A must-read travel ball story

As Big Blue fans might remember, one opposing coach was heard to shout, "THIS IS TRAVEL BALL!" when contesting a rules interpretation last fall in Oxford. But what is travel ball exactly?

This story from a Miami-area newspaper is a must-read, and there are so many head-shaking elements that it's hard to single them all out, and that's even taking into account that they managed to write a story about travel ball without mentioning Biscuit. Let's give it a try:

• An actual head coach of an actual team of actual 12-year-olds says "travel ball is as close as you can get to real major league baseball." Seriously, he said those words. 
• One 12-year-old player has played for TWENTY-SEVEN different teams since 2010. I have to assume he got an even bigger RV with each team switch, and there is absolutely no telling what kind of peanut-butter-and-jellies they get on those teams.
• The chief executive of USSSA--the organization putting together the tournament we were supposed to play in this weekend (more on that in your email later today)--makes over $700,000 per year. The organization also has seven other executives who make six figures per year. This is the same organization that charges you $5 per head to watch your kid play baseball.
• One head coach wears a $24,000 championship ring. Similarly, Coach Sean was presented with a coupon to Burger King after Big Blue's tournament win in Mooresville.
• The story contains this sentence: "One 12-year-old player punched an opponent at the behest of his mother." And this sentence: "It's not unheard of for families to offer cash to coaches to put their sons in the lineup." I'll finish this blog post in a second. Right now, I have to run to the bank. What's the going rate for a starting spot for a catcher?
• The story contains this sentence from a parent, describing his child's baseball regimen: "It's not about just having fun. It's not. It's about going out and doing a job." The parent's son is 11 years old.

Fan mail

This is an actual email that I received from an opposing coach after this weekend's games. I have not made up any of it.

<<Im just curious as to the process for team selection of Big Blue, I have heard many rumors.  I heard over 100 kids tryout.  I heard that it costs about $1,500.  Players can come from any area.  I heard the older ages have a RV they take to tournaments.  Is any of this true?  W. Raleigh has proven themslevs as being a very sucessful program, just curious as to some of the information out there. >>

Fortunately, this email reminded me that some of you have not paid your $1,500 initiation fee. Please bring it to practice tonight. As usual, please bring only large, unmarked bills, and either put it in a suitcase or, if possible, an envelope labeled "Coach Sean/Coach Kevin Tahiti Fund." 

Also, some of you have not fully filled out your 2012 fall Big Blue contract. We need to know whether you prefer the five-year contract (comes with an RV) or the ten-year contract (comes with a house). I know in the past, many have preferred the 10-year option, which is the only explanation for why the Oxford parking lot wasn't filled with RV's. 

IMPORTANT PRACTICE NOTE FOR TONIGHT: Tonight's practice is only for the Triangle-area kids on the team. The usual Wednesday practice time (5 a.m.-6 a.m. conditioning, 6 a.m.-8 a.m. field) will apply for the California/Texas players. 

We are likely to play in Wake Forest this Sunday. Only those players who have fully paid their initiation fees will be allowed to ride on the team RV.

Watch out for these guys at the next tournament

As you probably know, Big Blue's likely next destination is a one-day tournament in Wake Forest at the Factory this Sunday. We don't have a list of confirmed teams for that event yet, but we do know one team we hope doesn't show up...the Long Island Vengeance. Why, you ask?

Because they sound a little crazy.

Yep, he named his son's 10-year-old baseball team the Vengeance. All of a sudden wearing green-and-black tribal baseball pants doesn't sound that bad, does it?