Random Cubs Musings

[Andy]

The difference is that football is pretty much only the school team, or maybe a park league team for younger kids. If you want to play baseball in high school, you better have been on the right (read: expensive) travel teams since you were about 4.

In no way is this true. My younger brother didn't play on any fancy traveling teams and moved right before he started high school. He played all four years of high school, was first team all state, and lead his team to a state title. That other crap is a nice way for people to make money off of families thinking that their kids have to do it.

It depends on the size (and probably the socioeconomic makeup) of the high school. My little brother is a really good soccer player and was left off his high school team basically because he wasn't playing in those elite-type leagues because my family couldn't afford it (they all but told him so). But my high school is in a pretty well-off area and has around 3,000 students, so they can get away with pulling that crap.

 

None of the schools I cover where I live could do that, because none of them are big enough and several are from lower-income areas.

[Guest]

In very rural areas that may be true because of numbers, but for most areas of size the public league isn't going to keep kids from making a High School team unless they're already on the fringe of making a team or the HS is hyper-competitive.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

It's also entirely possible that I'm basing my opinion from hearing the complaints of parents who have sour grapes because their kid didn't make the team.

[jersey cubs fan]

It's also entirely possible that I'm basing my opinion from hearing the complaints of parents who have sour grapes because their kid didn't make the team.

 

Yeah, if you aren't making high school baseball teams, you aren't any good at baseball.

[illiniguy]

The difference is that football is pretty much only the school team, or maybe a park league team for younger kids. If you want to play baseball in high school, you better have been on the right (read: expensive) travel teams since you were about 4.

In no way is this true. My younger brother didn't play on any fancy traveling teams and moved right before he started high school. He played all four years of high school, was first team all state, and lead his team to a state title. That other crap is a nice way for people to make money off of families thinking that their kids have to do it.

It depends on the size (and probably the socioeconomic makeup) of the high school. My little brother is a really good soccer player and was left off his high school team basically because he wasn't playing in those elite-type leagues because my family couldn't afford it (they all but told him so). But my high school is in a pretty well-off area and has around 3,000 students, so they can get away with pulling that crap.

 

None of the schools I cover where I live could do that, because none of them are big enough and several are from lower-income areas.

Highest class of school in Iowa. I also never did any of the summer camps for basketball designed to take money, I was a three year letter winner.

[Hunter]

Pitched 2 years in high school without having played more than softball before. I went to a school with 2900 students in the suburbs of a top 20 city.

[Careless]

The difference is that football is pretty much only the school team, or maybe a park league team for younger kids. If you want to play baseball in high school, you better have been on the right (read: expensive) travel teams since you were about 4.

In no way is this true. My younger brother didn't play on any fancy traveling teams and moved right before he started high school. He played all four years of high school, was first team all state, and lead his team to a state title. That other crap is a nice way for people to make money off of families thinking that their kids have to do it.

It depends on the size (and probably the socioeconomic makeup) of the high school. My little brother is a really good soccer player and was left off his high school team basically because he wasn't playing in those elite-type leagues because my family couldn't afford it (they all but told him so). But my high school is in a pretty well-off area and has around 3,000 students, so they can get away with pulling that crap.

 

None of the schools I cover where I live could do that, because none of them are big enough and several are from lower-income areas.

Highest class of school in Iowa. I also never did any of the summer camps for basketball designed to take money, I was a three year letter winner.

You're also old enough you have a kid who must be over 6 years old now. I don't think anyone is saying this was the situation 20 years ago

[MSG T]

The difference is that football is pretty much only the school team, or maybe a park league team for younger kids. If you want to play baseball in high school, you better have been on the right (read: expensive) travel teams since you were about 4.

In no way is this true. My younger brother didn't play on any fancy traveling teams and moved right before he started high school. He played all four years of high school, was first team all state, and lead his team to a state title. That other crap is a nice way for people to make money off of families thinking that their kids have to do it.

It depends on the size (and probably the socioeconomic makeup) of the high school. My little brother is a really good soccer player and was left off his high school team basically because he wasn't playing in those elite-type leagues because my family couldn't afford it (they all but told him so). But my high school is in a pretty well-off area and has around 3,000 students, so they can get away with pulling that crap.

 

None of the schools I cover where I live could do that, because none of them are big enough and several are from lower-income areas.

Highest class of school in Iowa. I also never did any of the summer camps for basketball designed to take money, I was a three year letter winner.

You're also old enough you have a kid who must be over 6 years old now. I don't think anyone is saying this was the situation 20 years ago

 

 

To be fair, he did mention Iowa high schools. I know of plenty of 4A high schools in Iowa that have 2-3 year letter winners that are like that now. I don't know which HS he went to in Iowa, but there are probably 15-20 in 4A alone where you can legitimately do that, and there's only around 45-50 4A schools in Iowa. And AAU ball is bigger in Iowa now that it ever has been.

[illiniguy]

The difference is that football is pretty much only the school team, or maybe a park league team for younger kids. If you want to play baseball in high school, you better have been on the right (read: expensive) travel teams since you were about 4.

In no way is this true. My younger brother didn't play on any fancy traveling teams and moved right before he started high school. He played all four years of high school, was first team all state, and lead his team to a state title. That other crap is a nice way for people to make money off of families thinking that their kids have to do it.

It depends on the size (and probably the socioeconomic makeup) of the high school. My little brother is a really good soccer player and was left off his high school team basically because he wasn't playing in those elite-type leagues because my family couldn't afford it (they all but told him so). But my high school is in a pretty well-off area and has around 3,000 students, so they can get away with pulling that crap.

 

None of the schools I cover where I live could do that, because none of them are big enough and several are from lower-income areas.

Highest class of school in Iowa. I also never did any of the summer camps for basketball designed to take money, I was a three year letter winner.

You're also old enough you have a kid who must be over 6 years old now. I don't think anyone is saying this was the situation 20 years ago

It was fifteen years ago, but I'm doubting that much has changed at all. If you can play you're, going to.

[Careless]

Just realized I'm significantly older than anyone playing for the Cubs now except for Gregg. (not counting McDonald)

[illiniguy]

Just realized I'm significantly older than anyone playing for the Cubs now except for Gregg. (not counting McDonald)

I saw a bunch of people I graduated with from high school on Facebook, they look old as [expletive] now. Thankfully, I haven't started to show much age yet.

[Backtobanks]

Just realized I'm significantly older than anyone playing for the Cubs now except for Gregg. (not counting McDonald)

 

Hell, there are kids still in HS that are as old as the Cubs" top prospects.

[SouthSideRyan]

Just realized I'm significantly older than anyone playing for the Cubs now except for Gregg. (not counting McDonald)

 

Hell, there are kids still in HS that are as old as the Cubs" top prospects.

 

Really dumb kids apparently.

[Cubswin11]

Just realized I'm significantly older than anyone playing for the Cubs now except for Gregg. (not counting McDonald)

 

Hell, there are kids still in HS that are as old as the Cubs" top prospects.

Huh? Baez, Bryant, Soler, Almora, Pierce, Alcantara, etc. are all older than HS age. They are all at least like College Sophomore/Junior age at minimum

[Irrelevant Dude]

The Chicago Cubs’ tentative 2014 regular season schedule features an interleague home-and-home series against the New York Yankees as well as a trip to Fenway Park to play the Boston Red Sox on June 30-July 2.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/chi-chicago-cubs-2014-regular-season-schedule-20130910,0,2948741.story

 

When did MLB start scheduling interleague home-and-home series outside of geographic rivalries?

[Guest]

The Chicago Cubs’ tentative 2014 regular season schedule features an interleague home-and-home series against the New York Yankees as well as a trip to Fenway Park to play the Boston Red Sox on June 30-July 2.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/chi-chicago-cubs-2014-regular-season-schedule-20130910,0,2948741.story

 

When did MLB start scheduling interleague home-and-home series outside of geographic rivalries?

 

Right there.

[neely crenshaw]

It's also entirely possible that I'm basing my opinion from hearing the complaints of parents who have sour grapes because their kid didn't make the team.

 

Yeah, if you aren't making high school baseball teams, you aren't any good at baseball.

 

yes.

but there is truth to the stories..it just may may not be the case with every kid.

If you can play..as was said earlier, of course you'll play. They won't cut the best kid to make a point BUT if there is a doubt, they are going to go with the kid that took the route that they suggested. If for no other reason than to make sure the next group of kids follows that lead.

So if you(or your kid) are irreplaceable than do whatever you want, but most kids fall into the category that has to worry about it.

It also depends on depth of talent. A coach at a huge school, certainly can dictate more than a coach at a class 2a school with 300 kids total.

[illiniguy]

It's also entirely possible that I'm basing my opinion from hearing the complaints of parents who have sour grapes because their kid didn't make the team.

 

Yeah, if you aren't making high school baseball teams, you aren't any good at baseball.

 

yes.

but there is truth to the stories..it just may may not be the case with every kid.

If you can play..as was said earlier, of course you'll play. They won't cut the best kid to make a point BUT if there is a doubt, they are going to go with the kid that took the route that they suggested. If for no other reason than to make sure the next group of kids follows that lead.

So if you(or your kid) are irreplaceable than do whatever you want, but most kids fall into the category that has to worry about it.

It also depends on depth of talent. A coach at a huge school, certainly can dictate more than a coach at a class 2a school with 300 kids total.

That also depends. I have old teammates who coach at the high school level and often they don't want the kids doing the AAU stuff. They claim they learn all kinds of bad habits and then they have to try and break them of that. That's probably a basketball only problem though.

[Beer Kaese]

Only a short two and a half years ago, the Cubs were an old team in decline with nothing in the farm system that offered help and they had a high payroll. Today, it's the exact opposite. The Cubs are a young team on the rise with a loaded farm system and a low payroll.

 

We have reached the transition point.

 

I suspect the Cubs will be sellers for one more year, albeit minor, then they will use the depth of the farm to fill positions of need.

 

2015 is going to be exciting.

 

2016 is going to be awsome.

[Sammy Sofa]

Ehhhhhhhhhh...the farm system basically REALLY has to pay out big at this point. All of the money talk makes it sound like they're in a really precarious position, especially with the few current big league players they need to be good looking like garbage.

[Beer Kaese]

Ehhhhhhhhhh...the farm system basically REALLY has to pay out big at this point. All of the money talk makes it sound like they're in a really precarious position, especially with the few current big league players they need to be good looking like garbage.

 

The Cubs are not in a precarious financial position. They are not going to spend money to lose draft position in the short term.

[Sammy Sofa]

Well, there's a lot of information out there that seems to be pointing to the Ricketts being a lot more financially tied up than was previously thought.

[Beer Kaese]

Well, there's a lot of information out there that seems to be pointing to the Ricketts being a lot more financially tied up than was previously thought.

 

I haven't seen anything credible so I don't buy it.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Yeah, Ricketts is a ninja. Remember when he fired Hendry and no one knew about it for like a month?

[seanimal]

Ehhhhhhhhhh...the farm system basically REALLY has to pay out big at this point. All of the money talk makes it sound like they're in a really precarious position, especially with the few current big league players they need to be good looking like garbage.

 

because before, it only sort of needed to pay out big? the "plan" or whatever has always been to build the team from the inside and add through free agency. the folding money is limited right now, but big new revenue sources are coming each of the next few seasons. to call the situation precarious is an incredible stretch, nevermind that some of this is likely showmanship to provide urgency to the renovation approval efforts