cooperstown baseball world

ldferg · January 23, 2009 2:11AM

do any of you have any experience first hand yourself or with your kids on this: baseball world

my sons 12u team from KY will be participating this year.

scotgreb · January 23, 2009 3:58AM

David -- I took my 12U team to Cooperstown Dreams Park two years ago -- not where you are headed but I'm told they are fairly similar. Dreams Park takes 97 teams per week -- not sure how many Baseball World takes but I'm sure it's a few too many. It also looks like Baseball World has games "off campus" which sounds like a huge hassle. Dreams Park has ~25 fields clustered around the barracks, so the logistics are pretty easy.

I think on balance it's a great experience for the kids and their parents. It's very tough on coaches and those otherwise relegated to bunking with the kids.

If you have any say in future decisions, Ripken - Myrtle Beach is by far the best for week-long tournaments-- better facility, better accomodations, better weather, better competition, and many more fun team (and family) activities to complement the baseball.

Have fun,
Scott

ldferg · January 23, 2009 4:12AM

scott,
thanks for the information.

i'm not sure if we're going to Dreams Park or Baseball World. maybe we're not too late to change to Myrtle Beach.

mickeymantle24 · January 23, 2009 6:39AM

is that a USSSA tournament?

ldferg · January 23, 2009 6:44AM

i'm not sure if it's sanctioned by anyone at this time. it's probably and open tournament - if you can pay, you can play.

mickeymantle24 · January 23, 2009 6:46AM

oh. My sons team went to play in the USSSA WS in Johnson City TN

ldferg · January 23, 2009 6:56AM

that is great!!

we are playing in an East TN tournament in March. We are a BPA sanctioned team but play several USSSA tournaments. We were in the BPA North World Series last year in Michigan City. It was great. My son blasted 3 homeruns in the tournament.

mickeymantle24 · January 23, 2009 7:36AM

Sweet! good luck in the tournament! That is some of the most fun I have ever had doing baseball tournaments. It is so fun. Prices have been jacked up though. So we have not done one in awhile

itzagoner · January 23, 2009 10:32AM

thought i'd share a pic from Cooperstown from when my son Chris was there, he's third from the left on the bottom row and about to begin his first year in college ball @ Mesa JC in San Diego as a pitcher......the kid to his right, Chris Reed, will be a freshman pitcher @ Stanford this season, and the kid behind them, Trevor Gee, will be playing his freshman year @ Loyola Marymount here in So. Cal.......Chris & Trevor also played high school ball together and were teammates on Sherman Oaks Notre Dame's first ever title winning team this past May......our Titans swept through the prelims of this tourney, going 7 and 0, earning the 3rd seed in the single elimination playoffs.......and lost to the #62 seed from Ohio, which sandbagged their best pitcher for the game, and wound winning a nail-biter 3-2.

the Cooperstown Dream was about the finest of realities our family could have experienced in the world of baseball, including the home on the lake where we stayed, the visits to the Museum, the relationships we started there and still have now, and the non-stop excitement over the game, especially walking around Dreams Park looking for people who wanted to trade pins......yeah, the kids don't get to have all the fun

......ldferg, no matter which tournament you wind up at, i hope you have the best of times while you are there, it will be unforgettable.

ldferg · January 23, 2009 10:52AM

wow! you guys came all the way from CALI???

my wife confirmed we are going to Dreams Park. I'm looking forward to it. Our team is really pumped. We have a great group of boys and the families are great too.

itzagoner · January 23, 2009 11:00AM

<< <i>wow! you guys came all the way from CALI???

my wife confirmed we are going to Dreams Park. I'm looking forward to it. Our team is really pumped. We have a great group of boys and the families are great too. >>

excellent news......can't wait to hear about it.

good luck!

ldferg · January 28, 2009 1:37AM

here's a pic of the third HR my son hit in the world series.

yes, i'm a proud dad.

ldferg · May 27, 2009 12:12PM

the time is drawing near. we are heading to NY on June 5. everyone is stoked.

my son has been on a pitching rampage as of late: 1 perfect game (travel ball team) with a no-hitter and a perfect game (rec league). he does pretty good at the plate as well. 2 HRs last night (one shot was 335') not too bad for 12u.

there was a video on youtube of some kid at dreamspark blasting around 14 HR....some of the records there are amazing (kids hitting 3 HRs in one inning, teams hitting 73 HR in one week).

yankeeno7 · May 27, 2009 2:52PM

I dont know what the other poster was talking about there being nothing to do in Cooperstown. I guess it all depends on taste. There is the state park and beach on Otsego lake that is GREAT! A VERY nice beach, GREAT landscape, plenty of picnic tables, bbq's, and room to play volleyball, softball, or whatever you want to do.

If you are into golf, there is a very nice golf course.

There are a couple of lakes with very good fishing.

Many campsites in the area with hiking and biking trails, fishing, or just enjoying nature.

If you are interested in other museums, there is the Farmers Museum and Fenimore Mansion.

Plenty of antique shops in the area.

Mini Golf and go carts.

Otsego Lake has boat tours.

Ommegang and Old Slugger Brewries.

Glimmerglass Opera.

Charlotte Valley Railroad tour.

And of course all the baseball stuff and shops.

Oneonta is close by and they have a Minor League baseball team. Not sure if their season will have begun by then.

So, I have no problem finding things to do around there. I hope you see some things you will enjoy. Have fun! I know I always do!

ldferg · May 27, 2009 11:13PM

great info!! thanks.

sounds like we will have plenty to do if the weather cooperates.

ldferg · June 3, 2009 12:07PM

looks like over 100 teams in this first week of cooperstown madness. should be an awesome few days of baseball.

ldferg · June 6, 2009 1:25PM

skills competition tonight. my son finished tied for 3rd out of 102 in the "roadrunner" competition. our first game is tomorrow at 8:30a.

i'm also planning to stop in the sports shops in cooperstown later this week.

justmichael · June 6, 2009 1:45PM

Check out Yaz's Sportscards.Overpriced but alot of nice stuff to look at.

ldferg · June 6, 2009 1:49PM

thanks for the suggestion. the last 2 nights, i've walked down main street but the shops are all closed. i need to get there a little earlier.

ldferg · June 7, 2009 12:19PM

day 1 - pool play.

game 1 - we won 8-0. my son hit a grand slam after a solo shot by another teamate.

game 2 - we won 16-1. my son hit a 2-run shot and 3 others on the team hit homers also.

so far so good. tougher competition should occur as each day passes.

ldferg · June 7, 2009 1:35PM

here are the final seedings after day 1. things will change tomorrow.

yankeeno7 · June 7, 2009 1:37PM

Sounds like a great time! How many days are you there for?

ldferg · June 7, 2009 1:41PM

we are here until friday 6/12.

pool play is today, monday and tuesday. we start single elimination tournament wednesday a.m. i'd like to see our team win at least 2 games in the actual tournament (of course more would be better)

. it would be great for the kids.

ldferg · June 7, 2009 1:45PM

here's a link to my son in the roadrunner finals. his time was 13:06.

roadrunner

yankeeno7 · June 7, 2009 1:56PM

Too bad you werent there during the weekend of the 20/21 because that is when the Legends Game is. They will be having things for the younger ones and supposedly all players are signing for ticket holders.

ldferg · June 7, 2009 2:02PM

i was wondering if there were any special ceremonies like that. thanks for the info.

ldferg · June 8, 2009 11:30PM

day 2. we went 1-1.

won the first game 14-2. several hits and a couple of HRs. - at this point we were seeded no. 1 out of 102 (due to record and avg. runs allowed after 3 games).

lost the second game 6-2. we had 1 HR and played great defense. the opposing team had some superb pitching. it was tight till the end. at the end of the day we fell to a no. 23 seed.

today's game we'll be more like the 2nd game yesterday. we are now seeing how deep the pitching can go on some of these teams (including our own).

ldferg · June 9, 2009 2:33PM

day 3: we went 1-1 again. we finished pool play with a 4-2 record and a seed of 35 out of 102.

game 5: solid pitching performance. we won 5-4. my son hit a 2-run homerun to give us the 5-4 advantage that stayed the remainder of the game.

game 6: it was a great game thru 4 innings. the lead changing back and forth. my son hit 2 HR, the second giving us a 5-3 lead. Then the bottom fell out of our pitching and we ended up getting spanked 17-5 (gave up 11 runs in the 5th inning as we were run-ruled).

we start single elimination tomorrow at 3p.

this complex is awesome. baseball everywhere. it's like mini MLB fields all over the place.

scotgreb · June 10, 2009 3:57AM

For those who want to follow David's team -- this is the link to the bracket;

Tournament Bracket

They are the 35th seed (bottom right).

Good luck, David

ldferg · June 10, 2009 4:07AM

thank u for the link. I am at the park now. our game on field 9 is being broadcast live webcast at 3p EST. my son is #12, batting 3rd.

ldferg · June 10, 2009 7:09AM

we just beat the Hopewell Warriors from GA (18-3). walk off grand slam to run-rule them after 5 innings. my son pitched decent to get the win. next up Titans from TX. at 5:30 EST. game is live webcast.

ldferg · June 10, 2009 11:47PM

game 2 yesterday. we lost 7-5 and are now finished. my son hit a grand slam that put us up 5-3 but our defense and baserunning flaws hurt us in the last inning. it was a tough loss since we had played so hard.

we had a great time and are going back today see some great games today. anyone that has a chance to bring their kids here, i highly recommend seizing the chance. it is an incredible place for this age kids.

thanks for allowing me to share on the boards.

Goot · June 11, 2009 12:21AM

Sounds like an amazing experience and I am extremely jealous! I remember when I went to Cooperstown and drove by the little league fields I was amazed by the facilities. I'm glad you guys had fun and it seems like your kids got some real skill. Hopefully he'll have a lot of baseball in his future and I wish him luck.

BTW: I just to say that the Tampa Bay area youth baseball scene is about as competitive as it gets. Those kids are gamers. Seeing all those team names brought back some memories...I remember a few.

ldferg · June 11, 2009 2:07PM

tonights championship consisted of 2 teams from florida (9 of the 16 undefeated in pool play were from FLA).

when i left the game in the 4th inning the Tamiami Outlaws were beating the Sarasota Meteors 13-3 (4 HRs hit). We were one game away from playing the Meteors in the 2nd round.

this is something i would definitely do again given another opportunity.

cooperstown baseball world

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