An interesting article on the decline of youth baseball.
When the season began last month, the league had only 74 players spread across four age groups, down from 206 in 2009. “Over the last couple years, it’s dropped like a rock,” Wilson said.
Source: Why Children Are Abandoning Baseball – WSJ
In my local and personal experience, the town league had to combine with a neighboring town much like is mentioned in the story.
What was most shocking to me was this spring when my 11 year old told me he didn’t want to play? You know why? It’s boring.
You know why it’s boring? Because we aren’t in what I call The Baseball Mafia.
The Baseball Mafia, and every age group has one, is run by The Head Coach. This is the guy who’s son gets to pitch. His son starts two games a week and pitches every last drop of the pitch count in relief on the other day.
The Head Coach usually has a buddy, the Other Coach. The Other Coach’s son pitches the other innings.
Every now and then, when the team is up by 20 runs, Timmy from left field gets to throw an inning.
When my kid was younger I didn’t have the luxury of being at a 5pm practice, so I did not join The Baseball Mafia. And so my son gets to play the outfield. Where it’s boring.
If you aren’t the pitcher and you aren’t the first baseman, the game is dreadful. You bat once an hour, and you stand in the outfield.
So my son plays soccer (where he gets to run for 50 of 60 minutes) and basketball (similar) and does track (running). He’s active, he’s happy.
The Baseball Mafia has ruined their own game trying to win the 10 year old local county championship.
Meanwhile, you can barely get on the local soccer teams because the rosters are so full.
This will pay off in 20 years. I know I’m the old man screaming into the wind, but this old man was raised in the 70s and 80s when baseball mattered to kids. It does not now.
Oh and if you think MLB has a fracking clue, read this
The league recently began working with ESPN to prominently feature local Little League teams during Sunday Night Baseball telecasts.
Yep, I’m sure putting 15 kids on TV will outweigh the awfulness of an 8:05 start on Sunday night. Hey Junior, you wanna watch Reds-Cardinals? They might show some random kids you don’t know.
Me? I’m not going to Pittsburgh and I gave up my Mets ticket plan because I just don’t enjoy Citi Field and the games aren’t convenient. But we will be at the Red Bulls game on Sunday.
