great baseball lesson - great life lesson! If you want to affect where you are, there’s no magic formula, just good ol’ fashion hard work! As they say “hard work pays off” in your son is proof. He’ll be a stronger player and a stronger individual knowing that what he has was earned not given.💪🏼
Anonymous
Post 10/28/2020 15:00     Subject: Baseball Development AMA
Anonymous wrote:Hi! My son plays in a U13 team in the NVTBL. He is small (hasn't hit puberty yet) so his hitting is suffering a little. He is an excellent fielder and pitches as well. What can we do this winter to get him ready for the spring and have him be super confident in the likely event puberty/height/growth spurt doesn't kick in before March? Thanks!


Speed and agility training hands down. My 13u is in the same boat. Strength fosters confidence in young boys and it can happen quickly. At this age you just want your player to wade in the water until puberty kicks in. Once it does it’s off to the races.🙂
Anonymous
Post 10/28/2020 14:56     Subject: Re:Baseball Development AMA
Anonymous wrote:This fall, we switched my 11 year old son to a new team where most of the kids have been playing together for the past couple of years. It's a pretty good team and they have won the majority of their games. My son is decent, but not the best and also pretty reserved, but plays and practices hard and loves the sport. He really doesn't get much playing time and and is almost always placed in right field, except for pitching when he gets the chance. Besides for practicing a lot in the off season, anything else we can do to get him more playing time? How is he ever suppose to improve if he doesn't get to play in the games? Also, at his age, is always playing right field a bad thing and a position we should try to get him out of? ( I don't plan on switching teams either as an option). Thanks in advance for your help!!!


OP here. Sorry I hadn’t checked back in a bit.
So it’s a misnomer that kids get better thru playing time. It’s thru practice and understanding the game as much as possible.
There’s so much to learn at a young age from the bench. Specifically about how the game flows, positioning, what some kids are doing wrong vs. right etc.
I would encourage your son to try and affect the game from the bench. Be loud, be motivated, cheer on your team non-stop. That’s leadership and that’s not only a good life lesson, it will - I promise, get your child noticed which should result in more playing time.

As for positioning - make him the best right fielder possible. It will pay dividends and when he jumps up in age group. At 12/13u outfield becomes one of the most important positions. Just for context the highest avg salary in MLB per position is right field.😉
Anonymous
Post 10/28/2020 14:04     Subject: Baseball Development AMA
Thank you!
Anonymous
Post 10/28/2020 12:21     Subject: Baseball Development AMA
Anonymous wrote:NP here -- to the above poster -- do you have any recommendations for good places for private lessons? Our son sounds like yours so I'd like to start lining some things up for the off season. TIA!


The Baseball Zone in Rockville has been our go-to for private lessons. They also offer group clinics and such. We sometimes also go to Extra Innings in Elkridge for the cages - haven't tried their private lessons.
Anonymous
Post 10/28/2020 09:01     Subject: Baseball Development AMA
NP here -- to the above poster -- do you have any recommendations for good places for private lessons? Our son sounds like yours so I'd like to start lining some things up for the off season. TIA!
Anonymous
Post 10/28/2020 08:44     Subject: Re:Baseball Development AMA
Anonymous wrote:This fall, we switched my 11 year old son to a new team where most of the kids have been playing together for the past couple of years. It's a pretty good team and they have won the majority of their games. My son is decent, but not the best and also pretty reserved, but plays and practices hard and loves the sport. He really doesn't get much playing time and and is almost always placed in right field, except for pitching when he gets the chance. Besides for practicing a lot in the off season, anything else we can do to get him more playing time? How is he ever suppose to improve if he doesn't get to play in the games? Also, at his age, is always playing right field a bad thing and a position we should try to get him out of? ( I don't plan on switching teams either as an option). Thanks in advance for your help!!!


Sounds like my kid! He joined a travel team at 12u after years of rec. He was the top of his rec team and the bottom of the new team, and it was a hard adjustment. The first year he shared a position with another player, alternating innings. He usually batted at the end of the order, but sometimes didn’t make the lineup. He slowly improved, nothing dramatic, until he was a solid middle of the team player at 13u. Then he sort of camped there. What made the difference was having him do more than his teammates - they were all improving together at the same rate, so if he wanted to climb the ladder he had to do more. We gave him private lessons (went to one of the big baseball facilities) and also got him a net and tee to hit into in the backyard. We go to the batting cage as a family to hit for exercise. We spent the winter and spring hitting fly balls for him in the park. He also started doing daily push ups, sit ups, and pull ups to build strength, and I find him in his bedroom practicing finger positioning or balance for pitching. In short, he started to drive himself. This year is 14u and he starts his position, has added another, and is the #2 hitter. He has found that it took a lot of time to feel like the other boys were friends. He says they are a lot friendlier now that he is at the top of the team than the bottom, which seems not so nice. I hope your son continues to thrive and love baseball!
Anonymous
Post 10/28/2020 08:32     Subject: Baseball Development AMA
Hi! My son plays in a U13 team in the NVTBL. He is small (hasn't hit puberty yet) so his hitting is suffering a little. He is an excellent fielder and pitches as well. What can we do this winter to get him ready for the spring and have him be super confident in the likely event puberty/height/growth spurt doesn't kick in before March? Thanks!
Anonymous
Post 10/27/2020 22:18     Subject: Re:Baseball Development AMA
This fall, we switched my 11 year old son to a new team where most of the kids have been playing together for the past couple of years. It's a pretty good team and they have won the majority of their games. My son is decent, but not the best and also pretty reserved, but plays and practices hard and loves the sport. He really doesn't get much playing time and and is almost always placed in right field, except for pitching when he gets the chance. Besides for practicing a lot in the off season, anything else we can do to get him more playing time? How is he ever suppose to improve if he doesn't get to play in the games? Also, at his age, is always playing right field a bad thing and a position we should try to get him out of? ( I don't plan on switching teams either as an option). Thanks in advance for your help!!!
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 09:44     Subject: Baseball Development AMA
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Where should one go to high school if he is good? Does private or public matter if on a good travel team. This site has been pretty negative about St. Johns even though the program has a good reputation.


I have some experience with the program you mentioned. If your son is a good player and looking to continue I think my main goal would be to have him play on a competitive travel and showcase team which SJC doesn’t allow. They ask their players to stay “in-house”.
There’s nothing wrong with playing for a public high school provided that your son likes the coach and is developing under him. I do think that there’s a higher level of play within the northern va high schools vs Maryland.

DP. Thank you for not trashing St John’s. My DS played there and, while there were certainly some issues, he loved his time there and has no regrets.


Like I said I’m close or have experience within the program and there’s no arguing that their program is the best of the best in the DMV. They have great facilities, their coaches challenge their players, and give them opportunities to compete at a high level. The only negative (in my eyes) is not allowing players to showcase or play summer ball with another team if the opportunity arises.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 09:38     Subject: Baseball Development AMA
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What's a good league for high schoolers who are good players and enjoy the game, but don't want to commit to a travel team?


Tough question because there really aren’t many options. “Travel” isn’t quite what it used to be and there are plenty of teams that play in NVTBL that are composed of kids that aren’t high school caliber players. The commitment is usually 2 practices per week and a doubleheader on the weekend. It’s really not that bad time wise. This is the time that tryouts are happening.


So how do you pick a travel team to try out for? How can you tell if it is a competitive team or a team made up if kids whose parents want to be able to say their kids play travel ball..


You can view records of programs on the leagues website. Here’s the rub though...the focus needs to be on the coaches and players NOT their win-loss record. Most really good teams take it on the chin for a few seasons before they become “good”. I always recommend heading out and watching a game or practice of a potential team to see if you and your child like the vibe.
Surround your kid not with elite talent but players and coaches with elite work ethic.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 09:05     Subject: Baseball Development AMA
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What's a good league for high schoolers who are good players and enjoy the game, but don't want to commit to a travel team?


Tough question because there really aren’t many options. “Travel” isn’t quite what it used to be and there are plenty of teams that play in NVTBL that are composed of kids that aren’t high school caliber players. The commitment is usually 2 practices per week and a doubleheader on the weekend. It’s really not that bad time wise. This is the time that tryouts are happening.


So how do you pick a travel team to try out for? How can you tell if it is a competitive team or a team made up if kids whose parents want to be able to say their kids play travel ball..


Not op, but look for a team that plays metro or CRAB in Maryland. Even some of the metro teams 12u and above are not that competitive.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 08:09     Subject: Baseball Development AMA
Anonymous wrote:Do you have any recommendations for PTs? My son hurt his arm pitching (even though he'd been very careful with pitch counts, etc.), due to some underlying conditions, but now it hurts to throw. He did some PT, last fall/winter but with the baseball pause when the pandemic hit, he lost a lot of what he accomplished. We may not be able to follow up with our previous PT. Do you have any suggestions on who to reach out to for PT for sports/baseball related injuries? Thanks!


Go see Craig Pippen at Pitchers Edge in Vienna. He changed my son’s throwing motion, and he basically specializes in this. No more pain (this was after he was cleared by an orthopedic surgeon/xrays first). The surgeon recommended him.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 08:04     Subject: Baseball Development AMA
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Where should one go to high school if he is good? Does private or public matter if on a good travel team. This site has been pretty negative about St. Johns even though the program has a good reputation.


I have some experience with the program you mentioned. If your son is a good player and looking to continue I think my main goal would be to have him play on a competitive travel and showcase team which SJC doesn’t allow. They ask their players to stay “in-house”.
There’s nothing wrong with playing for a public high school provided that your son likes the coach and is developing under him. I do think that there’s a higher level of play within the northern va high schools vs Maryland.

DP. Thank you for not trashing St John’s. My DS played there and, while there were certainly some issues, he loved his time there and has no regrets.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 07:58     Subject: Baseball Development AMA
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What's a good league for high schoolers who are good players and enjoy the game, but don't want to commit to a travel team?


Tough question because there really aren’t many options. “Travel” isn’t quite what it used to be and there are plenty of teams that play in NVTBL that are composed of kids that aren’t high school caliber players. The commitment is usually 2 practices per week and a doubleheader on the weekend. It’s really not that bad time wise. This is the time that tryouts are happening.


So how do you pick a travel team to try out for? How can you tell if it is a competitive team or a team made up if kids whose parents want to be able to say their kids play travel ball..