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Post by Chris on Mar 14, 2007 9:18:29 GMT -8
If you saw the Journal column today regarding putting face masks on some players helmets. Where do you fall? I say yes to all 9 year olds and maybe 10 yr olds playing in the Majors for their first season.
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Post by Mark on Mar 14, 2007 10:49:07 GMT -8
Face Masks................................................................................................................................................................. are for girls. plus its hard to see the ball as well with those masks
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Post by KEITH on Mar 14, 2007 11:03:23 GMT -8
I WOULD HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOU SOME WHAT. FIRST OF ALL I THINK 9YRS SHOULD NOT BE DRAFTED INTO THE MAJORS, LET THEM STAY IN THE MINORS AND BE THE BIG FISH IN THE POND. THEN YOU NEED TO ASSESS EACH 10 YR THAT COMES INTO THE MAJORS AND DETERMINE IF THEY NEED A FACE MASK ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.
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Post by KEITH on Mar 14, 2007 11:30:29 GMT -8
MARK LMAO ;D ;D
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Post by Mark on Mar 14, 2007 11:30:53 GMT -8
about determining on an individual basis: who is gonna make that call. that would be impossible!
9 year olds: will learn more from good coaches at the majors level and very little playing time than they would from Happy go Lucky Dads that know nothing about fundamentals and are jsut volunteering.
now if the minor coaches were good and had sufficient baseball knowledge i would tend to maybe agree with you about 9 year olds. although there are usually 1 or 2 9 years olds that have no business in the minors
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Post by Mark on Mar 14, 2007 11:33:21 GMT -8
now if kids want to "voluntarily" wear them i am all for it. but i doubt that will happen.
or make it mandatory at the "Minors" Level
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Post by bubba on Mar 14, 2007 15:34:45 GMT -8
Generally anything that makes the game safer for the kids I'm for. It seems like they wear them in the world series or I'm I wrong.
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Post by Mark on Mar 14, 2007 18:15:48 GMT -8
what world series?
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Post by scrapper on Mar 15, 2007 0:35:51 GMT -8
Some do and some don't. It is not a requirement.
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Post by knezme on Mar 16, 2007 4:34:51 GMT -8
They have a half mask that will deflect a ball to the face that seems to work well. It does'nt make you look like a sissy ..........unless you wear it with a red belt...LOL
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Post by Chris on Mar 16, 2007 5:20:20 GMT -8
Doh! ROTF
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Coop
Full Member
Posts: 73
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Post by Coop on Mar 17, 2007 9:17:33 GMT -8
Hi Guys,
I am sorry to hear about the young ballplayer who was hit in the face with a pitch. I hope that the player is doing better. My prayers go out to him and his family. We feel so helpless when a young person gets hurt and there is not a whole lot we can do, except love them and be there for them. Accidents are going to happen now and then. Yes, Keith I agree with the fact that 9 year olds not be drafted. It is an option issue for each league. The A/AE have it their ground rules that the Majors will consit of 10-12's. The main reason of course is the safety factor of the players. It can change from year to year with the board. Yes, I understand that a 9 year old player will learn more at the major league level because of the better or more experience coaches not to take anything away from the minor coaches. My son was drafted as a 9 year old when he played for Richland Market with Mario Gondinez. At that time he was ready to come up. Today, as talented as he was, I would not let him go up if I had a choice. Now a days some of the players are bigger, smarter and throw harder. I had a player who use to wear a face mask a couple of years ago. His mom was a nurse and she was being protective. It really affected his vision. So we talked it over and we took it off and he became a better batter as an 11 & 12 year old. Yes, I know the question is: Should a player wear a mask and if so what age? I think that we have to look at the level of play first and the talent of the player as well. I would think that it would a case to case decision of the player and parents. We all know the old story, you can lead a horse to water but you can not make him drink it. Well it aplies also to our young players. We as coaches and parents can teach our players how to roll with a pitch but it takes that one pitch for that player to freeze up and get hurt. Trust me I saw it happen about 5 years ago umpiring at the 3rd level of All Stars (12's) when a player open up instead of rolliing and tucking and was it in his face. Speed that day for a 12 pitcher was in the 80's (ouch).
Here are my reasons I believe today that 9 years olds should stay in the minors if the player is good enough to be draft: 1) Playing time - safety facing 12 year pitching 2) Improve skills and self confidence 3) Playing time - 21 at bats in majors vs 42 at bats or more in minors 4) Good enough be drafted - will still have 3 years to play majors 5) Will possibly give a 12 year old to play his/her last year in majors 6) 11/12 year old may sit the bench more often 7) Parents making their own rules about a no draft of their player 8) Presure of coaching staff drafting a sibling that may be weaker or a problem with the player or family affecting the team in the future.
Once again as far as making it mandatory, Ibelieve it should be a case to case issue.
Coop
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Post by bubba on Mar 17, 2007 17:53:44 GMT -8
Coop, You said it all and then some. I agree with everything you said and I was in this situation this year with my 9 year old. I went back and forth for weeks when several coaches whose opinion I respect kept telling me they wanted to daft him. But I believe this extra year in the minors will give my son one more year to mature, gain confidence, get playing time and more at bats. I have heard good arguments for both sides but believe in our case we have made the right decision. He's having a great time with no pressure to keep up with the older players.
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Post by crash23 on Mar 17, 2007 21:20:27 GMT -8
All but a few 10s struggle in their first year of majors... and I can't think of any other sport where 9s face off against 12s. I believe most players develop better when they are playing in a peer group of comparable talent. They also have more fun so are more likely to continue playing... not to mention the safety factor. I like the way the Pony/Colt/Bronco/Mustang league does it with separating their divisions by 9 & 10, 11 & 12 and so on...
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Post by bubba on Mar 18, 2007 8:05:58 GMT -8
When I was asking around, getting opinions and information to help my son make his decision. I found that Turlock National was the only around here that allows 9's to be drafted up with the 12's. Does anyone know of another league that allows this? I have seen a few 9's that can hold their own in the majors but only a few.
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