[108 Stitches]

Are there any incoming Freshmen that will have an impact this year in the 15th Region? Does High School Baseball seem to be getting younger and younger each year? Is this because of Travel Ball?

[Cover3]

I am afraid it's getting younger because so many kids are quitting. Baseball is in trouble. Especially in east KY. Most high school teams rarely have enough players to fill a roster let alone play a JV schedule. Something must be done to save Americas pastime.

[RecordBreaker12]

I agree. I visited several games during this past year and noticed they were playing varsity games only.

[baseball1974]

I think the main reason for that is that kids are pressured by their coaches to only compete in one sport. When I was in school there wasn't ever a question as to wonder if so and so was going to play another sport. Everybody played everything and when they weren't they playing pick up games in whatever sport was in season. The overall consensus of AAU and summer programs has made it impossible for kids to do that. In fact they are told by coaches not to play pick up games. At small schools it is an absolute must for the athletes to play more than one sport in order for it to be successful. That is why Paintsville football has taken a hit. I remember a time when Paintsville dominated in everything and you knew all the athletes because you had just watch them play in another sport. Different sports work different muscles and help strengthen other areas. For example, baseball I think has been affected by this the most and it is clear by the injuries that are occurring at a rapid pace. At the present time 1 in 5 pitchers will have Tommy John Surgery at some point. That is up from 1 in 30 only 15 years ago. Why are these injuries happening now when kids are stronger now and have more opportunities to strengthen their arms? Its simple really. There is a big difference between "pitching" off of a mound and "throwing" on flat ground. Now that kids are playing year around, the pitchers are constantly throwing bullpens instead of throwing on flat ground. The angle and the stress that is put an arm from the mound where you are throwing downhill is much greater than throwing in a natural fundamental setting of simply "playing catch." If there isn't some kind of regulations set or something of that manner then it will be 1 in 3 pitchers having surgery in a very short period of time. Its up to the coaches to educate themselves as of right now. There are parents that are electing their kid have the Tommy John surgery early in their high school career so they can go ahead and get it over with and they won't run the risk of them needing it during their senior year and miss scholarship opportunities. I hope this stops but I've heard of thousands doing it and it'll only get worse.

I hope it is possible to regulate the year round stuff but its not looking good. The KHSAA finally threw their hands up and gave up and is now letting baseball do it and that's going to hurt football and basketball as well. The year around AAU teams have become a very lucrative business and teams are popping up everywhere. Its amazing to me.

[Grandview]

At least part of the reason the kids are getting "younger" is because of the high number of kids repeating grades. A lot of these "freshmen" are 16 year old kids that should be sophmores. Of course, they are more prepared to play at the high school level when they are a year older.