Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Baseball Journal

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
BC53A508-EB79-4789-8705-EADBE3AD00BA.png
Love it.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Awesome shot, Brock. I really wish my memory was better. There were a lot of baseline National Anthems that I stood in over the years that I simply don't remember anymore where I was or who we were playing, etc. But the feelings while standing there... those pregame butterflies and the excitement... I still remember that stuff like it was yesterday. Great day for some baseball today!
 

Buckmaster

Senior Member
14,362
191
Portage
This year my son and I joined the lower skilled team because they need improved coaching. On my former teams we were used to going 19-1 falling out at the State level play. This year at the lower level we finished 3-12-1 for summer ball. My son had a tough time losing all the time but we did accomplish our objective in developing some mid range players. My former team is playing in the league finals tomorrow.

It looks like we'll be participating in fall ball over football this fall.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
This year my son and I joined the lower skilled team because they need improved coaching. On my former teams we were used to going 19-1 falling out at the State level play. This year at the lower level we finished 3-12-1 for summer ball. My son had a tough time losing all the time but we did accomplish our objective in developing some mid range players. My former team is playing in the league finals tomorrow.

It looks like we'll be participating in fall ball over football this fall.
Fantastic move to play fall baseball over football, IMO! Then again as a child I enjoyed baseball far more than football. As an old man, I’d rather watch bad baseball over good football. :)
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
I should have added to my above post.
They won 3-2 over Portsmouth last night. Mason played 3rd base, made one exceptional play and several routines. He pitched the last inning, three up three down. Struck out the first batter on four pitches, popped up the next two. Also had two RBI. He’s not to Klays batting skills yet, but he’s advanced a whole bunch since switching to contacts.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Fall baseball started today. Mason is playing in a league over by Dayton. Xenia actually. Fantastic facility. Kids come from all over but there are three kids on his team that he played Legion ball with this summer. One of the kids that played with them today is committed to Louisville next year. He’s good. They tried to get a look at all their pitching today so they gave each pitcher just a couple innings. Masons turn came as the starter for the second game. K’d the first two batters on seven pitches. Third out of the inning came as a pop up to second with two strikes. Next inning was a repeat of the first. 2 more Ks and a pop up. He played all other innings at first and third bases, did a competent job. Did well at the plate and even managed to steal four bases. 30 pounds ago that wouldn’t have happened. Lol. I think he will really enjoy his playing time this fall as it seems to me the boys all had a lot of fun today and played really well together. They won both games by wide margins. Additionally, Mason did a bit of first base coaching.
A7F74B95-B0C3-4B0B-AAED-121C0E26E63D.jpeg
25ABF5FF-85A6-4EA8-976A-4846CEA1103A.jpeg
D1935C11-1CA5-44F3-830A-6C7BCED11113.jpeg
 

5Cent

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
12,291
212
North Central Ohio
Baseball season is off and running!

Ty (10u) is in his first year of kids pitch this year. No head coach, but 4 assistants between us. 2 practices in so far, going to be interesting lol. Trying to ID our 4-5 pitchers and catchers.

Myles (8u) is also 2 practices deep and in his 2nd year of coaches pitch.

Wyatt (tball) starts in 2wks. Still working on which hand the glove goes on and how to throw to a target 😄
 

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
This thread has been brought back to life!

Adam, if I had one bit of advice, try and develop as many pitchers as possible. Don't be the typical little league dad that relies on one or two horses. Your HS coach will thank you down the road, the kid's arms will thank you, and your kid will thank you because he will have a competitive HS team with plenty of experienced arms.
By all means... enjoy these years to their fullest! They will fly by.

Right now my HS team is sitting at 7-3. It's been awhile, but finally have some arms. Now if we can just start driving in our runners...

Klay is in his freshman at Frederick Community College in Maryland. I have made it out to watch him a few times already. He is getting quite a bit of time right now in the outfield and he's holding his own, but he's gotta get more consistent at the plate. The learning curve going from HS pitching to this pitching is huge. I have seen some really impressive arms and a kid they faced from Hagerstown is 2nd in the country in k's per 9 innings. This kid is legit! The Nationals were there scouting him and rumor is they intend on drafting him this year. His backup plan is to transfer to Arkansas.

I do believe the everyday job in RF is Klay's if he can pull away from the competition. We shall see. It's all up to him now.
 
Great update guys!! So glad to have a somewhat normal season going for you all this year!

Allen is loving his season this year so far. He has struggled at the plate a bit but it isn't anything he hasn't had to work on before to fix the problem. He's been in the rotation as the #2 pitcher but now that is up in the air as the #1 had tested positive for Covid last week. He's had some great starts against some big HS teams so will see where this season goes. Just like Mike said, at the young age every single kid on the team should pitch. That is where Allen normally would be overlooked due to his intimidating 5'6" 130 lbs. stature LOL! Getting into a double header and just finding a kid that can hit the strike zone after the top guys are done can be pretty frustrating. But he has been doing very well, definitely not a speed pitcher but he can make the ball do some amazing things. He has also been catching a lot which is great since that is what he will play most on his travel team. Also seeing 2nd base some.

I mentioned our top pitcher testing positive, the kids have to get tested (rapid test) once a week to be able to play ball. Nice little gift from our Governor as none of that was in place for football, basketball, volleyball, cross country, etc.. Only sport that had to test was wrestling and that was the morning of each and every meet. Strange for a virus to be so catchy that the one kid who tested positive last week was around all the boys for the last month on a daily basis and (knock on wood) no others, not even his parents, have tested positive.
 

Redhunter1012

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Greyson has his first practice tonight. Also his first year in kid pitch. He always played shortstop and batted 3rd. I told him it's been 2 years since they played, a new coach, so he'll probably get tried out everywhere. We've been working on refining his batting stance a bit. More balanced, no high leg kick. Just getting his hands and wrist quick through the zone
 

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Greyson has his first practice tonight. Also his first year in kid pitch. He always played shortstop and batted 3rd. I told him it's been 2 years since they played, a new coach, so he'll probably get tried out everywhere. We've been working on refining his batting stance a bit. More balanced, no high leg kick. Just getting his hands and wrist quick through the zone
Good move! F that leg kick!!! All it does is mess up a kid's timing and very rarely do they get the foot back down in time.
 

Buckmaster

Senior Member
14,362
191
Portage
We combined our 2 teams in 13u and are now playing in 14u ball. I got squeezed out of my coaching gig after 11 years with the new combined team. I was the Founder; now a lawn chair dad. We have 9 capable pitchers on a team of 13. They should win more then the lose. Next year they should be State tourney ready. It was fun playing with them and watching them grow up. My boy swings a 33/30 now.