What is going on at Raceland? I can't remember the last time a Raceland team has started off winless after 5 or 6 games. Is it pitching? I have read a couple of articles that talk of some pitchers struggling to find the plate.

Having trouble pitching,fielding,and hitting. That'll get you a lot of losses. This team better fix it, or they'll only beat the real bad teams this year. Right now, Raceland is not a top 10 team in the region.

Do they have a lot of youth/underclassmen? I read an article on the Daily Independent about an 8th grader that his playing.

How has Martin been playing?

Do they have a lot of youth/underclassmen? I read an article on the Daily Independent about an 8th grader that his playing.

 

The 8th grader Josh Reed is a cousin to GCHS Soph. Zack Reed.

Do they have a lot of youth/underclassmen? I read an article on the Daily Independent about an 8th grader that his playing.

 

 

I know one 8th grader that got some time on varsity in Cocoa, and also has seen some time since returning is Josh Reed. I also read that article in the Independent this morning where he had a RBI.

Seems to be pitching at Raceland thats been hurting them. Their pitching needs to step up for them to be a top ten team in the region. They have a couple of underclassman in Bobby McKee, Daniel Jones, Josh Reed, who are all everyday players.

I think it is a combination of everything right now for the Rams. You have to remember that the 2006 and 2007 teams mainly consisted of players who had started for 3 and 4 years on the varsity team. Raceland has lost those players and right now they are trying to develope some of the younger players that are inexperienced due to prior success by the Rams. I think they will get better as the season goes on. As for a quick fix, I think the Rams need to establish a pitcher they can coun on every time he goes out to the mound, in order to gain some team confidence, right now they dont have a pitcher like that. IMO Wilson could/should be that guy but it just hasnt happened yet. Lastly, the Rams have a great player in Peyton Martin but he is not necasserily the type of player to step up and vocally lead his team. From what I've heard and seen he is more of a leader by example, therefore someone needs to step up and get this guys in gear. Sometimes that is more effective when it comes from a player than a coach. But I am confident things will improve as the season goes on.

This is only my opinion but the underclassman such as Bobby Mckee, Loren Huffman, and Daniel Jones played primarily all JV games. They do not have much experience at all in Varisty situations. I am not trying to cause a riot either but most of the errors that has happened on this team has been made by regular Varsity players. This team has not yet come together as a team. It has been pitching and hitting and errors. They made many elementary mistakes in Florida. Not throwing the ball to the right place, not backing each other up, not knowing how many outs they had etc...

 

 

This can be resolved with good old get back to basics pracitce. Actually pitch to the batters and not use batting cages. Have infield and outfield situations in practice.

 

Raceland has a fine team with many talented players but it cant just be talented players it needs to be a team.

 

Again I am not trying to hang the older ones out to dry. They are very talented but this is positively not an underclassmen problem in my opinion. Its a team problem.

 

Ramcat, I also agree with your statements.

This is only my opinion but the underclassman such as Bobby Mckee, Loren Huffman, and Daniel Jones played primarily all JV games. They do not have much experience at all in Varisty situations. I am not trying to cause a riot either but most of the errors that has happened on this team has been made by regular Varsity players. This team has not yet come together as a team. It has been pitching and hitting and errors. They made many elementary mistakes in Florida. Not throwing the ball to the right place, not backing each other up, not knowing how many outs they had etc...

 

 

This can be resolved with good old get back to basics pracitce. Actually pitch to the batters and not use batting cages. Have infield and outfield situations in practice.

 

Raceland has a fine team with many talented players but it cant just be talented players it needs to be a team.

 

Again I am not trying to hang the older ones out to dry. They are very talented but this is positively not an underclassmen problem in my opinion. Its a team problem.

 

Ramcat, I also agree with your statements.

 

 

This kind of concerns me because it is not like a Raceland team to not be ready to play....especially making a lot of mental mistakes. Hoof always had us ready to play. We used to go through so much situational crap in practice that it would drive us crazy. Also, we very rarely hit off the machine...even when we practiced inside...it was mostly 'live arm'. It does sound like someone is going to have to step up and be a vocal/emotional leader or this season could become a huge disaster.

Rambackstop8, thank you for taking my opinion under advisement and not being critical about it. I am an old man and have seen many a Raceland baseball team but right now they would remind you of the bad news bears. I think the world of all of them but they just havent played together as a team. Some of the younger players have seen maybe one to two Varsity games all last year and it was to run bases primarily. The entire team is just making mistakes.

 

Its going to be my goal to encourage and talk up this team. They feel defeated all ready. They go into a game with there head down. We need to really encourage these boys and let them know we have confidence in our older ones and not forget each younger one that takes the field and let them know we have faith they can rise to the challenge.

I can't remember a Raceland baseball team starting off this bad and I have been around a long time (75' grad).

Raceland has always put good baseball teams on the field and some VERY good teams. I have to think that Raceland will get things lined out and Coach Vanderhoof will have this team primed by district time. Rams......keep your heads up, work hard and things will improve :thumb:.

 

One other question and I ceretainly am not poiniting fingers and hope that this is not the case but................how are the youth league programs doing in the last few years?

Raceland always had excellent little league, babe ruth, american amatauer league teams and instuctional programs in the past and that is imo the future and foundation of your high school program. Have these league/teams slipped and have they had a loss of interest? Just wondering.....

My opinion and only my opinion is there has been a stretch in time where between the sophmores and freshman that are now playing that the little leagues did fall apart. Bobby Mckee and Loren Huffman started playing JV in 7th grade due to this. Daniel Jones transfered in last year I think. There was not a babe ruth team for them to go to. It fell apart. I do believe it was the same in the younger ones at that time. I think that the only team that had anything going was Darby's team and they were 7 and 8 at the time and I think he has kept up with them. I am sure others have more facts on the aabc or babe ruth but last years seniors were the last of the kids that played babe ruth.

 

Unfourntely, Coach Vanderhoof is going to have to drill the basics in these kids and I know he will. The boys need to have a little faith in theirselves also.

The Raceland youth league is failing. It seems most parents are taking their kids to play at Russell or South Shore. The few people who were keeping it going ,no longer have kids playing, and no one else has stepped up to keep things going. It's hard to get parents involved to fix the fields or even work concession when the season starts. Also,since the league doesnt own the land, its nearly impossible to get money from the state for the league. A few business help some, but Raceland always has money problems. It's time for others to get to the fields and rebuild Raceland youth baseball. If it was football, there would be tons of people over there working and trying to keep things going.

My opinion and only my opinion is there has been a stretch in time where between the sophmores and freshman that are now playing that the little leagues did fall apart. Bobby Mckee and Loren Huffman started playing JV in 7th grade due to this. Daniel Jones transfered in last year I think. There was not a babe ruth team for them to go to. It fell apart. I do believe it was the same in the younger ones at that time. I think that the only team that had anything going was Darby's team and they were 7 and 8 at the time and I think he has kept up with them. I am sure others have more facts on the aabc or babe ruth but last years seniors were the last of the kids that played babe ruth.

 

Unfourntely, Coach Vanderhoof is going to have to drill the basics in these kids and I know he will. The boys need to have a little faith in theirselves also.

 

You are right. Situations has to be taught in practice. That last group, (06 and 07) , we went trough situations nearly every practice. Always worked on fundamentals. Hoof will need to devote more time on these now. Fair or not, most times in a youth league, a dad of a player is the one coaching and teaching. The last group of dads to really take an interest have moved on. Although, both Darby and Morris have a son coming up and both are coaching them.