oldram

I had a discussion with OldRamber on another thread about the issue of AABC. I stated that the sophmores that are playing Varsity now didnt have a Babe Ruth to go to. The kids before those guys in classes like the 2000-2007 class played both Babe Ruth and JV sometimes Babe Ruth and Varsity. Baseball starts in tee ball and goes in stages all the way up so that the basics can be included by the time you get to JV. It is hoped that you are playing on a JV or Varsity level by then. I am assuming that the young players in 7th, 8th and 9th grade do not have a Babe Ruth to go to so they are playing JV. Some stated that had not played since 7 and 8's and 9 and 10's. Can we really judge our coaches when the basics should be taught there in little league. We have a serious problem folks but its not the coaches its our little league. The coaches and volunteers just are not there. No one has the time anymore to volunteer to help these kids. The young men and women that are completing college do your community a favor volunteer to help these kids at the little league level. There is no better reward then to help a child. Believe me us older folks practiced what we preached and volunteered. You will reap the benefits.

Thank you so much LL Cool. We want all teams to do well. We want good old fashion fair competition. It does no team justice when there are things that dont seem quite even on both sides. I try to make it a point to congratulate the winners in all sports. I also try and make it a point to compliment a great play or a player that is really pushing hard. No one likes to see their team lose but by far Raceland Fans are always encouraging and rarely fall into the trap of sour grapes.

Sorry about that you are totally correct Peyton Martin did get a hit. I dont like to slide any of the players. Martin is an excellent ballplayer.

They were not hitting well also. To my knowledge the only hit of the game belonged to sophmore center fielder Loren Huffman which hit a double. It was good to see Bobby Mckee back in the lineup.

Congrats to the Rams. Keep working hard.

congrats to Stephen. You have been knighted.

Rams will not be going to Paintsville this weekend.

The Rams are coming together. John Scott is definetly a tough one. I was also impressed last night that with every hit at least two boys stepped out of the dug out and patted the players no matter if they were coming in or it had been an out. The older boys have really stepped up to encourage the younger ones. Impressive!

Thats funny right there. :lol: Good game Rams. I think they needed a little bit of confidence going into the next game. Saturday should be rough, Racelands prom night. It will give the younger ones some Varsity experience.

Paintsville game will happen on Tuesday. Game time I am not sure usually its 5:30. Rams need to hold their heads up and come back with a good game on Tuesday.

I like the thought of the younger ones moving up trying out for certain positions and I will tell you why. Too many times the boys are put into positions in JFL and thats it. They play that one and only position all the way through. Realizing it could be that is exactly where the coach wants him. As they get older their bodies change and that position may not be right for them anymore. Maybe they have a hidden talent that has never been developed for another position. I watched a couple of young men change their positions for the good of the team and excelled in them. I also watch several that only played JV their freshman and sophmore year work extremely hard at JV and start Varsity. I guess my opinion on positions is every year brings new and developed talent and I would hate to think that everything is set in stone of who is going where. In their hearts the ultimate goal is being on that football field Friday night.

Well my prayers are with Bobby and hopefully it is closer to that week mark than a month. Game tonight against Fairview, go get'em boys.

Question was asked about Bobby Mckee going down on another thread that had been closed. He did go down slidding into second. He doesnt have a break its strainned muscles and he should be back in a week. We are all praying for him. He is an asset to the team.

Congrads Rams, we are thrilled. Keep that same focus in the up and coming games.

Congrads Rams. Pulling for the win on Wednesday.

Great job Raceland. Keep up the good work and keep those bats out boys.

I apologize fpr the Bad Mews Bears commemnt. It was not meant in a negative light. Its because they had come together not playing with each other and the errors that were being made however in the end we all knew they were a winning team. I aplogize to anyone that took offense to this comment.

Thank you appreciate the info.

Thank heavens. Thanks for the score HIT, I called and was told they just won and I hung up excited before I got the score. This old man cant handle too much excitment. Didnt even ask who did what.

Raceland wins against East tonight. Things might be coming together

This is very true Oldrambler. I would just like to take a moment and mention our Raceland players by name so that we can encourage them in turning a negative start into a positive season. Peyton Martin Josh Wilson John Scott Carver Dillion Keeton Sean Reynolds Bobby Mckee Loren Huffman Daniel Jones Tray Brown Josh Reed Casey Nichols Tyler Hensley We are here cheering you on.

I agree with everything you have said. You are most certainly right about the situations with the fields of which I forgot about all the hardships the parents went through with csx owning that land to trying to get volunteers. I agree with the dad situation also I know these men and although they were dads they coached them all to the best of their ability. We need that to come back. Sometimes people dont look at the situation in front of them. They just say Raceland has a bad team but these boys really are new to the game of Varisty baseball. It has been obvious in their plays and hitting. It is a rebuilding year. I am confident they will improve with tough practices.

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.

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.

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.