I have 6 sons. 2 from me & 4 stepsons. My son Isaiah and my stepson Manny (both 6 yrs.)in particular are built for baseball. They have a good arm, natural talent & a love for the game. I don't want to pressure them but I want to prepare them for the possibility of a major league career one day. I know it is competitive but I want them to be ready if and when the opportuniy arises one day. My husband is from the Dominican Republic and I am half Cuban Baseball is a very big part of our cultures. Our whole family are finatics for the sport me the Yankess & my husband the Mets. Although I am going to leave my husband for Pedro Martinez one day ha-ha. There is actually a guy playing for Milwakee from my husbands home town in the Dominican Republic and my girlfriend's husband is an owner of a Dominican team in the Domincan Republic. I just want to start now so that they have a chance in the future. Any ball players out there with suggestions.
214905
Practice with him. My dad starting teaching me how to play baseball as soon as I could walk. Right now I'm 13, I've played in two national tournaments and I am going to play in two more this year. My team is one of the best in Virginia, and its all because I started early. Also, I got a good hitting coach(rotational swing, never weight shifting. There are many people out there against rotational hitting, but its the best). But don't play with him so much that he gets burned out and bored of the game. That has happened to some of my friends and they were very talented. Also make sure he stays in shape.
322330
My husband is a big Mets fan, I'm Yankees, but like the Mets, too. They're hot, hot, hot like you say. I think they could go all the way this year, for sure!!\n\nP.S. To "Jumpin-whatever"... Reading and watching sports are all part of a well rounded life. Baseball gave me a much better understanding of statistics & how they work than I ever got from the course in college. Broaden your horizons, you can learn things in places other than books.
575337
Excellent catcher and hitter with a great future ahead of him in baseball!!\n\nGood luck!!
623876
What I would do if I were starting a selective 14-15 yr. old team would first be to spread the word of a tryout. Talk to nearby High School coaches and ask them for any athlete contacts. Put an add in the newspaper. Make lots of phone calls. Next, hold a tryout and assemble a team. Hold practices. Sign up for games to be played and tournaments to be played in. I'm not sure of the overall cost, but you could potentially get some sponsors to help shoulder the load. Most baseball tournaments are at least 200$ per team. Next is uniforms, travel, overnight stay, etc. Good luck with your team!
562869
When I was a kid playing tennis at our local park with my friends, I remember dreaming of the pro tour. We were all pretty decent players, but I remember going to my first big junior tournament. I ended up losing both the matches I played to kids in my age group. I then realized how much work was ahead of me. I spent the next few years going to junior clinics and private lessons. It was a great experience and I really improved. I never realized the dream of being on the pro tour that I had as a 12 year-old kid, but that's because I had to decide between devoting my life to tennis (spending hours per day on court and in lessons) or pursuing my education.\n\nThat being said, some kids are born with the special combination of hand-eye coordination and athletic ability that enables them to be a professional tennis player even if they pick up their first racquet at 16 years old. So, if your son started at 5, I wouldn't worry too much about that. Heck, even if he isn't dominating high school varsity players while still in middle school he can still make it to the pro tour. The secret is by being good enough to play D1 tennis. If he plays at the NCAA D1 level, he'll then have the chance to succeed, play in challenger tournaments, and gain an ATP ranking.\n\nHowever, if his dream is of being the next Federer, then he really should be dominating every tournament he enters on both the city-wide level, but also the USTA regional tournaments. He should be one of the top players in the state. If this isn't the case, he can still make it, but it's going to take lots of effort. Jim Courier is a good example of a former pro who wasn't blessed with a lot of physical ability, but through 'blood, sweat, and tears' was able to turn the ability that he did have into a style of play that led him to success on the pro tour.\n\nIf you want more information on tournaments--because they're really the key to becoming a pro player--then I recommend the USTA website. I'll include several links in the sources for you (a link to the USTA junior tournament page, to the USTA future champions page, and to the USTA sections page--where you'll be able to go to your region's website and find more information on regional and local tournaments).\n\nAnyway, I hope that everything works out, and that I was able to help.
167096
a sure fire way to get a good bat is when your looking at it do two things ...1. have him hold the bat straight out for 30 seconds with one hand all the way at the bottom of the bat it shouldn't be easy but it shouldn't be too hard. 2. find a place with alot of room in the store (near the bats) and have him swing the bat or at least go through the motion slowly. he needs a bat that comes to about his waist probably a little shorter then that.  those are the main points....if your son has played baseball before he will probably know when he has found the right bat.  if he hasnt then just get what he likes (as long as money isn't a real factor cause they can be preety expensive) and hope for the best...also if your in little league make sure the bat is aprooved for little league play ive accidentaly picked up softball bats (usualy heavier with longer sweet sposts) loved em and then looked at them and almost cried lol. if he has played and would like to develope a little more power there are a few tips that can help for starters pick a heavier bat and swing up slightly the heavier bat has to do with physics the more weight moving the easier it is to keep it going and the slight up swing meets the ball dead on making it easier to get the ball in the air (note only use those last 2 tips if he has played before and is looking for extra power they are hard for new players to do and a heavier bat will most likely mess up a beginner)  if he hasnt played go lighter then what most people might think it gives him a little more bat speed and bat control so it'll be better for him.  and two more things that i forgot to mention before are when he swings make sure he rotates his hips and folows through with everything else its something that really helps even beginners.  another thing is i really don't like buying bats off the internet although it can be done i think that a bat really needs to be felt befeor you can truely decide if its good or not but like i said it can be done and the bat im currently using is from the internet but i knew more or less what i was looking for (heavy and long) when your not sure what to look for buying a bat off the internet is a risky option.  by the way im 13 and im using a 33 inch 28 oz. bat.
571359
I am very good, not being conceited, but I received a full scholarship to IU and was invited to try out for the 1996 Olympic softball team, but I was pregnant and could not go. I am 34 and I am still a fast pitch catcher as well as shortstop on my co-ed team. I also bat clean up and have since I was 11. Why do you ask?
237708
Join the club... I live in Raleigh, but grew up about an hour from the Bronx in an Italian family.  I think I'd be disowned if I ever chose any other team.
112441
Wow, I thought my 15 was a lot. I've played three or four baseball league the past several years, but only one or two basketball and football leagues. I guess I need to step up and win more trophies!
290390
I really enjoy watching inter league play.  It affords me the opportunity to see some of the top NL players that I generally only hear about on Sportscenter.  It's also nice to see your team play in a different light.  If you are in the AL playing in an NL park, you get to see what your pitchers have at bat or how your DH plays at 1st Base etc...  I like it and I do not think it should change.
547297
It doesn't matter *where* he learns.  It matters *who* he learns from and who he learns *with.*\n\nIn other words, you want to send a seven year old to a place that has a good coach.  And good does not necessarily mean the most successful.  At this age, you want someone who encourages the kids to have fun and enjoy the game.  You don't need anyone who can hone the skills of advanced players, just someone with enthusiasm and a sense of fun that he can give to the kids.\n\nSo go to watch the leagues play.  See how the kids look.  Are they happy or do they look "driven"?  Play special attention to the kids from the losing teams.  Of course they will be disappointed, but are they enthusiastic about playing next time?  That's where you want your kid to play.\n\nGood luck!!
566687
Good Question:\n\nNL (starters):\nC: Johnny Estrada: 6HR, 45RBI, .315AVG\n1B: Pujols: no need for numbers\n2B: Chase Utley\nSS: Jose Reyes: tablesetter; he scares me.\n3B: D. Wright: his catch early season was sick...and he can hit.\nOF #1: Berkman\nOF#2: Beltran\nOF#3: Carlos Lee\nNL (2nd teamers)\nC: David Ross: 100 less AB's to McCann better numbers in everything except AVG.\n1B: Nomar\n2B: Dan Uggla\nSS: Freddy Sanchez\n3B: Miguel Cabrera: big numbers, small amount of protection in that lineup.\nOF#1: Andruw Jones\nOF#2: Soriano\nOF#3: Dunn: This is only because I really wanted to see him in the homerun derby. Holliday deserves it.\n\nSP: Brandon Webb\n\nAL starters: \n\nC: Mauer\n1B: Ortiz (Playing in NL park)\n2B: Least deserving all star postion on both leagues. I'll take Jose Lopez.\nSS: Tejada\n3B: A-Rod\nOF#1: Dye\nOF#2: Wells\nOF#3: Ramirez\n\nSP: Liriano: He has 1/2 the amount of starts as other pitcher and all of his numbers are top 10 or better. Plus if you're on the AL team and you have a shot at World Series Home field advantage do you really want Rogers 3.65+ ERA on the mound? Most of the NL has hit off of him several times. Liriano hasn't faced but a few of the NL hitters and most of them have seen him less than 5 times.\nAL Second stringers\nC: Ramon Hernandez: 15HR 61RBI--how many catchers have ever put up these numbers before all-star break?\n1B: Haffner or Thome? Gotta go Thome because of teams overall record.\n2B: Brian Roberts: if it was up to me Lopez would be my only true 2B.\nSS: Jeter: Glue that has held that team together after all of their injuries\n3B: Crede: I would take similiar RBI's and better defense compared to Glaus.\nOF#1: Crawford: I love extremely fast guys who hit for power and high average\nOF#2: Rios\nOF#3: Vlad: His defense puts him over Mags\n\n*****If the fans (including myself) continue to vote Paul laaaaaduca into the all-star game I say fans should wave their right to decide the starters. Secondly; one rep from each team should be abolished.
646005
I am a NY Mets (and baseball in general) fanatic.  Why you ask?  Ok, I'll illuminate for you...\n\nI really like all the intricacies of baseball, there are so many things to keep track of, that you can never get bored.  I love the Mets because I always know that in the summer, I have a place I can go to watch a game and meet up with like minded people who share my passion for my team.  It's a good conversation starter - I'm shy, and it really helps me pull out of my shell when I can talk to someone about baseball.  It's also a form of escapism to me, because I really love baseball on the radio.  I have XM, so I can listen to every game that is on, so if I'm having a bad day and a Mets game isn't on, I can listen to another game which will cheer me up.  Let's see, what else...I like the feeling I get when my team is winning, I love the suspense of the post season, and I like feeling like the players appreciate their fans.  It also makes me feel like I'm part of history a bit - my grandfather was a baseball player, my dad took me to games, and now I love baseball with my husband.\n\nAlso, in baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies mascot is called the Phille Phanatic.  I would love to see how he would answer this question - I would imagine he would say he gets paid to be a fanatic!  =D
663934
Yeah, it would be refreshing to see the U.S. play The Ivory Coast , or Poland in baseball. You want to watch the "WORLD SERIES", something that means something, wait till the Little Leaguers square off. Then you will see base played like it was meant to be played....between players who play for the fun of it.
463574
I don't want to burst your bubble but as other children mature they will tend to catch up in talent.  I've seen it many times in baseball and other sports... you'll see a kid that is a great pitcher in little league baseball that by the time he reaches high school will be passed by others.  Just let your child play and learn as much as possible while he matures and maybe he'll stay one step a head of the rest.
206807
All of them are American but my favorite is Baseball. Anyone can learn the rules and play. With the others it is too expensive for most to participate.
591158
As good a player as Wright is (and will be) let him concentrate on baseball and stay true to your Met loving husband.  I don't know you or your hubby but judging by his favorite baseball team I say you have excellent taste.  LET'S GO METS!!!!