High School Baseball SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS

[apeman33]

The high school softball team here never chants. The last coach thought it was silly and the new coach has decided to carry that on. They won state in 2005, placed third in 2006 and have been, with the exception of last season when they had to use a lot of freshmen, a pretty dominant team.

The juco team here chants and sings. And barely makes the playoffs. Two years ago, they lucked out when a bunch of other teams lost on the last day of the season and got a home playoff series. Won the first game, got killed in the next two. This year so far, they're something like 6-25.

Coincidence? I say no.

(Although: The juco has a girl named Ariel Sanders. Last year, when she came to bat, the team chanted "Arie-o-la! Arie-o-la!" They aren't doing that this year.)

 

[RickStain]

There are no errors in high school baseball.

Grounder to third base, third baseman throws the ball over the head of the first baseman, score it a hit.

Can't kill the spirit of the kids. :

No passed balls or wild pitches either. Teams regularly steal 25 bases a game in small-school softball games that are halted by the mercy rule. Everyone knows that.

Yep, this. When runners are on first and third, and the runner on first runs down to second without a throw, it's defensive indifference, not a steal.

Doesn't that only apply when the defense has reason to consider the runner on first irrelevant (i.e. a tie game, bottom of the ninth)?

Edit: The MLB rule specifically says to credit the steal in that situation. HS may have different scoring rules, but I doubt it.

"For example, with runners on first and third bases, the official scorer should ordinarily credit a stolen base when the runner on first advances to second, if, in the scorer’s judgment, the defensive team had a legitimate strategic motive—, namely, preventing the runner on third base from scoring on the throw to second base—not to contest the runner’s advance to second base. "

Defensive indifference must be true indifference, not just "we don't want you to go to second, but we're not willing to risk the runner on third scoring to stop you."

 

[Steak Snabler]

There are no errors in high school baseball.

Grounder to third base, third baseman throws the ball over the head of the first baseman, score it a hit.

Can't kill the spirit of the kids. :

No passed balls or wild pitches either. Teams regularly steal 25 bases a game in small-school softball games that are halted by the mercy rule. Everyone knows that.

Yep, this. When runners are on first and third, and the runner on first runs down to second without a throw, it's defensive indifference, not a steal.

Doesn't that only apply when the defense has reason to consider the runner on first irrelevant (i.e. a tie game, bottom of the ninth)?

Yeah, if the defensive team doesn't to throw to second with a runner on third because the coach is afraid the catcher is going to wing it into center field and let the tying run score, I don't consider that "defensive indifference." It's a stolen base.

 

[Bamadog]

I like it. It's my favorite thing to cover besides well-played fastpitch. Football, admittedly, isn't my favorite anymore.

Maybe I feel that way because the towns I've worked in always had great high school baseball. I've covered three championship series and countless playoff games. I've met plenty of pro scouts and learned a bunch about their job, which isn't that glamorous. I've covered plenty of kids who played college and pro ball. Most of the best features I've ever written have come from the diamond.

I've covered two junior college baseball programs and a college softball program. I loved doing it despite sometimes helping with the P/A and the scoreboard. I got one of the greatest quotes ever from the coach, the aptly-named Rick Hitt.

"I'm not an excuse maker. Nor am I an excuse acceptor." Can't say it any better than that.

So I guess my love of it is formed by all of the great teams and players I've covered. Even still, we get a few of those 20-1 nightmares. A kid's grandpa called, not boastfully, bragging about his grandson's team winning a 19-2 game in four innings over a second-year school with a roster filled with a few people who might have picked up a glove before the season. Perspective, man. Nothing wrong with being happy with a great performance. But when the competition is piddly, you really can't toot your horn too loudly.

I agree that h/s baseball is far more laid-back than football. I love sitting in the dugout, listening to the ebb and flow of the game. I love scoring the game, once on my big scorebook and now with my app on my phone (the players love that one) which I'm still trying to figure out. I love how no two games are identical and there's always something interesting to write about. Baseball coaches are usually interesting guys who are usually the best quotes around.

 

[jr/shotglass]

I agree that h/s baseball is far more laid-back than football. I love sitting in the dugout, listening to the ebb and flow of the game. I love scoring the game, once on my big scorebook and now with my app on my phone (the players love that one) which I'm still trying to figure out. I love how no two games are identical and there's always something interesting to write about. Baseball coaches are usually interesting guys who are usually the best quotes around.

Yet another reason why I have to replace my Blackberry Storm with an iPhone. Nobody has any intention of making an app like that for the Blackberry.

It amazes me how many people don't even have a clue about keeping a scorebook. I mean, it was such an integral part of my youth. But there are lots of young writers who cover a game by writing down plays in a notebook rather than keeping a scorebook.

A well-kept scorecard is an art in itself.

 

[Bamadog]

I agree that h/s baseball is far more laid-back than football. I love sitting in the dugout, listening to the ebb and flow of the game. I love scoring the game, once on my big scorebook and now with my app on my phone (the players love that one) which I'm still trying to figure out. I love how no two games are identical and there's always something interesting to write about. Baseball coaches are usually interesting guys who are usually the best quotes around.

Yet another reason why I have to replace my Blackberry Storm with an iPhone. Nobody has any intention of making an app like that for the Blackberry.

It amazes me how many people don't even have a clue about keeping a scorebook. I mean, it was such an integral part of my youth. But there are lots of young writers who cover a game by writing down plays in a notebook rather than keeping a scorebook.

A well-kept scorecard is an art in itself.

It really works well, especially that they've fixed most of the bugs. Unbelievably, the app costs less than a scorebook for a season.

I love scoring a game on paper, though. Even when I go to an MLB or minor league game, I always get a scorecard and score it. I keep them in a box in one of my closets. My favorite one, which I got laminated, was the one from Randy Johnson's perfect game in 2004 at Turner Field. Good times.

Now I just have to get the Big Unit to sign it. Of course at the bottom. I've left a unlaminated space for his autograph.

 

[expendable]

There are no errors in high school baseball.

Grounder to third base, third baseman throws the ball over the head of the first baseman, score it a hit.

Can't kill the spirit of the kids. :

No passed balls or wild pitches either. Teams regularly steal 25 bases a game in small-school softball games that are halted by the mercy rule. Everyone knows that.

Yep, this. When runners are on first and third, and the runner on first runs down to second without a throw, it's defensive indifference, not a steal.

Doesn't that only apply when the defense has reason to consider the runner on first irrelevant (i.e. a tie game, bottom of the ninth)?

Yeah, if the defensive team doesn't to throw to second with a runner on third because the coach is afraid the catcher is going to wing it into center field and let the tying run score, I don't consider that "defensive indifference." It's a stolen base.

Okay, you've got me. But I don't have to like it. When the catcher doesn't even make a fake attempt to throw to second, or look the runner back at third, she looks to be pretty indifferent to me.

 

[albert77]

I'm like Bamadog and Snake Stabler, we've got great HS baseball here. Since I took over the prep beat here in 2003, I've had at least one state championship team every year, most years more than one, and that will probably be the case this year, as well.

I've seen a lot of D-1 talent come through the high schools here, and a few who have gone straight to the pros, even one or two who got to The Show. It's high-quality and our readers take it very, very seriously.

As an old fart, I keep a scorecard, and I have them on file where I can, and do, use them for reference.

 

[RickStain]

I really enjoy good high school baseball. All you really need is pitchers who can throw strikes.

But bad high school baseball is, indeed, the worst thing to cover.

 

[Den1983]

I don't mind baseball. We, too, have quality baseball, so there's that. In my five years in the biz, I've yet to cover crappy baseball. I'm pretty grateful.

Though I would much rather cover swimming than high school baseball. I may be alone in that aspect.

I do hate softball. With a passion. I just can't take it serious at all.

My first sport to cover is high school and college hoops.

 

[irishpeter]

for over the top parents and coaches, surely the school-age sport that beats them all is travel soccer!


http://diaryofatravelteamcoach.blogspot.com/

 

[Bob Cook]

Anybody have a score from tonight's rematch of the 53-0 debacle from last month in Dallas?