Questions and Answers

Q: What is the structure of youth baseball today in Southern California?

A: California is one of the great hot beds of youth baseball in the U.S. It's a great time to be playing, and once the economy picks up again it will be even better. The first tier of youth baseball is at the recreation leagues presented by local parks and recreation facilities and organizations like YMCA. If your player is more serious than that, Little League is your next choice because it provides a degree of competition and coaching without being too stressful. The next level of youth baseball is PONY: PONY raises the bar on players by adhering more closely to traditional baseball rules, and the PONY system handles for you all of the hassles of finding a team. If your player is looking for a more personal experience with PONY-like baseball rules, you’ll want to look for a club or travel team.

Q: Is there a difference between club, travel and select teams? Can those terms be used interchangeably?

A: Those terms should not be used interchangeably but they often are. Many parents don’t understand the differences. Club teams are based in or near your community, open up their rosters to try-outs to potential players, and play games and tournaments that are typically close to home. Travel teams can be based anywhere (so players may live away from home for periods of time), and spend time away from home to travel between multiple tournaments and games. Select teams are typically based near your community (but they could be anywhere) and play games and tournaments wherever they want – the main difference is that the players are approached (or selected) by the manager / head coach.

Q: Should my player participate in Little League, PONY or join a club team?

A: That's not an easy question. There are positives to each program. Every player should start in Little League in their early years. At some point, the player may want to test themselves in games with more traditional baseball rules. If he wants to try, let him try. Just make sure he understands what the differences are between Little League and PONY or club baseball.

Q: How old should a player be before he considers trying PONY or club ball?

A: First and foremost, it should be the player’s idea to try something more challenging. If a player makes that decision before the age of 10, it may be a mistake. Certainly, the choice can be made by 12.

Q: Are PONY and club teams more expensive than Little League?

A: That depends on the costs of your local leagues. In many cases, Little League and PONY costs are comparable. Club teams are likely to cost more for a variety of reasons. For instance, club teams usually participate in tournaments which cost money over and above league costs. Many club teams charge fees to register and participate. Many club teams hold clinics held by professional coaches. And teams that travel to tournaments end up costing money for transportation, lodging and food. Many PONY teams participate in tournaments, as well.

Q: Which system (Little League, PONY, club, etc.) provides better coaching?

A: There is no connection between a system and good coaching. Each system can provide good and bad coaching. If your player is drafted to a Little League or PONY team, you get whatever you get for the duration of that season. If your player joins a club, travel or select team, you can choose to leave the team if you feel the coaching is poor. The problem with leaving a club, travel or select team is that any money you have spent is gone. Club, travel and select teams sometimes have commitment contracts intended to bind a player to the team, but these contracts are of questionable legality. At the end of the day, if your player is competitive and has a future in baseball, you’ll want to find a coach that can help take your player to a higher level. It’s often a hit-or-miss process. If you find a good coach, stick with him because real growth takes place over many months or even years.

Q: Is Little League more concerned about arm safety than PONY or clubs?

A: It’s certainly possible that some club teams don’t care enough about the arms of young players. If you sense that your coach is reckless with the team’s pitchers, you should at least discuss it with the manager and perhaps even find another team. Little League is probably MORE concerned than other organizations, but the real question is whether they are OVERLY concerned. Many experts would say that Little League is trying too hard. In fact, many experts would argue that Little League’s recent rule changes inhibit the growth of most players.

Q: Can a player make his high school team if he stays in Little League?

A: It is absolutely possible. On the other hand, pitchers, catchers, infielders and base runners (that’s just about everybody) all have a head start if they play PONY or club ball. Little League players don’t see real base running until they move into the Juniors program at age 13. That gives them just two years to master the techniques of base running and holding base runners. If you get substandard coaching in those two years, it could be a real setback.

Q: What aspects of club ball do players like?

A: Players like leading off to steal bases. They like playing different teams instead of the same teams over and over. Players like playing on different ball fields. They like the challenge of playing multiple games on the same day or on back-to-back days. Players like professional umpires because  they tend to get more consistent calls. Players like big-barrel bats and metal cleats.

Q: What challenges do young players face as they try to make the switch from Little League to PONY or club baseball?

A: The intensity is higher from one play to the next. Base runners need to think on every play and every pitch. Pitchers must learn to monitor and hold base runners. Throwing base runners out when they try to steal is more difficult for catchers. Outfielders must concentrate more to back up throws to bases. While players can sometimes let down in Little League, they do not have the luxury in PONY and club ball. Every player struggles with this at first. Some players never  adapt. Some players adapt quickly, while others take more time. For players that stick with the process and learn to adjust, the rewards in growth are great.

Q: What is a high school feeder team?

A: The basic idea of a high school feeder team is simple. The team consists of players designated to play on the local high school team. The problem is that high school coaches typically don't call their select team a feeder team because they won't guaranty a spot on the high school team. So what does it all mean? Pretty much nothing. The only people who use the term "feeder team" with any regularity are the parents of players who play on the select team that is loosely associated with the local high school. It's a source of temporary pride for these parents. But just because a player is on the select team run by a high school coach, it doesn't mean the player will make the high school team. And many players make the high school team who don't play on a select team run by high school coaches. One last piece of advice: If a club team claims to be a feeder for a local high school, don't believe it.