Devers signs 11 year $331 million extension

[notin]

I don't think that there is any doubt that American kids are not as into baseball as they were years ago. It is obvious.

 

What are you basing that on?

 

It seems to me that the larger amount of leagues that exist now than did 40 years ago paints the opposite picture.

 

https://thehittingvault.com/travel-baseball/#:~:text=There%20are%20tens%20of%20thousands,areas%20like%20Texas%20and%20California.

[dgalehouse]

I'd rather see a player show some emotion like Devers than smash things around or go ape on an ump, like Nixon and Youk used to do.

 

Devers reminds me a lot of Manny- a player that loves the game and doesn't seem to let down moments affect his next AB or play.

 

Remember when Big Papi smashed the dugout phone with a bat ?

[Old Red]

Did I ever tell you about the time I went six rounds with Marvin Hagler ?

 

Play station?

[Old Red]

Remember when Big Papi smashed the dugout phone with a bat ?

He only beat up a phone. Sale beat up a TV.

[notin]

Did I ever tell you about the time I went six rounds with Marvin Hagler ?

 

It would be impressive to even talk coherently after that…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Did I ever tell you about the time I went six rounds with Marvin Hagler ?

 

Drafts or bottles?

[notin]

Drafts or bottles?

 

Eh. I’d still struggle to talk coherently…

[moonslav59]

Remember when Big Papi smashed the dugout phone with a bat ?

 

Yes.

 

I also remember Manny almost duking it out with Youk, after Youk started smashing up the dugout.

[cp176]

You do know they're not robots? Even guys like Jeter and Chipper Jones would show emotion from time to time?

 

I don't know whether or not they are robots. Guess I should be apologizing for my coaching career. Oh well, it is a teaching philosophy that works. I really couldn't care any less what you think about how I approach athletes and athletics in general. Once again I like Devers. I just didn't like seeing him beaten like that. He gets criticized on here and just in general plenty. I'll take anger over hiding your head in your hands any day.

[illinoisredsox]

What are you basing that on?

 

It seems to me that the larger amount of leagues that exist now than did 40 years ago paints the opposite picture.

 

https://thehittingvault.com/travel-baseball/#:~:text=There%20are%20tens%20of%20thousands,areas%20like%20Texas%20and%20California.

 

Those teams have come at the expense of rec ball and Little League though.

 

When my sons were involved 20-25 years ago, every school in our town had a grade based team and sometimes 2. Those are gone. The local Little League had American and National charters with 6 teams each. The town next to used to have 3 Little Leagues. These are towns of 35000-45000 people. Now, our Little League is down to one charter. The neighboring town ended up having to merge with another league just to have enough kids for 4 teams between them. Other town’s Little Leagues are just gone period. Kids who want to play have to go travel ball or they just don’t play.

 

For the kid who wants to do nothing else, travel teams are fine. The kid who just wants to play for fun has nothing. Seems to me that it’s a mixed bag.

[Old Red]

Another this is there are just less kids period. School numbers are way down in surrounding towns where I grew up from back when I went to school in the 60’s, and early 70’s.

[moonslav59]

Another this is there are just less kids period. School numbers are way down in surrounding towns where I grew up from back when I went to school in the 60’s, and early 70’s.

 

Under 18 Population in USA

 

69.7M 1970

63.8M 1980

63.6M 1990

72.3M 2000

74.2M 2010

73.1M 2020

[dgalehouse]

It wasn't just Little League or any organized competition. Kids used to play ball on their own every day, whether it was in the park, playground, backyard or the street.

[notin]

Those teams have come at the expense of rec ball and Little League though.

 

When my sons were involved 20-25 years ago, every school in our town had a grade based team and sometimes 2. Those are gone. The local Little League had American and National charters with 6 teams each. The town next to used to have 3 Little Leagues. These are towns of 35000-45000 people. Now, our Little League is down to one charter. The neighboring town ended up having to merge with another league just to have enough kids for 4 teams between them. Other town’s Little Leagues are just gone period. Kids who want to play have to go travel ball or they just don’t play.

 

For the kid who wants to do nothing else, travel teams are fine. The kid who just wants to play for fun has nothing. Seems to me that it’s a mixed bag.

 

Interestingly, the expense of Little League is self-imposed.

 

Many travel leagues require kids to also join a “house league” for the exact reason you cite. However, that creates an insane over commitment for the kids (and parents!!) and the travel players usually have poor attendance for their Little League teams, which is an ENORMOUS factor in their reduction and a big cause of many teams folding. No one wants to pay for Little League only to lose half your games due to forfeit.

 

Even if the travel leagues abandoned that rule (as some have), the depletion of Little League teams at the expense of travel ball strongly indicates there are more kids serious about baseball and fewer in pursuit of a casual summertime activity.

 

Probably worth noting - Little League itself isn’t really the same casual baseball we had as kids. It’s also a big, big deal now. And gone so far as to have the LLWS televised nationally with multiple countries participating. Unlike MLB, when Little League has a World Series, they actually invite the whole world…

[Old Red]

Under 18 Population in USA

 

69.7M 1970

63.8M 1980

63.6M 1990

72.3M 2000

74.2M 2010

73.1M 2020

 

High school numbers in Maine 1965? High school numbers inMaine 2020?

[moonslav59]

High school numbers in Maine 1965? High school numbers inMaine 2020?

 

My numbers were USA not Maine.

 

I'm sure Maine's numbers declined, as the state is seeing it's average age rise.

[Old Red]

My numbers were USA not Maine.

 

I'm sure Maine's numbers declined, as the state is seeing it's average age rise.

 

Maine numbers have definitely dwindled up in the county, and Central Maine as well. I’m not sure about down in your neck of the woods in the Southern part.

[Bellhorn04]

It wasn't just Little League or any organized competition. Kids used to play ball on their own every day, whether it was in the park, playground, backyard or the street.

 

I think in general kids play much less playground sports now but much more organized sports.

[notin]

I think in general kids play much less playground sports now but much more organized sports.

 

Probably true, but may also be more related to structured parental practices than child interests…

[notin]

Maine numbers have definitely dwindled up in the county, and Central Maine as well. I’m not sure about down in your neck of the woods in the Southern part.

 

I think think those numbers in central and northern Maine are dwindling more to ennui…

[Bellhorn04]

Probably true, but may also be more related to structured parental practices than child interests…

 

There's no maybe about it.

[Duran Is The Man]

I'd rather see a player show some emotion like Devers than smash things around or go ape on an ump, like Nixon and Youk used to do.

 

Devers reminds me a lot of Manny- a player that loves the game and doesn't seem to let down moments affect his next AB or play.

 

that's always been my take on Raffy. his demeanor is so much like Manny.

[Bellhorn04]

that's always been my take on Raffy. his demeanor is so much like Manny.

 

Except Raffy is more of a big Teddy Bear. Manny could be a Teddy Bear, but sometimes turned into a Grizzly Bear.

[moonslav59]

Except Raffy is more of a big Teddy Bear. Manny could be a Teddy Bear, but sometimes turned into a Grizzly Bear.

 

Manny was the most laid back superstar I have ever seen. I never saw him go apeshit at an ump or slam his bat or helmet down in disgust with anyone or himself.

 

He's K 4 times and then hit a 3 run jack in the 8th.

 

He had the same kind of kid-like smile as Devers, and the game just seemed to be fun to him.

 

The only "Grizzly" I saw in him was when the Sox started going to the media with his contract demands and yes, his pouting and disingenuous claims of injury.

 

They never called him out on the fact that he used his grandma dying 5 times to delay going to ST'ing, but that was "Manny being Manny." That expression, itself, exposes how incomparable he was to anyone else.

He was the best right-handed hitter I've ever seen. I always wonder what his stats might have looked like, if Papi batted behind him and not vice versa.

 

The most popular thread on "that other site," was one I titled "No Manny-No Rings!" (The revisionist historians seemed more plentiful and extreme on that site, I might add.)

 

I'm glad Devers is on our team. I love his approach to hitting and would not even think about trying to get him to change a thing. A variety of hitting styles in a line-up is a good thing, IMO.

[Old Red]

Manny was the most laid back superstar I have ever seen. I never saw him go apeshit at an ump or slam his bat or helmet down in disgust with anyone or himself.

 

He's K 4 times and then hit a 3 run jack in the 8th.

 

He had the same kind of kid-like smile as Devers, and the game just seemed to be fun to him.

 

The only "Grizzly" I saw in him was when the Sox started going to the media with his contract demands and yes, his pouting and disingenuous claims of injury.

 

They never called him out on the fact that he used his grandma dying 5 times to delay going to ST'ing, but that was "Manny being Manny." That expression, itself, exposes how incomparable he was to anyone else.

He was the best right-handed hitter I've ever seen. I always wonder what his stats might have looked like, if Papi batted behind him and not vice versa.

 

The most popular thread on "that other site," was one I titled "No Manny-No Rings!" (The revisionist historians seemed more plentiful and extreme on that site, I might add.)

 

I'm glad Devers is on our team. I love his approach to hitting and would not even think about trying to get him to change a thing. A variety of hitting styles in a line-up is a good thing, IMO.

One thing that no one has mentioned this year with all of Raffy’s ups, and downs is that he’s stayed healthy. You always cringe at one of his mighty swings that a pull is just a moment away.

[mvp 78]

Manny was the most laid back superstar I have ever seen. I never saw him go apeshit at an ump or slam his bat or helmet down in disgust with anyone or himself.

 

 

Didn't he try to fight Youk?

[Bellhorn04]

Didn't he try to fight Youk?

 

Plus the incident with the road manager or whatever he was. Not really a spotless record.

[mvp 78]

Plus the incident with the road manager or whatever he was. Not really a spotless record.

 

Those women's fertility drugs really turned him into a Karen!

[Bellhorn04]

He was the best right-handed hitter I've ever seen. I always wonder what his stats might have looked like, if Papi batted behind him and not vice versa.

 

They did switch places in the 3-4 spots so you could look into that.

[Dipre]

Still remember the game in Cleveland where they intentionally walked Papi and then brought out our old pal Chad Bradford to pitch to Manny and he hit a laser-guided missile off of him.