Youth Phenoms

[CircleChange11]

Only the perceived "phenoms" get hurt by wood.

So, only the "fake phenoms" have access to the best/live bats?

Do they have a special "Fake Phenom" store where you have to have a membership to get in?

Why aren't the real phenoms using the most live bats? Out of principle?

Obviously, if one achieves the "phenom status" via performance of a metal bat then the one who assigned the "phenom status" is the one with the problem.

We all know batters perform much better in the PCL than FSL, right? Do we call 20+ HR guys in the PCL "Fake Prospects"?

[TonyK]

There's 22 times as much college academic money as athletic money. In our house we emphasized academics more than sports. My daughter joked "If dad's car had a bumper sticker it would say, "My kids better make honor roll, or else." When my son didn't get the desired results on his first round of SAT's I spent 1K on a private tutor for six weeks leading up to the next test date.

Many parents won't spend the $500 or $1,000 necessary to help their kids obtain a very good SAT or ACT score. I view high school sports as just one of many Extracurriculars a student can be involved with: Art, Music, Drama, Sports, Youth Groups, High School Clubs, and many others.

Our local phenom attended a religious high school that didn't have a baseball team so he played travel ball. I don't know if he attended college. In my neck of the woods the best ballplayers usually attend community colleges, Div 3 schools, or on a rare occasion, a Div 2 school. Scholarships for baseball are not an option, but it will help a player get admitted or get a partial scholarship or grant.

[tradosaurus]

So, only the "fake phenoms" have access to the best/live bats?
Do they have a special "Fake Phenom" store where you have to have a membership to get in?
Why aren't the real phenoms using the most live bats? Out of principle?
Obviously, if one achieves the "phenom status" via performance of a metal bat then the one who assigned the "phenom status" is the one with the problem.
We all know batters perform much better in the PCL than FSL, right? Do we call 20+ HR guys in the PCL "Fake Prospects"?

I noticed that a few on our team have $300 bats that are "rolled" to make them hotter. So their stats are somewhat misleading.

I have my 13 yo son hit with a -3 drop wood bat in practice (and he used it in league play). His coach would probably not let him use the wood bat during travel ball although I believe he hits better with the wood bat than with this $80 Rawlings Plasma (5 drop).

I don't want my son getting a false confidence of his hitting ability because he is hitting bombs with bats that he won't be able to use in high school. In fact I'm hoping he will be able to use a wood bat once he hits high school (and hopefully beyond). Isn't this why Bryce Harper was able to make the MLB at 19? There was no mystery whether he could hit with a wooden bat.

[tg643]

I'd be willing to bet that they have.

You would be shocked to see how many parents never knew there was so little scholarship money for baseball until their kids got to varsity and started hearing stories. They think it's like football and basketball where entire rosters get full rides. My kids were/are on 25% athletic rides. They were/are also on 50% academic rides. They were NHS in high school. I'm more proud of my daughter for graduating from college PBK and got a great job offer than she played D1 softball.

[tg643]

My son starterd taking BP with a -7 wood when he was ten. I bought $19 bats so I wouldn't worry if he broke them. By twelve he was swinging -3 wood in BP. What was great was starting when he was sixteen all the summer games (about fifty) were wood.

[tradosaurus]

You would be shocked to see how many parents never knew there was so little scholarship money for baseball until their kids got to varsity and started hearing stories. They think it's like football and basketball where entire rosters get full rides. My kids were/are on 25% athletic rides. They were/are also on 50% academic rides. They were NHS in high school. I'm more proud of my daughter for graduating from college PBK and got a great job offer than she played D1 softball.

We stressed academics for my 2 oldest sons and once my 13 yo son hits high school he will have to perform academically also.

I am more proud of my daughters because they can cook. Now why isn't cooking a sport?

[pstein]

So, only the "fake phenoms" have access to the best/live bats?

Do they have a special "Fake Phenom" store where you have to have a membership to get in?

Why aren't the real phenoms using the most live bats? Out of principle?

Obviously, if one achieves the "phenom status" via performance of a metal bat then the one who assigned the "phenom status" is the one with the problem.

We all know batters perform much better in the PCL than FSL, right? Do we call 20+ HR guys in the PCL "Fake Prospects"?

I really am having trouble understanding what you're getting across, but let me try to understand.

No, there is no "fake phenom" store. The only "fake phenoms" are the ones whose parents say "he'll be playing D1". tg643 related a story awhile back of a player whose parents wouldn't let him play D3 ball.

They aren't using the most live bats because most people know that aluminum is a crutch, but wood isn't. The ones who need their inability to hit with wood hidden use more lively bats. Aluminum bats hide bad mechanics and poor approach.

You have your leagues backwards. The PCL is AAA, FSL is A. If you're hitting 20+ home runs in the FSL, you're a prospect, assuming you're not 24 or over. If you're hitting 20+ homers in the PCL, you're apt to be called up any day of the week.

[CircleChange11]

No, there is no "fake phenom" store. The only "fake phenoms" are the ones whose parents say "he'll be playing D1". tg643 related a story awhile back of a player whose parents wouldn't let him play D3 ball.

That doesn't make any sense. My point was there's no "fake phenoms" because almost all youth players are using the same bats.

They aren't using the most live bats because most people know that aluminum is a crutch, but wood isn't. The ones who need their inability to hit with wood hidden use more lively bats. Aluminum bats hide bad mechanics and poor approach.

Okay, so among youth players there are some using wood bats? I ask because I haven;t seen a single wood bat anywhere in 10U ball ... or 12U .... or HS.

I understand the idea that those using wood bats are the "real players" and the ones using metal bats are relying on technology. I understand the concept, I just think it's a bunch of BS.

You have your leagues backwards. The PCL is AAA, FSL is A. If you're hitting 20+ home runs in the FSL, you're a prospect, assuming you're not 24 or over. If you're hitting 20+ homers in the PCL, you're apt to be called up any day of the week.

You missed the point, the Pacific Coast League is an extreme hitters league whereas the Florida State League is an extreme pitchers league. In other words, if you hit well in the FSL ... the chances are very high that you're going to continue to be a good hitter. If you hit well in the PCL, it might just be a product of your environment. Like the difference between hitting well in Petco versus hitting well in old Coors field. If you hit well in Petco, you can hit well anywhere.

I think you should really look at some of the names/players of the guys that have good power numbers in the PCL before you assume that everyone hitting well there is a soon to be MLB'er.

Again, my comments about metal bats are based on the idea that almost all youth players are using metal bats ... and those that hit the best are often the best hitters. The technology applies to all hitters because almost everyone is using the same metal bats. It's not like a few select kids are dominating because they were given the "extra special metal bats" and everyone else is just using the "regular metal bats".

[tg643]

If you hit well in Petco, you can hit well anywhere.

Unless you're a choke who plays well under no pressure and can't handle the bright lights. Adrian Gonzalez is fast wearing out his welcome in Boston. He put up big first half numbers in 2011. After the all-star break aka the pennant race his numbers were very mediocre. Then he said it was God's will he didn't hit better and the Red Sox had a poor September. That sold real well in Boston. This year he's a mediocre player. If the Sox traded Gonzalez I don't believe too many people would mind. He's worn out his welcome with all his excuses. He's a small town player.

[Baseball gLove]

I know Ryan Braun and Mike Moustakas who both played in my sons' league. A few others I know are in the minor leagues. Lambo (Pirates) was projected to reach the MLB before Moustakas, but couln't pass on the wacky tobacky. Hopefully he can stay away from that junk since getting traded from the Dodgers. A player I had drafted in Pony closed the last game of the 2012 College World Series. Another former teammate is the 2nd baseman at UCLA. And yet another former teammate is pitching for the Lansing Lugnuts with a .63 era.

[Jake Patterson]

So, only the "fake phenoms" have access to the best/live bats?

Do they have a special "Fake Phenom" store where you have to have a membership to get in?

Why aren't the real phenoms using the most live bats? Out of principle?

Obviously, if one achieves the "phenom status" via performance of a metal bat then the one who assigned the "phenom status" is the one with the problem.

We all know batters perform much better in the PCL than FSL, right? Do we call 20+ HR guys in the PCL "Fake Prospects"?

I think you missed the point... I said...

Wood seldom hurts the "phenoms."

If a player is truly that 1:10,000 - what he uses for a bat has little to do with his ability to excell. If it does then it's the equipment that seperates him from the other 9,999 and not his phenominal talent.

Again, when talking phenoms we are talking about the very, very best... Not the above averages.

[CircleChange11]

I think you missed the point... I said...

To be fair, I didn't respond to your quote. It was more of a response to the idea of "perceived phenoms".

A phenom is a "man amongst boys" type, and there's no faking that (even if using PEDs). It's literally a "why the heck are they playing with us" type of situation.

My point was you don;t get that from metal bats, because everyone is using metal bats.

If a player is truly that 1:10,000 - what he uses for a bat has little to do with his ability to excell.

That's what I was saying. It's not like the "phenoms" get the super secret equipment in the "phenoms" section of Dick's sporting goods. Y'know the section that you can get to by pressing the hidden button between that specific brand of shoes. Oh you guys didn't know about the hidden door that leads to the super secret phenoms only equipment? Oops, sorry. *grin*

If it does then it's the equipment that separates him from the other 9,999 and not his phenomenal talent.

How does equipment allow a player to stand out head and shoulders from everyone else?

Again, when talking phenoms we are talking about the very, very best... Not the above averages.

I don't think some here are talking phenoms or there wouldn't be "equipment" brought into the discussion.

Phenoms are the kids that could be playing 2 ages up, and are so far above the average there occur real discussion about whether the kid is actually from this planet or not. Every town has a "best player at each age". That's not a phenom.

[Jake Patterson]

To be fair, I didn't respond to your quote. It was more of a response to the idea of "perceived phenoms".

A phenom is a "man amongst boys" type, and there's no faking that (even if using PEDs). It's literally a "why the heck are they playing with us" type of situation.

My point was you don;t get that from metal bats, because everyone is using metal bats.



That's what I was saying. It's not like the "phenoms" get the super secret equipment in the "phenoms" section of Dick's sporting goods. Y'know the section that you can get to by pressing the hidden button between that specific brand of shoes. Oh you guys didn't know about the hidden door that leads to the super secret phenoms only equipment? Oops, sorry. *grin*



How does equipment allow a player to stand out head and shoulders from everyone else?



I don't think some here are talking phenoms or there wouldn't be "equipment" brought into the discussion.

Phenoms are the kids that could be playing 2 ages up, and are so far above the average there occur real discussion about whether the kid is actually from this planet or not. Every town has a "best player at each age". That's not a phenom.

We agree on all accounts....I may have read tyour post wrong.

[shake-n-bake]

Unless you're a choke who plays well under no pressure and can't handle the bright lights. Adrian Gonzalez is fast wearing out his welcome in Boston. He put up big first half numbers in 2011. After the all-star break aka the pennant race his numbers were very mediocre. Then he said it was God's will he didn't hit better and the Red Sox had a poor September. That sold real well in Boston. This year he's a mediocre player. If the Sox traded Gonzalez I don't believe too many people would mind. He's worn out his welcome with all his excuses. He's a small town player.

Sounds like he's filling the scapegoat role vacated by Terry Francona. 2011 was the best season of his career - .338 / 27 / 119 / .957 OPS (silly good), led MLB in hits, #2 in AVG., played in 159 games. In the days where players are notorious for having big contract years and laying an egg for their new team that gives them a monster contract......I'd say Boston should be in love with this guy.

Maybe you've got him confused with Carl Crawford?

[marklaker]

....The early bloomers tend to not bloom anymore once they hit high school. The guys who are 5', 75 lbs at age 12 can develop into pretty darn good ballplayers as they age.

Purely anecdotal. There are plenty of kids who reach an early physical maturity yet continue to refine their skills to reach greater heights. Let’s not get carried away and start creating absolutes by focusing on the exceptional cases.