It can be fun, as long as the parents don't think the team is going to be playing in the World Series every weekend. Let the kids have fun, learn the game, improve on their game, and let the rest fall into place.
And always look for hot M-I-LF's at the tournaments.

What do his mom's cans look like?

My kids are going to play basketball. Basketball sucks but it's indoors and games are short.

I look forward to his team's forthcoming State Championship announcement.

You'll burn out your 9 year old on baseball to the point he won't even play catch with you when he gets older. He'll say something mean as he leaves home and will end up building a ball field in the middle of a corn patch in Iowa.

Select baseball? He was selected because his parents are willing to pay.

Now I know who's kid isn't good enough to make a team

Playing year round at 9 years old is a near guaranteed burn out.

We started hard core select this year in 13U, seventh grade, so my son could be prepared for high school ball. He has started puberty, and starting to develop muscle growth, and beginning to show where he will be height wise. All things that can be used by the high end coaching.

Everything before that is getting reps, teaching fundamentals, learning situations, and having fun. It is highly unlikely that your 9 year old will be getting quality coaching beyond daddy ball. Tourneys at that age are a beating. Whoever walks the fewest kids will win.

We have 14U select in eighth grade this coming spring, and then it's high school.

Best of luck! Sorry if long.

I started the "select" baseball in 8th grade and did that until my senior year. Unless your child has already been told by coaches he's the next "insert star player", I would seriously consider city leagues and private coaching until they are a little older.

It will be year round and cost you thousands annually in travel cost, equipment, fees and dues to the team, etc. if not now, it definitely will soon. Every waking moment is baseball. You and/or your spouse will require a work schedule that can drive him anywhere in a major city on a weekday at anytime or tournaments on weekends. For me, I loved baseball, but it was burnout. My favorite time was playing in a city league with friends summer after graduating high school. No pressure... just fun! I highly recommend that when the time comes.

My parents loved it with some great memories, but it will be your commitment full time. You better enjoy the parents on the team because they will be your friends going forward. Also, playing politics is rampant in these things.

Example - I wasn't selected to be on a team one year because the sponsor dad and my dad just didn't get along. All my friends were on the team. My dad called him to discuss and he basically blew him and me off. My head coach was on that team that I had for two years and spoke up for me, but the sponsor dad refused.

It can be crazy sometimes!

Canyon99 said:

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Select baseball? He was selected because his parents are willing to pay.

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Bingo.

My son is a senior and plays ball at a Dallas area 6A high school. We avoided the select BS for the most part because the boy had enough natural talent to make the team. He could probably play at some po dunk OK college, but he's headed to A&M for academics. /humblebrag

If your son's goal is to make the high school team, be ready for the following:

Most high school teams have tryouts. In the larger (6A) schools, 50-100 boys will try out as a freshman. Only 15-16 will get picked up. The vast majority of the boys that try out have played "select" ball their entire life.

The high school coaches expect you to continue playing select/club ball all through summer and the rest of the school year. They ask players this question during annual player interviews. Don't expect your son to have a job over the summer. Oh yeah, kiss your spring break plans goodbye. Apparently spring break is reserved for high school sports, not family vacations.

My son has worked the last two summers by basically telling the coach he played summer ball. (Technically fall ball starts in August). That said, about half of the varsity team will go on to play for a small college for a $2K "scholarship". There's always a stud that will sign with a D1 school.

Overall, my opinion is that high school baseball puts a lot of emphasis on the select/club side, which allows the school to be more competitive. But in the grand scheme, most of those players hang their cleats up after playing a year or two in a small college.

Nice try. Son won several rings this past spring/summer in 14U majors. We were in the same position when my son was younger so I can relate. Just understand what it is and don't take it so seriously.

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He could probably play at some po dunk OK college, but he's headed to A&M for academics. /humblebrag

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I'm pretty sure you don't understand the meaning of "humblebrag".

Select is too vague of a term to really know what the OP is getting into.

With my older son we played in conjunction with LL from 11u-Senior ball. We'd do about 10-12 tournaments a year and costs were kept pretty low. We paid tournament fees, uniforms, and would chip in for a gift to our coaches who were TX State players.

Then there's the "Organization" based Select where they charge insane monthly fees, travel ridiculous distances to tournaments, and burn out kids and parents.

My son was the JV1 starting SS and was in the pitching rotation last year as a Freshman. There were a couple of other kids on our team and a similar team on JV1. There were several Organization kids as well, but, there were also a bunch of Organization kids on JV2. Ultimately, the talent is there or it's not.

Teach your kid to hit. If you hit you don't sit.

Bonus tip. Whining like a ***** about losing a position battle is the kind of example that made your kid a ****ty hitter.

baseball dad fights

All of this sounds ****ing miserable

B-1 83 said:

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You'll burn out your 9 year old on baseball to the point he won't even play catch with you when he gets older. He'll say something mean as he leaves home and will end up building a ball field in the middle of a corn patch in Iowa.

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so it'll all work out because he'll get to be a ghost and come back and have a catch.

Select sports. Investing thousands of dollars and hours for almost no return. Its like throwing money into a fire

Your kid is going to love it. There are no politics at all, the parents and coaches are just there for the kids. Every penny you invest you'll get a dollar in return. There are raffles at every weekend tournament for college scholarships.

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Now I know who's kid isn't good enough to make a team

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Forget everything I said. You'll fit right in with the select baseball crowd.

wangus12 said:

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Select sports. Investing thousands of dollars and hours for almost no return. Its like throwing money into a fire

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They will always tell you how it will pay dividend with a scholarship. Yet they don't realize that if they take every dollar spent on it and put it into a 529 they can pay for college twice over.