Should MLB be more responsible for amateur baseball?

[cutchemist42]

So I just finished reading a book called National Pastime:Why Americans play baseball and the rest of the world plays soccer and this fact came up in the book. When it is was suggested what MLB could learn from the many soccer leagues is that baseball should learn to think longterm like soccer.

I guess to this day, the FA, the organisation that runs both amateur, professional, and international aspects of English football realized that thinking longterm about good things for the sport was best best. Whereas MLB sure doesnt do alot for amateur baseball, the FA does alot more and well......the book says that football playing amongst kids has never declined whereas among young kids, Little League has been declining since 99. It also says even though MLB invests in baseball academies in the Carribbean, why doesnt it do so in it's own country. ManU and other soccer teams do so.

In your opinion, should MLB start thinking longterm about helping to make sure Americans playing baseball doesnt drop to even worse levels? Do you agree with the soccer system of teams being involved in academies of MLB working seperately from Little League?

[Ubiquitous]

well what are the rules that govern youth sports in Europe? In America we have rather tight restrictions on what businesses can do for youths. Especially in the area of sports.

I'm pretty sure if it was allowed major league sports teams would most certainly help fund various leagues throughout the country. Especially in the areas that have a high density of talent. Yet they are not allowed to do so.

[KCGHOST]

I have felt for years that the biggest problem baseball has is that we just don't have the places for kids to just go out and play the game on their own. Now if you want to play you are just about limited to organized programs. That just isn't enough for more than just a few kids to play.

When I was a kid they was invariable a nearby vacant lot that we could use to play on. Also, even at a young age, we didn't think nothing about walking/biking somewhere on our own to play in a pick up game. Today's parents are so worried about the perverts in our society to just let their kids go out and play unsupervised.

[Old Sweater]

I have felt for years that the biggest problem baseball has is that we just don't have the places for kids to just go out and play the game on their own. Now if you want to play you are just about limited to organized programs. That just isn't enough for more than just a few kids to play.

When I was a kid they was invariable a nearby vacant lot that we could use to play on. Also, even at a young age, we didn't think nothing about walking/biking somewhere on our own to play in a pick up game. Today's parents are so worried about the perverts in our society to just let their kids go out and play unsupervised.

Couldn't agree with you any more. It's a shame what todays society has done to the good old neighborhood game of baseball.

I do wish that MLB could find a way to give more money to youth leagues. Where I sit and watch little league I can look across the baseball field and see 2 games of soccer going on. Yuck, hate seeing American kids playing a foreign sport with a baseball field so close to them.

[Fatbill]

I think MLB teams should scout much earlier for developing players, and the MLB should sponsor and promote the Little League, High School, and College games. MLB should also promote baseball as America's game & as part of the fabric of Americana, because, let's face it, baseball doesn't appeal to most people. To be honest, soccer isn't even the worst thing, lacrosse is. If College Baseball was promoted more heavily, I think America's youth would embrace it just as much as they do college basketball (but not college football). MLB should do more to pressure ESPN and others to expose College Baseball. I think the MVP Baseball games from EA are going to do a wealth of good for the game.

[redlegsfan21]

The Baseball Academies in the Carribbean and not here at home is what strikes me the most. MLB needs to develop talent where ibaseball was founded.

I really wish kids would take an interest into baseball. I've been trying to get my brother (who is in 8th grade) to start playing catch with me but he spends all his time playing Runescape, Nintendo DS, and watch Sci-Fi shows.

[JamesWest]

I have felt for years that the biggest problem baseball has is that we just don't have the places for kids to just go out and play the game on their own. Now if you want to play you are just about limited to organized programs. That just isn't enough for more than just a few kids to play.

When I was a kid they was invariable a nearby vacant lot that we could use to play on. Also, even at a young age, we didn't think nothing about walking/biking somewhere on our own to play in a pick up game. Today's parents are so worried about the perverts in our society to just let their kids go out and play unsupervised.

I feel the same way. I loved playing ball at the schoolyard, but never really liked playing in an organized program. I think that perverts are this generations polio. Way overblown. I'm glad my parents didn't overreact to such things in the 70s.

[Williamsburg2599]

Building American baseball academies should be near the top of Selig's "to-do" list, IMO. Around here (in Massachusetts) High School Baseball is losing popularity to both lacrosse, and even volleyball.:eek:

[Old Sweater]

Building American baseball academies should be near the top of Selig's "to-do" list, IMO. Around here (in Massachusetts) High School Baseball is losing popularity to both lacrosse, and even volleyball.:eek:

VOLLEYBALL!!!! Thats it!!!

Old Sweater< Filling tub and searching for razor blades.

[Williamsburg2599]

VOLLEYBALL!!!! Thats it!!!

Old Sweater< Filling tub and searching for razor blades.
It's a shame, isin't it? Oh well, more spots for the kids who love the game.

[Fatbill]

It's a shame, isin't it? Oh well, more spots for the kids who love the game.
My school doesn't even have a men's volleyball program!

[cutchemist42]

To me, as long as MLB itself is doing fine then they don't care. What happens though in 20 years when kids grew up on soccer instead of baseball? Some might end up supporting the New England Rev instead of the Red Sox. MLB needs to start thinking long term about the decline in amateur baseball participation.

[Brian McKenna]

To me, as long as MLB itself is doing fine then they don't care. .

That's a lot of negative bunk.

There are a lot of socio-economic reasons for the decline in interest as KCGhost and others have mentioned. Kids being kept close to home for one.

MLB has a long history of supporting outside causes, just like all of corporate America - Griffith's bat and ball program, the Olympics, the international effort and many relevant causes that are the topic here. It just doesn't make the daily paper.

[redlegsfan21]

This is what I have to say about soccer: http://www.700wlw.com/timages/page/media/Soccer_Bad_for_America.mp3

I think the biggest threat is MLG (http://www.mlgpro.com/). I can't believe this stuff is already on TV (USA Network).

I wonder how many people here know about MLG. My friend Matt was into it for a while until he gained an interest in the WPT (http://www.worldpokertour.com) which is also a major threat.

Wow, I used a lot of links.

[Fatbill]

This is what I have to say about soccer: http://www.700wlw.com/timages/page/media/Soccer_Bad_for_America.mp3

I think the biggest threat is MLG (http://www.mlgpro.com/). I can't believe this stuff is already on TV (USA Network).

I wonder how many people here know about MLG. My friend Matt was into it for a while until he gained an interest in the WPT (http://www.worldpokertour.com) which is also a major threat.

Wow, I used a lot of links.
The MLG people & MLB people are completely different breeds.
Gamers & Athletes. Different People.

[Williamsburg2599]

The MLG people & MLB people are completely different breeds.
Gamers & Athletes. Different People.
But it's how the next generation is brought up. If they are brought watching "pro gaming" on ESPN while Red Sox Vs. Yankees is on ESPN 2, how do you think there going to spend their summer, at the ballpark? I doubt it. As for poker, IMO it was pretty much a fad (like the boom of golf after Tigermania) and it's probabily on it's way out.

[JamesWest]

volleyball:

Volleyball has a famous appearance in Red Sox history.

[Fatbill]

But it's how the next generation is brought up. If they are brought watching "pro gaming" on ESPN while Red Sox Vs. Yankees is on ESPN 2, how do you think there going to spend their summer, at the ballpark? I doubt it. As for poker, IMO it was pretty much a fad (like the boom of golf after Tigermania) and it's probabily on it's way out.
Video gaming, to me, is going to become part of daily life, like TV, and it will hinder athletics as a whole, not just baseball.:grouchy

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

I think that instead of funding leagues (which MLB isn't allowed to do anyways, by the sounds of it) that MLB should give money to counties to build baseball facilities. This would encourage the municipalities to build baseball stadiums as opposed to fields for other sports. It also gives kids who don't necessarily want to play organized ball a place to go.

[Fatbill]

Baseball needs to realize that baseball isn't the major sport in America anymore. Kids don't want to play baseball because it's baseball.

[Williamsburg2599]

Volleyball has a famous appearance in Red Sox history.
Williamsburg should be the ONLY place where volleyball is allowed in New England.:D
16821

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

Baseball needs to realize that baseball isn't the major sport in America anymore. Kids don't want to play baseball because it's baseball.That's the thing. MLB should do more to promote the game at the lowest level. They need to grow the game from the bottom up in America.

Canada, that's another story.

[Fatbill]

MLB should sponsor lower levels somehow (promotion?)

[redlegsfan21]

I think what could really help is if a TV show with baseball as the storyline would help. I've been watching a Japanese Anime called Major that focuses on a kid named Honda Goro and his journey through baseball. It starts off with before organized baseball, then goes to little league, middle school, and I'm currently on high school baseball.

Now, if MLB developed a show like this, I'm sure that some kids would like to copy a character like Honda Goro and want to play baseball. Make a cartoon or a live action show, either way, if kids watch it, they will want to copy it. I remember when I was a kid, I'd watch Scooby Doo and want to solve mysteries. I'd watch Dexter's Laboratory and want to create random stuff so I know that kids copy things they see on TV.

Link about the show: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAJOR_%28anime%29
Link of episodes of show: http://www.crunchyroll.com/showseries?id=104

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

Good idea! I shudder to think that they would make it very commercial though, with lots of plugs and such. But if they went about it in a way that was meant to draw kids to baseball, I think it would be great!

[Fatbill]

I think what could really help is if a TV show with baseball as the storyline would help. I've been watching a Japanese Anime called Major that focuses on a kid named Honda Goro and his journey through baseball. It starts off with before organized baseball, then goes to little league, middle school, and I'm currently on high school baseball.

Now, if MLB developed a show like this, I'm sure that some kids would like to copy a character like Honda Goro and want to play baseball. Make a cartoon or a live action show, either way, if kids watch it, they will want to copy it. I remember when I was a kid, I'd watch Scooby Doo and want to solve mysteries. I'd watch Dexter's Laboratory and want to create random stuff so I know that kids copy things they see on TV.

Link about the show: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAJOR_%28anime%29
Link of episodes of show: http://www.crunchyroll.com/showseries?id=104
That's a really goo idea. My generation needs to be shown how great baseball really is.