Author: jruddscout

Who’s ready to waste money on pointless tournaments, camps, and showcases this summer?!? My guess is 60% of you reading this can look in a mirror and see the answer. It’s May and you’ve already paid thousands to your travel orgs. The hotels are reserved and, once processed, those fees will land a hard blow […]

I’ve been trying to write a blog for weeks now, but there’s been so much action recently that I failed the army. Sorry, but not sorry. Here’s the most important news and notes from recent weeks. ABCA This was a kick ass event. In fact, I was kicking myself in the ass for never attending […]

Growing up a Floridian, I was well-trained on how to handle the three stages of a hurricane — 1) prepare, 2) take shelter, & 3) assess damage. Like a kid on Christmas morning, I couldn’t wait for the weather to pass so we could bust out of our shuttered house, hop in the ‘ole Ford Windstar, […]

I live in a world where I’m constantly comparing the game of baseball between the high school and college level. Over the years, I’ve learned my perspective is unique to many. Players, families, coaches, and fans alike are typically too busy on their own side of the fence to know much about what’s happening on […]

Click here to join our fight against Kidney Disease. My father passed away from kidney disease two weeks before my high school graduation. In memory of my dad, I’m using my baseball platform to spread awareness and grow support for the American Kidney Fund during National Kidney Month. I was in the room when my […]

I grew up and spent most of my life in Pompano Beach, FL (no, that’s not next to Disney World). Outsiders use to say they couldn’t imagine living in the path of hurricanes, but I always felt that you had to pick your poison when it comes to catastrophic weather. It’s something you’ll have to […]

You know that saying, “If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying?” I’ve always been fascinated by that phrase. It’s not that I believe in it (because I don’t), but I’m humored by the idea that cheating is a form of effort. ———– Here’s a phrase every human has heard at some point in their life; […]

Like many living in the world of high school baseball, I’ve spent most of the COVID Era blaming the college athletic associations for ruining the lives of high school recruits. However, I’ve become increasingly fatigued by the “Woe is me!” stance. After an enlightening interview with Dr. Christopher Parker, President and CEO of the NJCAA, […]

COVID-19 has impacted the world in unimaginable ways. In our little corner, we’ve watched college baseball take punches that had us all wondering if we would even be able to answer the next bell. Entire programs were cut, career coaches lost their livelihoods, thousands of student-athletes had their scholarships taken away, kids were forced to […]

Today marks the completion of another year on Earth for me. Last night at dinner, my wife asked me to recall some of my favorite life memories. As a wise 35-year-old man, I immediately recognized the trap question, so I responded with recollections that included her and the family. Her inquiry got me thinking (not […]