Young players can hit 400-foot home runs, but can't catch

[retired711]

Thought this would interest you.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/...mers-but-playing-catch-thats-tricky.html?_r=0

 

[rudad02]

Excellent article. Been saying this for years. Whatever they're playing now sure isn't baseball.

 

[retired711]

I think many fewer kids get to play actual baseball in their youth than used to be.

 

[RU Diesel07110]

DH

 

[retired711]

Notice that almost all DH's have some experience playing in the field. There aren't many DH's who can succeed simply by hitting. After all, it's desirable to be able to keep the DH's bat in the line-up when playing in a National League stadium, and for that the DH has to know how to field. And DH's always have to know how to run the bases, something else they won't learn except by playing baseball.

 

[RU in IM]

And basketball players can dunk, but can't hit a free throw; new drivers can follow commands from google maps, but have no clue where they are going (case in point: three weeks ago a 24 year old follows google maps, which takes her the wrong way 40 miles on a dirt road in the desert; then she runs out of gas; and many students graduate from high school, but don't know basic math and can't find the state of Nebraska on a map. The little things don't seem to matter anymore.

Unfortunately, many kids learn sports, like baseball, from playing video games, but that doesn't help you learn how to play catch.

 

[retired711]

Perhaps I'm showing my age (going on 66), but my father played catch with me all the time when I was young. I certainly was not a budding athlete, but at least I knew how to throw and catch a baseball. And I can find Nebraska on a map, and could when I was a kid. Yes, I'm old.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Not surprised at all - kids play sports now to be the big stars and get scholarships, not to have fun.

 

[RUsince52]

Perhaps I'm showing my age (going on 66), but my father played catch with me all the time when I was young. I certainly was not a budding athlete, but at least I knew how to throw and catch a baseball. And I can find Nebraska on a map, and could when I was a kid. Yes, I'm old.

You're seasoned that's all. And you know you won't find the Bermuda Triangle in geometry class. That's big too.

 

[RUsince52]

As a change from BB we played wiffle ball and stickball, especially when the field was wet. Always fun and close to home.