Have You (Still) Got A Little Cap’n In Ya?

Jason Varitek, Red Sox Catcher & Team Captain

Jason Varitek has a big decision to make… Stay with the Old Towne Team as a back-up catcher and soul man or see if there are greener pastures out there somewhere. Good luck to Scott Boras on this one!

To Be or Not To Be (in AAU), That is the Question

The Fall baseball season is over, the World Series is finished (congrats to the New York Yankees, I guess) and now it is officially the off-season. One of the decisions I have had to recently make is whether Matt is “to be or not to be” a ballplayer in AAU (Amateur Athletic Union see www.aauathletics.org) next year.

First, a little background: AAU is the one of the largest and also the most competitive amateur sports organization in the country. Indeed, it is the organization behind the Junior Olympics. AAU teams are available at different age levels for virtually any mainstream team sport (more than 30) and are widely known to provide the best preparation for scholastic competition at the high school and college levels. It also goes without saying that many professional athletes in MLB, NBA and WNBA as well as Olympians had their start as AAU players. Obviously, as participants in a highly competitive athletic program, players in AAU sports are selected through a process of tryouts and invitations.

For youth athletes who have the right stuff to be successfully developed at the next level, there is nothing better than an opportunity to play in AAU sports. The tournament venues, level of play, friendships and memories are unbelievable experiences that build character and last a lifetime. However, assuming that a player prospect has the right stuff and is honored with an invitation to join a team roster, now the parents are faced with another potential barrier to participation: Cost. The costs are NOT for the faint-hearted: In my personal experience with baseball, costs range from $1,500-$2,100 just to join the team and can continue on from there to cover travel expenses, tournament fees, etc. If you are like me, you are a parent with a talented kid and you want to give them access to the best opportunities possible. But, if like me you also have modest financial means, you have to be a realist because “cost is no object” doesn’t work in my life or in this economy in general.

The other questions parents need to ask themselves is whether their player will be dedicated specifically to AAU or will also try to play in the local recreational-level league (ie. Little League, Cal Ripken, etc.) Avoiding insane schedules, conflicting team loyalties and player burnout is important, so this decision can’t be taken lightly either. AAU requires a much greater commitment to practice as well as aggressive game schedules with inevitable travel, tournaments etc.

My son Matt was ahead of the curve locally, playing AAU baseball exclusively during Spring, 2007 on a 10U team as a 9 year-old which says something for him. It was an incredible experience, but one that I wasn’t sure I could survive again either financially or emotionally. I’m glad I didn’t understand the full scope of the costs going into it, because I might have held back and missed out on more than I can say. However, after that season, Matt played Spring baseball in the local Littleton league for the next two years, initially “playing up” into Majors due to his skill level and being named an MVP on the Cal Ripken All-Star team both seasons. Staying local was easier on my wallet and schedule, but the quality of play provided a diminishing level of challenge and development over time as the trade-off.

At this point, Matt has just one year left before transitioning to the big diamond (60/90) and embarking on a whole new Babe Ruth baseball experience; one which quickly separates the recreational and less-talented players from those who will go forward and continue to play on competitive league and scholastic baseball teams. Over the last two Spring seasons I have observed other local players participating in AAU while I kept Matt on the sideline, and now I’m afraid that continuing to do so amounts to benign neglect. At this point I’m going to bite the bullet again for the sake of strategic development: AAU will give him the opportunity to play on the intermediate or “pony” (50/70) diamond as well as enable him to hone his skills with focused training and highly competitive play. I will also try to have him play in the local league to both qualify for the final Cal Ripken All-Star Tournament season and to get as many games under his belt as possible.

I recommend that other baseball parents with talented players give AAU baseball consideration. If your local league has a stronger and more competitive training program than mine does, AAU may not be necessary. Also be selective about which program you consider investing in, because ultimately it’s not the organization but rather the coaching and other players that make it a worthwhile investment and experience.

Giants Beat Cardinals 6-5

After several rained-out games, the Giants played their final game of the Fall season and defeated the Cardinals 6-5. A nice win to end the season. Matt L. started on the mound for the Giants and pitched for 3 innings, striking out 9 and allowing only 1 hit and 1 run. Jaz pitched the next 2 innings in relief, striking out 5 and allowing 2 more runs based on walks. Madhav closed the game, striking out 2 and relying on great fielding from Bobby at 1st who caught a screaming line drive headed for the center-right gap. Offensively, the heart of the Giant’s batting order went to work with Jaz, Matt L. Ian P. and Ian W. all scoring runs and driving RBI’s. Matt and both Ians all hit 2 for 3 on the night. Joe and Ben also scored on Cardinals fielding errors.

Now it’s the off-season, time for the World Series and some serious off-season training as Matt prepares to play AAU baseball again in the Spring.

Giants Fall to Rangers 15-5

OK, so in keeping solidarity with the Boston Red Sox being handed their hats by the Angels, the Giants played just as well tonight against the Rangers in a game where the Giants managed to register only 3 hits from both Matt L.’s and Ian P. while sponsoring a walk-a-thon from the mound during the second half of the game. Nuf Ced.

2 outstanding moments of play by the Giants are worthy of mention: Matt L. started the game on the mound and collected 6 strike-outs in 2 1/3 innings before retiring due to a sprained finger which he had suffered last night while catching behind the plate when he was struck in his throwing hand by a bat’s late backswing. The second batter he felled was Matt’s 400th Career K, which is a milestone for a youth baseball player by any measure. Matt also recorded his 150th Career RBI during the game. The other golden moment was an inside-the-park homerun by the other Matt L. which was one of the Giant’s 3 hits of the night. Congratulations to both Matts on jobs well done!

Games Wrap-up 9/25-10/10

The Giants have continued their Fall season with a couple of wins and a tie added to the books since the end of September.

9/25: Giants Win over Cardinals 10-7

The Giants came from behind in the 5th inning to steal a victory from the Cardinals with a 5-run rally. Both Matt L.’s were the heavy hitters with three doubles, 2 singles and 3 runs scored between them. Ian P. also had 2 singles and Jaz, Ben, Bobby & Avery each contributed base hits. Jaz started the game on the mound and pitched 3 innings, striking out 7. Madhav relieved in the 4th and struck out 3 more to hold the Cardinals while the Giants offense stole the game.

9/26 Giants Fall to Expos 7-3

In the follow-up game vs. the Expos, the Giants were unable to capitalize with men on base. Bobby was the heavy-hitter with a single and double, and both Matt L. and Ian P. clubbed doubles. Madhav, Ben & Jaz all had base hits, but the Expos defense was on the job. Matt L. started on the mound and pitched for 4 innings, striking out 4. The Expos bats were hot and some costly fielding errors by the Giants further aided the Expos in building an early 5-1 lead  by the 2nd inning. Bobby relieved on the mound in the 4th inning and struck out 5 to hold the Expos to only 2 additional runs, but the Giants were unable to make up the deficit.

10/4 Giants tie the Angels 5-5

The Giants were lucky to emerge with a tie in this nail-biter of a game which featured a pitcher’s duel between Littleton All-Stars Matt L. and Connor B. who were starters on the mound for their respective Acton-Boxboro Fall teams. Matt went 4 innings, striking out 9 and allowing no hits while holding the Angels to only 1 run based on a costly fielding error through the 4th. Connor B. of the Angels pitched 3 innings, striking out 4 and allowing just 2 hits including a single from Ian W. and double from Matt L. After the Angels made a pitching change in the 4th inning, the Giants offense picked up with 2 runs scored in the 4th and 3 more in the 6th. Madhav followed Matt in relief on the mound and kept the Angels down in the 5th inning, but a 6th inning rally gave the Angels 4 more runs to tie before the 5th strike-out ended the game.

10/10 Giants Defeat Rays 14-8

The Giants prevailed over the Rays in a cold night under the lights better suited to football than baseball. The Giants bats were alive and led to runs in all innings while Giants pitching with Madhav on the mound kept the Rays scoreless until the 4th inning. The top of the batting order with Jaz, both Matt L.’s and both Ians generated 6 singles, a double and a triple. Madhav added a double and both Avery and Matt C added key singles at the bottom of the order to keep the momentum going. Madhav pitched into the 4th inning with 5 strike-outs, giving up 3 runs. Jaz relieved and collected 7 strike-outs in 2 innings of work to keep the lead through the end of the game.

Next, stay tuned for Sunday night baseball…

Great Gear #2: “Baseball Memories” Statistics Software

If you are an involved baseball parent or coach and have been looking for inexpensive, easy-to-use baseball statistics software, then check out my Great Gear Recommendation #2: “Baseball Memories” statistics software. This is a fantastic, fun and simple application that lets serious players, parents and coaches track individual player or team statistics and more without breaking the bank.

Some folks who know me think I’m obsessed, but from the time my son Matt played baseball in Rookie League I wanted to keep his statistics both as a way to measure his progress over the years and also to help him learn the game (its hilarious to see him knowledgably compare his stats at 12 years old to Big Leaguers either on baseball cards or on TV). After first building my own worksheets and formulas in Microsoft Excel, I discovered this product and have used it ever since (4 years and counting).

Unlike many other statistics tracking applications which can be costly and are primarily designed for coach or league use, Baseball Memories is software specifically designed for baseball and/or softball players to track personal statistics for a game, season and over their entire career. However, it can also be used by coaches to track statistics at the team or league level. The software allows multiple users to enter as many games, seasons and teams as desired, even allowing calibration of 6 or 9-inning games and whether ties are permitted. A comprehensive set of hitting and pitching statistics can be entered for each game and are automatically summarized for both Season and Career.

Additional features include a Photo Gallery which supports many image formats; a Journal which includes spellcheck with a full range of fonts & type sizes; and a Spray Chart which permits users to plot hit locations per game to build a whole season view. The software also provides for the printing of multiple pre-formatted reports and game schedules.

Baseball Memories requires an Operating System of Windows 95 or higher and is also Vista-compatible. Trust me when I say it is a lot of fun to use without any headaches. Also, no rocket science is involved. It is available from the folks at LazyDog Software for an economical $20 via Internet download or $30 if you get the CD. The cost also includes free lifetime upgrades. Should you need it, the User Support is both prompt, helpful AND responsive (and they’re American too).

Follow this link for more information including screen-shots, to access a trial version or to buy your own copy: http://www.lazydogsoftware.com/Baseball/Baseball.htm

Thoughts on Fall Ball

Now that the Fall Ball Season is underway, here are some thoughts From the Clubhouse:

All Fall Ball players should embrace the opportunity to have an extension of their season. It’s a great time to establish goals that will carry over into the off-season and set the stage for better play in the Spring.

Have Fall Goals

Each player should focus by deciding on 2 aspects of their game to really improve on. One goal should be for hitting and another should be for defensive fielding or pitching. Players without goals are just sweating to no purpose.

For Fall Ball Hitters

Improve your bunting skills. Fall is a great time to learn how and when to bunt, so you’re ready to put lessons learned into action during the competitive Spring season. Also train yourself to look for signs and observe the third baseman’s position. Learn to target your bunts down the third base line when he is playing back.

For Fall Ball Pitchers

Here are three Rules of Pitching to work on now:

• Work fast
• Change speeds
• Throw strikes

If you get ahead of the batter early in the count, you have already learned how to strike him out. Save your “out” pitch until two strikes and set up the batter in the meantime. Exception: If the hitter can’t touch your fast ball, keep throwing it until he catches up in the count.

For Fall Ball Coaches

Write down exactly how and what areas you would like your team to improve in during the Fall season. Then plan your practice time accordingly. Plan your work, then work your plan. Some ideas should include training power pitchers to close games using heat and challenging hitters. Improve speed of play including baserunning by using a stopwatch and ALWAYS giving your players positive feedback.

Have fun & Play Ball!

Great Gear #1: The Glove Radar

Game gear along with many different tips & techniques can help you be a better baseball coach and be more effective at player development. Disclaimer: Everything I recommend here I personally own and use. My endorsement as a baseball dad and youth baseball coach is strictly based on my own personal experience. I have NO relationship with the manufacturers and they don’t even know I’m giving them a free promotion. So here’s my Great Gear Recommendation #1: The Glove Radar.

The Glove Radar is a small and relatively inexpensive Doppler radar velocity sensor and microprocessor which easily attaches to any baseball or softball glove and measures the incoming speed of the ball just before it is caught. Constructed of high-impact plastic, this device is water-resistant under normal use and weather conditions, operates on a single lithium battery and features an LCD display which reads the ball’s speed in miles per hour.

Glove Radar can be used wherever it is helpful to measure ball speed. During bullpen sessions I use it both to determine the actual “working speed” of a pitcher’s arsenal of pitches, and to quantify the velocity of a pitcher’s off-speed pitches in relation to their fastball. It is also helpful to measure velocity improvements which result from proper throwing mechanics.

Glove Radar works with balls thrown from any distance, and is a tool also used by pitching coaches in Major League Baseball. Unlike more expensive radar guns, the Glove Radar does not need a long-range reading capability and can be used directly by the coach while in the act of catching the ball. No extra hands required. Also, the Glove Radar is an actual microwave Doppler radar, not an impact sensor nor a timer which requires a precise throwing distance for accuracy.

And speaking of accuracy, the Glove Radar actually measures ball speed within a variance of 1 MPH of readings obtained by radar guns which are measuring the same velocity over the same flight path. I’ve proved this to myself and can attest that it is absolutely true.

The Glove Radar is available through resellers or direct from Sports Sensors, Inc. of Cincinnati, OH. Cost is around $79.00, although you can find specials which knock the price down to around $65.00. If you want an inexpensive, accurate radar that is easy-to-use while you just keep playing catch, check it out and let me know what you think.

Game Wrap-up for Weekend 9/19-9/20

The Giants had a tough weekend of baseball, being defeated twice by the Red Sox and White Sox on beautiful weekend mornings. But any day on the ball field is better than a day anywhere else.

Giants Lose to Red Sox 13-10

The Giants lost to the Red Sox in Saturday’s game that featured a pitcher’s duel between Matt L. and Christian W. who have played together on Littleton’s Cal Ripken All-Star team. Both pitchers went three innings, with Matt holding the score to 2 runs while striking out 7 before leaving the mound with a hurt knee from a collision at the plate during a cover play. The Red Sox were able to run up the score in the 4th inning with 10 runs, followed by a final run in the 5th. The Giants came back with 2 runs in the 4th to avoid a shut-out, then rallied with 8 more runs in the 5th inning to close the gap. Jaz was the heavy-hitter of the game with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored. Matt and Madhav both hit 2 singles, and Avery and Ben also hit singles and scored runs. The big lesson learned by the boys in this game is “never give up, never give in.”

Giants Lose to White Sox 12-4

Sunday’s game vs. the White Sox was more one-sided against the Giants. Bobby started on the mound and despite a great pitching effort gave up 5 early runs due to strong White Sox hitting throughout the batting order. Bobby held them scoreless in the 2nd inning, but additional pitching changes geve the White Sox chances to book 2 more runs in the 3rd inning and 5 additional runs in the 4th. The Giants bats were stifled by strong White Sox pitching, but Matt L. and Ian P. both clubbed doubles while Ian W. hit 2 singles. Joe and Ben also made base hits, but with 2 runs scored in the 3rd and 2 more in the 4th it wasn’t enough.

One of the things I have observed so far this season is that in spite of the theory of the draft process which is intended to produce balanced teams, the Giants have not benefited from an even distribution of talent and experience with many of the players having moved up this year from the Minors level. They are facing faster pitching along with the adjustments necessary due to playing with wood bats: A double-disadvantage at this level. The challenge will be to keep inspiring the boys and prevent discouragement from taking hold.

Giants Fall to Cubs 10-4

The 12U Giants lost their Fall season opener 10-4 to the Cubs during a beautiful late Summer Sunday morning game. After a month’s hiatus since the end of Summer baseball, it was great to get back into the swing of things with wood bats and pine tar. The Giants were the away team, and struck first with a single by Matt who was batting 2nd in the order. Apart from that hit, the Giants bats were kept quiet by fast and reliable Cubs pitching for the first 3 innings. After a mid-game pitching change, the Giants bats came alive with Ian P., Madhav, Ian W., Bobby, Avery and Jaz all hitting singles. RBIs were Jaz, Bobby and both Ians. In the field the Cubs were held scoreless by Matt who started on the mound followed by Bobby in the 2nd inning. Also pitching was Madhav and Jaz. The Cubs opened an early 2-0 lead in the 3rd inning and then capitalized with 5 more runs in the 4th and 3 insurance runs in the 5th.

Fall Ball with wood bats proves that good pitching does indeed beat good hitting. It also shows that walks will kill you every time and control is everything. A good opening game to knock off the cobwebs. Stay tuned for next weekend’s action…