Let's Try This Again: LIVE!!!

[Capt.Bryan]

No sir, I've been bowed up like a Lowe's 2x4! I'll check with Melinda tomorrow and see if her dad called Vernon.

That's pretty bowed. Lol

[Johnny]

My nephew was on the Mizuno top 100 prospect list as a freshman and blew out his elbow this past year and had to have Tommy John surgery. He will be out this season as a junior and hopefully be back strong for his Senior hear of highschool. Too many years of select and elite ball over the years.

Been playing travel/select ball with Colton since 9u. I got to coach for 3 of those years and got a front row seat in watching these talented boys play. In turn I got a front row seat to the ugly side of select ball like you mentioned. IMO, playing year round baseball is no bueno and some of these kids have been doing it since 6 yrs old. Colton's good friend Tyler ( the one he was hunting with over youth weekend) is one of them. Tyler cracked a bone (from overuse) in his elbow his freshmen year and had to have a 8 inch screw put in his elbow. The kid has been playing year round baseball since 5 years old???

Colton never played fall ball. That time was spent for hunting, family time and the holidays. He also took a couple good breaks from baseball and played golf. He lettered Varsity in baseball his freshman year and then lettered Varsity this past fall with Golf but everything has come full circle and he is now back to baseball. He found out on his own that tournament golf just wasn't his pace.

My point is, parents need to let their kids catch a dang break while their bodies are still growing and enjoy other things in life. I have seen way way way too many arm injuries and for what? None of that baseball even mattered! Sure, if the kid has talent, play on a select team to get better instruction but take it easy. If he really has the talent, let it count when it matters which is when they get into High School.

In turn, I got take some of these kids I coached and showed them there is more than life than baseball. I've taken them hunting, fishing, artifact hunting etc etc and they absolutely enjoyed every second of it.

[Johnny]

Camp went good. They kept my nephew and 2 other guys after the camp. We toured the campus and had a meeting with the head coach. Said he'd be in touch in a couple of days to discuss money offers.

Man that's awesome. You are talking about Trapper right? What school is he interested in playing for?

[jooger17]

Man that's awesome. You are talking about Trapper right? What school is he interested in playing for?

Yessir, it's Trapper. He told me yesterday, "I don't care where I play as long as I can play baseball." Getting scholarship money is so important it'll mean going to college or not. Weatherford College is where we were yesterday. It's JUCO but they've got a real solid program and its a pretty good school. Lots of talent leaves there and goes other places.

[Johnny]

Yessir, it's Trapper. He told me yesterday, "I don't care where I play as long as I can play baseball." Getting scholarship money is so important it'll mean going to college or not. Weatherford College is where we were yesterday. It's JUCO but they've got a real solid program and its a pretty good school. Lots of talent leaves there and goes other places.

That is GREAT! He's a big ol corn fed boy if I remember right and has serious power from the left side. Getting scholarship money is VERY important...college is NOT cheap! Good luck to him. Is he a senior this year? Also, he was really excelling in football last season. I'm guessing he'd rather play baseball than football at the next level?

[jooger17]

That is GREAT! He's a big ol corn fed boy if I remember right and has serious power from the left side. Getting scholarship money is VERY important...college is NOT cheap! Good luck to him. Is he a senior this year? Also, he was really excelling in football last season. I'm guessing he'd rather play baseball than football at the next level?

Yeah he's a monster. 6'2-3" ~235lbs. He dominated on the hill from 9-14 years old and his HS coach told him, "You don't look like a pitcher." He never pitched again until last week... Last week we threw in the pen on Monday and Thursday, he hit 85 yesterday with a NASTY curve and solid change up.

Then they saw him hit... Stiff 15+ winds blowing in and he dented the wall 3 times. Fielding was good and throwing across the field to 3rd was good. They're more interested in his bat, but the HC said, "Your pitching has me intrigued. If you haven't been on the mound in 3 years and you just hit 85, there's no reason not to believe with mechanics being tweeked you should be in the 90's."

[GarGuy]

Thats great news Steve. Sounds like he has their attention.

[SaltwaterSlick]

Thanks everyone for letting me tag along on these great hunts too! I really look forward to meeting up with some of you soon! East Texas is where my roots are and this thread just "feels good". Thanks to everyone. I too am waiting on that first little cool snap in Sept...

As far as High School sports, I did them all. If I had it all to do over again, I'd have stuck with baseball... football put me thru college, so I can't complain about that. But my first love was baseball. Good luck to all those just starting out in this.

Regarding scholarship money, I'd HIGHLY suggest you all check into trying to get a nomination to one of the 5 federal academies. Better yet, if you get the opportunity to attract the attention of any of their sports teams, try out there. That's what I did and I got not only a free education, but the opportunity to serve my country, meet great people from all over the 50 states that I am still in contact with, and as an 18 year old hayseed from East Texas, got to see the world before I was 21 years old... If I were y'all, I'd be writing letters now and have my coaches write letters and video to all these places. Start that your sophomore year, but it's not too late for Sr.'s either. I was 18 when I went to school, but many of my classmates were in their early to mid 20's... Dang good education and paid for!!!
Good luck fellows!

[Johnny]

So Jooger, tell me, what exactly is a pitcher supposed to look like? lol Yea, I remember you telling me that over at Garguy's house before we left for the afternoon hunt. I'm smh at that. Glad to hear things are lining up for him. If you ever pitch to him to let him get some swings in, make sure you got a dang L screen in front of you!lol Keep me up to date on his progress as time goes on. Good luck to him.

[jooger17]

So Jooger, tell me, what exactly is a pitcher supposed to look like? lol Yea, I remember you telling me that over at Garguy's house before we left for the afternoon hunt. I'm smh at that. Glad to hear things are lining up for him. If you ever pitch to him to let him get some swings in, make sure you got a dang L screen in front of you!lol Keep me up to date on his progress as time goes on. Good luck to him.

I can't throw at all anymore... Torn RC pulled me out shortly after high school. I'm more of a soft toss kind of guy these days lol

[C.Read]

Did the GTG die out?

[Quackerbox]

Did the GTG die out?

That or the invite went rouge[emoji3]

[bboswell]

That or the invite went rouge[emoji3]

We had a blast! Couldn't believe you weren't there

[Quackerbox]

We had a blast! Couldn't believe you weren't there

Dang and I had all those t-bone s

[d_e_smith]

So Jooger, tell me, what exactly is a pitcher supposed to look like? lol Yea, I remember you telling me that over at Garguy's house before we left for the afternoon hunt. I'm smh at that. Glad to hear things are lining up for him. If you ever pitch to him to let him get some swings in, make sure you got a dang L screen in front of you!lol Keep me up to date on his progress as time goes on. Good luck to him.

Besides Jooger, our district was full of skinny midgets chunking the rock.