The rec system is such a joke here in the states. It's basically just glorified babysitting with absolutely no player development. Because of this tons of athletic kids stop playing baseball by age 10, which is sad because baseball really doesn't get fun until age 11 or 12. My son has had several of his talented friends quit baseball because it was too boring, they'd rather play 7 on 7 spring football.

In my opinion, The REAL reason travel ball is killing baseball is because it is making baseball a sport for only rhe rich kids with parents that can afford it, AND travel 6-8 months out if the year. I wholeheartedly believe rhis is why so many kids are avoiding baseball all together, football and basketball are just so much more accessible. Imagine paying $200 for a 3 monrh season with most of your gear being provided. Now compare that to a travel baseball season where most kids are getting 2-3 bats a year over $300, a $250 glove, custom helmets, plus extra money for special edition uniforms, plus the gas and hotel costs, tournament costs, parking, etc. It may not be a big deal to some but most parents and kids are not going to do that, all for their kid to over do it and get TJ their junior year in HS. So rhese kids are nor growing up in baseball. And as a result there are less baseball fans growing up. Less peopel care about baseball every single year and it starts at rhe yiuth level. The pitching hard thing and player development is only a small part of it. And by the way, venezuelan baseball players have been killing it lately. 🇻🇪🇺🇸⚾ We love baseball and always will.

Great Video. My son is currently a 10U player here in Socal in Pony. Some of his friends are on a travel ball team and would come to practices wearing their travel ball swag hats and sweat shirts. My son would ask me about him joining the travel team. As I watched these travel team kids play I noticed that my son played just as well or better than all of those travel kids. Some of those kids also started to complain about sore arms, at 10 years old!! My feeling is that a lot of these dads are playing through their kids and want bragging rights about how much of a stud their kid is. It has actually become so bad that my wife and I sit in the outfield to avoid all the "talk" on which kid is the stud player.

One other thing to take into account is that travel and showcase ball at young ages has led to d1 schools getting commitments from kids as young as 7th and 8th grade. With these spots locked up, there are so many other kids that finally grew into their bodies and worked their butts off to improve over their high school "careers." A kid like Jace Soffal, from the University of Oregon, gets overlooked and has to go the CC route, despite being in the upper 80s in high school. Lucky for him, he was able to get above 90, and continued working hard to get into the mid 90s.

How many from The Dominican Republic become professional soccer, basketball, hockey, golf or anything else? Players in the U.S. just have more options.

Looking back i wasn't the most eager to improve my game. But honestly the thing i accredited it most to is honestly playing travel baseball. Without getting terribly into detail. My program was not a competitive program and was full of corrupt has been coaches, in Southeast Wisconsin. With one of them literally leaving us right after a loss. And actually stealing a pitching machine. I could give names but i won't. I stayed with this program for pretty much my entire adolescence to basically 18. And im telling you it was absolutely demoralizing. We had guys that had insane potential especially this one kid that couldn't have been 5'8 at 15 throwing 86 across the diamond. He was from Puerto Rico and bare spoke any English. Not that it mattered he barely spoke as it is. Over the years the age bracket under us in complete honesty outclassed us in skill. But you know why, they had the same coaches since they were 11. Their practices were extremely more efficient than ours and translated to the game much more than ours. Over my many years in this organization baseball slowly became a burden in life. It got so bad to where I would literally be glad we got eliminated so I could go home. My Freshman year was the first time in a long time i actually enjoyed playing. And you know what, what we absolutely sucked that year. The biggest problem with that program at our level was that they were too nice. Looking back there were time where i should've been cut. There was such a lack of competitiveness amongst the players. Because everyone knew they would always have their spot. I don't know about anyone else on our team but that played a big part in my confidence as a player. Looking back i should've went to a extremely notable program in Southeast Wisconsin. Known for producing tons of College and MLB players. One of them for the LA Dodgers who had a season ending injury this last spring training. Im not saying i wouldve been like him. But i feel like being rejected a spot wouldve done me good. This program is extremely effective in created champs out of chumps. They always offered their training for everyone at every level. The biggest thing for choosing a program. Is finding a program that wants the most of of you as a player. I also think parents have to do there due diligence on this part as well. Because sometimes players can't see what's happening. Parents have to see how the entire team performs. Over a two year span you should see noticeable improvement in the team. Has the skill improved, and is the team winning more? And if it's a winning team. It's also important to observe the level of competition. There was a program ran by a guy here in the Southeast Wisconsin. Who got in trouble for embezzlement of funds for a widely known youth program in the US. Who at the later half of tenure began entering his teams into tournaments that had a lower level of competitiveness. To give the impression of a winning team. It wasn't always like that though. That program used to produce D1 monsters like crazy. If you're a ballplayer who plays for a travel team. You need to take advantage of the off season as much as possible for skiil and strength development. I honestly think fall and winter leagues are ineffective in progressing as a player. And a great way to burn out. In the United States there are tons of different ways to be seen. Showcases and NCSA should be used strategically. In my opinion you don't need to play travel teams in the summer at all. I met a guy from Venezuela. He told me that doen there. There baseball is completely different. Of course they have youth teams. But they also have teams where if you can make the cut, you can play. There is extreme competitiveness between "teammates." You can lose your spot after a couple games if you're underperforming. There is a lot more training than actual game play. A mid level youth team would probably outplay most youth programs here in the US.

I saw the insta video and was wondering why you made the claims. I really liked the explanation and it makes sense. Thank you.

Preach!! Keep this message going. Select/AAU in general are killing the development and brotherhood of sports. Using guest players to better ur chances at that weekend tournament instead of developing your own. Its all about business and ego and every parent thinking they have the next Bryce harper/ Steph Curry

I agree without a doubt! Great video I wish it had more views

Great video well said

I have personal friends that Have shared that most talent at very young ages are literally taking steroids in most of these Latin American and “island” countries. There is an abuse of kids arms in the US but there is a deeper abuse not visible yet in many of the international players. You can literally go into any pharmacy in Venezuela and buy steroids on the shelf with your prescription. Many of the families take this as a “supplement.” not even realizing they’re probably destroying their children’s very body. I have a hunch in around 10 years or to see many of these international players dying at very young ages, with lots of money in their accounts 😞.

It’s because they have nothing else. First period isn’t math it’s pitching. Also our best athletes have other options. How many Dominicans in the NBA?

Can you post links to what you consider are the best peer-reviewed studies?

The rec system is full of politics and daddy ball. The game isn’t fun and exciting anymore. Get out of this dying archaic system and it opens up for players to be better and have fun. The best thing I did for my kid was get him out of rec and into travel ball. My son is now in love with the game of baseball.

best youtube video ive watched in a year

I understand what you are trying to say, but it's a little off. For example, we have more lawyers, doctors, football players, basketball players, engineers, professors, etc. We have way more opportunities to be successful here.

joe dimaggio said it takes desperation to make a ballplayer. those depression era players had a drive and desperation to make it to the bigs, a fire in the guts to make it, due to their living conditions… i think you’re seeing the same thing in the latin american countries… players with extreme desperation to make it. rich travel ball kids don’t have that.

Love the content, but maybe not have them dropping weighted bars from overhead during the recording would’ve been a benefit. Still gave us a thumbs up.

I agree

Great weather year around and being the really only sport has something to do with it.

he is 100% correct. 100%. my dad is an orthopedic surgeon

It’s exceptionally rare for a kid to make it to the Majors. It’s also very very rare to be a starting D1 Baseball Player. It’s best to assume your kid won’t play any Baseball after High School. If you have that extremely rare kid, that kid isn’t going to get scouted and recruited because he played 10U Majors. Regarding Showcases it’s not necessary at all for the “right kid”. Send some videos around to some College Coaches. Most will look at them, and give honest feedback. Lastly, if your Kid isn’t in the 90th percentile or more for Height it’s extremely unlikely they will get a D1 offer even if they’re really good. Physicality matters more than people think at the highest levels. Plenty of Juco Players have as good or better mechanics than D1 Athletes, but they lack size, and your kid isn’t Altuve.

i agree

Now let's talk about injuries. I bet more football players at the high school level on down have more injuries than baseball. I bet injuries in football have altered every day life with concussions that linger, broken arms and legs that cause a permanent limp, and the worse paralyzed players. I saw a study that said there are more injuries in the house or back yard than on a sports field. Injuries are part of the game. I had shoulder surgery at the age of 27. I'm pretty sure my genetics had a lot to do with playing for a long time, my body just broke down. I never played fall ball as an amateur. I know guys that have played longer than I did that never had surgery. It's a case by case situation.

Hard to follow with all the crashing of weights in the background. Good topic and probably good knowledge but the location/ execution of the video could be better.

That background noise

Its not that the culture here is bad. DR players play baseball when they can walk. They dont go to school. They practice up to 8 hrs a day. Every single day. Year in, year out. There is no way the skill level can compare because American kids have to go to school. And they have social lives, family events, electronics, etc. The one advantage american players still have is stature. Size and strength. Access to nutrition. Training equipment. That's where american players make their money... in the gym. Because latin players will always have more skill due to the aforementioned reasons

Got to buy those steak dinners for the coaches to put your kids up front even though your kid is better than the ones up front… the politics is ridiculous

I'm 4 mins into the video and I'm willing to bet you've overlooked the fact that Latin players don't play football or basketball and have limited financial opportunities outside of becoming professional baseball players. They literally start specializing at it as young kids and yet you seem to knock it here. You should've just knocked travel ball without trying to reference the ethnicity differences in pro ball. Latin players are better players because it's a large part of their culture. In 5-10 years it will be the same for Japanese players in regards to representation in MLB. This isn't a bad thing. It's simply a reflection of the multiple athletic opportunities in this country compared to others.

Who cares about playing professionally? What if a kid loves baseball and wants to play it in a competitive environment with other players who love the game?

Why do kids leave rec ball? Several reasons. Parents no longer want Daddy ball. If your kid is good and I mean really good he has to put up with kids who are just starting out in baseball at 11 or 12 years of age. Kids can’t advance if they are surrounded by kids just beginning. Select or travel ball implies real coaches and real commitment considering the costs associated with travel ball. Rec ball used to be sufficient to get a kid on a high school team. No longer the case.

Kids are leaving little leage because there is 5 coaches on a team.which there kids start. There covering for there lack Skill. Not saying some kids cant play. There moving into to all stars which really really gets me pissed of. I get Hott. Because Now your representing our city. I Dont Believe the correct kids are representing the Districts. And I blame little league. They should be actually watching. And they can with game changer. Should be in forced. And the kids wirh the best batting average. Stats etc Go to All Stars. not because there Over weight Daddy is the Coach just my Opinion. Now travel ball I disagree. From what i see of a kid cant play. He will sit out. Atleast our travel team. Ps little league is actually declining at 14% to 20% look it up. Unfortunately blame little league....

I'll disagree with that, the fact you have to have a break off Slider to even get a sniff at is what is causing Tommy John surgery.

Baseball sucks here also because blacks have been systematically taken out of the game which is not the case in the DR. The most athletic kids here play football and basketball. Not so much baseball anymore.