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Post by Chris on Dec 4, 2006 23:24:06 GMT -8
Just curious as to what it would take to attract kids back to Junior Little league. Any ideas?
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Post by scrapper on Dec 5, 2006 1:57:34 GMT -8
Don't let them play travel ball. ;D
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Post by Mark on Dec 5, 2006 8:14:28 GMT -8
did the teams just fall off of the map? i remember a couple yers back there was 7 Nat/NS junior teams. but only 2 Senior teams in Nat/NS
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Post by Mark on Dec 5, 2006 8:16:12 GMT -8
what is best for the League (LL) would be for all players to play LL all the way up the 16 year old.
what is best for the individual players would be for the best players to leave the system and playt travel and allow the middle and lower end of talented players assume bigger roles in LL to help further develope them
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Post by scrapper on Dec 5, 2006 8:24:15 GMT -8
Can travel ball players play Jr. If so, that would be a good way to create the Jr. Programs into like a clinic so that the less talented kids have to a place to go and allow for the better players a chance to improve their skills for the more competitive leagues.
Just a thought.
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Post by Mark on Dec 5, 2006 9:54:18 GMT -8
what i beleive turlock has been lacking in a major way is the serious shortage of COACHING TALENT.
many a times i have gone out to watch LL practices early in the year and was amazed as to what the coaches were telling the players to do. many times the complete opposite and detrimental to proper development.
hell i even saw it at the juniors and seniors level as early as last year during games at Pedretti. as an umpire out there i almost couldnt help myself and had to stuggle to contain myself at some of the nonsense those coaches were telling there players. if i were in the stands i would probly have been ROTFL it was so rediculous.
where else but in LL does a Lefty play Shortstop? and i say this because it happened to a cousin of mine (an all star at 12, 13, 14, and 15). he was played at the position of SS for 2 years (11 and 12). what kind of a coach does that? i dont care if he is your best infielder, you NEVER play a LEFTY at SS, PERIOD!!!! how behind was he for HS over kids his age? he got to play 2 years with me in Juniors NS and played 1B during league with some pitching and played OF for Juniors AS
the kid was set back for 2 big years. any coach who knows ANYTHING at all knows that Lefties ONLY play Pitcher, 1st Base and OF.
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Post by Mark on Dec 5, 2006 10:09:11 GMT -8
if i am not mistaken i believe that a couple years ago the Joe Gomes and Sons NS Team also had a Lefty as SS?
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Post by trevor9 on Dec 5, 2006 10:16:32 GMT -8
Mclean: I have also seen 2 lefties behind the dish this year in travel ball (13U). They were both on good teams, the kid from the Soledad Diablos might have been the best catcher the Rangers saw all year. I agree that if your not gonna do it in H.S. then don't waste your time doing it now. I always hated being stereo-typed growing up lefthanded but on the bright side good lefthanded pitchers are a valuable asset. It does balance out as they get older.
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Post by crash23 on Dec 5, 2006 10:41:01 GMT -8
I see no problem with a left-handed catcher. I turned Damian into one and he does an awesome job. I think he can at the high school level if he keeps working at it. As far as Juniors I think it has its place but I don't see it as means of developing players to the best of their ability. I view it as more of a recreational league. It would be very hard for a player to do both b/c he needs to practice with both teams, plus he's playing weekends and weeknights. Really tough for pitchers. If a junior/senior coach were understanding it might fly... meaning the travel player practices with his travel team and just shows up for his Little League games. Might cause friction for the coach b/c the parents of the kids that sit will wonder why their son is not playing and the travel player, who never makes LL practices, is. My response would be "he's better." The players know why they sit. Parents need to begin realizing at that (or any level) it's survival of the fittest. If your son is not seeing playing time it's most likely b/c he has not put in the hours the starter has... Cream doesn't rise to the top - it works its way there
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Post by trevor9 on Dec 5, 2006 10:51:05 GMT -8
I guess you missed the part where Mclean said "There is a lack of quality coaching at this level". Damion is a good catcher but the point is any H.S. coach that would catch a lefty would probably put him at shortstop too. I'm guessing Ralph won't send Damion to Denair so with that being said why don't you develope him as a pitcher or at first/outfield. I already know Damion is well on his way to being a quality pitcher so save the response.LOL
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Post by crash23 on Dec 5, 2006 10:53:37 GMT -8
Being the talented coach I am I've developed him at all those positions!
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Post by Chris on Dec 7, 2006 6:54:42 GMT -8
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Post by trevor9 on Dec 7, 2006 7:16:32 GMT -8
I'm not against a lefty catching, but being lefthanded myself I know what these kids will face in H.S. a narrow minded coach that will only let lefties play one of three positions. It sucks, but that's the way it is.
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Post by Chris on Dec 7, 2006 7:47:23 GMT -8
Agreed
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Post by Mark on Dec 7, 2006 10:20:11 GMT -8
even according to the acticle , which appeared to be FOR left handed catchers. the arguement usually made against the right handed catcher as being superior was pretty much that the differnce would only happen a few times during the course of the season.
well if i remember correctly he said that about several different situations. so if you add up "a couple times a season" on 5 or 6 different situations that then becomes a signifigant number.
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