Cal Ripken World Series Enters Playoff Games

Posted by ripkenbaseball on Thursday, August 19th, 2010

After five amazing days of 12-U baseball at the Cal Ripken World Series, the coaches and players are resting up today in preparation for Playoffs! Yesterday brought the end of pool play competition, and the top teams from each division have been seeded into the playoff round, which will take place tomorrow. Out of the sixteen teams that arrived in Aberdeen on Friday, four U.S. teams and four International teams advance to the playoff round.

Because the U.S. teams are split into two divisions, only the top two teams from each division will advance. The teams representing the United States on Friday are as follows:

U.S. American Division
1. Maryland (3-1)*
2. New England (3-1)

*Maryland takes the top-seed for defeating New England in head-to-head play.

U.S. National Division
1. Southeast (4-0)
2. Ohio Valley (3-1)

With six international teams in pool play, the top four teams advance to Friday’s playoff round. The International teams advancing will be:

International Division
1. Japan (5-0)
2. Mexico (4-1)
3. Korea (3-2)
4. Dominican Republic (2-3)

With the final standings in place, the schedule of games for Friday’s playoff round at the Cal Ripken World Series will be:

12:00pm – Korea @ Mexico
02:30pm – New England @ Southeast
05:00pm – Dominican Rep. @ Japan
08:00pm – Ohio Valley @ Maryland

Winners of the International playoffs advance to Saturday’s 12pm game, where they’ll play for the International Championship and a berth into Sunday’s World Championship game at 3pm.

The winners of the U.S. playoff games will play on Saturday at 3pm to decide who will represent the U.S. on Sunday.

Tickets to the Championship game are free, but you must register for them online -  http://crws2010.ripkenbaseball.com/event/championship-tickets/

Get your tickets today, as this game is sure to be a must see!

Posted in Cal Ripken World Series, Tournaments | No Comments »

2010 Cal Ripken World Series

Posted by ripkenbaseball on Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Tomorrow is a big day for Ripken Baseball! 2010 marks the eighth consecutive year we’ve hosted the CRWS in Aberdeen, MD. Each year the event has gotten bigger and better, and it’s been a pleasure to host the best 12-year-old ballplayers in the world at the Ripken Academy for a fun and exciting week of tournament play.

The tournament kicks off with a Skills Competition beginning at 3pm, followed by Opening Ceremonies, the Aberdeen IronBirds game and an exciting fireworks showing at Ripken Stadium!

There are sixteen teams coming to Aberdeen from all over the world. The first pitch will be thrown noon on Saturday, and we are looking forward to watching some stand out players showcase their talents on the field throughout the week.

The CRWS is the culminating tournament of the Babe Ruth League’s 12U Cal Ripken Division. This exciting international tournament features players from around the world. Mexico, Australia, the Republic of Korea, the Dominican Republic, Japan, and Canada all come together to compete against the Maryland State Champions, the Harford County Champions and Champions from six regions across the U.S.

Players coming to this year’s Series will have the opportunity to crash into the ivy at Wrigley field, send one over the “Monstah” at Fenway, and take aim at the warehouse behind Cal Senior’s Yard – a youth-sized replica of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. And just opened for play in 2010 – Citizens Bank Park, a replica of the Philadelphia Phillies home field, and Nationals Stadium, a youth version of the Washington Nationals home.

Follow all the action at worldseries.ripkenbaseball.com and don’t miss the U.S. and International Finals or the World Championship, all of which will be broadcast live on MLB Network with Cal and Bill commentating from the booth.

This game is promised to be a must see! Tickets for the game are free of charge, however you must register for them at http://crws2010.ripkenbaseball.com/event/championship-tickets/ before arriving.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Posted in Cal Ripken World Series | No Comments »

Groundbreaking!

Posted by ripkenbaseball on Friday, August 6th, 2010

Last month, we held our first groundbreaking ceremony at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, and now we are excited to head to Fredericksburg, VA to help address the growing needs of the area’s youth.

Starting Monday, The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation will be building the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Youth Sports and Development Complex. Strategically located in the City of Fredericksburg and easily accessible to both Spotsylvania and Stafford Counties, this facility will become the cornerstone for much of the Foundation’s work in the region. 

The center is designed to use baseball and softball themed programs to address a variety of youth development needs, including character development, health, physical education, culture, and history. The facility will include stations throughout that support the 12 life lessons of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation’s Healthy Choices, Healthy Children character development curriculum.

The goal is to create three ball fields in partnership with the City of Fredericksburg. One of the fields in the project is being built solely to meet the needs of anyone with a physical or mental disability. 

The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation plans to take this program national over the coming years. Growing up, we were fortunate to learn valuable life lessons on the field, and we’re glad we can give the same opportunity to young players.

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Rest In Peace, “Boss”

Posted by ripkenbaseball on Friday, July 16th, 2010

On Tuesday, the baseball world mourned the loss of one of the most notable baseball figures of the last century. New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner passed away at the age of 80 from a heart attack.

“The Boss” was one of the most successful owners in baseball, leading the Yankees to seven World Series championships and 11 pennants in his 37 years owning the team. He’s one of the main reasons the Yankees were a juggernaut in the late 70s and 90s, and revolutionized the way owners ran teams. The Yankees are the richest team in baseball (and maybe in all of sports), thanks in large part to Steinbrenner doing whatever it took to field a winner.

Steinbrenner also always kept things interesting, both for positive and negative. His hirings and firings of Billy Martin, his “hands-on” approach to ownership, and his rants and tirades will also always be remembered.

But what many may not have known about Steinbrenner was his philanthropic side. He gave millions to charities around the country. He contributed so much to Tampa, where he owned a home, that the city named a high school after him.

Steinbrenner will be remembered for different things to different people. But what everyone can agree on is that he loved baseball, loved the Yankees, loved New York and loved to win.

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The Mid-Summer Classic

Posted by ripkenbaseball on Friday, July 9th, 2010

The MLB All-Star Game is designed to showcase baseball’s best players at the mid-way point of the season. Of course, this may not always be the case once the rosters are selected through a vote by fans and players, and additions by the respective league’s managers. That said, it’s still an important piece of our nation’s favorite pastime.

The All-Star Game has been trending towards younger players over recent years, and I like that shift. Younger guys like Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay), Ryan Braun (Milwaukee), Ryan Zimmermann (Washington) and players who have been on a major league club just three years are now making the team. This is very different from the days when my brother and I played. Back then, guys like Call were perennial All-Stars and the teams seemed to be made up of the same players every year.

While I like this younger trend and think the game is headed in a great direction, I do wish there was a way to honor the veteran ballplayers…even if they’re going through an off-year. A great example is Atlanta Braves’ third baseman Chipper Jones. A 17-year MLB veteran, Jones is one of the best switch hitters of all-time, with a career batting average of.306. If he decides to retire after this season, it will be a shame that he wasn’t on the National League’s All-Star roster in his final year. A quality veteran like Jones deserves a spot on the All-Star team, even if his numbers aren’t quite what they once were.

Every year there are going to be guys who get snubbed. But I would like to see the rosters expand so guys like Jones get a chance to play. I may have a lot of ideas about the game, but I’ll admit that I certainly don’t have all the answers or the solution on how to make this happen. I just think it’s the right thing to do for the veterans who have put in their time. Besides, what’s the worst that could happen?

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Home Opener

Posted by ripkenbaseball on Friday, June 25th, 2010

Well it must be summer because the IronBirds are playing ball again at Ripken Stadium. Nine seasons, every game sold out. Amazing.

Ripken Stadium was packed as the Aberdeen Iron Birds took on the Hudson Valley Renegades in their home opener. The game kicked off with our friend, Maryland native and Olympic figure skater Kimmie Meissner throwing the ceremonial first pitch. The game was a great one and the IronBirds notched the victory thanks to Jason Anderson’s skill on the mound and leftfielder Kipp Schultz’s power at the plate.

The excitement of opening weekend continued on through Sunday as the IronBirds celebrated Father’s Day at Ripken Stadium. Before the first pitch, dads and their children hung out on the field, playing catch, running bases and interacting with the players. During the game, they were even able to run the bases together!

As the season progresses we look forward to more fun events like our annual steamed crab nights, “World Cup Night” on June 28, “NASCAR Night” on June 30th and our annual Independence Day Celebration on the 4th of July.

Be sure to grab family and friends and head out to Ripken Stadium to cheer on the Aberdeen IronBirds this summer! We look forward to seeing you there!

For a complete schedule, please visit: http://tinyurl.com/39l5wb3

Posted in Baltimore, Ripken Baseball | No Comments »

Keep it Fun!

Posted by Bill Ripken on Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Hosting tournaments is a big part of what we do at Ripken Baseball, so I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on the topic. There are a lot of travel teams out there – travel, metro, tournament and all kinds of hybrids. But true travel teams should be made up of players who are committed to travelling and playing a more intense schedule.

Even with the popularity of travel teams, there’s still a presence for in-house or recreational leagues. My oldest boy is 10, and he decided to try baseball for the first time. Rec. ball was the right choice.

In playing the rec. season, he got some hits, threw some strikes, made a few plays and had an overall good time on the field. The team played just the right amount of games and practice time was kept to a minimum. For him and the other kids on the team, it was a good experience. Everyone had fun playing ball in a relaxed setting.

Then we went into the postseason and his rec. team suddenly picked up a travel team mentality. Umpire disputes. Tougher rules. Brackets. Anxieties. Two games in a day. None of those things should happen in a rec. season. That type of intense competition is reserved for the better teams or the ones a little more interested in the game.

A lot of kids join rec. programs because they simply don’t want the pressure that comes with a tournament or travel mentality. I’ve seen first-hand how a growing interest for the game can turn into no interest at all when the intensity-level gets ratcheted up too high.

There’s a big difference between wanting to do something and having to do something.

Rec. programs fall into the “wanting to do something” category, and that’s where they should stay. There will come a time when a kid decides he wants to get more serious about the game or realizes that his abilities need to be challenged at a higher level. And when that time comes, it should be the kid’s choice and no one else’s.

Simply tacking tournaments on to a rec. program does not work, and it threatens the interest of the young ballplayers that have chosen to play recreationally. When my son participated in that postseason rec. tournament, I sat in the stands and watched as interest waned.

During a pitching change on the field next to ours, I saw seven fielders sprawled out on the grass, and three baserunners sitting down on their bases. We’re not talking about taking a knee while the guy warms up, these kids literally laid flat on their backs. If that doesn’t scream, “We really don’t want to be here,” then I don’t know what does.

I’ve heard a lot of stories about the decline of rec. baseball because of tournament teams taking all the best players. Maybe some of that is true, and if so, so be it. But rec. programs are only going to hurt themselves if they try to duplicate tournament elements in their own seasons. To maintain and grow a rec. program, or what’s left of it, requires a little hard work and imagination to keep the kids we have interested in the game.

Let’s not bring the tournament atmosphere, and all the pressures that come with it, into the recreational setting. We need to bring rec. ball back to what it is supposed to be, FUN.

Posted in Ripken Baseball, Tournaments, Youth Baseball | No Comments »

Badges for Baseball June Program

Posted by ripkenbaseball on Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Law enforcement officers traded their police uniforms for baseball uniforms, becoming coaches for the day in one of our favorite programs, Badges for Baseball.

These special mentors helped young players ages 5 to 15 perfect their throws, refine their technique behind the plate and improve their game on the field. But at the end of the day, the 2,642 young players learned more than fundamentals of the game – they learned fundamentals for life. The coaches emphasize values such as leadership, teamwork and healthy living.

In sharing their love of the game, children had the opportunity to interact with law enforcement in a positive way. By the end of the clinic, 91% of law enforcement officials said they saw participants become more comfortable interacting with law enforcement.

Growing up following athletes, we were fortunate to learn valuable life lessons on the field, and we’re glad we can give the same opportunity to young players.

Posted in Badges for Baseball, Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, Youth Baseball | No Comments »

Have Your Baseball Innovation Become A Reality

Posted by ripkenbaseball on Thursday, May 20th, 2010

We are always encouraging our youth baseball players to practice their craft. Whether it be during the season or the off-season, keeping up with their skills is imperative. Oftentimes it’s not easy finding creative and fun ways to do so. That’s where you could come in.

Rawlings is seeking innovative baseball and fast-pitch softball training products and your idea could be the next great addition to the Ripken Five-Tool Training line of equipment.

Submit your idea and help players maximize their potential on-field performance!

Rawlings, a tremendous partner in Ripken Baseball’s effort to grow the game of baseball worldwide, recently partnered with Edison Nation to consider innovative ideas for baseball and fast-pitch softball training products. There is no better time than now to pitch your very own idea and let Rawlings turn it into a reality.

If your idea is selected for commercialization, you’ll receive a $2,500 advance payment from Edison Nation and a share of sales for up to 20 years! The submission deadline is June 7, so get your idea in now!

Submit idea here: http://xrl.us/bhmgmc

Posted in Baltimore, Instruction, Ripken Baseball, Tips, Youth Baseball | No Comments »

Ripken Baseball Hosts Coaches and Youth From Iraq

Posted by ripkenbaseball on Friday, May 14th, 2010

As summer is quickly approaching, Ripken Baseball is gearing up for some great events. One of our favorite things to do during the summer is work with coaches and youth players from around the world to improve their baseball game.

This week, we were fortunate to have the opportunity to share the game we love with a group of coaches and youth players from Iraq. On Wednesday, Ripken Baseball met with fifteen Iraqis out at Ripken Stadium and mentored them through the game of baseball. We taught them the correct way to catch a ball, throw a ball and hit a ball. At the end of the day, we even played a small baseball game where youth baseball players took on Ripken Baseball!

While all of our camps and clinics are incredible experiences, I must say this was one of our favorites. Playing the game with a group of people who love it so much is exactly what Ripken Baseball stands for. We were honored to host a group of eager learners at Ripken Baseball, and look forward to doing it again soon.

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Posted in Camps, Coaching Clinics, Instruction, Youth Baseball | No Comments »