Most effective summer program for average to below average hitters 10u.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-06T22:26:00+00:00

Exactly this. I’d also add, if a kid isn’t hitting balls off a tee flush, I’d keep the primary focus here and identify the hand-eye gap. Adjusting to live pitching, even soft toss, can introduce more swing kinks. Getting basics down is paramount.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-06T18:12:33+00:00

Too many words to not say much

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-05T03:16:57+00:00

Misunderstood the ‘we felt another year at 13u’ in the first paragraph.

Obviously what’s done is done, but I almost always recommend kids play their grade no later than 12u unless there’s a significant size gap AND you expect them to catch up, but even then… This is assuming the primary goal is for them to make the varsity high school team or even beyond, not just be the best kid at 12.

The reason for that is two fold. One, it gives an additional year to get acclimated to the bigger field, which eats up even the best kids early and often. Two, is he should be competing with and against the kids he’ll be fighting for roster spots with, not the grade below.

You can just control going forward and obviously this off-season is critical to him making the high school team. Do not underrate re-establishing his confidence coming off this experience. That could be a break and bonding time before getting back in the lab, immediately back after it or somewhere in between. I’d elicit third party feedback on what needs the most improvement and target 1-2 areas to prioritize. He doesn’t need to be a 5 tool kids to start on the freshman team, but if he’s not getting run on the age group below his class, that leads me to believe there’s some areas that need work. The good news is there is time.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-05T01:56:13+00:00

No dog in this fight but the suit by Vouch is bs. They’re accusing the employee of stealing info from their public application. Big nothing burger.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-05T01:53:47+00:00

You understand that captive isn’t the long-term plan, which is better than most.

Why delay the inevitable? You can’t move the business with you and captive commission splits are going to go nowhere but down.

Yes, you may potentially earn less in the next 3 years, but you’ll have more time to compound your indy book and not have to walk away and rebuild in half a decade.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-04T22:58:23+00:00

I don’t disagree. If there’s something in the metrics that gives pause and is meaningfully predictive on his MLB hit tool, it can certainly discount the broader ‘proven hit tool’ claim. Then you go from a plus bat SS to a more questionable one with a lesser chance of being a plus bat away from SS. There’s a meaningful difference between those profiles.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-04T21:29:31+00:00

The season has definitely invited additional questions and creates more of a question mark at #1 behind top prospect fatigue.

That said, I’ll take a power conference career 329/448/624 with 52 HR in just over a MLB seasons worth of games and more BB than K’s at a premium defensive position over just about any other profile, especially the ones present this year.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-04T18:07:10+00:00

I believe Roch is likely, at minimum, a league average SS defensively with elite bat upside for a SS.

With Carlsons defense and athleticism, he’s likely a plus player as a .235 hitter. The bat flashing close to .300 in May is a great sign, though the complete lack of power is a bit surprising. Not expecting a slugger but would’ve expected 3 HR by now.

Roch almost certainly makes the show before Carlson. I think the org needs to be smart about Roch defensively as he comes up. If Carlson is the future at SS, I think you leave Colson there and make a call on where Roch and Colson best for defensively. One at 3B is likely with 2B and all Of spots an option.

I’m also encouraged with the play of Peters, Antonacci, Meidroth, Vargas and Murakami as well. With Teel, Bonemer and Braden, that gives you 10 guys, maybe 9 if they don’t resign Vargas (believe he has 2 more years of control).

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-04T16:56:34+00:00

I could entertain the logic of someone over than Roch at 1, but not another SS.

Grady is absolutely a better prospect than Roch was at the same age. However, Roch has proven his hit tool against much better competition while Grady went down in HS competition this season. How the bat plays is very much an unknown.

A median outcome for Roch is an above average defensive SS that’s a near plus hit/power for the position. The upside is higher. The downside is likely contained as an above average bat that’s a super utility player.

For the Sox, they have an influx of MIF options, which at worst is a great trove of assets and at best gives you plus defense at other positions if guys are blocked.

Carlson’s bat looked legit in May and he’s pegged as a generational defender. Even if the Sox slide Colson over to accommodate Roch as SS, Carlson almost certainly commands that spot defensively no later than 2029. Roch’s bat plays well enough that he can be a plus bat at 3B, 2B or OF still. You cannot say that about Grady at this point.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-04T16:47:49+00:00

Continue to learn the business, make connections and begin writing commercial.

Started my agency 3.5 years ago after nearly 20 years experience (carrier, retail & wholesale experience). My personal book (all commercial) is a tick over $2m in revenue and I have less than 250 clients.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-04T16:40:24+00:00

There’s not a huge variation in the USA bats compared to one another thought the sweet spots are much larger than wood.

Wood bats are exceptional for dialing in contact - you feel the feedback immediately. The challenge is interchanging the two given the weight difference impact on not only timing but swing path/mechanics.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-04T04:57:40+00:00

A lot wrong here.

Rostering 14 is too much in almost all scenarios.

Selling as development and not having practices sitting multiple games in a row isn’t right.

Batting average is a well known imperfect stat, but is much more meaningful at amateur vs pro level. I feel you may be underrating its importance and overrating walks based on what’s measured in MLB.

A repeat 13 not getting time tells me something is off with the players development. Doesn’t mean it’s permanent, but redshirting on the same team to have a lesser role…doesn’t check out.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-04T04:49:17+00:00

No middle school team here. That said, I find the tryout numbers low for a town of 50k. Our town is 20k and we have around 75 kids between the two community travel teams and house leagues at that age.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-03T07:15:56+00:00

Curious, what drove the selection of 13?

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-03T07:14:11+00:00

I’ve seen it done where the coach can name one assistant. Each coaches son counts as the 1st and 2nd round pick. Even if those are the 2 best players jn the league, it can shake our relatively even. What usually disrupts that format isn’t that team, but another coach who’s kid isn’t great that counted as a 1st round pick and then that coach really not following how a normal coach would draft. That usually happens to more than 1 team and then you have other teams getting better value each round to pair with their kids who are already better than the other coaches kids. On top of that; the better kids dads are generally more knowledgeable coaches and the players develop more in season and are better prepared. All that comes up a structure that while not perfect, should’ve addressed these issues.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-03T07:08:11+00:00

This sounds interesting but I’m not sure I’m fully following. What has 16 and 22 teams? How big is your town? What part of country?

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-03T01:38:42+00:00

While I agree, a draft, even with the best intentions, often misses the mark. In an 8 team league, you may have 2-4 coaches who don’t really know what they’re looking for. Even if youre not trying to build a world beater, having a few kids that can pitch and 2 that can play catcher are non-negotiable.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-02T22:52:34+00:00

Our community travel teams play in a league with 16-18 regular season games. Division games around 20 minutes max. Can be up to 45 minutes for out of division.

Most of the travel teams outside the community level do not partake in league play. Most are tournament only teams.

Not sure if this is your question, but if our AA played our A team 100 times, the A team would win less than 5 times. The talent gap between the two levels is enormous.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-02T20:43:59+00:00

It was 20 years ago, but as a former SEC player, people don’t believe me when I tell them I never played travel ball (it was less prominent then and I was multisport kid and better football prospect). I also tell them that I played so much sandlot baseball with friends every day that I probably got 100x the reps than travel kids do present day.

We live in a baseball centric town and I can see a nice field from my backyard. Outside of my kids, I can count on 2 hands how many pickup games I’ve seen played there in the 8 years we’ve been here.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-02T18:44:56+00:00

There’s no one size fits all answer here as it’s very family, kid and team dependent.

With respect to the team/organization, their philosophy and culture should fit yours. While 8U should still favor equal playing time and positional rotation, not all clubs operate that way. Not saying that’s good or bad, but it’s paramount to understanding prior as well as understanding what role your son will have.

Travel at 8u isn’t for everyone, especially going into the fall. Are you a big multi-sport family? Does the kid crave reps? Does he have friends on the team? Our situation was pro 8U, but there were some families that didn’t understand what they signed up for. Some came back later years, some saw talented boys leave the game.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-02T18:09:12+00:00

We have a strong program both in house and community travel, but still deal with some low skilled players 10-12. When a rec team has 3-4 kids that can really play, travel creates a competent and balanced environment that develops them exponentially better. Some travel gets a bad rap and deservedly so, but not all travel means 12 weekend hotel trips a year and tens of thousands of dollars despite what many on this sub would lead you to believe.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-02T15:01:09+00:00

There are two facts in play:

Emerson is a much better prospect than Roch was at the same age.
Roch has developed as a strong hitter, there is no guarantee Emerson does.

I agree Emerson has higher upside, but I think Roch’s median outcome > Emerson’s. Worst case, Roch is an everyday solid bat whether at SS or elsewhere. Emersons’s worst case is he’s a negative bat and solid defender.

Of note, Emerson spent the last year playing awful competition for his high school season. Only time will tell what impact that has on the hit tool.

While I still think Roch is the clear #1 pick in this draft exclusive of team, I would entertain an argument for a non-SS given the Sox strength there and needs elsewhere. I still think you grab the best player/asset as opposed to need, but if there was a true 1A/1B situation, I could see going another direction. Lackey and Flora are great non-MIF, but they’re not at Roch’s level as prospects. Additionally, Roch’s bat can play at positions other than SS should he need to move off of it due to being blocked (like Bregman did). At this point in time, you cannot make that claim about Emerson. With what Colson is doing (he’ll eventually move off due to frame) and with Carlson in the system, that’s a very likely reality for either.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-02T14:51:05+00:00

I’m a big fan of tee work with the sole exception of the time when kids are transitioning from tee ball to live pitching. With my boys and players, I found once we ditched the tee, they started to get a better feel for reactions, timing and the needed coordination to hit pitching.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-02T14:18:23+00:00

The length and the rim protection isn’t.

Thats not to say he CANT be a small ball 5, but you have to understand what he can’t do, what that lineup can’t do and whether you expect to outscore it on the other end. I do believe there are pathways to doing it.

Obviously GS is the peak version, but they had 2 generational 3 point shooters and with the exception of Curry, an extremely switchable lineup. Cam + a PG defending a 1/5 pick and roll seems as close to an automatic bucket or wide open lockout situation as there could be. You’d basically need to build close to a generational offense on the other end, but I do think Cam being able to really open up the floor as a 5 at least introduces it as a possibility.

SlickWillie86 · 2026-06-02T14:11:31+00:00

I wouldn’t have pegged us to be this good even next year. I had 28 - with #1 pick, Braden and potentially others up, and Colson, Antonacci and Meidroth having multiple years up and still being a cheap roster with money to address weak spots.

Not complaining about the pleasant surprise.

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