2013 Johnstown Colt Baseball

[Colonel Mustard]

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.

[bleacherbum]

Couldn't disagree more. I think all levels should use wood. Makes playing field so much more level. Teaches kids how to handle the bat with a 4 " sweet spot instead of a 8". I've watched kids check swing with aluminum and get a base hit over the infield try that with wood. Kids who can afford $400.00 dollars hit the ball farther than those who can't. Is that fair?

[Colonel Mustard]

And good wood is more expensive, so the kids with money will still have better stuff. I don't know what a good wood bat costs, but I know that they all break. At $40 a piece, there is a good chance that a kid can go through 5-10 per season.

Pitchers dominate the AAABA now, is that what you mean by an even playing field?

[bleacherbum]

Somehow wooden bats were used exclusively for 130 years at all levels before metal bats came along. There were more leagues and more players and somehow they all could afford 5 to 10 bats a year.
Just my opinion
Pros and cons both ways.

[pas2326100]

Just to clear things up with legion baseball. Claysburg only had one kid from Hollidaysburg on there roster and he is too old now. He came to claysburg a couple years ago when Hollidaysburg didnt have a team nor did altoona and claysburg had openings. As far as NBC... they used to be part of claysburgs zone but claysburg dropped there team for a couple years back in the late 90's and Bedford picked up NBC. The only way NBC players could go back to CK is if bedford would release the territory which is never gonna happen. This year with Bedford cutting 16 players at tryouts... those kids could go elsewhere to the nearest team and play as long as that team had an opening. There was a call made to CK but they had 7 kids from there zone show up for 5 openings and you are not allowed to release a player from your zone to add a player from another zone which prevents unlimited recruiting and such. One of the cuts from Bedford is playing legion ball for Hollidaysburg this year because they had an opening on there roster. Also with the rule... any player who plays out of there zone because of being released must re-tryout for their zoned team in subsequent years and play there if selected.

[pas2326100]

Just a comment on the wood bats... As a coach and a parent of a pitcher , i love wood bats but dont like the added expense. Pa. legion baseball this year is down 32 teams over last year and willing to bet the majority of them are because of the added expense. I am very thankful for the money that i receive from my legion but it was only about 15% of what my total expenses are for the year and having to spend well over a thousand dollars for wooden bats hurt. Having a family and a job and working shift work takes its toll on time as it is and along with the feeling now of feeling like a produce salesman Huckstering for money takes alot of the fun out of it. Having watched more than my share of college, AAABA, High School and Legion games over the last so many years... BBCOR has done more than enough to change the game. Now if u really want to talk about bat issues attend some of our local little league games where you find people who have bats rolled and shaved and everything else and you see 65 pound kids launcing balls way out of the park at local fields. These young kids nowadays would never know how to survive if they had to use some of the clubs we used to have to hit with back in the day !!!!!

[knowitall]

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.

Amen. I've been saying that since the AAABA went back to wood. It has shortened the games though.

[Crimson's Ghost]

A good sponsor provides bats. Kids can still spend so much if they choose, but as a team we offered 12 or so bats for the kids to use. And they weren't all that cheap. Wooden bats come with warranties, so it's a down payment more less. If I breaks first time up, you can send it back. There may be less 17-12 games now, and I don't have a problem with that. I like seeig wooden bats used whether there be 0 or 10 future pros.

[knowitall]

"Good" sponsors are hard to find.

Wood bats have been obsolete in recreational leagues since 1976 or so.

[Colonel Mustard]

Hat's off to you pas, coaching is a thankless task, and having to be a fundraiser, and concession stand scheduler, and babysitter, etc... just makes it harder.

As I suspected, going to wood just adds to the expense, it doesn't save any money. More than likely legion and colt kids already have aluminum bats for their high school and college ball seasons.

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.