2013 Johnstown Colt Baseball

[say_oww]

How many future pro's do you think are playing local legion and Colt ball? Very few. Wood for these leagues, and the AAABA for that matter, is stupid.

Same question could be asked about potential NFL players, and potential NBAers. Define pro... Kent State's George Roberts should be drafted this month. Somerset's Ian Stiffler might be drafted, too. Other than that, I don't anticipate anyone else. Playing in the MLB for a few years is a different story altogether. Matt Adams (Phillipsburg), Devin Mesoraco (Punxsutawney), and Josh Edgin are the only area guys currently earning an MLB paycheck.

Wood bats are priced at about $75-$150 depending on quality. Wood bats don't have warranties. Composite wood bats have warranties, but they aren't legal in legion or AAABA. The pitchers have the advantage because most kids have long swings and nobody teaches hands to the ball anymore. "Squashing the bug" doesn't do anything if you don't learn how to get the barrel to the ball because you just swing with your arms. A majority of the local kids swing like MLBs Curtis Granderson and if you haven't noticed, he either pulls a fly ball home run or strikes out. Putting the ball in play isn't the objective. Everybody wants to drop bombs.

[knowitall]

Bum, the good old days are gone by the ways of soccer, AAU basketball, and summer hockey leagues. There are a lot less kids playing baseball. Now, 8 year old have to travel all over the county to play games. Plus there are a lot less trees now than 50 years ago.

As for little leagues, the adults are the problem as always. The win-at-all costs mentality of little league coaches is baffling to me.

Travel baseball isn't helping either.

The local leagues are in a sad state. Most leagues struggle to field two teams and with the current structure are tempted to load one of their teams up and put all the bad kids on the other team. It's no longer Giants-Dodgers or Tail Twisters-Lion Tamers, it's Windber vs Conemaugh or Johnstown vs United. What happens when a league only has 17 kids sign up?

[Crimson's Ghost]

Our bats were able to be sent in, and replaced. Must shop in different stores.

Obviously hitting the bombs are the objective for some, but again my involvement with the league for 3 years, most players were encouraged to put the ball in play, make something happen. Very few kids can hit HR's around here, and fewer can do it with a wooden bat. Small ball is learned in using a wooden bat.

I mean, I saw a Colt game played between 2 quality teams last week that was won 4-3 on a suicide squeeze.

Now I guess my theory on wood is this, no coach is going to tell kids to swing for the fences because most if not all know it is not going to happen. And I think by this age you know the fence is deeper, the bat is harder to hit with, and the pitchers are better. Kids somewhat understand that you just aren't going to hit more than 2-3 HR's in a whole 25 game season.


You see steals, squeezes, sacrifices in that kind of league, because the big extra base hit is not coming. I like wooden bats. Just me I guess.