West Raleigh Baseball: New to West Raleigh Baseball?

For parents / families who are new to West Raleigh Baseball, we have put together some information that will help you anticipate what to expect in our baseball program.

We don't live in Raleigh - can we play West Raleigh Baseball?

West Raleigh Baseball is not affiliated in any way with the city of Raleigh and has no residency requirements,so players from many surrounding areas play in the league. Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken Baseball require that players play within the geographic area assigned to a given league. Players in Wake County from Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Holly Springs, Morrisville, etc. are within West Raleigh Baseball's assigned area. Players from the Garner and Fuquay Varina areas may be required to obtain signed release forms from their base leagues to participate in Babe Ruth or Cal Ripken play at West Raleigh. If you have questions about such eligibility, please click here to email Rich Fountain, our Operations Manager.

I hear there are special Pitching Rules in West Raleigh Baseball - What are they?
West Raleigh Baseball has taken two bold steps with pitching rule changes designed to help protect the health and safety of our players. First, West Raleigh Baseball has implemented maximum pitch count and rest requirements for each league, which are generally much more restrictive than the traditional innings-pitched rules. We have also banned the usage of the curveball (breaking ball, knuckleballs, forkballs, slider, etc.)for league ages below 13. We have viewed with alarm the rising tide of youth players with arm injuries, and following guidelines recommended by USA Baseball, we have taken these steps to help protect our players.
Our goal is for players who 'graduate' from West Raleigh to be able to play high school baseball if they want to - and to do that their arms need to be intact!

The sanctioning bodies West Raleigh Baseball is affiliated with (Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken Baseball and Tar Heel Leagues) have indicated strong interest in our program, and the President/CEO of Babe Ruth Baseball, Steve Tellefson, has expressed strong personal interest as well.

How many players will be trying out?

Overall, we expect approximately 450-500 players will be trying out. Some of them are already players in the league with guaranteed placement, and need to try out because they are "aging up" to the next age group, or because they are trying out for advanced play in the American or National Leagues. In fall where National and American Leagues are combined, there will be less players trying out, but still quite a few.

In Spring the tryouts are spread out across two Saturdays (ages 9-14) and one Sunday afternoon (ages 6-8) with players of different ages trying out at different times. We strongly recommend making every effort to attend the first tryout date, particularly for new players, as the second date could be cancelled due to rainouts, and not made up. With the tight early-season schedules and restricted field availability, the league has occasionally had to make the difficult decision to abandon the second tryout date in the past. While all efforts to conduct the tryout will be made, it may not be possible due to bad weather. New-to-league players who do not attend tryouts will not be eligible to be drafted until all guaranteed-spot players and all new players who did try out are drafted. If open spots then remain, other players will be selected by random drawing. This scenario, while possible, has not happened in many years. The reality is that in order to be drafted a new-to-league player must attend tryouts. In Fall there is only one tryout date, though some accommodation may be made for Spring All Star players if they are still playing in a tournament on the tryout date. In fall as in spring, making it to tryouts is imperative for new-to-league players.

How many player spots are available?

This is a common question. West Raleigh never really knows exactly how many new-player spots will be available until registration is complete. Beginning in Spring 2009, there will be more roster spots available - particularly for players aged 9-10, which age group has been severely constrained in past years.  In 2009, 2 additional teams will be added to the 10U Rookie League, adding up to 26 new roster spots at this key age group. Similarly, 2 additional teams will be added to the Girls Softball program.

In Spring, the league is likely to have total of about 568 player roster spots available. There are 8 Minor League teams aged 6-8; there are 10 Rookie League teams  encompassing ages 9-10, 6 American League 11-12 year old teams, and there are 6 National League 11-12 year old teams with 12 players aged 9-12.  Junior League fluctuates based on player turnout, from 6-8 teams. Girls Softball will have 8 teams, 4 10U teams and 4 12U teams.

West Raleigh is limited in the number of fields available, which limits the size of the program. Each year some good ballplayers, even some who later become West Raleigh All Stars, are turned away...many try out the following year, and are drafted later...For this reason West Raleigh recommends that new players also register for Spring Ball with another league so that they will be sure to have a place to play if not selected for West Raleigh this year. We also believe that having a "backup plan" helps young players deal with the pressure of a competitive tryout better. In Fall there are usually more "new player" spots, as many Spring players elect to play football or another fall sport. The Fall program is smaller, with approximately 35 teams and roughly 480 players.
 

What are the "guaranteed-spot" rules?
West Raleigh guarantees roster spots in Spring Ball for:

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  • Players who were in West Raleigh Baseball the prior spring season
  • Players who have a sibling who has a guaranteed spot in West Raleigh Spring Ball
    

Play in West Raleigh's Fall Baseball program does NOT guarantee a roster spot in the Spring program.
For Fall Ball, previous fall season returning players are guaranteed spots, as are siblings of players guaranteed a Fall spot. Spring play does not guarantee a Fall roster spot except for the Minor League, where players who played Spring ball are guaranteed a Fall spot.

Do the "guaranteed-spot" rules apply to Girls Softball?
Girls aged 9-12 who played in the applicable spring or fall season are guaranteed spots in the softball program, if they register for softball. Girls aged 9-12 who are siblings of guaranteed-spot players in the program are guaranteed spots in softball, as they would be in baseball.

How are tryouts done?

Tryouts are set up so that players are given the opportunity to demonstrate fielding (usually ground balls), throwing, catching, hitting, and running. Junior League players also typically are given the opportunity to show outfielding skills, and pitching, and catching skills. Our desire is to have our 11/12 year-olds also demonstrate pitching and catching skills as/if time permits. Coaches look for good technique in getting in front of the ball, getting off a good, accurate throw, being able to catch a thrown ball properly, good batting stance and swing. They also look at players' speed and quickness, hustle, and demeanor (if they miss a ball they just get ready for the next play).

Coaches, often along with their returning assistant coaches "score" the players and then rank them according to their teams needs for the draft.
 

How are player drafts conducted?
For each league, the coaches draft players in the inverse order of finish from the prior year's regular season, so the team that finished last will draft first and so on. By the time of the draft each league will know how many new-to-West Raleigh players can be drafted, and once that number of new players have been drafted, all subsequent draft picks are from among the players who are guaranteed spots based on prior play in the league or siblings in the league.  When the number of teams in a league is increasing or decreasing, normal draft order rules may be supplemented to ensure fairness.

How are players notified of their draft status?

If a player has been drafted, he/she will be contacted by their new coach, usually within a day of the draft. The coach will introduce him/herself and let the player (or parent) know when and where the first practice will be held, and what the expectations for players on the team will be.

If a player has not heard from a coach within 2 days of the draft date, the likelihood is that they were not drafted. Players not selected will be notified within a week by West Raleigh Baseball.

Payments made by check will be returned un-deposited, and payments made by credit card will be reimbursed by check.

What will the practice schedules be like?

Practices will usually be held 4 times per week prior to the start of the season, and twice per week during the season. There could be a scrimmage or two before regular season play begins as well. Practices are generally about 2 hours long. They may be held at West Raleigh or at a number of other locations. Sometimes there will be batting practices held indoors at a batting cage such as Grand Slam USA, Hall of Fame Academy, or Line Drives....this is usually when due to inclement weather teams are unable to practice outdoors. With two double batting cages and six soft-toss nets, teams can take a lot of batting practice at the West Raleigh facility!

When will the season start and end?

The Spring season usually begins with a few games scheduled in the last week of March, with the Opening Ceremonies usually being the first weekend in April...it will vary by year, though. Each league will have its own schedules, which will be posted on the West Raleigh website. The seasons will usually end around the first week of June, with a double-elimination tournament following regular season play.

The Fall season usually begins with practices starting in early August, and games beginning at the end of August. Season and tournament play continue through mid-October.

How much will my child play?

Each league (Minor, Softball, Rookie, American, National, and Junior) has its own rules for minimum playing time. Playing time above guaranteed minimums is earned on the field with effort, attitude and skill. See League Rules for details.

How come the Minor League is coach-pitch instead of tee-ball?

We have found that players as young as 5 years old (in our fall program) and 6 years old in our spring program can learn to hit a coach-pitched ball quite well. By getting them accustomed to seeing live pitching at an early age, we believe the transition to kid-pitch is much easier at age 9. In 2-3 years of coach-pitch ball, the player can focus on learning solid hitting fundamentals in a real baseball environment. This builds the confidence to move into an "adversarial" pitching environment where the pitcher is trying to get the batter out.

Why are 10 Year Olds no longer encouraged to try out for American or National League?

West Raleigh has adopted the new Cal Ripken Baseball "Major 70" division rules for play in ages 11/12. At this age, the basepaths are 70 feet, as opposed to the previous distance of 60 feet. Pitchers will pitch from a distance of 50 feet instead of 46 feet. This field extension makes it very difficult for 10 year olds - even very good players - to compete effectively. We want our players to be challenged by age-appropriate conditions, and our collective experience is that only a few exceptional 10-year-olds would thrive while challenged by both the larger field and the older players. 10 year olds who indicate on their registrations that they want to be considered for American or National League play will need parental signature approval at tryouts. For new-to-league players, requesting American or National League consideration will not improve the chances of being selected in the draft.

What is the National League All About?

The Spring National League in West Raleigh is somewhat unique. It allows the most talented players aged 10-12 to play together in mixed-age teams. Younger players benefit by being able to practice with and play with older, highly skilled players. Older players benefit by being asked to exhibit leadership and mentorship as well as playing skill. This league is highly competitive, and play within the National League is on par with the best teams in the Southeast. By dividing up by skill as well as age, West Raleigh Baseball challenges early-developing players, while allowing other players to develop at their own pace. 10-year-old players are strongly encouraged to play in the Rookie League 9/10 division, but execptional 10-year-olds can play in the National League with parental and league approval.

What is expected of West Raleigh parents?

Most of all, parents are asked to exhibit good sportsmanship and to adhere to the Parent's Code of Conduct. Next, they are asked to support their children by arranging to get them to practices and games in time for warmups, and pregame batting practice...this requires a lot of flexibility!

Parents are asked to support the program by volunteering to staff the concession stand, and are asked to help support the program through fundraisers. Parents are asked to staff the announcer booths and keep the scoreboards. Many volunteer to be assistant coaches; some volunteer to be team website administrators, some join the Exchange Club or Auxiliary and help plan and staff fundraisers and events. West Raleigh Baseball really involves the entire family...As a result, players and families form fast friendships that last for years!
 

What is Spring Select League all about?The Select League has several purposes. In baseball, it is intended to provide players more opportunities for playing time, particularly at positions which are usually filled by older players. For example, a 9-year-old player  may not play as many innings as their 10-year-old teammates, and are less likely to play pitcher, catcher, or shortstop. Playing Select ball provides an excellent opportunity to grow these skills playing with more age-alike players. Select play for both baseball and softball also provides a measured exposure to a travel or tournament-team environment without the long trips and high cost. This benefits the players so that when they do play in tournaments, they are accustomed to the experience and can focus on playing ball.

Select players are chosen after regular season teams are formed...players who have paid their Select fees and were not chosen will receive refunds. Games are played in double-headers on Sunday afternoons. Teams are made up of enough players so that there will be at least 10 available for each game. This is important, because Sunday afternoons are often impacted by rainout-makeup games, and we have had occasions in the past where it was difficult to field a complete Select team due to these impacts. Select play may include a tournament, such as State Games of NC if the schedules can be worked out. Select play is separate from and does not determine All-Star play.

What is involved with West Raleigh All-Star programs? One of the outstanding potential experiences West Raleigh Baseball offers highly skilled players is the opportunity to play in Summer All-Star tournaments. All-Star play affords the best players a chance to play with and against other talented players in a highly competitive setting. This extended and advanced play results in even higher levels of skill and play in subsequent seasons.  All-Star play is a privilege which requires a major commitment of time over the summer. All players who are interested must sign a commitment letter binding them to be available for practices, scrimmages, and tournaments nearly all summer.

West Raleigh All-Star teams participate in tournaments affiliated with Babe Ruth / Cal Ripken Baseball and Softball and also in tournaments affiliated with Tarheel Leagues, Inc. All-Star players are nominated by their coaches, and voted on by all of the coaches for their age group. Then the head coach usually gets to choose one or two players on the roster, but they must have been nominated by their coaches and have received votes from the other head coaches.    West Raleigh forms Babe Ruth All-Star teams for ages 13 and 14 if there is sufficient player interest, and Cal Ripken All-Star teams for ages 12U, 11U, 10U, 9U and 8U. Tar Heel League All-Star teams are formed for ages: 14U, National League 12U, American League 12U, American League 10U, and 8U. West Raleigh's All-Star teams are competitive in both Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken and play at a regional and national level and in Tar Heel League play at the state level.

Tar Heel League teams play District and (if they win in Districts) State tournaments within the state of North Carolina, and usually do not involve as much travel as Cal Ripken / Babe Ruth. Both Tar Heel and Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth teams will play in local invitational "tune up" tournaments before sanctioned tournament play. Tar Heel play usually begins in late June, with State Tournaments ending by early August. Play in Cal Ripken / Babe Ruth tournaments involves District, State, Regional, and potentially World Series play. Travel and expenses for Regional and World Series tourneys can be significant. In 2004, West Raleigh's Cal Ripken 12U team went to the World Series in Aberdeen, MD where they won the US Championship. They played in the World Series final, losing to Mexico 4-3 in a thrilling nationally televised game. Coaches, players, and parents universally agreed that this was the experience of a lifetime. In 2005 our 12U team won the Southeast Regional, and returned to the Cal Ripken World Series - again, it was the experience of a lifetime for all involved. In 2008, our 10U Cal Ripken team won the World Series in Abbeville, LA.
What happened to West Raleigh's Junior Legion Program?
One of the "next steps" for a talented baseball player aged 14-17 is becoming involved with American Legion Baseball. American Legion ball is focused tightly around high school programs. In prior years, West Raleigh has teamed with Athens Drive High School to form the West Raleigh/Athens Drive Junior Legion program for area players, typically high school freshmen and sophomores. With changes in the rules for Junior American Legion player assignment, and the growth of the Summer High School programs, it is no longer necessary for WRBA to provide a summer alternative for our "aged out" players.

What is the refund policy if I decide to withdraw my registration?
If registration is withdrawn at any time up to the second Saturday tryout date, full refund of the registration fee is made, not including online registration charges. Registrations withdrawn after tryouts are complete are non-refundable if the player is drafted to a team. Players not drafted to a team will receive full registration fee refunds.