There has been something missing from AAU games this spring. Since pitchers have been throwing for their school teams, some have not been able to pitch much for their AAU ball clubs.

Now that junior high baseball teams have finished their seasons, and high school teams wrap up, AAU teams will become even more competitive as all the pitchers on the teams are able to throw.

Some high school baseball teams don’t let their freshman pitch AAU games until after the school season is done. Junior high coaches tend to use the better pitchers as much as possible in their spring seasons, using up the weekly pitch counts quickly.

All, but the 15-year-old NH Grizzlies teams play two double-headers each weekend of the spring and summer. The 15’s don’t start games until the freshman school seasons are done. Almost everybody on the NH Grizzlies teams pitch. Take away just a few of those for high pitch counts on their school teams, and the pitching gets a little thin during the 28 innings of weekend games.

I can’t wait to see the games get more competitive now (pitching wise). It will be nice for the boys to face stronger pitching before the NH Grizzlies go into AAU playoffs and summer tournaments.

-Bob Hammerstrom

Tags: coaches, junior high