Vlad4040 Baseball

Tribute to Gary Carter

2012-02-20T11:08:00.007-05:00

If you are an adult presently involved in youth baseball, you likely witnessed Gary Carter playing as an Expos. The thought of Gary playing in those powder blue uniforms automatically invokes nostalgia for the game of baseball in Canada.

Below you will find a link to a Youtube video from Carey Ashton and James Rankine (from N.D.G. baseball) who had compiled a wonderful tribute video of Gary Carter.

Why should youth baseball organizations across Canada honour Gary Carter?

•Gary was known as the 'Kid' and in many ways encapsules the love of the game that we as baseball organizers or coaches try to promote;

•Gary in many ways, represents BASEBALL in Canada;

•Gary made public his love for the game and for playing baseball in Canada;

•Gary was the first player to enter the baseball Hall of Fame as a representative of a Canadian team

I recommend you share this video with friends and family who grew up watching Gary play.

Adieu Gary!

Tim's Time

2011-12-30T12:33:00.003-05:00

I'm going a bit off topic (of youth baseball) with this post, but these are quiet times. And it's that time of year, when writers have to submit their Hall of Fame baseball ballot.

The "Rock" on 1981 Topps Traded

This coincides with an annual habit of mine, of sifting through the arguments (and sometimes, illogic) behind voters who continue to leave Tim Raines off the ballot.

Some, instead of admitting that they never really paid attention to Tim Raines as a Montreal Expos, they come up with ludicrous singular reasons for leaving him off the ballot. This one being one of my favorite preposterous reasons (by Ron Chimelas):

"But if Raines gets in because he is fifth in steals, what about Vince Coleman, who is sixth? That’s why I talked myself out of it.”

Vince Coleman never hit more than 6 home runs in a season, and finished with 28 for his career. While Raines hit double digits in home runs seven times and finished with 170 over his career. Another glaring difference ... Coleman had 1200 fewer hits than Raines.

Now consider for a second that Tim Raines wasn't just a speed-demon, but a 5 tool player. If he were to rank among the elite of the elite in these statistical categories, wouldn't you say that's pretty Hall-worthy?!

Well here's my take on making that point:

Other than Tim Raines, there are no players from the modern era that compiled a career of fewer than 1000 strike outs while having:

500+ SBs (Raines: 808)
2500+ Hits (Raines: 2605)
150+ HR's (Raines: 170)
900+ RBI's (Raines: 980)
----------------------------
<1000 K's (Raines: 966)

Not even his peers like Rickey Henderson (1694 K's) or Lou Brock (1730 K's) could match Tim's eye at the plate. To find players with those power & speed numbers and low strikeouts, these are the only names you'll find: Ty Cobb, Eddie Collins and Honus Wagner.

To read more on Tim Raines remarkable career goto: http://raines30.com/

My 2 heroes growing up.

IMPORTANCE OF OFF-SEASON TRAINING

2011-12-08T09:55:00.010-05:00

Did you know, the off-season is the best time to improve your baseball skills?

During the season, rightly or wrongly, there is more focus on games. While games are more enjoyable for kids, because our season is so short, they don't afford sufficient opportunity to work on proper mechanics.

BASEBALL IS ALL ABOUT REPETITION

There's a reason that kids who have predispositions towards familiarity and focused movements gravitate to baseball ... it's a sport that rewards (proper) repetitive movements.

While MLB'ers make the game look so easy, what the spectators and viewers fail to see or recognize is the hours upon hours they have put in, and their continued refinement of their mechanics. Every Major Leaguer works hours at a batting tee each day. They spend hours with their throwing or pitching motion. And like martial arts, where every movement has to be precise, the same is true with baseball mechanics.

AVOIDING REPEATING THE WRONG MECHANICS IS CRUCIAL

If from the beginning, young players don't learn the proper mechanics of fielding a ground ball, of fielding a pop-fly, of throwing a baseball, of delivering a pitch, of blocking balls behind the plater, they may never properly be able to do so. This is because of the muscle memory they have developped with the improper mechanics.

PROPER INSTRUCTION IS CRUCIAL

In Ottawa, we are fortunate to have indoor facilities & gymnasiums that allow organizations to run Winter baseball programs.

Your respective Little League offers quality programs (follow links in header). And if their timeslots are not convenient for you, check with a neighbouring League, as they may have remaining time slots available.

For older players (ages 13+) there are other opportunities for more advanced instruction. Former Pro-player, Mike Kusiewicz, offers programs, as does Larry Belanger with affiliation to Ottawa U, and there is the Eastern Ottawa Baseball Academy.

The OBA clubs also run their respective programs, such as the Ottawa Knights. They have experienced instructors who can offer excellent instruction for the competitive player. You don't need to be an OBA player to participate.

I encourage parents to do their research, ask questions, and find a program that suits your child and your finances.

Let's keep baseball in the hearts and minds of Canadians.

Bull Dogs Win 2011 Ottawa Royals Fall Ball

2011-10-17T09:55:00.006-04:00

Oct 16, 2011

Ottawa- The Bull Dogs, made up predominantly of Eastend baseball players, posted a 9-6 win over the Hicks, to take the inaugural 2011 Fall Ball season title. Congratulations to Coach Rob Romard and the boys for an exciting seven innings of play. The Hicks were coached by Bob Guy whose sense of humour always kept things light for his players.

Bull Dogs

Earlier in the day, the Ottawa Hammerheads (coached by Craig Alain), defeated the Dirt Bags (coached by Derek Guthrie) to finish third place in the consolation match. All four Fall Ball teams were evenly balanced, with both first round playoff games finishing 6-5.

It was a cold two day playoff round, but the jackets supplied to players came in handy. In the end, the sun poked through on Sunday and brought an appropriate ending to what was a nice short season. Best of all, new friends were made, hot dogs were consumed, and the enjoyment of the game was shared for a little bit longer.

Above: Ottawa Hammerheads & Ottawa Dirt Bags.

Ottawa Yankees

2011-10-05T11:27:00.000-04:00

Posted by: The Bull Dog Ken Gray

The New York Yankees are divesting themselves of their minor league baseball franchise ownerships and that might have an effect on who the tenant next year will be at Ottawa Stadium on Coventry Road.

Ballpark Digest is reporting that talk is circulating in minor league and Major League Baseball circles that would see the Yankees Triple-A affiliate move to Ottawa next year while the Scranton team’s stadium is under construction, then the Double-A Eastern League Erie SeaWolves would be moved to Ottawa in 2013:

Here’s a scenario floating around some baseball circles. Mandalay moves the SWB Yankees to Ottawa for a season. There are no issues to doing this: No team holds a lease for the facility for 2012 and beyond (the semi-pro Ottawa Fat Cats’ lease ended at the end of their 2011 season), and we’re guessing the city would love to have an affiliated tenant again.

After 2012, the Yankees return to PNC Field. Mandalay then shifts the Eastern League’s Erie SeaWolves to Ottawa and buys a NY-Penn League team to move to Erie. Erie is probably much better suited to be a short-season market, and Ottawa certainly would be a fine addition to the Eastern League. We’re not saying this is a firm plan or anything more than some important folks thinking out loud, but it’s certainly being floated around by some owners in the know. We expect a decision to come down the pike soon, though; 2012 is just around the corner.

We know that there are some Eastern League franchises about which minor league baseball is concerned. And we know that College Councillor Rick Chiarelli has been spearheading a drive to bring an affiliated (probably with the Blue Jays) Double-A team to Ottawa in 2014. We know that city officials have met in Mayor Jim Watson’s boardroom with an investment banker representing minor league ball clubs interested in selling a franchise to at least three Ottawa business interests. All parties are pleased with the progress to date.

A Shrinking Pie

2011-09-20T11:38:00.004-04:00

Instead of growing the pie, we are fighting over what remains of it.

Since my son first got interested in playing baseball, the silent battle between Leagues and organizations has plagued the growth of the sport. While they battle, the war has already been lost to soccer.

Compared to what I’ve seen of the other sports, the current structure for youth baseball is too restrictive and doesn’t promote the sport enough. There is not enough cooperation across organizations and as a result, grass-root efforts that often help resurrect dying sports, are improbable.

The organizations need to come together in an effort to cooperate in terms of recruitment, promotion, development and training. And it's not like the people involved in baseball aren't good people. They are all passionate people and have put in a lot of time and effort as volunteers. They just aren't seeing the big picture and are too defensive of what they've worked hard to build.

There needs to be a youth baseball summit in the Ottawa-Valley where cooperative strategies among representatives of organizations, leagues, and universities are discussed to help resurrect the sport.

Lastly, the city desparately needs a year-round indoor baseball facility where players can improve.

A place where fathers can bring their children to work on their batting, where pitching coaches can provide one on one instruction, where coaches can bring their teams for batting practice, where parents can host birthday parties.

Cartoon by Vlad4040

Fall Baseball in Full Swing

2011-09-19T07:42:00.000-04:00

Up until this year, Fall Ball was reserved for the elite older players who had an opportunity to extend the season with the Ottawa Knights or the Ottawa-Nepean Canadians by playing for either their 16U or 18U teams. However, with the organization by Andrew Beatty & Paul Villeneuve, this year players 13-15 were offered an opportunity to keep playing when their respective OBA or Little League seasons came to a close. What makes this appealing is that there is no travel and the teams are mixed to be even in strength. The baseball is high caliber even though the coaches recognize that the goal is not winning, but rather to give each player an opportunity to play.

A lot of work and planning went into this initiative, dating back to last Winter. To learn more, click on the Royals links above.

Ottawa University baseball gets going ...

2011-09-13T14:58:00.000-04:00

This Saturday is opening day for the University of Ottawa Gee Gee's baseball team.

We are very excited about our move this season to the Ottawa Baseball Stadium.

Our home dates are:

Saturday September 17 vs John Abbott
Saturday September 24 vs Concordia
Sunday September 25 vs McGill
Sunday October 2 vs Carleton.

All dates are double headers with the first game beginning at noon.

The players have been working hard to get ready for our season and hope to have lots of support in the stands.

I hope to see you there.

Thanks
Larry Belanger
Head Coach
University of Ottawa Gee Gee's Baseball

For more information, please go to: http://uottawageegeesbaseball.com/

Cooperstown Dream Park

2011-09-12T10:56:00.003-04:00

By Jeff Dever

jeff@dever.ca

This year's baseball season is over, but looking towards next year and would like to run an idea by all of you. There is a baseball tournament in Cooperstown NY that hosts teams of major aged players using similar rules to the CFR Last Hurrah tournament. But it is much more than a tournament, it's a week long baseball camp where all the players, coaches and umpires stay in barracks at the unbelievable baseball facility: 22 baseball diamonds, 100 team clubhouses/barracks, 20 batting cages, webcast games, pin trading, provided uniforms, a train ride to the Baseball Hall of Fame, fireworks, night games and lots of time for the kids to just be kids with each other.

http://www.cooperstowndreamspark.com/

One of the teams that played at the Pinecrest Summer Classic Tournament this year, the Adirondack All Stars, went to Cooperstown Dreams Park. While here, Adirondack played local teams from Kanata, Pinecrest and Orleans. Having played them myself and talking to the coaches and the kids, it really makes Cooperstown feel close to home. For us its about a 4 hour drive away near Syracuse NY. Another team to note is from North Langley BC, who fundraised over an entire year to raise $18,000 to also attend the tournament as one of 96 teams. It is very impressive in what this team was able to do in getting themselves so organized to be able to get to the tournament.

http://northlangleycanadians.com/index.php

Its not cheap, $800 per player which would probably ramp up to $1000 including much of the extras, but that does include accommodations in a full week of a once in a lifetime camp experience. It also requires team level organization: as a family you can go to disneyland, but to go to Cooperstown Dreams Park, you have to go as part of a baseball team. Its possible we could send a team from one league, a few leagues together, the district or the whole city - it all depends on who is interested and committed to make it happen.

So let's hear from you.

The curve ball: another study.

2011-08-24T16:01:00.001-04:00

Still unsure about your child adopting the curve ball? I don't think we've heard the end of this debate, but this is worth reading. In the end, I still think parents should error on the side of caution. I'd rather my child focus on being able to hit the four corners of the plate consistently with his fastball, before learning to throw a curve ball.

By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
August 3, 2011

A five-year study, recently concluded by the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina, found that the primary cause of arm injuries in youth baseball players was overuse. It also failed to show an increased risk of arm injury due to breaking pitches, such as curve balls.

“Some within the baseball community have advocated for a ban on curveballs,” Stephen D. Keener, President and Chief Executive Officer for Little League Baseball and Softball, said. “However, the study conclusions do not clearly support such a ban.

“Furthermore, a ban on breaking balls would not be simple to put into practice,” Mr. Keener said. “With such a wide range of aptitude and ability, it’s practically impossible to judge if any youth pitcher intended to throw a curveball or if that’s just how the ball came out of the pitcher’s hand. To task our dedicated volunteers with judging the type of pitch thrown is not only unfair, it would be impractical.”

Little League Baseball and Softball, the largest youth sports organization in the world, in collaboration with USA Baseball, the governing body of amateur baseball in the United States, and the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, conducted the study of pitching arm injuries in youth baseball.

Funding for the five-year study, which begin in 2006, was provided through a grant from the Yawkey Foundations.

“We are proud to support this study and recognize the need to further our understanding of the causes of arm injuries in youth baseball and the importance of protecting the health and wellbeing of its players,” James Healey, President of the Yawkey Foundations, said. “Little League’s ability to provide healthy opportunities for youth is important to the future of the sport and the Yawkey Foundations are pleased to be involved.”

An extensive overview of the study can be found at the Little League International web site at: http://www.littleleague.org/Assets/forms_pubs/media/UNCStudy.pdf.

The aim of the study, the first substantive research done in this area, was to describe the incidence and prevalence of pitching arm injuries and examine the risk factors.

The study used three different test groups – Little League pitchers (ages 8-13); high school-aged pitchers; and college-aged pitchers. The Little League test group consisted of 410 players who were followed for four years between 2006 and 2010. The test group from the high school level was made up of 293 players who were recruited in 2007 and followed for additional years. The college test group consisted of 629 players that were followed for two years beginning in 2008.

The pitchers were surveyed each year to assess their pitching methods, techniques, pain presence and injury occurrence. The factors acquired from the surveys were then analyzed to assess which of those factors influenced pitching injury risk.

The study produced several findings including the following: 1. The relationship between age, type of pitch and injury risk is complex, but there was no clear evidence that throwing breaking pitches at an early age was an injury risk factor; and; 2. The data showed the primary cause of arm injuries is overuse, not the type of pitch.

The study’s principal investigators were: Frederick O. Mueller, Ph.D., Dept. of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina; Stephen W. Marshall, Ph.D., Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina; and the late Dr. Barry Goldberg, a former member of the Little League International Board of Directors, and Director of Sports Medicine for Yale University’s Health Services, who championed this study.
In 2008, Little League Baseball became the first national youth baseball organization to adopt the pitch count, instead of the number of innings pitched, as the basis for its pitching rules.

“Even if Little League were to find a practical way to ban curveballs in our program, they would remain a part of the game for children playing outside our program, as they have been for decades,” Mr. Keener, a Little League graduate, said. “For coaches and parents, armed with the information in this report, the decision on when and how to teach the curveball is a matter of preference and education.”

Little League has relied on the expert advice and counsel of Dr. James Andrews, Founder and Medical Director of the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI); and Dr. Glenn Fleisig, Research Director at ASMI for the development of its groundbreaking pitch count rules. Dr. Andrews, who currently serves on the Little League International Board of Directors, and Dr. Fleisig are two of the world’s most knowledgeable and respected authorities on pitching injuries.

Ottawa Blue Jays? AA Coming in 2013?

2011-08-16T16:03:00.001-04:00

This story originally posted in the Ottawa Citizen on Aug 15, 2011 by Ken Gray:

Negotiations are moving ahead very quickly on Ottawa obtaining a Double-A minor pro baseball franchise by either 2013 or 2014.
A large U.S. investment banking company representing a Double-A franchise met with city staff, College Councillor Rick Chiarelli, and representatives of Mayor Jim Watson’s office recently at Ottawa City Hall and Chiarelli said he was surprised and pleased with the progress made at the meeting.

Chiarelli said Watson is “cooperative in finding a suitable tenant” for the 10,000-seat Ottawa Stadium on Coventry Road.

Two serious local bidders with deep pockets are trying to land the Double-A franchise with one peripheral Ottawa bidder kicking tires on the proposal. Chiarelli declined to name the bidders or the investment banker for fear of jeopardizing negotiations.

The ownership of the franchise is still to be determined. One Toronto interest and a U.S. party have expressed interest in being majority owners of the new team, partnering with the local candidates. However, the local bidders might simply run the team alone, Chiarelli said, because they have substantial financial resources.

The parties to the negotiations recently attended an Ottawa Fat Cats game and were pleased to see large crowds at the semi-pro Intercounty Baseball League games. That bodes well for attendance at the much higher level Double A games. All parties have expressed interest in affiliating with the Toronto Blue Jays farm system.

The Jays are unable to comment on the negotiations for fear of breaking tampering rules though Chiarelli said Toronto officials are very aware of the superb facility in Ottawa. In the past, Blue Jay officials have said they are interested in the general concept of bringing minor-league baseball back to Canada and Ottawa has the best facility in Canada for that. Already, the Jays have moved their Single-A affiliation to Vancouver. Double A is the second highest level of minor league baseball and is the place where star prospects are nurtured for Major League Baseball careers.

“There is a high likelihood there will be a competitive offer to locate a team here and use the stadium,” Chiarelli said Monday.

Chiarelli expects the city will hold a competitive bidding process to use the stadium.

Think of what this could do to help pump some blood into youth baseball registration. This coupled with East Nepean hosting the 2015 Canadian Little League Championships and the Blue Jays on the upswing and a possible All Star in Canadian Brett Lawrie, will all help towards generating interest in baseball for the youth of Ottawa.

EAST NEPEAN EAGLES: A Program to be proud of, yet one that enjoys an unfair advantage.

2011-07-13T16:49:00.132-04:00

July 2011: East Nepean just captured their 8th consecuitve Little League District Championship (Majors).

So far, their team is undefeated in the regular season, with a run diffential of 12+ runs per game. Earlier this month, they captured 1st place at the 2011 Del Harper classic in Perth.

Here are the last time the other District 2 teams won the Championship at Majors:
Kanata in 2003 (8 years ago)
Pinecrest in 1997 (14 years ago)
CFR in 1990 (21 years ago)

This year, East Nepean captured the District Championship at every level. Their summer teams from Minor through Junior are a combined 12-2 with a run differential of 170-41 (9.2 run difference per game).

Their success is a testament to their well run program, from organizers to coaches, to parent involvment and player committment. But it is also a testament to the unfair advantage they are allowed to enjoy.

If you think District 2 is no different from any other District in Ontario, where 1 team is allowed to dominate, think again. As of 2010, in District 1, there has been 3 different winners in the past 4 years. In District 3, there has been 6 different winners in the past 8 years. In District 7, there has been 4 different winners in the past 6 years.

So why are things so unbalanced in District 2?

The first thing has to do with the current demographics. Two of the Leagues are land-locked by their boundaries. Meaning there is no growth potential. Pinecrest and CFR are centrally located in mature communities with either higher cost housing (meaning fewer young families) or poorer intercity families that don't register in organized sports. This means a diminishing pool of players to draw upon, and no new facilities or diamonds forthcoming in these communities by developers or the city.

The benefits of having a large (and growing) recruiting base are numerous and compounding:

allows for greater registration
allows for the development of coaches and players
allows for formal off-season training programs, because there is enough players to draw upon
means greater financial resources, to pay for these facilities and programs
allows for a greater pool of volunteers to draw upon for establishing a strong and established executive committee.
means winning championships which fuels pride in the program.

All of the above have been on the decline for years (with the odd hickup here or there) in land-locked leagues. The history of success these leagues enjoyed are far in the past and no longer in the minds of the few volunteers who struggle to keep the programs alive.

IMO, there are 3 options to deal with the problem:

1) re-draw the boundaries
2) amalgamate the 2 land-locked leagues
3) do nothing ... and eventually one of the 2 leagues will fold (like West Carleton and Arnprior)

Redrawing the boundaries doesn't really seem fair, if it means East Nepean losing players they currently have, especially if they can accommodate them all (and not refuse registrations).

Having CFR and Pinecrest merge allegedly would bring on the ire of the old establishment. But maybe the threat of a merger is what is needed to happen to get "them" back involved in helping promote, recruit and attract sposnsorship to re-energize the Leagues.
Eventually, I suspect that one of the Leagues will inevitably fold and then the other League will be given a reprieve.
But while we wait this out, what else can District 2 do to help the smaller/poorer Leagues?

How about a cooperative District wide off-season program that is open to all Leagues in District 2?

How about D2 petitioning that Little League adopt a rule change, whereby any player who is declined to play on the A team of one of the Leagues, can then be placed on another A team (in need of players) and be permitted to play in Districts and then have the option to be grandfathered in that League?

I understand that the youth Football leagues in Ottawa work jointly together and allow for players to be released from teams so that they can be placed on teams with smaller registration numbers.

Why would East Nepean have a vested interest in the success of its rivals? Simple: playing stronger competition makes them stronger (and better prepared for Provincials).

"Field of Dreams" with the Ottawa Fat Cats

2011-06-21T10:21:00.006-04:00

If you are the coach of a youth baseball team, I recommend you organize a Field of Dreams outting with the Ottawa Fat Cats.

This past Father's Day, my son's T-ball coach, Russell Lapointe organized a Field of Dreams event. Russ booked the event through Davyd Balloch, the Sales Director of the Fat Cats organization.

The T-ball players gathered in the seats behind the back stop and watched the players warm up. Once the warm-up was completed, the players were invited on to the field to meet the players. All the players were exceptionally gracious in speaking to the players and making the younger ones feel comfortable. Then each player (T-ball & Fat Cats) in the lineup were introduced and they ran on to the field. There they stood for the singing of the National anthem.

My son didn't really understand why he was there, but he knew it was significant. It's nice to be there as a parent, and watch moments like these happen. These are happy memories that will forever be etched in their minds when they think back on their youth.

As for the actual baseball game, it was probably secondary for the kids, but if you enjoy your baseball, only a trained eye will pickup that these aren't Major League Baseball players. The skill level of these players is outstanding.

If there is a better value for a family excursion than taking in a Fat Cats game during the summer, I'd like to know.

THANK YOU OTTAWA FAT CATS PLAYERS!!!

On behalf of the Tball players,
Pinecrest Little League

To Tier, Or Not to Tier, that is the question, or is it?

2011-05-31T12:05:00.013-04:00

Is it time for some of the smaller Little League associations to consider tiered baseball for Spring? Or maybe the entire system should be reviewed.

This conversation pops-up every year around this time. You see players who have been playing Little League for a number of years who still have not grasped (or been taught) the basic fundamentals. You also see the growing disparity in abilities at every age level (from Coach-Pitch to Majors). There are players in Majors who would be better suited in coach-pitch and conversely players in Minors that would excel in Majors.

I think in order to figure out what system is best for our local Little Leagues, we should ask the fundamental question: what is the goal of Little League?

Is it to win the League Little World series? Well, of course, not. That would be like saying, my retirement strategy is to win the Lottery. In fact, for a Canadian team, the odds of winning the Little League World Series are likely worse than your odds of winning lotto 6-49.

However, in many ways, Little Leagues in Canada, structure their entire programs with that aim in mind?! The structure of Spring baseball is based around eligibility for the Summer District playdowns (dates/times/schedule/practices for spring are all based around District play eligibility). The irony is that only a handful of Spring players, play Summer. The spring baseball is rushed and there isn't much time for practices before the season is over.

I think the goal of Little Leagues should be to attract, retain and develop youth baseball players.
In order for this to happen, baseball needs to be fun.

So how do you make it fun?

First, you remove/reduce the 'fear' factor.
Second, you increase the 'game play' and the pace of games.
Third, you find an appropriate balance of development vs game play.
Fourth, and most importantly, you taylor the teaching and game-play to the appropriate skill level.

So how do you accomplish this? There's likely a number of possible solutions to restructure the existing system.

Here's one approach:

You re-group levels according to age + ability and allow overlapping ages:

Development 1 (4-6)
Development 2 (6-9)
Gameplay 1 (8-11)
Gameplay 2 (9-12)

You conduct 2 separate sort-outs based on age. Players ages 4-7 attend a sort-out together and players ages 8-12 attend a sort-out together.
Players are assigned to the 4 levels above based on a combination of age, abilities and knowledge of the game.
Players are assigned to the Gameplay levels first. There must be a minimum of 2 teams at these respective levels. Then players are spread among the other levels appropriately.
For Development 1 + 2, there are 30 minute practices before the start of each game. There are 2 games each week. An extra practice may be scheduled.
For teams in D1, they use a batting T for the first half of the season, then move to a pitching machine. For teams in D2, they use a pitching machine for the entire season.
The season for Development 1+2 runs May - July. Players playing D2, may be used as call-ups for summer baseball teams.
A standard, League-wide practice plan is developed and followed by all teams for Development 1+2.
For Gameplay 1+2, there is a minimum 12 game schedule.
For Gameplay the spring season runs May - June. Players pitch at these levels. Practices are scheduled on separate days from game days.
Players playing Gameplay levels are eligible to play Summer baseball (A or B), but upper age limits must be respected for A teams.

You run this program for 3-5 years and then you measure its effectiveness. Your measurements are enrollment, retention rate, and summer participation.

I think its time to try a new approach.
Let me know your thoughts.

Learn from the Pros

2011-05-16T15:39:00.002-04:00

Pinecrest Little League has been awarded the host site for the Blue Jays Baseball Academy in Eastern Ontario.

The Toronto Blue Jays are offering a 1 day instructional clinic here in Ottawa. It is being offered to ALL Little League players from the area. Pinecrest Little League is the host site.

Qualified Toronto Blue Jays instructors will be here on Saturday, June 11 at 1:00 PM to run a 4 hour clinic for Little League players ages 8-14. During the clinic each group will rotate stations that will deal with skills such as: hitting, receiving, throwing, fielding, pitching and baserunning.

Clinics cost $40 per participant
All players will receive a Blue Jays hat and t-shirt
Participation is open to both boys and girls.
Participants must be between the ages of 8 and 14 to participate.
Participants should arrive in appropriate workout attire, running shoes and bring a baseball glove.
Space is limited.

Click here to register for the Blue Jays clinic, and click on "Register Now" button for the June 11th clinic.

PITCHING RULES

2011-05-02T11:09:00.000-04:00

PITCH COUNT + CATCHING RULES

There is always confusion about pitch counts during the spring because Leagues often introduce stricter pitching rules (max innings or max pitches). Regardless of this, these are the days of rest that must be observed.

PITCHERS LEAGUE AGE 14 AND UNDER MUST ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING REST REQUIREMENTS:

IF A PLAYER PITCHES 66 OR MORE PITCHES IN A DAY, AT LEAST FOUR (4) CALENDAR DAYS OF REST MUST BE OBSERVED BETWEEN OUTINGS.

IF A PLAYER PITCHES 51-65 PITCHES IN A DAY, AT LEAST THREE (3) CALENDAR DAYS OF REST MUST BE OBSERVED BETWEEN OUTINGS.

IF A PLAYER PITCHES 36-50 PITCHES IN A DAY, AT LEAST TWO (2) CALENDAR DAYS OF REST MUST BE OBSERVED BETWEEN OUTINGS.

IF A PLAYER PITCHES 21-35 PITCHES IN A DAY, AT LEAST ONE (1) CALENDAR DAY OF REST MUST BE OBSERVED BETWEEN OUTINGS.

IF A PLAYER PITCHES 1-20 PITCHES IN A DAY, NO CALENDAR DAY OF REST IS REQUIRED.

A lot of people think 40 is the magic number, partly because in the past, 40 was the magic number for 2 days rest requirement. That is no longer the case. The only reason 40 pitches is important, is if you want your pitcher to catch afterwards, they may not pitch in excess of 40 pitches.

Also, any catcher who have caught for 4 or more innings cannot pitch for the remainder of that calendar day.

MAX PITCHES PER DAY BASED ON AGE

LEAGUE AGE

13-16 -------- 95 PITCHES PER DAY

11-12 -------- 85 PITCHES PER DAY

9-10 --------- 75 PITCHES PER DAY

7-8 --------- 50 PITCHES PER DAY

2011-05-01T10:22:00.007-04:00

COACH EVALUATION FORM

Pinecrest Little League seeks to continually improve and provide a more rewarding experience for our players and families, and we ask for your input. The league appreciates the great people who volunteer to manage/coach our children. We would not have a league without them. However, we also need to develop our team managers/coaches just as we do our players, and would like your thoughts about the coach of your team this season. Please take some time to provide your assessment of your child’s current team coach.

We need you to be candid and thoughtful in your response, which will be held in strict confidence.

We will consolidate all the feedback and use it in 2 ways:
1. the manager selection committee will use it to select managers next season,
2. as feedback to help each manager/coach understand where they can improve.

This evaluation form is only open to Pinecrest Little League families whose children played during the 2011 Summer Season.

You must enter your 3-digit code (supplied to you by the League).

Thank you,
Wayne Hendsbee
President, Pinecrest Little League

Rule Myth Busters Part I

2011-04-26T13:04:00.001-04:00

Even the most seasoned coach gets some of these wrong. Take a look, you'll be surprised at the proper rulings.

Myth # 1 The hands are considered part of the bat.

The hands are part of a person's body. If a pitch hits the batter's hands the ball is dead, period. If the pitch is swung at and it hits the hands (or any part of the body), a strike is called (NOT a foul) and the ball is dead for striking the batter’s person. If the batter was avoiding the pitch, the batter is awarded first base, as long as the batter was not struck while the ball was in the strike zone.
LL Playing Rules: 2.00 Definition of Terms: PERSON, TOUCH, STRIKE (e)

Myth # 2 If a batter does not swing and is struck by a pitch, the batter automatically is awarded first base.

If the batter is struck by a pitch that is in the strike zone, the pitch is a strike and the batter is not awarded first base (hit-by-pitch).

LL Playing Rules: 2.00 Definition of Terms: STRIKE: (f)

Myth # 3 The batter-runner must turn to his right after over-running first base.

The batter-runner may turn in any direction after overrunning first base as long as he/she returns to the base immediately. If an attempt is made to go to second base, the runner can be tagged out. This is a judgment made by the umpire.
LL Playing Rules: 7.08(c) (j)

Myth # 4 If a batted ball hits the plate first it's a foul ball.

The plate is in fair territory. There is nothing special about it. If a batted ball hits it, it is treated like any other batted ball.
LL Playing Rules: 2.00 Definition of Terms: Fair Territory

Myth # 5 The batter cannot be called out for interference if he/she is in the batter's box.

The batter's box is not a safety zone. A batter could be called out for interference if the umpire judges that interference could or should have been avoided.

The batter is protected while in the box for a short period of time. After the batter has had time to react to the play he/she could be called for interference if he/she does not move out of the box and interferes with a play.

Many people believe the batter's box is a safety zone for the batter. It is not. The batter MAY be called out for interference although he/she is within the box. The key words, impede, hinder, confuse or obstruct apply to this situation.

An umpire must use good judgment. The batter cannot be expected to disappear. If he/she has a chance to avoid interference after he/she has had time to react to the situation and does not, he/she is guilty. If he/she just swung at a pitch, or had to duck a pitch and is off-balance, he/she can't reasonably be expected to then immediately avoid a play at the plate. However, after some time passes, if a play develops at the plate, the batter must get out of the box and avoid interference.
LL Playing Rules: 2.00 Definition of Terms: INTERFERENCE (a), 6.06(c)

Myth # 6 The ball is dead on a foul tip.

There is nothing foul about a foul-tip. If the ball nicks the bat and goes sharp and direct to the catcher's hand or glove and is legally caught, this is a foul tip by definition. A foul tip is a strike and the ball is live. Base-runners may steal on a foul-tip. It is the same as a swing-and-miss. If the ball is not caught, it is a foul ball. If the nicked pitch first hits the catcher somewhere other than the hand or glove, it is not a foul tip. It is a foul ball. If the event of a foul tip, the umpire should not verbalize the word “foul” in any manner. Since the ball is still live and runners may advance at their own risk, verbalizing the word “foul” or “foul tip” would have a tendency to stop all action since a foul ball is a dead ball. The proper way to indicate a foul tip is to simply signal the foul tip and then signal strike.
LL Playing Rules: 2.00 Definition of Terms: FOUL TIP, STRIKE (g)

Myth # 7 The batter may not switch batter's boxes after two strikes.

The batter can switch boxes at any time, provided he/she does not do it after the pitcher is ready to pitch. The purpose of this rule (not switching after the pitcher is in position ready to pitch) is so that the batter does not confuse the defense. Defenses often set up differently depending on whether a batter is right or left-handed.
LL Playing Rules: 6.06(b)

Myth # 8 The batter who batted out of order is the person declared out.

Who is called out and what is done depends on when the appeal is made. There are three different timeframes when the appeal occurs.

- The first is when an appeal is made while the improper better is still at the plate. In this case, the proper batter simply replaces the improper batter and resumes whatever ball/strike count the improper batter had attained.

- The second timeframe is an appeal after the improper batter has completed his/her turn at bat, but before the very first pitch to the next batter (or very next play or attempted play). In this case, the proper batter (the one who should have batted) is declared out and the next batter is the batter who follows the proper batter. The improper batter’s at-bat is nullified and any advances made on the final pitch are nullified. In this case, the next batter may be the same exact batter who just batted improperly. Example: The first two batters of the 2nd inning are supposed to be, in order, Alvin and Bobby. Bobby bats first (improperly) and singles. The defensive team realizes that Alvin was supposed to be the first batter and appeals before the first pitch to the next batter. The umpire will declare Alvin out, because he failed to bat in turn (he was the proper batter). Bobby’s single will be nullified because of a ball batted by an improper batter and Bobby will come to the plate again, because he is the next proper batter.

- The third timeframe is when the out-of-turn batter is appealed after his/her at bat is completed and a pitch is made to the next batter before the appeal (or a play is attempted or made before the appeal). In this case, no one is declared out. Once the next pitch is made to a batter after an improper batter, the batter who batted out of turn becomes what the rules call a “legalized improper batter.” The next batter to a legalized improper batter will be the next person up in the order after the legalized improper batter. No action will be taken, in this instance, other than to assure the official scorebook is properly marked and up to date.
LL Playing Rules: 6.07

Myth # 9 The batter may not overrun first base when he/she gets a base-on-balls.

OVERRUN FIRST BASE RULE MYTH

The Playing Rules simply state that a batter-runner must immediately return after overrunning first base. It doesn't state any exceptions as to how the player became a runner. It could be a hit, walk, error, or dropped third strike.
LL Playing Rules: 7.06 (c) Exception
The Right Call - Casebook of Little League Baseball (2004) Page 30 Comment

Myth #10 The batter is out if he/she starts for the dugout before going to first after a dropped third strike (Junior, Senior & Big League Only).

The batter may attempt first base anytime prior to entering the dugout or a dead ball area. First base must be unoccupied before 2 outs, or if there are two outs, first base can be occupied.
LL Playing Rules: 6.09(b) NOTE

Myth #11 If the batter does not pull the bat out of the strike zone while in the bunting position, it's an automatic strike.

A strike is an attempt to hit the ball. Simply holding the bat over the plate is not an attempt.

A bunt is a batted ball not swung at, but INTENTIONALLY met with the bat and tapped slowly.

The key words are "intentionally met with the bat"

If no attempt is made to make contact with a ball outside the strike zone while in the bunting stance, it should be called a ball. An effort must be made to intentionally meet the ball with the bat.
LL Playing Rules: 2.00 Definition of Terms: Bunt,
The Right Call – Casebook of Little League Baseball (2004) Page 7 Bunt Comment 2

Myth #12 The batter is out if his foot touches the plate.

To be out, the batter's foot must be ENTIRELY outside of the batter’s box when he/she contacts the pitch and the ball goes fair or foul. He/she is not out if he/she does not contact the pitch. There is no statement about touching the plate in the LL Playing Rules. The toe could be on the plate and the heel could be touching the line of the batter’s box, which means the foot is not entirely outside the box.
LL Playing Rules: 6.06(a)

Myth #13 The batter-runner is always out if he/she runs outside the running lane to first base after a bunted ball.

The runner must be out of the lane AND cause interference. He/she is not out simply for being outside the lane. The running lane (to first base) is defined as the area between the foul line and the three feet to the right of it, usually designated by chalk lines, for the last half of the between home plate and first base. Runners are required to run in this lane, if a ball is being fielded to first base.

Keep in mind that he/she could be called for interference even while in the lane. If a fielder is fielding a ball inside of the running lane, the runner must avoid contact with the fielder, even if they need to run outside of the lane.

If he/she is out of the lane the last half to the base and is hit with a quality throw, he/she should be out. Please understand that the fielder must make the throw and it must be a quality throw. If the fielder gives up because he/she sees the runner in the way and doesn’t make the throw, then you do not have interference. Also, simply throwing the ball into the runners back or over the fielder’s head will not be interference because it wasn’t a quality throw to the first base.
LL Playing Rules: Definition of Terms: 2.00 Interference, 6.05(j), 7.09(k)

Myth #14 A runner is out if he/she high-fives the coach while rounding third base (or first base), after a homerun is hit over the fence.

The rule states that if a coach physically assists a runner in returning to or advancing from first or third base by touching or holding him/her, it is interference.

Examples: If the runner falls over and the coach helps them up while the ball is in play, it is interference.

If the coach touches the runner at the point of a catch by an outfielder, to indicate when to tag up, it is interference.

If a coach physically grabs and stops a player from proceeding to the next base, it is interference.

The coach is not assisting a player if they exchange high fives on a home run.
LL Playing Rules: 7.09(i)
The Right Call – Casebook of Little League Baseball (2004): Page 31 Play 7-14

Myth #15 Tie goes to the runner.

There is no such thing in the world of umpiring. The runner is either out or safe. The umpire must judge out or safe. It is impossible to judge a tie.

Myth #16 The runner gets the base he/she's going to, plus one on a ball thrown out-of-play.

When a fielder throws the ball into a dead ball area, the award is two bases. The award is from where the runners were at the time of the pitch if it is the first play by an infielder or pitcher acting as a fielder. On all other plays into dead ball area, the award is from where each runner was physically positioned (last base attained) at the time the ball left the throwers hand. If the ball was a pitch or an attempted pick-off (anything thrown from the position of the pitcher’s plate), and the ball goes into dead ball area, the award is one base. Exception: If all runners, including the batter-runner have advanced at least one base when the infielder makes a wild throw on the first play, the award shall be governed by the position of the runners at the time of the wild throw. Please understand that awards are based from the base last attained by the runner, not the fact that they were within a few feet of the next base. It doesn’t matter how close to the next base the runner was, you always award based upon last base attained at the time of the pitch or the time of the throw.
LL Playing Rules: 7.05(g) (h)

Myth #17 Runners may never run the bases in reverse order.

In order to correct a base running mistake (such as missing a base), the runner MUST retrace his steps and retouch the bases in reverse order (If the ball is dead and the runner has touched the next base beyond the missed base, the runner may not return to touch the missed base. This might occur on a homerun or a ground-rule double). In a tag up situation, if the runner must return to a base, the runner must retrace his/her steps and retouch the bases in reverse order. The only time a runner is out for running in reverse is when he/she is making a travesty of the game or tries to confuse the defense. You might ask if a runner can reverse his/her direction to touch a missed base after the ball is dead. The answer is yes, as long as they haven’t touched the base beyond the one missed. Of course, in order to be declared out for missing a base, you must have a proper appeal by the defensive team, otherwise the play stands.
LL Playing Rules: 7.08(i), 7.10(b)

Myth #18 The runner must always slide when the play is close.

There is no "must slide" rule. When the fielder has the ball in his/her possession and is waiting to tag the runner, the runner has two choices; slide OR attempt to get around the fielder. He/she may NOT deliberately or maliciously contact the fielder, but he/she is NOT required to slide.

If the fielder does not have possession but is in the act of fielding, and contact is made, it is a no-call unless the contact was intentional and malicious. No league can implement a “must slide rule.”
LL Playing Rules: 7.08(a)(3)

Myth #19 The runner is always safe when hit by a batted ball while touching a base.

The bases are in fair territory. A runner is out when hit by a fair batted ball while touching a base, except when hit by an infield-fly or after the ball has passed a fielder and no other fielder had a play on the ball.

If the runner is touching first or third, he/she is not out unless the ball touches him over fair territory. If one foot is on the base and the other is in foul ground and he/she is hit on the foul ground foot, he/she is not out. It is a foul ball. Does this mean that a runner must vacate a base when the ball is about to hit them? No – if the runner can show that they are trying to get out of the way of the fielder and still maintain touch with the bag – and they do not interfere with the fielding of the ball, the runner can maintain touch with the bag. Again, you must have interference in order to call interference.
LL Playing Rules: 5.09(f), 7.08(f)

Thanks to Jeff Frese for this article. JeffFrese.umpire@gmail.com / http://www.stocktonumpires.com/Baseball_Rule_Myths.htm

A Parent's Perspective

2011-04-08T12:54:00.005-04:00

I'd like to share some tidbits about Little League that I've learned over the years:

Your Return
I was once told that when owning a pet, you will get from them, what you invest in them. Similiarily, your child will get from baseball what you invest in them and the sport. That means, if you want the experience to be positive, do your part. That could mean, volunteering to coach, making sure they attend practices, or getting them to games early.

Learn about the sport, online. Go on youtube and type "fielding ground balls" or "batting instruction". There are great instructional videos that you can watch and then teach your child.

Also, outfit your child properly. That means buying them a pair of baseball pants and some cleats. If you don't have much money, you can find cheap used cleats (soccer will do) at used sporting stores. It's also important to find them a good quality baseball glove. You can read more on gloves in a prior post of mine.

Your Child's Confidence
Anyone can kick a ball with little direction, but catching a baseball doesn't come naturally. Spend time playing catch with your child. By doing this regularly, you will improve their confidence and ability. Your child won't learn to catch from playing games and attending the odd practice. They will learn by playing catch with you. Repetition is the key to this sport.

Someone once said, "Look at that kid! Is he ever talented." And the other person said, "That's not talent. That's the result of hard work."

Your Role
At games, remember your role. If you are not a volunteer coach or umpire, you are a fan. Cheer the players on and respect the umpires calls. If there are youth umpires, keep in mind that they are doing their best. Don't shout out calls from the stands or complain about their calls. One day, it might be your child who is that umpire that parents are shouting at.

Your League
Your League is run entirely by volunteers. If something isn't running smoothly, take the time and contact your respective VP or the League President. It could be they are not aware of a problem. If you have ideas, step forward. The League is always looking for help and ways to improve the experience.

A simple sport?

2011-04-08T11:54:00.002-04:00

Baseball? How hard can it be?
You throw the ball! You hit the ball! You catch the ball! (Skip from Bull Durham)

While most of us parents grew up playing baseball with hardly any (proper) instruction, there is a lot more to the game. To learn more, so that you can pass it along to your kids and their friends, District 2+6 is offering a free baseball coaching clinic.

The clinic is called "TEACHING FOR TOMORROW" and is presented by Al Herback.

Al Herback

Al has a great way at making leaning, fun. It's not a dry, classroom style course. I'd recommend that all new & experienced coaches attend. And if you are a parent of a child who is just starting out at T-ball and may be interested in helping out, please take the time to attend.

You do not need to pre-register, however, it's always worthwhile giving your League representatives a heads-up.

There is an early morning clinic for T-ball, followed by an afternoon clinic for Rookie through Majors.

Here are the details ...

Saturday, 30th of April, 2011

9:00 AM to 12:00 PM for T-Ball coaches

1:00 PM to 4:00 PM for Rookie, Minor and Major coaches

Coaches of older players may attend too, but the sessions are geared more towards the younger players.

At the Arch Street Public School in Ottawa South, on Arch Street next to the Canterbury Community Center and the Brian Kilrea Arena.

Bring gloves, as this becomes interactive (and fun!). And bring some cash as you might end up being interested in purchasing additional training materials. Instead of an admission fee, Food bank donations are being accepted.

Volunteering to Coach?

2011-04-08T11:16:00.000-04:00

Congratulations on volunteering to coach. Each League conducts their affairs a bit differently, but generally speaking here is what will be involved.

Upfront:

· The VP or Convenor for each respective level will organize & conduct sort-outs just prior to the start of the season. Coaches may be invited to attend this and/or asked to help out. The idea of sort-outs is to equally distribute the players. From the sort outs, you should be given your roster with contact information.

· Your first order of business is to contact the players and introduce yourself and arrange a first meeting/practice. There you can hand out the caps + jerseys (if you have already received from the League). Baseball pants, belts & sox are to be purchased by parents. Grey baseball pants are recommended as they don't share the wear/dirt like white pants and they aren't as hot as black and they go with most colours. Shorts are forbidden at games (but may be used at practices where sliding won't be involved). Players must have protective cups + batting helmets.

· Usually team baseball equipment bags are provided by the League.

· The equipment provided will include bats, catcher’s equipment, game & practice balls, first-aid kit.

· For levels where umpires are used (usually Minor and up), home team will need to bring the umpire bag. At the lower levels, the umpire is often a designated parent by the home team.

· Read the League rules – receive them from the League President or go to the District website.

Meeting the team & parents:

· Your success will often be a result of getting parent volunteers to help-out. You will need the following:

Team Manager: acts as the point of contact with parents / send out notifications (eg. Games to be rescheduled due to weather).

Parent Pitchers (this applies to coach-pitch): they will pitch to your own team during games. It’s best to have 2-3 parents identified who can help pitch. They do not need to be a coach.

Score-keeper: will write down the batting line-up for both teams at game time and keep score. Both teams have to do this (not just one team).

· Don't forget to confirm contact information of all players. Sometimes things get missed at registration.

Prior to game:

· Establish a batting lineup (a simple option: pick a batting lineup and stick with it throughout the regular season).

· Set a baseball lineup (you must rotate players).

For coach-pitch, there is a maximum of 10 players on the field (includes ‘rover’ + ‘pitcher’s helper’)
Free tool to set line-ups: http://freebaseballlineups.com/lineups.html

All players should play be given an opportunity to try every position over the course of the season. At the lower levels, as coach you reserve the right to limit who plays first base + pitcher’s helper (for safety considerations). Note: pitcher’s helper must wear a batting helmet and catchers must have a jock/jill.

Remember to keep close track of the weather on game-day (in case of potential rainouts - you will need to contact players).

At the game:

· Exchange batting line-up with other team (have your score-keeper do this).

· If you are home team, you must set-up the bases. Some levels will require you to hammer in the bases – there are markers painted in white on the fences to spot where they need to go. Other levels will have the break away bases that will need to be installed.

· As home team, you must provide a ‘game ball’ supplied to you.

· For coach-pitch, as home team, you need a parent from your team to count balls & strikes for both teams. For the older levels,beginning in 2011 home teams will have to provide a Game coordinator if no adult umpires are officiating.

For coach-pitch, each player receives 5 pitches or 3 strikes (whichever is first). A player can go beyond the 5 pitch maximum as long as they continue to foul off the ball.

· While your team is batting, you may opt to be the first base or third base coach. Have a parent help out at the other bases if you don’t have enough assistant coaches. There must always be 1 parent in the dugout at all times.

· Respect the umpires. The umpires are either youth umpires learning the game (and trying their best) or adult (unpaid) volunteers.

· Coaches may not leave the dugout during play until they ask the umpire for time AND are granted time by the umpire.

· There is no on-deck circle. Players are prohibited from swinging bats until they are at bat.

· Parents or coaches may not play catch with players while at the game. Only players can warm up other players. And they need a mask when warming up a pitcher.

· Remember everyone’s role: KIDS PLAY / COACHES COACH / UMPIRES MAKE THE CALLS / SPECTATORS CHEER

After the game:

· Log your game score immediately – you will receive instructions on this once the season starts.

Practices:

Arrange 1 practice per week. Best to get a consensus from parents on date/time/location that suits the majority. Some Leagues will run level-wide practices where all coaches assist.

· The best way to run practices is to setup stations (particularly for batting). That way players aren’t standing around: Soft toss station / Batting-tee station / Pitching station. Look on the internet for ideas. Make it fun.

· If you don’t have enough assistant coaches, get parents to help out at these stations.

Approved Composite Bats

2011-04-08T11:15:00.004-04:00

As you may or may not know, Little League has banned the use of composite bats, pending testing. There have been some bats that have received a waiver clearance (permitting them to be used).

If you play at the Majors level (2 1/4" bats), and you don't see your bat among the ones displayed below, your bat has not received clearance.

These are the approved bats as of March 30, 2011.

To find out more or to see which bats have been approved at other levels, please follow the link below: Little League Bat Info.

Spring is in the air

2011-03-28T08:53:00.000-04:00

If this video doesn't get you jacked for baseball season, I'm not sure what will.

This kid was 11 at the time of this video.

Why young fans should pay attention to aging Vlad

2011-03-15T13:37:00.002-04:00

Healthy, humble Vlad lets his bat do the talking

By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com
03/15/11 10:00 AM EST

SARASOTA, Fla. -- He remembers the headline, the words emboldened by size and occupying every thought of manager Felipe Alou that morning. Alou, then the manager of the Montreal Expos, didn't usually pay attention to what the local newspapers splashed across the sports section regarding his team.

But this was different.

Alou had been privy to the raw talent that was Vladimir Guerrero since the summer of 1994, when Nelson Norman told him that he had to see this Dominican kid he had in the Expos Gulf Coast League.

"You've got to look at this," Norman said. "It's impossible for this kid to strike out."

It was true. Alou saw it firsthand that day, and he had a front-row seat again in September 1996, when Montreal finally promoted Guerrero from Double-A. He had seen Guerrero hit his first homer, a blast off Atlanta closer Mark Wohlers over the opposite-field fence. He also watched as the rookie outfielder, while standing on the warning track, threw out a runner trying to score from third base.

Now Alou read the story -- the one that criticized Guerrero's injury-plagued rookie campaign -- and wondered how it would go over with the fans and the "gentle giant" himself. Sure, he had a power bat and a cannon of an arm, the article reasoned, but Guerrero -- who played in just 90 games in 1997 due to a trio of injuries -- couldn't stay on the field. He was a nice addition but his tenure would be short-lived, predicted the paper, which dubbed Guerrero "an accident waiting to happen."

Thirteen years later, Guerrero -- a fan favorite -- has enjoyed one of the most prolific careers in recent baseball history, with a .320 lifetime batting average, 436 home runs and 1,433 RBIs in 2,002 games. He is still putting up power numbers -- belting 29 homers and 115 RBIs in 152 games for Texas last season -- and is seemingly on a collision course with the Hall of Fame. But as he stated at his introductory news conference with the Orioles this spring, Guerrero -- who has played at least 140 games in six of his past seven seasons -- is in no rush to get to Cooperstown.

"I believe he still has a couple of great seasons left," Alou, now a special assistant with the Giants, said of Guerrero, a nine-time All-Star and eight-time Silver Slugger. "He is just a machine that was built to hit the baseball.

"And when it is all over, he will be remembered only for what he did between the lines."

There is nothing accidental about that, either.

In a world in which athletes frequently test the letter of the law, Guerrero -- who is from a small town on the Dominican Republic's south coast -- has never made headlines for anything other than baseball.

"I know he has a little bit of a temper inside when he makes an out," Alou said. "But frustrated? Or upset? I never saw him [that way]. I respect his attitude, the quality of baseball player he is and the man he is."

A revered figure and bona fide rags-to-riches story, the most feared presence in the Orioles' lineup spends nearly every morning with a box of fan mail by his side. Guerrero signs everything: the shiny new Orioles photos, a shot of him smiling with his former Angels teammates and a vintage Expos baseball card, carefully sliding each into its envelope.

Don't worry, he tells teammate Felix Pie, whose locker is one stall down -- when the season starts, his only focus will be baseball. But right now he will use these sleepy spring mornings to stop, sign and appreciate.

"It's pretty cool," said second baseman Brian Roberts, who shares an agency with Guerrero and had heard about his humility. "He obviously hasn't let much change him, that's for sure."

The mail comes in steady streams, and Guerrero diligently keeps up with it, sticking to the same routine he's had since he first went to Montreal. Back then his mother would come once a month and stay with him, preparing Dominican food that has become nearly as legendary in baseball circles as her son's bat.

"His mother has the best food in the league," said Texas Rangers infielder Michael Young, who would eat lunch and still find himself loading up on what Guerrero's mom brought to the park.

Young, who knew plenty about Guerrero's bat when he was with the American League West-rival Angels, was struck with how upbeat and well liked the mild-mannered slugger was inside the Rangers' clubhouse.

"Everybody knows Vlad has had a Hall of Fame career, but what I didn't realize is what a great teammate he is," Young said. "He comes to play every day, he plays hard and he's always in a good mood. The Orioles already have a good offense, but he's going to make them much better. I can't say enough good things about Vlad."

Throughout his career, Guerrero has always preferred to let his bat do the talking. Signed to a one-year, $8 million deal right before Spring Training started, he was visibly uncomfortable during his first news conference with the Orioles and rarely grants interviews. But to his new teammates, who initially met him with a mixture of curiosity and awe, his mere presence in the clubhouse speaks volumes.

"It's the way he goes about his business," said first-base coach Wayne Kirby, who was the Rangers' outfield/baserunning coordinator last year. "He plays the game hard. You wouldn't think so, [that] a guy who's made that much money still has that much pride in the game.

"It's like that commercial [for E.F.] Hutton: When someone speaks, everyone's ears open. It's just the way he walks around. Everyone's like, 'He's the big dog, he's the big chief.' All the players know it. That's the thing about it. It's about respecting the game. That's what he brings."

A bad-ball hitter who has dominated on sheer strength and natural ability, Guerrero has always evoked a crowd when he steps to the plate, whether it's the AL Championship Series or a routine batting-cage session at the Orioles' training complex.

"You can just see his intent," outfielder Adam Jones said. "He's had that same work ethic for 15 years. It's pretty cool to see. He gets his work in and gets out.

"I don't think he wants to sit back."

The veteran Guerrero doesn't want any special set of rules. He has been adamant about doing every drill in camp this spring, and has been a regular fixture -- by request -- in the exhibition lineups and during outfield work.

"I definitely feel really good about this situation," Guerrero said, with teammate Michael Gonzalez translating. "I like all the guys, and it's just good getting to know everyone.

"I just pray to God I don't have any injuries or anything and I stay healthy so I can produce for the Orioles like I have always."

A former AL MVP, Guerrero is third all-time in hits, home runs and RBIs among Dominican-born players. He wants to eclipse the 500-homer mark and believes that if he is healthy, he can bolster an improved Orioles lineup that also includes new additions Mark Reynolds and J.J. Hardy.

Guerrero smiles when he talks about the Orioles' first spring home game, a 12-6 rout of the Rays that included five homers, one of which came from Guerrero.

"The only guy who didn't play that day was [Derrek] Lee, but you obviously saw the power potential in the lineup," Guerrero said. "I just hope I stay healthy and will go out there and do what I do."

That would be plenty for the Orioles, who are trying to get out of the AL East basement and snap a streak of 13 consecutive losing seasons. The hope is that adding a piece such as Guerrero -- and, to an extent, Reynolds and Hardy -- will take the pressure off some of the team's other bats.

"If he wants to play a couple more years, there's no sitting back," Jones said. "So that's a bonus for us. If we can get the year he had last year, just imagine all the other numbers that can transpire [in the rest of the lineup] in that situation."

Brittany Ghiroli is a reporter for MLB.com.
Read her blog, Britt's Bird Watch, and follow her on Twitter @britt_ghiroli.

Canadians in the Bigs

2011-03-09T17:02:00.014-05:00

Did you know that there are over a dozen Canadians currently playing Major League Baseball?

Canadians involved in baseball should be proud of this accomplishment. Especially when you consider that Canadians aren't able to play year round. What might not be surprisingly to some, is the number of pitchers that are being developed North of the border. Perhaps this is the result of our shorter seasons preventing the over-use of young pitching arms.

Think you know your baseball??? Try and match the following Canadian baseball player names to the following faces as they appear in the order of the photos below:

a) John Axford b) Justin Morneau c) Jason Bay d) George Kottaras e) Adam Stern
f) Russ Martin g) Joey Votto h) Matt Stairs i) Chris Leroux j) Rich Harden

Answer: f / j / h / c / g / b / i / d / e / a

Little League Registration

2011-02-21T17:31:00.000-05:00

For most Little Leagues, spring baseball registration has begun and wraps up around mi-April.

Ottawa is divided into two Districts: District 2 in the West and District 6 in the East. Cornwall and Brockville are in separate Districts - their league links are posted above.

Ottawa residents, please click on the "Map" link above to find out which league boundary you live in.

(Pictured above: Registration coupon for District 2 that appeared in Val-Pak)

10 Reasons to Play

2011-02-14T14:59:00.004-05:00

Here are 10 reasons you should consider enrolling your child(ren) in Little League baseball …

1) Affordable registration fees (are lower than even soccer).

2) Minimal equipment costs (bats, balls, jerseys & caps are provided by the League).

3) Play outdoors (our winters are long enough, might as well enjoy the spring & summer outdoors).

4) Equal playing time (eveyone bats and everyone plays the field).

5) Boys and girls play together at all ages.

6) Improve eye-hand abilities.

7) Non-contact sport.

8) Short season (2 month spring season, followed by optional 2 month summer season).

9) Learn a sport that you can continue to play recreationally as an adult.

10) Character building (by learning to deal with both success & failure).

If you are new to baseball and have experience with either coaching, baseball or working with children, then make sure you volunteer to coach. At the entry levels, where there aren't returning coaches, Leagues are dependent on parents to step forward. Your child's baseball experience will depend significantly on the efforts of the volunteer parents. Don't be shy, your help is needed.

Pitchers: Importance of the Changeup

2011-02-12T11:56:00.000-05:00

Many young hard throwing pitchers don't bother learning the change-up. The thinking is, if batters can't touch your heat, why slow down a pitch that they might be able to hit. Don't be fooled into thinking that.

“In high school I didn’t throw the change,” says Drabek. “My dad (Cy Young winner Doug Drabek) tried to get me to throw one. I couldn’t command it and I kind of just blew him off and did my thing. But once I got into pro ball, I started to realize that it might be the most important pitch you’ll ever learn to throw.” Kyle Drabek, Toronto Blue Jays

The changeup is a basic pitch that every pitcher learns at the lowest levels, because good hitters will catch up to a fastball sooner or later.

The theory behind a changeup is it comes with the same arm position and motion as a fastball, but is 10-15 mph slower based on the drag on the ball. And they make any fastball seem faster by comparison.

There are 2 basic changeups – the three-fingered changeup and the circle change.

This pitch is good for young pitchers because it's easy to grip. Center your ring, middle and index fingers on top of the baseball, across the seams, like a four-seam fastball.

With the three-fingered changeup, the thumb and pinky finger should be on the leather under the ball. If your hands are big enough, see if you can put your thumb and pinky finger together on the bottom of the ball – it could help your control and give you a better feel.

The ball should be held deep in the hand, with equal pressure on all fingers. Keep your wrist stiff and throw it straight down. Throw it just like a fastball, with the same arm speed and release point.

The circle change is a more advanced pitch, with a similar grip. The difference is that the index finger and thumb should form a circle on the side of the ball, as if you were making the hand signal for OK. The middle finger, ring finger and pinkie finger are on the top of the ball, across the seams, just as in the three-finger changeup.

The ball should be touching the “circle” on the thumb and index finger. It's thrown the same as a fastball.

As it is with all of pitching, keeping your intentions secret is a big part of the battle.

Keep the ball hidden in your glove when you're throwing, or you might tip off the batter (or a baserunner or base coach) what pitch you're throwing.

Wind up normally and throw. Don't forget to follow through. When you don't follow through, the ball will likely stay high. If your struggling to keep your changeup down, you want to almost exagerate your finish (follow through).

Pitching tips ...

2011-02-08T12:57:00.005-05:00

This week's tip 1: When a pitcher shows visible signs of frustration on the mound, whether its a facial expression or a body gesture, he is telling his opponent, "I am weak; you have beaten me mentally."

However, if the pitcher hides his expressions like a poker player, the pitcher maintains the mental edge and the opponent won't know what's coming next.

This week's tip 2: It is a pitcher's responsibility to cover the first base side of the infield on balls hit to the right side.

If a pitch is hit between the first and second baseman, sprint directly to first base. Grab the baseball en
route to the bag only if it is a slow-roller and does not take you off your direct path.

Once at the base, cover the bag like a first baseman.

Work on it!
Steven Ellis
http://www.letstalkpitching.com/

Fresh new look

2011-02-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

Both Pinecrest & CFR Little Leagues have fresh new looks to their websites. The sites are more interactive (links to Facebook, blogs, online registration, post photos) and provide well organized information for parents, players, coaches and umpires.

Please take a moment and check them out ...

Click here for Pinecrest

Click here for CFR

Don't forget, registration for Spring baseball is now open!!!

The Hershiser Drill

2011-02-03T14:05:00.006-05:00

How to lead with your hip? It's called the Hershiser drill.

On LetsTalkPitching.com, they recently had some discussion around baseball pitching drills to help promote proper pitching mechanics of leading with the hip to generate momentum. Here's a pitching drill called the Hershiser Drill that helps teach leading with the front hip and keep head and shoulders slightly behind the front hip.

You stand sideways to a padded wall or chain link fence with your glove side shoulder facing the wall/fence. Then you lift your knee and push your hip or back pocket into the wall. The hip or back pocket should be the first and only part of your body to touch the wall/fence. You can reverse rotate the shoulders as if you're "showing your number" to help.

Start with your pivot foot about one shoe length from the wall/fence. Then progress to the pivot foot being two shoe lengths from the wall/fence. Wear a glove. And practice pushing the hip early - before peak of knee lift or even right after the stride foot lifts off the ground.

Choosing a Glove

2011-01-26T10:45:00.007-05:00

Did you know that a high quality glove that is properly worked in and maintained can last as long as your child plays baseball?

When I enrolled my son in Little League, I knew nothing about baseball gloves. My primary goal was to find a glove that was small enough for his hand and that he could close easily. And maybe that's not such a bad guideline for a 5-8 year old. However, if your child is planning on playing baseball for many years, there's lots to consider.

For those of you who have bought a diamond ring, you'll know there are the "4C's" to a diamond. I won't get into them, but the idea is that there are 4 characteristics that should be considered. Similarily, for a baseball glove there are 4 things that need to be considered:

Size Webbing Backing Quality

Size
Many kids and even parents think bigger is better. You never want to buy a glove that is too big for your child. Baseball gloves typically range from 11"-12.5". What size you choose depends a lot on the position your child is best suited to play.

For the middle infielder the top priority is to field the ball cleanly and make a fast transfer from the glove hand to the throwing hand. This usually calls for a smaller glove (11"-11.75") with a relatively shallow pocket designed to assist the infielder with a speedy transfer from the glove to the throwing hand by making the ball easy to get out of the glove.

For the outfielder, ultimately the decision comes down to personal preference, the prevailing wisdom suggests that the outfielder needs a glove that is large enough to be able to develop a long, deep pocket for reaching and gloving rapidly moving fly balls and line drives.

Webbing

There are many different types of webbing from open web to closed web. Like size, the webbing you choose depends on the position your child will be playing.

Middle infielders tend to like an open web ("I-web" being the most common). An open web allows the outfielder to track fly balls all the way into the glove and also to shade the player's eyes from the sun. Whereas a pitcher will want to hide the ball (and his grip), so a closed web is recommended.

Backing

Middle Infielders tend to prefer an open backed glove for increased flexibility and comfort. This one tends to be more of a personal preference.

Leather Quality

This is often where parents make the biggest mistake. They look for gloves that are supple off the store shelf. Usually, the stiffer the leather may in fact be an indication of higher leather quality. For examples, a Rawlings Heart of the Hide or Pro Preferred will be very stiff and take a lot of time and care to work in, but eventually they will mold to the player's hand and will last a life time.

Sadly the reality is that there is not a lot of selection of good gloves in Ottawa. Most of what they sell at box stores are crappy gloves (fake leather). There are a few stores that carry higher end gloves (like Valiquette on Carling Ave. or Lacroix Sports on St Joseph). I'd recommend a trip to one of these stores to try out glove fits. A trip to Syracuse to visit sports stores in the Spring might be worth while. You can also turn to the internet and find US stores that ship to Canada.

This post just scratches the surface of purchasing a glove. If you want more advice, please contact me or you can go to http://www.baseballgloves.com/ to start learning more. Check out my used gloves for sale as well.

To coaches & parents: Ban the breaking ball for youngsters

2011-01-04T15:14:00.003-05:00

Not shaving yet? No deuce for you!

By Tom Valcke (grass roots baseball coach in St. Marys, Ontario)

Ultimately, despite a multitude of wisecrack answers, there is only one reason a chicken crosses the road, and that is to get to the other side.

Ultimately, there is only one reason that coaches allow kids to throw curveballs, and that is to win at any cost, including the harm done the youngster's arm and his future in baseball.

Perhaps a small percentage of youth baseball coaches still are not aware that growth plate and inner workings of the non-shaving boy's arm are not ready to absorb the twisting, snapping or torque involved with the delivery of a breaking ball, especially the improperly thrown curveball or slider. The coaches who are aware of the short and long-term damage that coincides with the "Yellow Hammer" are simply more concerned with building their coaching resumes. Either way, it is time that everyone gets educated.

So, can a 12-year-old pitcher throw a curveball? Yes.
Will it be effective enough to fool 12-year-old hitters? Uh huh.
Do 12-year olds like throwing the deuce? Oh yeah.
Therefore, should 12-year-olds be allowed to snap off benders? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

What is wrong with teaching young pitchers the three most important things about pitching, which, like real estate, are location, location and location? I have challenged every youngster who has asked me to teach them the curveball to throw me four consecutive strikes to the four corners of the strike zone, and to this day, not one has done it.

If a youngster does have an idea of location, and you feel he is ready to take on something new and challenging, then introduce the palm ball change up. It is a very effective pitch and the arm action, if taught correctly, is identical to that of the fastball, which inherently makes it effective as well as non-damaging to the arm. The extra friction on the surface of the baseball with all five fingers slows its speed down ten to twenty percent, which is just enough to mess up the hitter's timing.

A current example how changing speeds of pitches can equate to winning would be Tommy Glavine's masterful performance in Game 1 of the NLCS, where he pitched seven shutout innings in beating the eventual World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals. Glavine threw a total of four curveballs that night.

Perhaps Don Drysdale said it best: "The most important pitch for a kid to throw is a strike."

Dr. Frank Jobe performed the original elbow ligament transplant surgery on September 25, 1974 on 31-year-old Tommy John, who went on to pitch 14 more seasons, won 20 games or more in three of the first five seasons following the surgery, and won a total of 228 games. UCL - ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction is now commonly referred to by doctors and players as "Tommy John" surgery.

Jobe and his associates have since done Tommy John surgery on 75 other major leaguers, most recently including Minnesota Twins rookie sensation Francisco Liriano, in addition to nearly 2,000 others.

"Our patients are getting younger and younger, and fun, not winning, should drive youth baseball," says Jobe from his office in Los Angeles.

"It is not good for 13-year-olds to repeatedly throw a curveball. Their cartilage is very soft and fragile and the growth centre in the elbow is quite susceptible to damage."

Dr.James Andrews performs more Tommy John surgeries each and every year, including approximately 200 this past year. Included in his patients are Kerry Wood and Pat Hentgen, but only 20% of his patients are major leaguers. There is no question in his mind that serious arm injuries are increasing in players under the age of 18, and is particularly concerned with those players 11 and 15 years of age.

"You should not allow your son to throw curveballs until they have shaved, as this enables their bones, muscles, particularly the cartilage and tendons time to develop enough to absorb the torque that coincides with delivering the pitch," said Andrews from his Orthopaedic Centre in Alabama.

"To those who say the stress is less if the curve ball is taught and thrown correctly, I would tend to agree except for two things: Number one, throwing a curveball is a highly technical pitch that requires a lot of neuromuscular control. Kids in the age group before they close their growth plates in general don't have enough neuromuscular control to really throw it properly. If they throw it improperly, obviously the stresses go way up and that is where the major problems occur; Number two, the youth coaches usually don't have enough experience to really teach them how to throw it properly."

"Of course, the next problem is that coaches will have them throw an excessive number of curveballs because it gives them a competitive edge. Pitchers in the Little League World Series are throwing somewhere around 60-70% curveballs."

There is no record of how many times Tommy John surgery has been performed, but the newspaper database Factiva has 14,611 mentions of it and Google.com brings up over one million links to "Tommy John surgery."

Dr. Ron Taylor is the current team physician for the hometown Toronto Blue Jays and was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985 for his eleven-year career ERA under four coupled with his two World Series rings where he pitched a total of seven innings, never allowing a run or even a hit.

"I have an extraordinary number of teens coming into our sports medicine clinic whose elbow joints, particularly the medial epicondyle of the humorous, need treatment due to throwing the curveball at young ages" said Taylor from his office at Mount Sinai Hospital.

"I can almost guarantee that if a 12-year-old pitcher is throwing uncle charlie, that he won't be a pitcher when he's 18. So is the risk worth the reward?"

"I wish that they would wait until they are 17 or 18 years of age before throwing the hook. Youth pitchers need to focus on a smooth follow through and a natural deceleration of the arm."

Fergie Jenkins, undisputedly the greatest Canadian pitcher in history, having chalked up 284 wins in the major leagues, six consecutive 20-win seasons, more than 3,000 strikeouts and a Cy Young Award, only started pitching at 16 years of age.

"I never had to face the decision of whether or not to throw the yakker when I was a kid," said Jenkins when recently representing the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in the House of Commons.

"I don't care how physically big they are, their arms are not developed yet. I know kids see the curveball on TV and want to throw it, but it is disgraceful that any coach would allow it to be thrown by early teens."

"Otherwise, the kid is going to develop arm problems that will never go away."

Eric Gagne, the only other Canadian to ever win a Cy Young Award, set the consecutive saves record (84) with the Los Angeles Dodgers that may never be broken.

"Coaches of young pitchers should preach arm care, the importance of location, and possibly the change-up pitch," said Gagne from his Montreal home.

"Anyway, kids are playing to have fun and be with their friends on a team. I'm okay with trying to win, but a fastball you can spot and a deceptive change-up are enough of an arsenal to win with, no matter what level of baseball."

Dave Stieb and Steve Rogers, the all time winningest pitchers for the Toronto Blue Jays and Montreal Expos, respectively, were inducted together into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.

"Long toss is the best thing any player could do on a daily basis, especially pitchers," said Stieb from his home in Reno, Nevada.

"Young pitchers should concentrate on throwing a fastball to all four corners and changing speeds. A cutter and a then a slider would be the next pitches to introduce, but only in their mid-teens."

Rogers' father did not allow him to throw a curveball until the summer after his junior year of high school.

"I was 16 at the time, and pitched for the eventual American Legion State Champions of Missouri. The competition was very intense. I pitched about ten games that summer and I threw a complete nine-inning game in the quarter final game of the state tournament and I had my best curveball of the summer that day."

"The only thing is that I couldn't straighten out my right elbow for a week after that game due to acute tendonitis. I wasn't consistently throwing the curveball with correct mechanics and it severely stressed my elbow."

"I lived it - youngsters never learn the correct way of throwing the curve consistently, and therefore, regardless of their age, they hurt their arms."

"My recommendation would be that when the youngster reaches the level of baseball where the mound distance is 60'6", then the proper way of throwing a curve ball can be taught but it should be at less than full speed."

Paul Quantrill, who has pitched in more games (841) than any Canadian in history, and stands 28th on the all-time list of major leaguers, has the misfortune of watching an Peewee game at the OBA provincial championship in September, where he watched a 13-year-old with a tremendous arm throw a curveball almost every other pitch.

"What made it worse was the fact that all the pitchers were called from the bench, so the coach managed to not only put a beating on the kid's arm, but he also ensured that he didn't actually use his own head to pitch his way through a game," added Quantrill from his home in Port Hope, Ontario.

"The spinners were effective, but I wish the coach was more concerned with the kid's development than winning a ball game. Unfortunately, most coaches live in the 'now,' and if a spinner can help him win - whoops, I think I meant help the kids win - then the long-term implications become irrelevant."

"My opinion is that young men should not throw breaking balls until they are at least 16 years old. I have no problem with incorporating the change-up, as this teaches the youngster how effective changing speeds can be in getting hitters out."

"The problem with breaking balls is that, even if thrown correctly, they still put a lot of stress on the arm. That said, to this date I have yet to see any kid Bantam or below that throws a breaking ball correctly with any consistency."

"All kids, including my own, want to throw a curve or slider to their dad or buddy now and then. There is no stopping that. But to have a breaking ball in your pitching repertoire - I don't think so."

Andre Lachance, Technical Director of Baseball Canada, agrees with the panel of experts, but fears that the motion may not pass because some people will be concerned about training an umpire how to detect the curveball, especially young umpires. "But I have a philosophy about that," he added from his office in Ottawa.

"We cannot stop thinking about the wellness of our youth because of some problems that the implementation of new rules may create. The same thing applies to limiting pitch counts instead of innings pitched. We first have to identify what is right, and then simply find solutions to the legislation issues."

Little League USA has recently changed from limiting pitch counts versus innings pitched. It means now that grassroots coaches are going to have to carry a pitcher's log book and trade it with the opposing coach when the line-ups are exchanged pre-game. Then, each team will be required to have a designate to count the number of pitches thrown by the opponent's pitchers.

Will this new legislation be easy, and free of errors and distrust and arguments? No. Is it the right thing to do for youngsters? Absolutely.

West Raleigh Baseball, who studied the research and recommendations of the USA Medical & Safety Advisory Committee, found that their coaches bought into the ruling far more than they anticipated, and umpires rarely have to call the illegal pitch.

The Committee's findings were that pitchers who throw curveballs at an early age - under 13 years old - experience significantly more injuries, shoulder and elbow pain than pitchers who do not.
West Raleigh defines new illegal pitch as "Any breaking ball in which the pitcher deliberately breaks his or her wrist or snaps the elbow in order to induce a forward or side-angled spin on the ball."

As evidence that young teams can win without the curveball, the 12-year-old West Raleigh All-Star Team did not throw a single curveball during the Southwest Regional last year, despite the fact that all of their opponents did, and they advanced to the Cal Ripken World Series in Aberdeen, Maryland.

From a recent article in USA Today written by Johnnie Whitehead and Dick Patrick, it was noted that "two pitchers for the Vista, California team that reached the Little League World Series US Championship game suffered fractures in their pitching arms. Neither Nathan Lewis nor Royce Copleland, then 12 years old, had experienced any symptoms until the latter stages of regional qualifying tournaments, said their fathers."

"Lewis had pitched six innings in the West Region final but felt a pop in his left arm during the fourth inning. Two mornings later, while showering before the team's flight to Williamsport, he tossed a towel over a railing and felt excruciating pain. He had to comb his hair right-handed."

"'If I had to do it over again, my kid wouldn't be a pitcher,' said Lewis' father Jim."

"Copeland's arm deteriorated gradually, as did his velocity. His father Don said that it happened over time, that was no single moment when the injury occurred. The youngster complained that the arm wasn't 100% and that it just didn't feel right."

Kevin Briand, the Canadian Director of Scouting for the Toronto Blue Jays, can relate to the misfortunes of the Little Leaguers.

"Like all kids, I was fascinated by the curveball, and nobody discouraged me from throwing it. But not long after, my fastball went from 84(mph) to 64."

Walt Burrows, the Canadian Supervisor of the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau, says the curveball can and should be taught to players only when they reach the shaving age.

"I'm definitely opposed to seeing youngsters throw curveballs. Pitchers get better by becoming physically more mature and by fine-tuning their mechanics, nothing else. The curveball only becomes relevant when they get to be 16 or 17."

Perhaps Billy Atkinson, who toiled for the Expos from 1976-79, sums it up best. "The curveball was my bread and butter," said Atkinson from his home in Chatham, Ontario. "But the curveball isn't a natural motion for the arm to be going through. It can cause a lot of strain and tension on the shoulder and elbow, so until these areas are developed, players under 15 should avoid it."

"I would suggest to young ballplayers that they wait until their arms are strong and developed, and then find someone who knows how to properly throw a curveball, and learn from them. You will appreciate this advice later in life."

"You only get one pitching arm - respect it and take care of it!"

Pursuing a Childhood Dream

2010-12-04T16:13:00.003-05:00

I think as parents we all hope we can help our children find a passion. Whether that passion is in sports, in music, in art, or in academics is not important. What is important is finding that "thing" that your child will enjoy and pursue. And in so doing, they will feel a sense of pride in their committment and the accomplishments that they reap.

For many young Canadian children who pursue sports, that passion is ice hockey.

But what if your child is willing to buck that trend and pursue that summer sport that is no longer percieved as the complimentary sport to hockey. Most of us have heard it before: soccer helps your child's cardio which is important to their off-season hockey conditioning. Or the suggestion that lacrosse will keep your child sharp and help their hockey game while away from the rink.

When did baseball unjustly adopt the perception as the sport of the unathletic. Perhaps it's because the MLB players we see on television, are doing things so effortlessly that we fail to see the endless hours that they practice and train to be able to do play the game at the hightest level.

In any case, if you have the courage to encourage your child to play the sport that requires hours of hard work both at and away from the diamond, then your child will be playing the single team sport where they will face individual success and failiure on a regular basis. And that experience will help your child build character and learn about themselves so that they are prepared to face the challenging experiences that lay ahead of them in life as adults. And while there is still some value in allowing your child to dream of playing for the Blue Jays or the Red Sox one day, we all realize that what we really are allowing them to do, is to learn how to work as a team, learn how to face challenging situations, and handle both success and defeat. Lessions that will serve them well later in life.

Hockey Ties to Baseball Vol.1

2010-12-04T09:07:00.003-05:00

Wayne Gretzky's son commits to playing baseball at SDSU

SAN DIEGO — Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky's son Trevor on Tuesday committed to play college baseball at San Diego State University, where Baseball Hall of Famer and coach Tony Gwynn will attempt to guide him to the pros. Trevor Gretzky's a senior at Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, Calif., where he also played football as the team's quarterback.

Trevor is a first baseman and catcher who hit .341 with two home runs and 33 RBIs last spring at Westlake Village Oaks Christian High, where he also played football. On the diamond, he boasted a slugging percentage of .518 and on-base percentage of .444 as a junior in the competitive Tri-Valley League as a junior.

His father is excited because of his promise as a baseball player. "I live through him quite a bit because my dream was to play baseball," Wayne Gretzky said.

More Pitching Tips

2010-11-28T21:37:00.002-05:00

Here's another baseball pitching tip...

In games, try to act like every pitch you throw has a purpose, even if you didn't mean to throw it where it went. If you buzz a hitter's tower, don't make it look like it was on purpose, but also don't make it look like an accident. That inside part of the plate is a good spot to miss. You don't want to hit the batter, but forcing him to move out of the way of a pitch opens up a lot of options for the next pitch.

Work on it!
Best, Steven Ellis

Diamonds in Ottawa/Nepean West

2010-11-28T16:02:00.003-05:00

(For maps of all Little League diamonds in Ottawa, please goto District 2 website).

Carlingwood Frank-Ryan

Operates diamonds at 3 locations:

Ainsley: Used for Major level games.

Britannia Park: Two diamonds at this location.One for Minor level and one for Junior/Senior.

Frank Ryan (Clubhouse): Three diamonds at the clubhouse location featuring diamonds for t-ball, coach-pitch and Minor level.

Pinecrest Little League
Operates diamonds in 2 locations:

Pinecrest (beside Pinecrest Rec Centre): The flagship location with 5 diamonds for all levels from t-ball to Senior.

Williams Park in Bells Corners / New for 2011: Pinecrest is planning on operating coach pitch and minor from this location (pending city approval).

Enrolling your kids in baseball

2010-11-22T15:50:00.000-05:00

So you have children reaching the age for enrollment in an organized sport.

According to the most recent Statistics Canada Social Trends Survey, baseball participation among children ages 5-14 has fallen from 13% in 1992 to 5% in 2005.

Despite this trend, the achievements by Canadians at the professional level along with the number of Canadians playing US collegiate ball are at all-time highs.

This suggests that coaching, training, opportunities and commitment have significantly improved in Canada.

Here are some reasons to consider enrolling your child in baseball ...

Fitness. Yes, fitness. If your child isn't getting any from playing baseball, speak to the coach, 'cause they aren't playing the game properly.
Affordability. Youth fees are lower then even soccer and the equipment costs are minimal.
Non-contact sport.
Be a part of a team.
Boys and girls play together (in Little League)
Equal playing time (in Little League)
Don't have to be the strongest, fastest or most aggressive to excel.
Improve eye-hand coordination.
A sport you can continue to play into your adult life.
Build character by learning to deal with failure along with success.
Friendships are easily formed while players chat during breaks in play or while awaiting at bats.

Little League Rule Changes Pt. I

2010-11-22T12:59:00.012-05:00

LEAGUE ADMINS. & PARENTS TAKE NOTE:

6 year olds may play coach pitch if they have played 1 year of t-ball ... Summary: Regulation III – Tee Ball: Added language allowing local leagues to accept league‐age 4‐year‐olds and reduces the maximum age permitted in the Tee Ball Division to league‐age 7. Page 31 (Baseball), Page 32 (Softball).

Full Text of Change, with Surrounding Wording

Tee Ball: Local League must establish the age structure for the Tee Ball Division. Players league age 4 and 5 are eligible only for Tee Ball. Exception: Participants league age 6 are permitted to advance to Minor League Coach Pitch or Machine Pitch after participation in Tee Ball for one year.

Presidents can now coach ... Summary: Regulation I – Added language that would prohibit the league president from resigning in an effort to be tournament team coach, after January 1. Page 22.

Full Text of Change, with Surrounding Wording

The president may manage, coach or umpire provided he/she does not serve on the Protest Committee. The president of record or anyone who assumes the position or duties of president, on or after January 1 of the current year, is not eligible to serve as tournament team manager or coach. The president will not serve in the capacity of District Administrator.

Composite bats prohibited ... Summary: Rule 1.10 ‐ Junior/Senior/Big League: Added language prohibiting use of composite bats.

The new standard for 2011‐2012 will be BBCOR for Junior, Senior and Big League. Page 52‐53.

Full Text of Change
EXCEPTION: For the 2010‐2011 Junior, Senior and Big League regular and tournament season, composite bats are prohibited unless an approved waiver has been granted by Little League International. This wavier will be based on additional testing verifying that the composite bat(s) meet current standards. A list of any approved composite bats can be found on the Little League website at www.littleleague.org. Beginning January 1, 2012, all bats not made of a single piece of wood shall meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) performance standard, and such bats shall be labeled with a silkscreen or other permanent certification mark. The certification mark shall be rectangular, a minimum of a half‐inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color. Aluminum and composite bats shall be labeled as approved tamper evident, and be marked as to their material makeup being aluminum or composite. This marking shall be silkscreen or other permanent certification mark, a minimum of one‐half‐inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color.

TOURNAMENT TEAMS (SUMMER A) TAKE NOTE:

Softening of the tournament team rules ... Summary: Tournament Team Practice: Added wording allowing Tournament Teams to practice with other players in their own chartered Little League, another chartered Little League in their district, or another chartered Little League in a contiguous district. Page T‐9.

Full Text of Change, with Surrounding Wording

Little/Junior/Senior/Big League: Try‐outs or practices by tournament teams shall not be held before June 15. Tournament team practice may only take place against other teams within the same or contiguous districts in the same division, providing such practice is done out of uniform. (Little League accident insurance for tournament teams will not go into effect until June 15, or the date of the release of the names of tournament Team members, whichever is later).

9-10 & 10-11 Year Old Divisions: Try‐outs or practices by tournament teams shall not be held before June 15 or two weeks prior to the start of the tournament. Tournament team practice may only take place against other teams within the same or contiguous districts in the same division, providing such practice is done out of uniform. (Little League accident insurance for tournament teams will not go into effect until June 15, or the date of the release of the names of tournament Team members, whichever is earlier).

Tournament teams can play after June 15th ... Summary: Regulation IX (f): Added language allowing Tournament Teams to participate in Special Games after June 15th. Page 42.

Full Text of Change, with Surrounding Wording

(f) Tournament teams may participate in Special Games after June 15th. .

Tournament play (increases to playing time requirement) ... Summary: Rule 9 – Mandatory Play – 9-10 Year Old Division, 10-11 Year Old Division, Little League and Junior League: Changes were made to increase the mandatory playing time if a team has 12 or fewer eligible players in uniform at a game. Page T‐18 (Baseball) T‐16 (Softball).

Full Text of Change

If a tournament team has thirteen (13) or more eligible players in uniform at a game, then every player on a team roster shall participate in each game for a minimum of three (3) consecutive defensive outs and bat at least one (1) time. If a tournament has twelve (12) or less eligible players in uniform at a game, then every player on a team roster shall participate in each game for a minimum of six (6) consecutive defensive outs and bat at least one (1) time.

Restriction on number of coaches has been removed ... Summary: Tournament Organization – Managers and Coaches: Removed the requirement limiting a tournament team to a manager and one coach if the team had 12 or fewer eligible players in uniform at the game site. Any team, regardless of the number of players on the affidavit or at the game site, is now permitted to have one manager and up to two coaches (provided such manager and coaches are eligible). cont'd ....

Little League Rule Changes Pt. II

2010-11-21T07:59:00.002-05:00

... cont'd.

UMPIRES TAKE NOTE:

Games without adult umpires ... Summary: Rule 9.03 (d) – Added language allowing the local league to designate an adult Game Coordinator if an adult umpire is not present at the game.

Full Text of Change

(d) If no adult umpire is available for a game, and non‐adult umpires are used exclusively for that game, the local Little League must assign an adult as Game Coordinator, or the game cannot be played. The Game Coordinator must not be a manager or coach of either team in the game, and cannot be assigned as Game Coordinator for more than one game at a time. The Game Coordinator’s duties shall be:

(1) To be included in the pre‐game meeting as noted in Rule 4.01.

(2) To remain at the game at all times, including between half‐innings, in a position to see all actions on the field and in close proximity to the field (not in any enclosure). If, for some reason, the Game Coordinator is not present or is unable to perform his/her duties for any reason, the game must be suspended until the Game Coordinator returns, or until a new adult Game Coordinator is present and assumes the duties of Game Coordinator for the remainder of the game;

(3) To oversee the conduct of all players, managers, coaches and umpires in the game;

(4) To have the authority to disqualify any player, coach, manager, or substitute for objecting to the decisions of an umpire, for unsportsmanlike conduct or language, or for any of the reasons enumerated in these Playing Rules, and to eject such disqualified person from the playing field. If the Game Coordinator disqualifies a player while a play is in progress, the disqualification shall not take effect until no further action is possible in that play;

(5) To have the sole ability to judge as to whether and when play shall be suspended during a game because of inclement weather conditions or the unfit condition of the playing field; as to whether and when play shall be resumed after such suspension; and as to whether and when a game shall be terminated after such suspension. Said Game Coordinator shall not call the game until at least thirty minutes after play as suspended. The Game Coordinator may continue suspension as long as there is any chance to resume play. (This supersedes Rule 3.10.)

Games suspended ... Summary: Rule 13 – Regulation Game: Removed wording requiring games to “revert” to the previous full inning’s score when – after the game reaches the point of a regulation game – the visiting team ties the game or takes the lead, and the game is suspended before the home team completes its at‐bat and does not take the lead, and the game cannot be resumed on that same day. Page T‐20 (Baseball), T‐18 (Softball).

Full Text of Change, with Surrounding Wording

b. Regulation games (when a winner can be determined) terminated because of weather, darkness or curfew must be resumed if the visiting team ties the game or takes the lead in their half of the inning and the home team does not complete their at bat or take the lead in an incomplete inning. This does not apply to games suspended or delayed by weather that may still be resumed before darkness or curfew (as defined in Tournament Rules and Guidelines – Curfew) on the same day.

Electronic devices ... Summary: Rule 3.17: Added language allowing the use of electronic devices in the dugout provided these devices are not used for communication. Page 65 (Baseball) 63 (Softball)

Full Text of Change

Penalty: If, in the umpire’s judgment, any player, manager or coach uses an electronic communications device during the game, the penalty is ejection from the game. NOTE 1: A manager or coach is permitted to use a scorekeeping and/or pitch‐counting application on an electronic device without penalty, provided such device is not used to receive messages of any sort.

For PDF version of the full league changes ... click here.

The Importance of Long Toss

2010-11-01T15:57:00.003-04:00

Without Long Toss you will lose arm strength over the course of a season.

PITCHERS: Standard Long Toss (Total 40-50 throws) and throw from a set position.

1. Ten Throws at 45-60 feet apart
2. Ten throws 60-90 ft
3. Ten at 75-120 ft
4. Ten at 100-180 feet every other day (Over 12 years old)
5. Ten at 45-60 ft

This throwing activity is good for all positional players as well.

Note: There are a lot of good ways to develop one's body, but ultimately if you want to be a good pitcher--or a positional player--then you better plan on throwing a lot of baseballs....and not just 3 months of the year, but all year long.

No matter how much rope jumping, weight lifting, band work you do, no matter how many milk shakes, protein drinks, colloidal minerals you take, you're only going to get good if you throw a lot of baseballs. Certainly, being fit improves one's performance in any sport.

Throwing a baseball, if you want to become a "Real Baseball Player," is done in a controlled environment year-around. Remember if "U" can't Throw "U" can't Play..

Source: San Diego Eagles Baseball Club / Coaches Corner

Fitness for a Baseball Player

2010-11-01T15:53:00.002-04:00

1. Cardiovascular Training

Cardiovascular training allows you to accomplish more work with less fatigue. It leads to faster recuperation between sets, exercises, and workouts.

2. Range of motion

Range of motion is critical in baseball. Stretching exercises and warm-up techniques that take the muscles through a full range of motion help improve overall flexibility.

3. Strength and Muscular Endurance

Weight training is the primary means of building the strength that helps us improve our speed, power and agility. The key is to improve on the strength of the essential muscles used in our game.

4. Speed

Speed is the measure by which all good athletes, including baseball players, are judged. A player with speed automatically possesses a weapon that separates him from a slower opponent. There is no way to defend speed except through speed itself.

5. Periodization

The theory behind periodization is to divide phrases of training into small, manageable segments so that the body does not adapt to the training. Tthis creates a gradual, planned increase in performance that peaks in time for competition. This significantly reduce the risk of injury. There are 6 standards training phrases.

1. Regeneration
2. Strength
3. Power
4. Specific power
5. Preseason
6. In-Season

6. Specificity and Adaptation

Exercises that constantly challenge the body to perform at a higher level.

7. Intensity, Frequency, and Duration

The power output, number of training sessions and the length of each session.

8. Nutrition

Good nutrition helps your muscles build up after training.

Source: San Diego Eagles Baseball Club / Coaches Corner

Get out the radar-gun!

2009-02-09T12:59:00.006-05:00

How fast should I be throwing at my age?

It's a common question most kids and/or their parents want to know.

Any experienced coach will tell you it's not important. Work on your accuracy. Have sound mechanics and your velocity will follow. And that's good advice. However, most people want some sort of baseline to know how they are measuring up among their age group.

Here's a mathematical formula that seems to work well ...

Average pitcher = Age X 4.3 mph

Top 10% of pitchers = Age X 5 mph

eg) Age 10

Average speed = 43 mph

Top 10% speed = 50 mph

Public batting cages?

2009-02-08T12:25:00.018-05:00

Where have all the batting cages gone in this city?

I'm shocked that a city the size of Ottawa with all its great sports facilities, doesn't have any dedicated public in-door batting/pitching facilities, let alone outdoor batting cages.

Wouldn't it be great to be able to take your team for a batting or pitching session in a safe and self-contained area. A place where if your tea, pr child wanted to work on their swing, they could get reps in whenever they wanted.

If you are willing to make the 3+ hour drive to Syracuse, NY, try out Perfect Practice. There you can also arrange to get pitching or batting instruction for a reasonable fee. Take a tour of their facility.

Or you can always hop on the 401 and head West towards Toronto. There you'll find the Home Run Baseball Academy Inc. in Ajax, Ontario (inset photo at top). This place is owned and operated by former Major Leaguers Rob & Rich Butler.

Home Run Academy Inc. is a 10,000 sq ft facility complete with 4 large retractable hitting tunnels. These tunnels are equipped with Iron Mike Pitching machines (utilized in the big leagues), pitching mounds, soft toss areas, L screens, batting tees and much more. Pull the tunnels back for 5,000 sq ft of open floor area for infielding and foot work drills. The facility is fully adaptable to individual needs creating variety in practices.
Home Run Baseball Academy's Club House is available for team/group meetings, coaches clinics, birthday parties, after school programs and more. The Club House is equipped with a large white board for presentations and strategies, a large boardroom table which seats 20 and a television with a VCR/DVD player.

If you know of any other facilties, please let me know, and I'll profile them here.