re: Travel Ball "World Series"

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These kids have seen hundreds more at bats than almost any kid did back in the 90s.

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In the 90s yes, 70s and 80s no. Kids all played outside all day and had a fundamental grasp on the game. The rec. teams were better than the average travel ball team today.

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The best travel teams now would crush all star teams from that era..

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Considering they get to pick kids from an entire region I guess so. If you picked the best all star team kids (in that era) from a region they would compete easily.

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when everyone makes it

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Since when does everyone make it? You think little Johnny can just walk on any team that he wants to play on?

Each team is only limited to 15 kids per roster...most teams only carry 11-12 kids......very few carry 13 and almost none of them carry the 15 they are allowed to.

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These World Series are embarrassing. I could go find 12 homeless kids around new Iberia and they would make the World Series

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and get run ruled in all 3 games... and be on their happy way

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and get run ruled in all 3 games... and be on their happy way

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No one would care about that they would just know that I took 12 homeless kids to the World Series

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upper level team cut many

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Revert back to my last post


I would pull a little giants and take all the kids that got cut and make a team and take them to the World Series. The point is you are supposed to earn a spot in the World Series

Here’s the facts. Yes, anyone can play travel. It takes little effort to put together a travel team and play in travel tournaments. That being said, the main reasons travel baseball has become the norm are overzealous parents and the poor product most Rec leagues put out these days. The parents that are crazy would be crazy even if travel ball was not a factor. The chicken or the egg argument can be bad why Rec ball is so bad these days. Is it because of travel tournaments or are travel tournaments needed because Rec is so poor.

I can tell you almost all high school baseball players will have played travel baseball. That doesn’t mean there aren’t outliers that are genetically gifted that would not have made it regardless.

I can also tell you that the kids that play college ball are not likely to only play high school baseball. Summer baseball is a dying breed at the high school level. Whereas kids will play on select team or showcase teams.

Does that mean that some people are delusional to think that their kid will achieve all of those things because they play travel baseball? Obviously. But they are just crazy and living vicariously through little Johnny. But, the vastmajority of these boys that play at high school or higher will most definitely not just play Rec baseball. It isn’t the venue that leads to success in today’s reality.

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Since when does everyone make it? You think little Johnny can just walk on any team that he wants to play on?

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No, he can't make any team that he wants to, but there are enough teams that he can find a team to play on. And the World Series will pretty much accept all paying teams. That's how it works. Its a racket.

I know a family that was so tied into this travel baseball in Madison, MS thatchy spent thousands every summer on uniforms, equipment and travel only for the kid to get to 9th grade and not make the high school team. When he didn't make it in 10th grade, they sent him to a small private school so he could play high school baseball. They couldn't afford any of this. The mother had three jobs and the father had two and mowed lawns.

He graduates high school and gets a chance to play at a Division III school that doesn't give athletic aid. Of course they sent him and he is going to be $100k in college debt to play baseball. It baffles me.

The new norm is that Division III colleges are increasing recruiting budgets for baseball and softball. There are parents that are hell bent on their kid playing college baseball/softball that they are willing to pay the high tuition.

Take a look at the Centenary baseball roster. 46 players. No roster limits in Division III. None of these players have a penny of athletic scholarship. 25 of them are freshmen. I know for an absolute fact that two of these kids didn't even play high school baseball.

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To be fair, its happening in other sports at the Division III level as well. Look at Mary Hardin-Baylor football

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Every number 1-99 is taken, plus 85 football players with no number. Hey, I played college football!!!!!

What happened to American Legion ball?

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Since when does everyone make it? You think little Johnny can just walk on any team that he wants to play on?

Each team is only limited to 15 kids per roster...most teams only carry 11-12 kids......very few carry 13 and almost none of them carry the 15 they are allowed to.

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Back in Feb, just among my facebook friends, just among 8 year old teams... I saw 11 different teams advertising for tryouts to "find one or two more kids to round out the team".

If you want to get on a team, you will. Maybe not the exact team you want... but you will get on one. Which is part of the problem.

Travel ball used to be like all-stars, something special for the best kids.

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What happened to American Legion ball?

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USSSA offered an avenue of $$$ to the high school coaches/hired coaches for the summer. Legion has some of the blame b/c there were never enough volunteers to work fields/game prep etc.., and places with lights to play. Now the teams travel around the state to different college locations and play each other. The schools and USSSA get the gate while the parents pay the coaches for travel/room/board etc... Always follow the $.