General 2020 Blue Jays Discussion Thread

[connorp]

Actually 7u was beginning of good times. I think 6u they were still chasing butterflies in the outfield. I remember first year was like that

[Brownie19]

It’s deemed normal for them to switch genders at that point so they can prob handle some complex baseball stuff

 

Jokes aside, that is an age you aren’t teaching much to. My favorite age group was like 8u-10u where they start taking the games serious but they’re still little guys << that’s meant more for Carlos. Enjoy man. Good times

 

Agreed. U8-U9 pitching machine baseball at select or rep is really awesome when you get a group of kids who love the game and want to learn. U10 is a difficult age when they move to live pitching, but it's better by U11 (as long as you're not at the local league level - which generally always sucks).

[connorp]

Agreed. U8-U9 pitching machine baseball at select or rep is really awesome when you get a group of kids who love the game and want to learn. U10 is a difficult age when they move to live pitching, but it's better by U11 (as long as you're not at the local league level - which generally always sucks).

 

Ah yeah. All good points. Didn’t think about 8u not being kid pitch. I’ll expand my favorite window from 8u-12u for reasons you mentioned

[Jimcanuck]

I made a happy benign post just to share with the board with with some sarcasm thrown in, on this dead and dying message board. The only responses are ignorant, obtuse and derogatory... If this board was a business it would have been bankrupt years ago for lack of customers due to the attitudes towards regular posters on this board. It is any wonder there is no growth and activity on this board.

 

Merry Christmas Ebenezer!

 

I thought 5 yrs old is young too, but didn't post a snarky response. But if your kid loves baseball, it isn't.

 

Agree with what you posted above.

[Brownie19]

I thought 5 yrs old is young too, but didn't post a snarky response. But if your kid loves baseball, it isn't.

 

Agree with what you posted above.

 

I think that's a big part of it. I have 3 boys and my youngest (who turns 5 in a few days) absolutely LOVES baseball - primarily from watching me and my older boys play. I work with him in our basement (net with either a tee or soft toss) 2-3 times a week because he wants to.

 

If you're pushing your 5 year old to attend a camp like that because you want them to get better at baseball (and not because they love it and want to go), then that's probably an issue.

[Laika]

Don't be so obtuse. I live in South Florida. My son is 5 and 1/2. By this time a kid is this age, he or she has played probably four seasons (2x yr) of baseball. It is coach pitch and not T-ball. Every week baseball is 3-4 times a week. Two games and one or two practices a week. Each kid has their own custom to their height, weights, strength, bat and helmet. Not shared team bats. We also practice a few times a week in the back yard.

 

Kids can hit fly balls into the OF. Kids can catch pop-ups, they know how to get a force at 2nd or 3rd, hit the cut off man, and how to go from fielding position to foot on the bag at 1b and lean out for the throw. They know to have an eye and not swing at pitches they can't hit. They each have their own batting stance that is refined by where their weight transfer, elbow, arms and hand positions, direction their foot is stepping, swing plane etc.

 

This is the development stage, hockey, baseball, whatever, this is the age the fundamentals need to be imparted and bad habits eliminated. My son started off with a really nice swing plane.. Then he started golfing and Kng a lot... We put a chair on home plate to keep his swing plane up during our practices..

 

My son has been working on his transition from getting in front of the ball, block with the body, Alligator mouth closes, step and aim for my the head and throw. He is going through the numbers in his head/physically and takes too long on transition.

 

There is a Venezuelan kid on my son's team and at my son's school, named Jose that is going to be an fnn star. He looks like a pro with his stance and jacks the ball into the gaps and shallow OF every single time AB and if he doesn't, he gets pissed!!

 

I do not recall and nor am I in tune with the best practices and drills and equipment for fundamentals and teaching practice for kids. Kids start playing travel ball at 6 in Florida and you have to be good enough to make the travel team.

 

Lastly, and probably most important, something you will realize when your kid is older. Kids don't want to listen to their parents after a while and kids look up to pro athletes etc. The camp is for kids age 5-13 and obviously the instruction and level is tailored to the age group and level. However, even if it is basic instruction for a 5 yr old, when it comes from someone else the kids think is cool, vice their parents who they get bored with after 5 minutes, it sinks in much more and kids generally have longer attention spans.

 

I made a happy benign post just to share with the board with with some sarcasm thrown in, on this dead and dying message board. The only responses are ignorant, obtuse and derogatory... If this board was a business it would have been bankrupt years ago for lack of customers due to the attitudes towards regular posters on this board. It is any wonder there is no growth and activity on this board.

 

Merry Christmas Ebenezer!

 

I'm glad YOU are excited for it but sorry, this is an early example of the type of modern youth sports s*** that has parents spending thousands upon thousands of dollars for their kid to maybe end up as a solid fundamental high school baseball player, but they are just as likely to end up resenting the sport. It's also part of the culture that makes sports like baseball and hockey inaccessible to poor kids; five year olds should be as connorp says "chasing butterflies" on a school ball diamond and maybe doing some catching and hitting if they like it, but that's about it.

 

Your kid doesn't know who the f*** Brad Wilkerson is and he'd probably have more fun if you dressed up like Wags the Dog and flipped balls to him. He's not rubbing elbows with Bo Bichette.

 

Products like this are marketed to the parents. Again, I'm glad you are excited about it.

 

I am not just being a snarky wet blanket. This is a microcosm of problems that are part of a broader discussion about the nature of youth sport and accessibility to sport. Everything that you are saying about Florida baseball culture seems s***** to me.

 

I remember playing AAA hockey up here at 10 and 11 years old and how serious the adults took it almost ruined the sport for me. I was pretty good but after those two years I hated hockey. Surly coaches, angry coaches after losses, annoying off-ice training multiple times per week, parents screaming at referees and getting into arguments, long ass bus rides all the time even on school nights. I'm glad I had the presence of mind to tell my dad that I didn't like it anymore after those two years.

 

5 year olds are so impressionable. Most of them will copy their parents, do what they like, do whatever dad says. If your kid truly is a baseball rat and never loses the fun then that's awesome but I hope you listen to him and he doesn't just end up as some cog in a youth baseball business marketed at you that will steal a huge chunk of his childhood.

[connorp]

Give me one “political” question to pose and if it gets out of hand just erase the posts. But honestly, after your liberalism was on display there, what about the 6yo girl’s parents that start dressing them up as a boy because they want to play with a GI Joe toy? I hope you are consistent and find that repugnant as well. My guess would be not though

[Laika]

Give me one “political” question to pose and if it gets out of hand just erase the posts. But honestly, after your liberalism was on display there, what about the 6yo girl’s parents that start dressing them up as a boy because they want to play with a GI Joe toy? I hope you are consistent and find that repugnant as well. My guess would be not though

 

Is this directed at me?

 

I am legitimately having troubling straightening out the analogy and figuring out what your gripe is.

[connorp]

Is this directed at me?

 

I am legitimately having troubling straightening out the analogy and figuring out what your gripe is.

 

Just seeing if your consistent with your beliefs that kids should be kids that age. At first I thought CD was being over sensitive to your initial post but you were more serious about it than I thought.

 

You have some strong beliefs though and I was just curious if they were equally or selectively applied

[Laika]

Just seeing if your consistent with your beliefs that kids should be kids that age. At first I thought CD was being over sensitive to your initial post but you were more serious about it than I thought.

 

You have some strong beliefs though and I was just curious if they were equally or selectively applied

 

If I had a 6 year old daughter who wanted to play with a GI Joe I would give her the GI Joe. Any parent who goes further than that and tries to force or foster a gender swap is a f***ing psychopath.

 

I still don't understand what this has to do with the line about youth sports.

[wilko]

What the f*** are ex pros going to teach a FIVE year old? lol. Five. Like five years? Five years old? Kindergarten?

 

I went to a game with my friend who's 5 year old is on the team. We were in the stands watching the game, and the kid in RF dropped his pants and took a dump.

[connorp]

If I had a 6 year old daughter who wanted to play with a GI Joe I would give her the GI Joe. Any parent who goes further than that and tries to force or foster a gender swap is a f***ing psychopath.

 

I still don't understand what this has to do with the line about youth sports.

 

Ok. I was just curious your stance and got the answer so no need to explain how I tied the two together.

Anyways, they have those same camps for basketball and every other sport. It’s not an example of baseball disconnect

[Laika]

I went to a game with my friend who's 5 year old is on the team. We were in the stands watching the game, and the kid in RF dropped his pants and took a dump.

 

Parents should have enrolled the kid in Kevin Mench's "Dingers and Diapers" Camp. Only $100/day. Teaches the fundamentals like how to s*** in a f***ing toilet. If you don't drill those fundamentals early you'll have a pants-shitter forever.

[Jimcanuck]

I remember playing AAA hockey up here at 10 and 11 years old and how serious the adults took it almost ruined the sport for me. I was pretty good but after those two years I hated hockey. Surly coaches, angry coaches after losses, annoying off-ice training multiple times per week, parents screaming at referees and getting into arguments, long ass bus rides all the time even on school nights. I'm glad I had the presence of mind to tell my dad that I didn't like it anymore after those two years.

 

So there it is. It's about your childhood trauma and not Carlos' sending his kid off to a 1 week baseball camp.

[connorp]

So there it is. It's about your childhood trauma and not Carlos' sending his kid off to a 1 week baseball camp.

 

A lol wouldn’t do that post justice.

[Laika]

So there it is. It's about your childhood trauma and not Carlos' sending his kid off to a 1 week baseball camp.

 

It's about parents taking kids sports way too seriously. A camp with old pros for five year olds is just absurd.

[Jimcanuck]

It's about parents taking kids sports way too seriously. A camp with old pros for five year olds is just absurd.

 

A bit surprising, not absurd. I'm sure there is s*** out there that parents send their kids that is absurd to the extreme.

 

Maybe Carlos' kid loves baseball and gave an emphatic yes when asked about going to the camp.

[connorp]

It's about parents taking kids sports way too seriously. A camp with old pros for five year olds is just absurd.[/quote

 

I think you’re taking a leap from Mickey Mantle’s dad taking his 4yo son out to the field so he can switch hit for 4 hours every day vs the experience of camp

[connorp]

I actually remember some kids getting cut from my sons 7yo travel team. Unfortunately they do need to learn the game before that but I can definitely agree some parents can be overbearing with sports, as well as other stuff dance/acting etc

 

Definitely not an indictment of bb

[Laika]

I think you’re taking a leap from Mickey Mantle’s dad taking his 4yo son out to the field so he can switch hit for 4 hours every day vs the experience of camp

 

I just remember when I was 6 my dad sent me to a Canadian Hockey Enterprises camp. Seemed innocent and I wanted to go. Roger Neilsen bag-skated me for the entire week and he made me wear a dress. It was a nightmare. It hurt even more when I later found out that my dad was gay and only put me in the camp so he could ask the old pros out for drinks.

[Scion]

Jesus Christ, 5 years old is when you start erasing bad habits? I didn't even know what habit meant at that age.

[Laika]

I actually remember some kids getting cut from my sons 7yo travel team. Unfortunately they do need to learn the game before that but I can definitely agree some parents can be overbearing with sports, as well as other stuff dance/acting etc

 

Definitely not an indictment of bb

 

Oh it's not baseball specific at all.

 

Some kids just aren't good athletes. There will be cuts regardless. It's okay if they get cut... they can play house league.

 

If you have to drill fundamentals with your kid at 5 and 6 just so he doesn't get cut from the travel team at age 7, guess what - he's almost certainly not going f***ing anywhere in that sport. Read him more books.

[Laika]

Jesus Christ, 5 years old is when you start erasing bad habits? I didn't even know what habit meant at that age.

 

These people are in a cult, right? It's basically a cult.

[connorp]

Oh it's not baseball specific at all.

 

Some kids just aren't good athletes. There will be cuts regardless. It's okay if they get cut... they can play house league.

 

If you have to drill fundamentals with your kid at 5 and 6 just so he doesn't get cut from the travel team at age 7, guess what - he's almost certainly not going f***ing anywhere in that sport. Read him more books.

 

All sorts of wrong in that last paragraph. Baseball maturity isn’t decided until later many times. The fat/big kids rule the leagues at the early ages. As boys grow, they catch up and skill becomes more important

[Carlos Danger]

I'm glad YOU are excited for it but sorry, this is an early example of the type of modern youth sports s*** that has parents spending thousands upon thousands of dollars for their kid to maybe end up as a solid fundamental high school baseball player, but they are just as likely to end up resenting the sport. It's also part of the culture that makes sports like baseball and hockey inaccessible to poor kids; five year olds should be as connorp says "chasing butterflies" on a school ball diamond and maybe doing some catching and hitting if they like it, but that's about it.

 

Your kid doesn't know who the f*** Brad Wilkerson is and he'd probably have more fun if you dressed up like Wags the Dog and flipped balls to him. He's not rubbing elbows with Bo Bichette.

 

Products like this are marketed to the parents. Again, I'm glad you are excited about it.

 

I am not just being a snarky wet blanket. This is a microcosm of problems that are part of a broader discussion about the nature of youth sport and accessibility to sport. Everything that you are saying about Florida baseball culture seems s***** to me.

 

I remember playing AAA hockey up here at 10 and 11 years old and how serious the adults took it almost ruined the sport for me. I was pretty good but after those two years I hated hockey. Surly coaches, angry coaches after losses, annoying off-ice training multiple times per week, parents screaming at referees and getting into arguments, long ass bus rides all the time even on school nights. I'm glad I had the presence of mind to tell my dad that I didn't like it anymore after those two years.

 

5 year olds are so impressionable. Most of them will copy their parents, do what they like, do whatever dad says. If your kid truly is a baseball rat and never loses the fun then that's awesome but I hope you listen to him and he doesn't just end up as some cog in a youth baseball business marketed at you that will steal a huge chunk of his childhood.

 

So to address if my kid likes it or this is a parent thing.

 

My kid loves playing baseball and being around his teammates and other kids. He is also very proud when he puts on his uniform, carries his own ball bag, gets a hit or makes a play in the field. He is bummed out when he doesn't, not from me, but his own internal expectations. If doing well makes him happy, there is nothing wrong IMO giving him better tools than I can provide to help him develop.

 

My kid also played Soccer a number of years, swimming, and was in martial arts (Ninja school) as he calls it until COVID hit.

 

My kid will go out in our back yard with his ball bag, set up the practice balls on the "mound" put on his helmet and say dad, come play with me. This will be at 3 pm in the afternoon when I am in the middle of work and only happen to be working from home due to COVID.

 

It is a Camp during winter break. They have Snowcone parties, this week Santa is coming to visit and next week they are doing some New Years Party. I am sure they will have base running competitions and stuff that my kid LOVES and he gets to be around a bunch of other kids instead of at home bored. Regardless if MLB guest players or coaches are there, it is a baseball Academy year round with professional staff in teaching to each age level. He will get out of the house, have fun and learn something (I hope).

 

I didn't want to continue playing baseball when I was in High school. I told my dad and he got pissed. He basically forced me continue. However, I am glad he did. I ended up having a lot of fun with my team, learning a lot, making new friends and being active. If it were left to me, I would have sat on the couch, watched movies and played Nintendo or Atari or whatever it was back then.

 

You are right about the cost and the time involved etc. I don't like the cost either and also think it is ridiculous. The positive thing about these travel teams is, the kids get to go to these towns ( a lot of times beach towns) in Florida, hang out in the hotel swimming pool, pizza parties at restaurants after games, basically a big sleep over in the hotel with all their buddies, go to the beach, play group mini-golf etc.. It is a blast for a kid to do all that..

 

I also thought the cost of books at University was an fnnnn scam and cost too much. I would buy a book for $100 bucks and then the next semester they would come out with 4th edition and Professors would require 4th edition and I could sell my book for $10 bucks and the 4th edition was two or three chapters switched around with a few new paragraphs added. Biggest fnnn costly BS scam that made it hard to pay for books and tuition. The system sucked, but I wasn't going to become all SJW and boycott University for my "principles". Nor am I going to do the same for my kids sports.

 

I have worked hard and been blessed with the opportunity to have my older son now, participate in this stuff and hopefully my 5 month old in a few years. Yes, I don't like the costs either, I realize there are intense parents, but it is what it is and not something I am taking a stand over as long as I see my kid having fun and that is the way the system works...

[Scion]

I just remember when I was 6 my dad sent me to a Canadian Hockey Enterprises camp. Seemed innocent and I wanted to go. Roger Neilsen bag-skated me for the entire week and he made me wear a dress. It was a nightmare. It hurt even more when I later found out that my dad was gay and only put me in the camp so he could ask the old pros out for drinks.

 

Fortunately, I never had parents that forced me into anything, but I witnessed alot of it in youth soccer. The irony is that most of these kids end up quitting or failing to maximize their potential because sport becomes a job rather than a hobby or passion.

[Scion]

These people are in a cult, right? It's basically a cult.

 

Now that you mention it, if you replace baseball with Islam that kind of sounds like my upbringing.

[wilko]

I just remember when I was 6 my dad sent me to a Canadian Hockey Enterprises camp. Seemed innocent and I wanted to go. Roger Neilsen bag-skated me for the entire week and he made me wear a dress. It was a nightmare. It hurt even more when I later found out that my dad was gay and only put me in the camp so he could ask the old pros out for drinks.

 

Jesus. Was Moose there?

[Laika]

So to address if my kid likes it or this is a parent thing.

 

My kid loves playing baseball and being around his teammates and other kids. He is also very proud when he puts on his uniform, carries his own ball bag, gets a hit or makes a play in the field. He is bummed out when he doesn't, not from me, but his own internal expectations. If doing well makes him happy, there is nothing wrong IMO giving him better tools than I can provide to help him develop.

 

My kid also played Soccer a number of years, swimming, and was in martial arts (Ninja school) as he calls it until COVID hit.

 

My kid will go out in our back yard with his ball bag, set up the practice balls on the "mound" put on his helmet and say dad, come play with me. This will be at 3 pm in the afternoon when I am in the middle of work and only happen to be working from home due to COVID.

 

It is a Camp during winter break. They have Snowcone parties, this week Santa is coming to visit and next week they are doing some New Years Party. I am sure they will have base running competitions and stuff that my kid LOVES and he gets to be around a bunch of other kids instead of at home bored. Regardless if MLB guest players or coaches are there, it is a baseball Academy year round with professional staff in teaching to each age level. He will get out of the house, have fun and learn something (I hope).

 

I didn't want to continue playing baseball when I was in High school. I told my dad and he got pissed. He basically forced me continue. However, I am glad he did. I ended up having a lot of fun with my team, learning a lot, making new friends and being active. If it were left to me, I would have sat on the couch, watched movies and played Nintendo or Atari or whatever it was back then.

 

You are right about the cost and the time involved etc. I don't like the cost either and also think it is ridiculous. The positive thing about these travel teams is, the kids get to go to these towns ( a lot of times beach towns) in Florida, hang out in the hotel swimming pool, pizza parties at restaurants after games, basically a big sleep over in the hotel with all their buddies, go to the beach, play group mini-golf etc.. It is a blast for a kid to do all that..

 

I also thought the cost of books at University was an fnnnn scam and cost too much. I would buy a book for $100 bucks and then the next semester they would come out with 4th edition and Professors would require 4th edition and I could sell my book for $10 bucks and the 4th edition was two or three chapters switched around with a few new paragraphs added. Biggest fnnn costly BS scam that made it hard to pay for books and tuition. The system sucked, but I wasn't going to become all SJW and boycott University for my "principles". Nor am I going to do the same for my kids sports.

 

I have worked hard and been blessed with the opportunity to have my older son now, participate in this stuff and hopefully my 5 month old in a few years. Yes, I don't like the costs either, I realize there are intense parents, but it is what it is and not something I am taking a stand over as long as I see my kid having fun and that is the way the system works...

 

It sounds like you have a healthy perspective on all this. Sorry if you took my posts personally. I still think the pro camp for 5 year olds is weird but you're clearly being thoughtful about this stuff.

[Laika]

All sorts of wrong in that last paragraph. Baseball maturity isn’t decided until later many times. The fat/big kids rule the leagues at the early ages. As boys grow, they catch up and skill becomes more important

 

uh huh.

 

then the under-developed kids can make the rep teams when they develop physically and are good enough.

 

you've actually just highlighted one of the issues with starting the rep/travel pipeline so f***ing early.