Wow, that seems overly dramatic for what just happened. Rabbit played his last tournament with Blue Wave this weekend and starting on Tuesday the 16th he joins Mizuno full time. The tournament took place over Valentines Day weekend and we figured we were safe making dinner plans for Saturday night. Nope. They played at 6pm and 8pm that night. Think about that a second. They scheduled youth baseball (most of these kids do have parents after all) for Valentines night at 6 and 8pm. Sheesh. We made arrangements for Rabbit to stay at a teammates house for the night and went to dinner. I got text updates every inning. I have become that which I loathe.
It turns out we picked a good set of games to miss. 2 losses by mercy, and not too much positive. Rabbit threw one inning, and left the ball up. Against a good hitting team that is trouble, and he got pushed around a bit. At the plate it was an equally rough night, 0-3 with an RBI fielders choice. Time to wipe the slate clean and come back Sunday with a renewed vigor. Well, that lasted about two innings. They lost game 3 13-5. The one great positive was that they staved off an early mercy ruling by rallying for 5 runs and extending the game. This was a great rally that involved all of the players and helped remind the boys that they can score runs. Sure, we were 0-3, but we were not the last seed, and we had a chance to play a little closer competition in the playoff rounds. In fact, the three teams that beat us finished with the 1, 2 and 4 seeds for the whole weekend. Ouch.
We ended up playing Sunday night at 6. The team we played was another annoying softball chanting squad. Lots of screaming, poor sportsmanship, and some pretty pathetic gamesmanship. Oh well, we never responded. It was a relatively close game, but we never looked like we believed we could win. In fact, it was 4-4 in the third inning and the boys looked like they were down 8. We scored our 5 runs with hits. We then walked in 4 runs, and allowed another 2 on errors. It was frustrating, another good opportunity for a win slipped by.
On the plus side, Rabbit was amazing at first base all weekend. In the last game we counted four outs he saved with amazing stretches and great plays. It was particularly a good effort since Steve Garvey was sitting in the stands. He was there to watch his grandson (we assume it was his grandson, but the kid was wearing number 5) play for the other team. After a particularly great play I looked over to see him applaud the grab. That was a cool moment in time.
So we are done. I put away the Blue Wave hat. We wash the jersey and hang it in the closet instead of putting it on the gameday pile. The coach said some very kind words to and about Rabbit after the game. He said some nice words to us as well. It was much more emotional than I expected it to be. After 2 years we ended Blue Wave on a down note, but full of great memories and amazing progress. We are excited for our future, and the games to come. But we will always look back fondly on Blue Wave, and Coach Louis, and Jordan.
I will remember "I could have died from having so much fun" in Moreno Valley. Winning their first tournament in Paso Robles, Hitting his first HR in Lake Forest, Throwing a 45 pitch 5 inning complete game. And a Vegas trip where he went 9-13 against the best pitchers in the Western US. But more importantly, I will remember his growth, as a player, a leader and a teammate. He is a damn good kid, and I have many people to thank for that.
Pitchers and catchers report this week. Perfect timing to start fresh. Our own "spring training" if you will. In March we are off to Arizona for a great tourney. Then who knows what the summer brings.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
5 games, 3 cities, 2 teams, 1 weekend
It would be an understatement to say that we had a busy weekend. Saturday morning Rabbit played with his new team, Mizuno, at 9 am. We got to the park at 8am and I helped with field maintenance while the kids warmed up. Helping out at these tournaments takes the place of a monthly fee. It is a trade that seems fair and we spend all day at the field anyway, so might as well get something in return. They wanted Rabbit to start, to see how he throws. We had to decline because I knew Blue Wave was going to use him extensively as a pitcher this weekend. It turned out to be a good decision.
Rabbit walked twice, just barely missed a pitch that became a pop-up and played his usual stellar defense. In fact, they had him play first all 6 innings. And he hit second. Same situation, just a different uniform.
After the game we came home to pack up and switch uniforms. We were off to Chino Hills. Game times were 2:30 and 6:30pm. In our most recent Blue Wave tournament we finished 15th out of 16 AA (low level classification) teams. This weekend there were 15 teams, ranging from AA to Majors. Our first game was against a team that we were unfamiliar with. They were big, warmed up well, and looked like a force. Rabbit was given the start and was all business when he took the mound. He struck out the first three batters on 12 pitches. It was a dominant performance. Blue Wave did not score in the first, but was swinging the bats well. In the second Rabbit retired the side on 14 pitches, allowing one hit to go with one strikeout. In the third he struck out two more stranding another hit and a walk. In the top of the fourth (we were visitors) we finally broke through for three runs. Rabbit faced one batter in the fourth, a walk, and was pulled to keep his pitch count low. The team rallied behind their pitchers and played tremendous defense. It was amazing to watch, including two diving catches in the outfield. We pushed one more across before finally ending the game in a 4-0 shutout win. Our first shutout in quite a while. It was a total team effort, with everyone participating and playing their best. This team was desperate for a win, and they got a good one early.
We got a quick meal and got back in time to watch our next opponent finish their game. They had a 7 run lead and were still running (stealing bases) and trying to bait throws. They also were using fake bunts to distract pitchers. I think that is fairly ridiculous, and extremely poor sportsmanship when you are clearly ahead of an overmatched opponent. Add in the fact they chanted and screamed like a T-Ball team and we were not too impressed. We played them tight, continuing our great defense, and held a 5-3 lead going into the last inning. As in the earlier game the sportsmanship was terrible. They would shout at our pitcher mid windup despite several warnings from the umpire. The coaches both openly questioned ball and strike calls and called the umps "incompetent." At one point, Rabbit was playing first and a player knocked him over diving back to the bag. While they were both on the ground the player wrapped up his legs so he could not get up to make a play.
The opponents scored three in the top of the last inning and were cheering like they had won the World Series. The parents were as bad as the kids and were taunting everyone they could find. We needed to get at least that one run back. We had two quick outs in our half of the inning, then they walked our lead-off hitter. Rabbit was now up, and desperate to shut the kids, coaches and parents up. Right before the second pitch to Rabbit, the opposing coach told his pitcher to ignore the base runner, focus only on the hitter. Bad advice. The runner stole second, then took third on the overthrow. While the other team was busy, quite literally, pointing fingers and arguing over who made the mistake, our runner took off for the plate. He scored easily and we were tied. They melted down and walked Rabbit. As he was on first they threw over 3 times before a pitch crossed the plate. Then, the pitcher balked about as bad as I can recall seeing at this level. He broke his hands, moved forward, then backed off and threw to first. Rabbit was already half jogging to second when the throw went to first and he got tagged. The umpire let it stand. It was a curious play, to be certain. But, we were well past time limits and everyone wanted to get out of there. We wanted a chance to play this team again and shut them down once and for all. Be careful what you wish for.
We got a hotel room in Riverside for the night since we knew, most likely, we would be playing at 8am. We were, against the same team. We were the 5 seed (out of 15) and were in the Championship Bracket. A remarkable turnaround. And we were not going to lose to that team no matter what.
Got to the field at 7:15am and were itching to get going. It was very cold, but none of the boys seemed to notice. We were the lower seed (they were 4 we were 5) so we were visitors, and were at bat first. We got just the start we needed. Our first four batters all scored before a single out was recorded. We led 4-0 before they even picked up a bat. They got two in the bottom half of the inning, and then everyone calmed down and we had a scoreless second inning. In the third, we put up 5 more. We were ahead 9-2. The cheering stopped, the parents went inside the snack bar, and the coaches had nearly packed it in. Our pitcher started to struggle, but just barely. Once the bases were loaded our coach pulled our starter and asked Rabbit to get the two outs to end the inning, and the threat. It took him a batter or two to get settled. Two runs crossed, now 9-4, and one out. Rabbit did a funny thing. He stepped off the mound, took a breath, and drew a line in the sand. He struck out the next two batters all but ending the game. We pushed one more across and they got a few late, but the game was never as close as the 10-7 final indicates. We had won a game in the championship bracket. This was amazing, made even sweeter by beating a team that we really wanted to beat.
Our reward was a game with the number one seed in the entire tournament. We played them very tight, and it was 4-1 after three innings. We were close, but were unable to find a second run to get us back in the game. At the end we ran out of pitchers and stamina. The game ended 9-1 in 5 innings. We had finished third, out of 15 teams, and won two games for the first time in a while. The boys had much to be proud of, and a good idea of where they need to be headed. It was a harbinger of how this team can be good when they all work together, and it reinforced that you win with defense.
All that said, we are leaving Blue Wave on February 15th. Coach told all the parents and players at a post game meeting. He said some very nice things about Rabbit and we were pleased by the support from everyone. It is a great group of families. We will miss them. However, our next challenge awaits with Mizuno, and we look forward to getting started with them.
Rabbit walked twice, just barely missed a pitch that became a pop-up and played his usual stellar defense. In fact, they had him play first all 6 innings. And he hit second. Same situation, just a different uniform.
After the game we came home to pack up and switch uniforms. We were off to Chino Hills. Game times were 2:30 and 6:30pm. In our most recent Blue Wave tournament we finished 15th out of 16 AA (low level classification) teams. This weekend there were 15 teams, ranging from AA to Majors. Our first game was against a team that we were unfamiliar with. They were big, warmed up well, and looked like a force. Rabbit was given the start and was all business when he took the mound. He struck out the first three batters on 12 pitches. It was a dominant performance. Blue Wave did not score in the first, but was swinging the bats well. In the second Rabbit retired the side on 14 pitches, allowing one hit to go with one strikeout. In the third he struck out two more stranding another hit and a walk. In the top of the fourth (we were visitors) we finally broke through for three runs. Rabbit faced one batter in the fourth, a walk, and was pulled to keep his pitch count low. The team rallied behind their pitchers and played tremendous defense. It was amazing to watch, including two diving catches in the outfield. We pushed one more across before finally ending the game in a 4-0 shutout win. Our first shutout in quite a while. It was a total team effort, with everyone participating and playing their best. This team was desperate for a win, and they got a good one early.
We got a quick meal and got back in time to watch our next opponent finish their game. They had a 7 run lead and were still running (stealing bases) and trying to bait throws. They also were using fake bunts to distract pitchers. I think that is fairly ridiculous, and extremely poor sportsmanship when you are clearly ahead of an overmatched opponent. Add in the fact they chanted and screamed like a T-Ball team and we were not too impressed. We played them tight, continuing our great defense, and held a 5-3 lead going into the last inning. As in the earlier game the sportsmanship was terrible. They would shout at our pitcher mid windup despite several warnings from the umpire. The coaches both openly questioned ball and strike calls and called the umps "incompetent." At one point, Rabbit was playing first and a player knocked him over diving back to the bag. While they were both on the ground the player wrapped up his legs so he could not get up to make a play.
The opponents scored three in the top of the last inning and were cheering like they had won the World Series. The parents were as bad as the kids and were taunting everyone they could find. We needed to get at least that one run back. We had two quick outs in our half of the inning, then they walked our lead-off hitter. Rabbit was now up, and desperate to shut the kids, coaches and parents up. Right before the second pitch to Rabbit, the opposing coach told his pitcher to ignore the base runner, focus only on the hitter. Bad advice. The runner stole second, then took third on the overthrow. While the other team was busy, quite literally, pointing fingers and arguing over who made the mistake, our runner took off for the plate. He scored easily and we were tied. They melted down and walked Rabbit. As he was on first they threw over 3 times before a pitch crossed the plate. Then, the pitcher balked about as bad as I can recall seeing at this level. He broke his hands, moved forward, then backed off and threw to first. Rabbit was already half jogging to second when the throw went to first and he got tagged. The umpire let it stand. It was a curious play, to be certain. But, we were well past time limits and everyone wanted to get out of there. We wanted a chance to play this team again and shut them down once and for all. Be careful what you wish for.
We got a hotel room in Riverside for the night since we knew, most likely, we would be playing at 8am. We were, against the same team. We were the 5 seed (out of 15) and were in the Championship Bracket. A remarkable turnaround. And we were not going to lose to that team no matter what.
Got to the field at 7:15am and were itching to get going. It was very cold, but none of the boys seemed to notice. We were the lower seed (they were 4 we were 5) so we were visitors, and were at bat first. We got just the start we needed. Our first four batters all scored before a single out was recorded. We led 4-0 before they even picked up a bat. They got two in the bottom half of the inning, and then everyone calmed down and we had a scoreless second inning. In the third, we put up 5 more. We were ahead 9-2. The cheering stopped, the parents went inside the snack bar, and the coaches had nearly packed it in. Our pitcher started to struggle, but just barely. Once the bases were loaded our coach pulled our starter and asked Rabbit to get the two outs to end the inning, and the threat. It took him a batter or two to get settled. Two runs crossed, now 9-4, and one out. Rabbit did a funny thing. He stepped off the mound, took a breath, and drew a line in the sand. He struck out the next two batters all but ending the game. We pushed one more across and they got a few late, but the game was never as close as the 10-7 final indicates. We had won a game in the championship bracket. This was amazing, made even sweeter by beating a team that we really wanted to beat.
Our reward was a game with the number one seed in the entire tournament. We played them very tight, and it was 4-1 after three innings. We were close, but were unable to find a second run to get us back in the game. At the end we ran out of pitchers and stamina. The game ended 9-1 in 5 innings. We had finished third, out of 15 teams, and won two games for the first time in a while. The boys had much to be proud of, and a good idea of where they need to be headed. It was a harbinger of how this team can be good when they all work together, and it reinforced that you win with defense.
All that said, we are leaving Blue Wave on February 15th. Coach told all the parents and players at a post game meeting. He said some very nice things about Rabbit and we were pleased by the support from everyone. It is a great group of families. We will miss them. However, our next challenge awaits with Mizuno, and we look forward to getting started with them.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Spring Training - and "What Happened Since October"
Well, let us get the big news out early. We have left Blue Wave as of the end of February. After Paso we really slowed down and if I recall correctly we only played in 3 tournaments over 3 months. There were many more opportunities, but we were very busy with family commitments over the holidays. Of the team that went to Paso, only 4 boys are left on the roster, including Rabbit. This is the nature of the beast at this age group I guess, and I do not envy the task that the coach has in integrating new players on an almost weekly basis anymore. The bottom line was that we were ready for a change, and as I reread my previous entries it appears to be a long time coming.
That being said, I want to be perfectly clear. Blue Wave Baseball, and especially Coach Louis, made Rabbit a better player. His progress was dramatic and his love of the game grew. I have nothing but positive things to say about our time there. If you have a son looking to play travel ball I wholeheartedly endorse calling them to arrange a tryout. So why leave if everything was so great?
Our decision was twofold. First, Rabbit had really grown rapidly as a player and leader, but that was slowing quickly. With the influx of new talent, and the natural process of bringing those players up to speed, he had plateaued. There is always something to learn and many ways to improve. But there was a sense that we were relearning the same lessons. And occasionally that repetition became frustration. To be sure, it was more on my part than Rabbit's, but it was real. Secondly, Rabbit does his best work with a goal ahead of him. Much like joining a LL Majors team last year. His desire to prove he belonged at the higher level motivated his work, and improvement, and he rapidly improved almost every aspect of his game. His new team is a AAA squad, Blue Wave is a AA squad. Rabbit will fight for at bats, innings of defense, and opportunities to play. We are hoping that this will spur another burst of improvement and love of the game.
So, we have tournaments each of the next 3 weeks with Blue Wave, and then we will be off to Mizuno Elite OC. We can only hope that our experience there will be as beneficial as it was with Blue Wave. However, knowing Rabbit, and the way he handles himself, I think we will do just fine.
That being said, I want to be perfectly clear. Blue Wave Baseball, and especially Coach Louis, made Rabbit a better player. His progress was dramatic and his love of the game grew. I have nothing but positive things to say about our time there. If you have a son looking to play travel ball I wholeheartedly endorse calling them to arrange a tryout. So why leave if everything was so great?
Our decision was twofold. First, Rabbit had really grown rapidly as a player and leader, but that was slowing quickly. With the influx of new talent, and the natural process of bringing those players up to speed, he had plateaued. There is always something to learn and many ways to improve. But there was a sense that we were relearning the same lessons. And occasionally that repetition became frustration. To be sure, it was more on my part than Rabbit's, but it was real. Secondly, Rabbit does his best work with a goal ahead of him. Much like joining a LL Majors team last year. His desire to prove he belonged at the higher level motivated his work, and improvement, and he rapidly improved almost every aspect of his game. His new team is a AAA squad, Blue Wave is a AA squad. Rabbit will fight for at bats, innings of defense, and opportunities to play. We are hoping that this will spur another burst of improvement and love of the game.
So, we have tournaments each of the next 3 weeks with Blue Wave, and then we will be off to Mizuno Elite OC. We can only hope that our experience there will be as beneficial as it was with Blue Wave. However, knowing Rabbit, and the way he handles himself, I think we will do just fine.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Return to the scene of the crime
Paso Robles - we had this tournament circled for the last 52 weeks. It was so much fun last year, and the first team championship Rabbit got with Blue Wave. It seems that no matter what, we get the early games, and we did. In bed early Friday night at the beach house, leave at 6:30 Saturday morning, call time at 7:15. Game 1 was against a team we should have beaten, and we did. 15-4. The boys looked sharp, and played very well. The opponent was a Little League team that was clearly over matched. For game 2 we were playing a team from Visalia. They jumped out early to a 5-1 lead. And then a strange thing happened. Blue Wave started chipping away. A run here, a great defensive play there, and in the fifth inning we had tied at 6. Game was called and ended in a tie. It was some of the best baseball the boys had played together ever. Both teams played excellent, were well coached and played their hardest. A tie was the correct result and we hoped we would not have to see them again.
You may recall my complaining about the weather last year. Yeah, nothing changed. It was dang cold in the morning. 40 degree cold. But at least this time we were prepared. After our two games on Saturday we all met at an RV park where several families were staying for a BBQ. It was a blast. The boys had a chance to unwind while the parents had a chance to watch the Dodgers win. A great time was had by all and the entire team was having fun together.
With a 1-0-1 record we somehow finished third in the seedings, so we had to play an eaxtra game Sunday. 3 games, 3 wins and we would repeat. The first game we were still asleep and then realized that we needed the win. What had been a 3-0 game after 3 was 8-0 mercy after 5. In the semi-finals we drew the Visalia team again. They were by far our toughest opponent in the tournament. Again, we surrendered an early lead 4-0 this time, and again we battled, scraped and clawed back. It was every bit as good a game as the day before and we barely squeaked out an 8-7 win. We were thrilled and it was time to prepare for the championship final.
I try to speak only of the things we can control. And I do go out of my way to not mention the umpires as a general rule. With that disclaimer, you all know what is coming. Blue Wave batted first, and scored 7 runs. 7-0 after one inning. 9-0 after 2. Then the Tournament Director had a meeting with the plate umpire. Seriously, between innings he called the ump over for a discussion. We gave up 10 runs in the bottom of that inning. Not a single pitch was a called strike. Not one. We used 4 pitchers and nothing mattered. The umpire even taunted our coaches being overheard saying "you picked a bad time to fall apart there." It was so egregious that one of our batters was called out on strikes on a pitch that bounced on home plate. The opposing manager looked embarrassed, the parents were furious and there was nothing we could do. After the game the base umpire gave us information on who to contact and pledged that he would file a complaint with the supervisor regarding the other umps conduct. Game ended 10-9. There was nothing we could do.
So, we were runner up, 3-1-1 on the weekend. Not bad at all. On to the personal side of things. Rabbit has learned to hit. And not just "seeing eye singles" but wallops. He went 9-13 on the weekend, including 3 hits in the championship game, driving in 7. His pitching was off, but he is entirely relearning his delivery, so that is not a surprise. His pitching coach wants him to rely on power. When he gave up one hit he immediately fell back and started to throw weakly. This is a process where he will find the right balance of aggression and intelligence. He has the arm of a great pitcher and the head to match. We just need to get them on the same page.
His defense, especially at first, is something special. He saved several outs each game by stretching on balls and getting throws that had potential to be disastrous. He is emerging as a leader, on the field and in the dugout. He is a serious student of the game and plays with intensity and respect. He also loves his mother, eats his vegetables, gets straight A grades and cleans his room. This is one good kid.
You may recall my complaining about the weather last year. Yeah, nothing changed. It was dang cold in the morning. 40 degree cold. But at least this time we were prepared. After our two games on Saturday we all met at an RV park where several families were staying for a BBQ. It was a blast. The boys had a chance to unwind while the parents had a chance to watch the Dodgers win. A great time was had by all and the entire team was having fun together.
With a 1-0-1 record we somehow finished third in the seedings, so we had to play an eaxtra game Sunday. 3 games, 3 wins and we would repeat. The first game we were still asleep and then realized that we needed the win. What had been a 3-0 game after 3 was 8-0 mercy after 5. In the semi-finals we drew the Visalia team again. They were by far our toughest opponent in the tournament. Again, we surrendered an early lead 4-0 this time, and again we battled, scraped and clawed back. It was every bit as good a game as the day before and we barely squeaked out an 8-7 win. We were thrilled and it was time to prepare for the championship final.
I try to speak only of the things we can control. And I do go out of my way to not mention the umpires as a general rule. With that disclaimer, you all know what is coming. Blue Wave batted first, and scored 7 runs. 7-0 after one inning. 9-0 after 2. Then the Tournament Director had a meeting with the plate umpire. Seriously, between innings he called the ump over for a discussion. We gave up 10 runs in the bottom of that inning. Not a single pitch was a called strike. Not one. We used 4 pitchers and nothing mattered. The umpire even taunted our coaches being overheard saying "you picked a bad time to fall apart there." It was so egregious that one of our batters was called out on strikes on a pitch that bounced on home plate. The opposing manager looked embarrassed, the parents were furious and there was nothing we could do. After the game the base umpire gave us information on who to contact and pledged that he would file a complaint with the supervisor regarding the other umps conduct. Game ended 10-9. There was nothing we could do.
So, we were runner up, 3-1-1 on the weekend. Not bad at all. On to the personal side of things. Rabbit has learned to hit. And not just "seeing eye singles" but wallops. He went 9-13 on the weekend, including 3 hits in the championship game, driving in 7. His pitching was off, but he is entirely relearning his delivery, so that is not a surprise. His pitching coach wants him to rely on power. When he gave up one hit he immediately fell back and started to throw weakly. This is a process where he will find the right balance of aggression and intelligence. He has the arm of a great pitcher and the head to match. We just need to get them on the same page.
His defense, especially at first, is something special. He saved several outs each game by stretching on balls and getting throws that had potential to be disastrous. He is emerging as a leader, on the field and in the dugout. He is a serious student of the game and plays with intensity and respect. He also loves his mother, eats his vegetables, gets straight A grades and cleans his room. This is one good kid.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Same as it ever was
It is amazing how we perceive improvement. This weekend the team went 1-1-1 and finished third. And I do not believe there is a soul that was there that is satisfied with the result. Rabbit was horrible with the bat, three times striking out with the bases loaded and less than 2 outs. In fact, he was 0-6 with 5 Ks. The regression is frustrating. He did not pitch at all this weekend which was a welcome relief. He played his usual stellar defense and helped to keep the team focused when they needed a boost. So what is the problem here?
I am confused as to what the team is trying to accomplish. There is absolutely no communication between the coach and the parents. In fact, we are now playing with the boys coaching first base. Coach is the only one older than 11 on the field. There are positives and negatives to this, but I am not entirely sure the logic behind this. I had the opportunity to discuss this directly with the coach and can understand his point. However, there are many parents who have not had the opportunity to hear "the other side" of the story. The lack of communication is quickly leading to palpable frustration. I do not see the boys playing to win. I have never been a big Win or Loss guy, but I would at least like to know what we are accomplishing, what lessons are being learned by playing the way we do.
Rabbit played in a scrimmage two weeks ago with another team. They were not good. They were a new group, just formed, and were not really aware of the speed of the game and the intricacies of travel ball. To be sure there was talent on the field, but they struggled mightily against a team that had been together for over a year. What I really enjoyed about that game was the interaction between the coach and the kids, and the coach and the parents. The open dialog was great. That team will struggle for a while, but when the turn the corner, they will do so united.
I am rambling. This weekend is the Paso Robles tourney. This is the one we highlight each year. It is a great weekend, and a real treat. After this weekend we are not playing again until mid-November. This is by our choice. We are paid up through November and will be taking the month of December off. The entire family needs a break right now. The frustrations that were so minimal early in the season are becoming insurmountable. I do not want to make any long term decisions until we get a chance to step back and see things more clearly. If I had to make a decision today we would be shutting it down today. That is not fair to Rabbit, his team, or the other families. We will see it through, but we will look forward to the break.
I am confused as to what the team is trying to accomplish. There is absolutely no communication between the coach and the parents. In fact, we are now playing with the boys coaching first base. Coach is the only one older than 11 on the field. There are positives and negatives to this, but I am not entirely sure the logic behind this. I had the opportunity to discuss this directly with the coach and can understand his point. However, there are many parents who have not had the opportunity to hear "the other side" of the story. The lack of communication is quickly leading to palpable frustration. I do not see the boys playing to win. I have never been a big Win or Loss guy, but I would at least like to know what we are accomplishing, what lessons are being learned by playing the way we do.
Rabbit played in a scrimmage two weeks ago with another team. They were not good. They were a new group, just formed, and were not really aware of the speed of the game and the intricacies of travel ball. To be sure there was talent on the field, but they struggled mightily against a team that had been together for over a year. What I really enjoyed about that game was the interaction between the coach and the kids, and the coach and the parents. The open dialog was great. That team will struggle for a while, but when the turn the corner, they will do so united.
I am rambling. This weekend is the Paso Robles tourney. This is the one we highlight each year. It is a great weekend, and a real treat. After this weekend we are not playing again until mid-November. This is by our choice. We are paid up through November and will be taking the month of December off. The entire family needs a break right now. The frustrations that were so minimal early in the season are becoming insurmountable. I do not want to make any long term decisions until we get a chance to step back and see things more clearly. If I had to make a decision today we would be shutting it down today. That is not fair to Rabbit, his team, or the other families. We will see it through, but we will look forward to the break.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
A hot time in the old town
There was a schedule change at the last moment and we were not going to play until the afternoon on Friday in Henderson. This was great as we could take our time getting to the hotel on Thursday night and not worry about having to get up too early. We spent the first night getting settled in and I went down to the casino to have a few drinks with the other parents. So far, so good.
On Friday we got to the fields an hour early, and it was still 106 degrees at 4pm. Get used to it. When they switched our bracket, we somehow ended up facing 2 of the top 10 seeds in the pool play rounds. These teams were just better than us. It came as no surprise that we lost. What was frustrating was how we lost. Twice we had innings where we allowed 7+ runs. Most of those runs scored on errors and circus plays. On the plus side, Rabbit went 2-3 over the two games. He is getting quite good at waiting on the (admittedly) lousy curveball. He pitched OK, getting tagged when he left the ball up, and fielded his position quite well. He did commit the cardinal sin in RF however, and misplayed a single into a triple. That was during one of those innings.
We knew coming into Saturday that we could play as many as 3 games, or as few as one. Our first game was win or go home. Luckily, we were facing another AA squad. In fact, these opponents were over matched by us. And yet, we struggled to find hits early. We played unbelievable defense and had great pitching, but could not break through. In the 4th, we broke through. Rabbit had 2 hits that game, bringing in 4 runs and sailed one over the CF head. We coasted out to an easy win. The boys were now back on track and looking like a team that came to play. Frustratingly that confidence did not carry over. We lost game 4 to a Majors team and were never even close to competitive. Game 5, our third game in 6 hours, was another "win or go home" contest.
Rabbit started, and was staked to a 2-0 lead in our first at-bat. The entire team was tired and was struggling in the field. Rabbit was tired and leaving the ball up. This is a dangerous combination. It was 4-2 after the first, then 7-2 when Rabbit was pulled with two outs in the second. It ended up 10-2 after 2, and we were preparing for another short game. Then the bats came calling once again. We battled, fought, and left it all out there. When the game was called for time in the 5th it was now 11-7 and we were due up. A tremendous rally. But, a loss none the less.
For the weekend we went 1-4. Three of the 4 teams to beat us won their brackets. The fourth team made the Championship quarterfinals. We had played the toughest teams in the Western US. The boys were exhausted after 6 hours in the 100+ heat, but still had enough energy to enjoy the pool and arcade. A well earned treat. Rabbit went 4-6 on the weekend and pitched fairly well. Working with the new coach is paying off, and we knew he would struggle a bit.
Now the bad news. The communication on this team has broken down entirely. I am very frustrated by many things. We have been with Blue Wave for 1.5 years now and to be certain, Rabbit is a dramatically better player for it. However, the grass is always greener, and we are going to review a few other programs before we commit to the 12U squad. It is not an issue of playing time, field performance or personnel. Rather, I am confused by some decisions that are made, and there is no opportunity to seek clarity. Who knows, it may all be for naught. We have a good group of kids, and parents, and are having fun again. Hopefully that will be enough.
On Friday we got to the fields an hour early, and it was still 106 degrees at 4pm. Get used to it. When they switched our bracket, we somehow ended up facing 2 of the top 10 seeds in the pool play rounds. These teams were just better than us. It came as no surprise that we lost. What was frustrating was how we lost. Twice we had innings where we allowed 7+ runs. Most of those runs scored on errors and circus plays. On the plus side, Rabbit went 2-3 over the two games. He is getting quite good at waiting on the (admittedly) lousy curveball. He pitched OK, getting tagged when he left the ball up, and fielded his position quite well. He did commit the cardinal sin in RF however, and misplayed a single into a triple. That was during one of those innings.
We knew coming into Saturday that we could play as many as 3 games, or as few as one. Our first game was win or go home. Luckily, we were facing another AA squad. In fact, these opponents were over matched by us. And yet, we struggled to find hits early. We played unbelievable defense and had great pitching, but could not break through. In the 4th, we broke through. Rabbit had 2 hits that game, bringing in 4 runs and sailed one over the CF head. We coasted out to an easy win. The boys were now back on track and looking like a team that came to play. Frustratingly that confidence did not carry over. We lost game 4 to a Majors team and were never even close to competitive. Game 5, our third game in 6 hours, was another "win or go home" contest.
Rabbit started, and was staked to a 2-0 lead in our first at-bat. The entire team was tired and was struggling in the field. Rabbit was tired and leaving the ball up. This is a dangerous combination. It was 4-2 after the first, then 7-2 when Rabbit was pulled with two outs in the second. It ended up 10-2 after 2, and we were preparing for another short game. Then the bats came calling once again. We battled, fought, and left it all out there. When the game was called for time in the 5th it was now 11-7 and we were due up. A tremendous rally. But, a loss none the less.
For the weekend we went 1-4. Three of the 4 teams to beat us won their brackets. The fourth team made the Championship quarterfinals. We had played the toughest teams in the Western US. The boys were exhausted after 6 hours in the 100+ heat, but still had enough energy to enjoy the pool and arcade. A well earned treat. Rabbit went 4-6 on the weekend and pitched fairly well. Working with the new coach is paying off, and we knew he would struggle a bit.
Now the bad news. The communication on this team has broken down entirely. I am very frustrated by many things. We have been with Blue Wave for 1.5 years now and to be certain, Rabbit is a dramatically better player for it. However, the grass is always greener, and we are going to review a few other programs before we commit to the 12U squad. It is not an issue of playing time, field performance or personnel. Rather, I am confused by some decisions that are made, and there is no opportunity to seek clarity. Who knows, it may all be for naught. We have a good group of kids, and parents, and are having fun again. Hopefully that will be enough.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Vegas, Baby
Well, it has been quite a month. After winning their first 6 games together the boys have dropped 5 of 8. Not quite devastating, but a real loss of momentum going into this weekends tournament. The San Clemente tournament was, I fear, the turning point. The boys won the first game in a dominant fashion. 14-4 in 4 innings, sparkling defense, booming offense, even Rabbit got 2 hits. They did not score 14 more runs in the entire tournament. They got sloppy, were not ready to play, and got beat by teams they had dominated previously. Very frustrating. For the first time we could clearly answer no to both important questions. We were not getting better, and we were not having much fun.
Fast forward a few weeks. School is in session, Rabbit is playing flag-football as well as Blue Wave. 3 practices a week of each is really stretching our schedules. Add in private pitching lessons (amazing results so far) and we are exhausted. We did manage to sneak away for a Dodger game this week though. Priorities!
The team is bonding, and the boys like and respect each other. When they play well, they are unbeatable. We have seen them take down AAA and even Majors teams. When they are not focused they can lose to a T-ball squad. We will have to wait and see who shows up this weekend.
I hold absolutely zero expectation for this tournament. I honestly believe that they will lose every game. I also expect they will have some fun, and that we will really enjoy our time. This is a National Championship, and we are not ready to compete at this level. However, it is a reward for the cumulative efforts of the past 12 months. That does not mean we won't get grumpy when we play poorly, more likely we will get over it quicker.
Fast forward a few weeks. School is in session, Rabbit is playing flag-football as well as Blue Wave. 3 practices a week of each is really stretching our schedules. Add in private pitching lessons (amazing results so far) and we are exhausted. We did manage to sneak away for a Dodger game this week though. Priorities!
The team is bonding, and the boys like and respect each other. When they play well, they are unbeatable. We have seen them take down AAA and even Majors teams. When they are not focused they can lose to a T-ball squad. We will have to wait and see who shows up this weekend.
I hold absolutely zero expectation for this tournament. I honestly believe that they will lose every game. I also expect they will have some fun, and that we will really enjoy our time. This is a National Championship, and we are not ready to compete at this level. However, it is a reward for the cumulative efforts of the past 12 months. That does not mean we won't get grumpy when we play poorly, more likely we will get over it quicker.
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