126 Year Old MLB Record is Broken By 10u East Cobb Yankees

In considering the events that transpired in last's night's game against the EC Rays, I realized that my boys (EC Yankees) broke a Major League Baseball record that was set by the Detroit Wolverines back in 1883.

What amazing feat did we accomplish last night in the bitter cold??? We allowed 20 runs in a single inning. The 1883 Wolverines only gave up 18 to the White Stockings. We were ahead ahead 9-0 in the 4th, when the Rays exploded to hang a 20 spot on us.

Now as a coach, how do you get something positive out of an error and walk infested inning? Simple, understand that the greatest players on the planet make errors, walk batters and just flat out stink sometimes.

I want my kids to know the difference between the guys who make errors, strike out and walk batters that at age 36 are selling insurance (that's what I do) compared to guys that I played with that make errors, strike out and walk batters that now make $6 million a year.....

Confidence- I believer confidence in spite of the circumstance is a determining factor to greatness.

One attribute I would like my kids to have as ball players is that they carry themselves with confidence regardless of the situation.

Great hitters go through prolonged batting slumps, great teams give up big innings (from time to time). Amidst the difficulties of a slump or loosing streak, baseball players MUST conduct themselves with a high level of confidence. Otherwise, you stay in those slumps even longer. This takes building up your mental toughness.

I love what Yogi Berra said..."Baseball is 90% mental the other half is physical."

Remaining confident during a bad inning is an example of how mentally challenging this game is.

You often hear "There is a right way to play this game..."

I think one part of that "right way" is that if the scoreboard was turned off and someone stopped in during the course of the game, they should not be able to tell by your body language if you are winning by 10 or loosing by 10 (or even 20).


I want my kids to be confident regardless of their circumstances.

Circumstances are always subject to change. However, one's character is the filter that processes circumstances. I never want circumstances to define the character of my team. If I believe we are great (and I do) then I will believe that when we are up by 9 or when we give up 20 in an inning.

Taking a defeat like this early in the season can be a building block to our success later in the season if we do not allow circumstances to define our character (confidence).