Baseball & Softball Seasons

Logan & Payton’s seasons ended recently for baseball and softball. This was Payton’s third year of 8U, and my second as the head coach. Logan was in Single-A for a full season (whereas last year, he was used as a call up for a bunch of games, then eventually became a member of the one team). I was an assistant coach for his team. It was actually the first time in a few years where I did not end up being the pitcher. I pitch for Payton’s team (even when I was the assistant coach), plus I always ended up pitching to the kids in t-ball. But for Logan’s team? Another coach wanted to pitch, and I was happy to step aside.

Logan
We took Logan to his tryout before the season and he did well. I think they gave every kid five pitches, and he hit four of them. They did a few other things like some ground balls, which he fielded well, and then they did some pop-ups, which he missed. He ended up being drafted on the River Dogs. 

Logan had a great season. He had 51 hits, and ended up batting .857. He led the team in hits, average, least strikeouts (only three!), and he tied for the most doubles (7). He was typically the lead off hitter, and he managed to score 27 times, but he also knocked in 17, which was good for second on the team. 

He was a little awkward on defense at first. He did not seem to know what to do at times. Plus he would be a little timid about moving towards the ball. But after awhile, he loosened up, and made a few nice plays. He played in the infield, usually at second or short, and a few times at pitcher. His coach did a nice job of rotating kids around positions, there were times when Logan was in the outfield as well. 

His team ended up 7-5 during the regular season. They lost their first round playoff game to a team they beat three times in the regular season. Fortunately that team ended up making it to the championship game, which takes the sting out of the loss a little bit. 

I have to mention my super proud dad moment. During the playoff game, we played on the smaller t-ball field. One of the kids on the other team hit a home run, and our team was kind of down. I kept trying to hype them up by telling the kids that they took could hit the ball out here, the fence is not that far away. Well, in the fifth inning, Logan comes up to bat and he crushes a line drive that hit the fence on the fly. He hit a bunch of doubles this year, but that one was definitely the best one. 

Logan did a few baseball camps this past year, he did a fall one and a spring one for ERA Sports. Those camps really helped him with his fielding (he was one of the few kids who started the season with proper form when fielding a grounder). He also did their two-day summer camp, which he really loved. 

The question is what should we do next year. Should he go up to Double-A, which would be a modified kid pitch (after so many walks, a coach comes in to pitch) or should he stay down another year in Single-A. I can see the benefit of staying down. He could continue to work on his defense more. He might actually grow a little, and maybe he could hit for more power, give him more confidence for when he does go to Double-A (plus there would be opportunities for being called up to Double-A during the season). The advantage to going up are that he would be facing better competition, yes he might struggle, but he would be learning way more about the game by being in tougher situations. In the end, it will be his decision. If a bunch of his friends decide to go up, then I am sure he would want to go up, if they stay down, he will want to stay down. 

Logan made the All-Star team. Well Single-A has a little All-Star tournament for the best players in the division. They create four teams and play a bunch of games. Since most of the kids are not going to be good enough for the 8U All-Star team, this is a fun way to get them some more playing time, and a chance to compete at a slightly higher level. 

Payton
Team wise, it was a rough season. We went 2-9-1 during the regular season, and then got destroyed in our opening round playoff game by a team that we played close both times this year. I have to tell a story that Payton would probably not like for me to tell. It is about our first game this season.

The opening game was against the projected best team, they finished second last year, and had most of their girls returning. We scrimmaged them a few days prior, and it felt like a beating. So we did not have high expectations. They beat us 19-4. And honestly, I would not have cared about the score at all, but I did not feel like Payton was even trying. She went 1 for 3 with two strikeouts. She just seemed so uninterested, and she was being a pain like she had been at some of the practices. 

After the game, Lindsey said about going to the Meadows for ice cream. I cannot remember what Payton did at the end of the game that made me mad, but I did not say anything, I just walked to my car. Lindsey messaged me and asked if I wanted to go, and I said that I would meet them there. I tried to put it out of my mind, but when they got there, Lindsey asked what was wrong, and Payton was like “Dad’s mad because we lost.”

I got mad. I was like “no, I am not mad that we lost. I do not care that we lost. It’s an 8u softball game. I am mad that you did not try. I am mad that you were disrespectful to me, which causes your friends to also be disrespectful. You said you wanted to be a leader on the team. Well good job, you have led the entire team to acting like a bunch of jerks, and I honestly am considering texting the other coaches and telling them I am done.” There were tears. Nothing like a sad ice cream cone.

We came home and Payton was like “I am sorry Daddy, I will do better.” I told her I was sorry as well, and that I just want her to try her hardest, and to give her all. A few days later we had our second game. The girls were starting to goof off, and act like they did the first game, and Payton stepped up and said for everyone to be quiet. She then went 4 for 4, and made a couple of nice plays at second base. 

She kept playing well, and it came time for All-Star selections. I nominated her along with a few other players, and she was the only player to be picked from our team. I was super proud of her, and I told her so. We had a game coming up on the t-ball field, and I told her that I thought she could probably hit one to the fence if she really got a hold of it. I do not know what I was thinking. Between that, and then the pressure of being an all-star, she ended up struggling for the next two games. Like STRUGGLING. I think she struck out six times in eight at-bats. We then figured out what the problem was: I was not saying “Are you ready, goober?” Once I started saying that, she started hitting again. Great, I created a superstitious ballplayer. 

Payton ended up batting .646, which was good for 4th on the team. She had 31 hits and scored 16 runs. Both led the team. She only had two RBIs, but that is more a product of batting 1st or 2nd. Unfortunately she also struck out 14 times. On the defensive side, she had 8 putouts, and five assists. She and Em managed a few 6-4 and 4-6 plays this year. 

She also did the two-day ERA summer camp with Logan. I asked her, assuming she would say no, but she was like “yeah, do you think it will help me get better.” Also, any time Logan and I go up to the batting cage, Payton wants to come hit as well. 

Payton still has a ton of work to do if she wants to improve. She seems to enjoy, and she even asked about trying out for a Flood City team. She went to the tryout a week or so ago. She was young, and she definitely is very raw compared to the older girls, but I can see her watching them and learning.

This was her final year of 8U. She and I had some lengthy discussions about it. At first she was afraid to move up. But now she is excited about the prospect. I told her that I would volunteer to be a coach, but I just might not be a head coach. Plus most of her friends will be moving up. They may not be on the same team, but she does not want to feel like she is behind them. I also think it will be better for her to start facing kid pitching.  What more can she learn from me pitching to her?

I was going to talk about her first All-Star tournament in a post later on, but I want to mention it now. 

I was very nervous. I think I had impostor syndrome by proxy (I just made that up). I was worried that if she played terribly, then people would assume she made it because I am one of the coaches. Fortunately, she played well, and I did not have to worry. 

She went 8 for 13 (.615 AVG), with 6 runs scored, and 2 RBIs. She only struck out once, and the coach pitching throws a bit harder than I do.  Every girl had at least one strikeout. Payton played as well as she could and she definitely belonged on the field with the other girls. My fears were laid to rest.

There was a moment during the big semi-final game on Sunday. Payton was playing third base and there was a high pop-up. She usually tries to catch by holding her glove way up (but facing the way you would field a grounder). I always try to correct her, but it does not stick. The one assistant coach worked with her, and I guess it worked because she caught the ball perfectly (two hands, squeezed the glove shut…).

I will not lie though, for a brief second I was hoping one of the better girls (either the SS or Pitcher) would push her out of the way to catch it. But she proved me wrong, just as she always seems to do when I underestimate her.

It was a great season! Now it is time for some All-Star tournaments.