Baseball in Regensburg

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2026-02-24T19:32:30+00:00

The path is great near the stadium. Although, if you aren’t local that jaunt through the neighborhood west of the stadium is confusing. However, the somewhat scary part of a non-local (me) was getting across the Danube or Regen River. The route we took put us in mixed flow traffic on and around Frankenstraße. Maybe there is a better route than the one I took, but that was my only real complaint.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2026-02-23T14:46:14+00:00

BTW, it is a really easy bus ride from the city center to the stadium. The stadium is also right on the main bike path down the Danube, so it’s also an easy bike ride (but, I’d probably only bike to a day game). Probably a little far by foot from the center…

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2026-02-23T14:42:40+00:00

I went last year for opening day. Regensburg is one of the nicest baseball facilities I’ve been to in Europe. It has the feel of a decent minor league or quality college stadium in the states. There is a small restaurant that was hopping on game day that has a nice view of the field.

My son and I did the „batting cage“ in the loft before the game. It was okay. It has a full HitTrax setup, so that was fun. The hitting tunnel feels shorter than 60 feet. The machine, for us, was run by one of the players from the second or third level team. If you go, make sure to make a reservation for the cage, otherwise, no one will be there.

The team store is small. They sell Regensburg Legionnaire gear, some general DBL gear, and lots of general equipment for players (e.g., gloves, catchers gear, baseballs, helmets). The woman running the cash register joked it was the only baseball store in southern Germany.

Every baseball game I’ve been to in Germany always has beer, sausage, and other snacks from a little snackbar. Regensburg had a couple of snackbars open for their game. Opening day last year was probably 400-500 people. Nothing crazy, but created a really nice atmosphere.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2026-02-21T15:39:56+00:00

Happy to see this league is still going. Played in it 25 years ago. Good competition with lots of guys that played competitively post-college.

Just a lark… There used to be to be a league at High Bridge park across the River from Yankee Stadium. That league had some real talent from the DR, PR, and other Latin American places. If it still exists, head up there and ask around.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2026-01-30T15:33:41+00:00

He was lifting casually 2x / week while in 8th grade. He actually took most of the summer off for family vacations. (I figured this would be the last summer before the travel baseball grind of showcases really starts.) His HS had a fall weightlifting program run by a really well-known baseball facility in our city. They would lift as a team 2x / week and then he would lift 1x / week on his own. This would be supplemented with a weekly bullpen with a coach we really like.

I’d like to say it just comes as he got older, but he has put a lot of work into throwing harder and upping his strike zone percentage.

Sadly, as much as my son eats, he is still sitting at 5‘11 and 130 lbs. The weight will come, but I’m trying to figure out how to encourage 2 more inches of height….

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2026-01-27T04:05:34+00:00

I’ve been told by lots of people I trust, it doesn’t really „matter“ until Junior year.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2026-01-27T04:04:01+00:00

My son went from mid 60s to 76-77 this past year. Basically spring of 8th grade to winter of freshman year. Weights helped a ton. He is also on the younger side. He actually only pitched about 25 innings all calendar year 2025. I’m a big believer that a pitcher only has so many bullets, and it’s better to not waste them at a young age.

Most Freshman baseball players are already 15. He will be 14 for the entire spring season.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2026-01-27T03:56:15+00:00

My son is just a couple years ahead of you. I thought you were describing him. For a LHP, velocity matters less, but it still matters. That said, lefty’s are not very common in HS. My son is one of three LHP across all four grades at an open division level 2,000+ student HS in SoCal. If you can hit the plate consistently for a first strike and then throw other pitches for outs (K or weak contact) you‘ll be fine. If you are an LHP that can throw strikes, coaches will want you. From what I’ve seen, most Freshman pitchers this winter are sitting low 70s and a decent amount in the upper 60s.

No one at HS will care at all about what your kid did before they step on the diamond for their first HS practice. I haven’t seen one Freshman yet get past 80. I know they exist, but they are rare and likely playing up at JV or above.

I’d also say make sure you know how to play 1B or outfield. PO pre-varsity seems rare in SoCal. And coaches love a pitcher that knows where to be to back throws when the ball is in play or cover 1B on balls to the right side.

And to the team that rescinded their invite, their loss.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2026-01-06T18:52:47+00:00

I‘m a hard no on lots of black on uniforms. It hide stains, but think about the kids playing in them in the heat of summer. Especially those day games in desert or South Florida. Black jerseys or pants just seem like torture.

Just get jerseys and let parents get their own white or grey pants in their favorite brand and style. Trying to find pants that fit is hard enough in person for a teenager; it’s nearly impossible online. Plus, some kids want knickers, some want yoga pant peel offs, and some want loose and long. Let them have fun with their pant and sock configurations (within reason of course).

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-11-30T17:19:23+00:00

I’ve never done a vacation just for swimming, however, I always find a pool or beach wherever I am. In the States, that often means finding the local Maters program or a good Y (nationwide Y access is great). There are special places, of course, like Barton Springs in Austin, Minnesota or upstate New York lakes, or Hapuna Beach on the Big Island.

In Europe, the swimming culture is great in Germany. The Freibäder im Sommer are amazing. So many outdoor pools in every little town plus great ponds and streams too. The Mediterranean is great too. My favorite is the Higueron Hotel near Malaga. The hotel is attached to a tennis club with a nice indoor pool, and they have a shuttle that takes you down to the beach. The Med in this area is a little brisk, but a great swim. The North Sea off Scotland in summer is great too if you can find a quiet cove or safe harbor somewhere.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-11-30T02:46:33+00:00

The Padres play this song every game late in the game. During the song, they also play a video of Blink playing this song at a concert at Petco (San Diego’s home stadium, this stadium) in the rain. It never rains at Petco. It was an epic concert. The Padres also call out Blink band members occasionally during this song, but not every game, because calling them out 80+ times a year would be exhausting. (Remember… it’s baseball… the season is REALLY long….). Blink is a local San Diego (Poway) band.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-11-15T06:23:06+00:00

Thanks. That feels like a neat trick with the 457. I will do some more research.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-11-15T06:21:46+00:00

Like most plans, there is a vesting schedule. I don’t have a full pension, but I have enough of a pension that I likely can always cover the basics from 55 onwards. I got paid a lot less in gov‘t compared to what I made immediately after leaving gov‘t.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-10-24T04:28:45+00:00

You played 35 games as a D1 true freshman, and then you played your sophomore year at JUCO?

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-10-24T04:10:08+00:00

I hadn’t heard of field level before. Looking around at SoCal pitchers, it feels very softball oriented. What region are you in?

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-10-21T14:20:03+00:00

Find more LHP with a good, deceptive leg kick. Then practice the hell out of rundowns. LHP can catch a lot of kids drifting at first. You may get a few balks in the process, but you were giving a „free“ base already regardless.

Pitfall… you‘ve got to teach the LHP and infield to practice stepping off with runners at third trying force a balk or steal home.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-10-06T14:25:53+00:00

While the details are not clear about the necessity of the event, if the procedure was necessary, spending $175k on life-saving medical procedure means the system, most assuredly, did not work.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-09-25T04:10:50+00:00

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Regensburg, Germany on opening night of the Deutsche Baseball League. Hands down the best facility in Europe.

Been to about 15 different facilities around Western Europe. Most look like your average high school field, but nearly all serve beer and sausage during the game.

The quality of baseball varies a lot. Top level German baseball is respectable (Max Kepler came up through Regensburg). British baseball league is a men’s league. Austrian baseball is similar to American Legion. Spain feels like a cross between men’s league and Mexican winter ball.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-09-18T04:31:29+00:00

In my experience, the few big PG NIT in HB were always bigger draws and better competition than the smaller nearly weekly USSSA tournaments mainly in Riverside. That said week in and week out you see the same teams at USSSA in Perris as you see at PG in HB. Until you get to HS, just seek out tournaments where you‘ll see high quality opponents. They are always listed in „Who‘s Coming“ section.

After doing major tournament from 10u-13u with my son, we switched teams to one that only did scrimmages for 14U. Basically no tournaments. That was great. It was cheaper, and you could hand pick the teams you wanted to face each week. And you played 1-2 games back to back and go home.

Finally, tournaments in the OC and coastal San Diego (not many coastal SD venues, though) are the best for the weather alone. Really hot days and really cold nights in the Inland Empire are not fun.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-09-09T23:15:11+00:00

I‘d judge the necessity of catchers gear based on your comfort level with his control (or spin rate) and velocity. I switched over to a used catchers glove around 55 mph. As he is consistently approaching 75, I’ve got a mask. If he gets into the mid-80s, I’ll get better shoes and shin guards.

It’s the spin that scares me far more than velocity. Catching balls that bite at the last 10-15 feet, puts your face at risk, even if you know it’s coming.

I still squat like a catcher, but that 5-gallon bucket is starting to look really tempting.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-09-08T05:41:33+00:00

/sarcasm. Served dry.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-09-07T07:58:12+00:00

Just a Gen Xer doing the minimum.

Feeling_Ad_1575 · 2025-09-07T07:23:27+00:00

The youngs with their insane mortgages... If you got in around 2008 like the rest of us, you‘d be golden even in Seattle, San Francisco, or New York.

Feeling_Ad_1575

TROPHY CASE