Wishing everyone a safe and happy balance of the year

Orange County, CA -

There are many professional baseball families that truly embrace the Holidays for the opportunity to spend extra time with their beloved during the off-season. Our family is no different than thousands of others whom are spread across the world that negotiate the day-to-day obstacles of staying in touch with their fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, cousins and close friends. The Lamb's would like to wish everyone a safe and happy balance to the year!

Photo credit to Justin White

Yesterday afforded our household the chance to sit and embrace the extra time with John Lamb being home for the holidays. The only real difference from when he was a small boy is we got to open presents later in the morning rather than the crack of dawn on the West coast. A couple of additional family members joined us for the great home cooking efforts by my wife.

Our family has been blessed with our professional baseball experiences associated with my own resume as well as the evolution of John Lamb and his young career in the game. John is feeling great and continues to prepare for the Kansas City Royals blessing to begin throwing a baseball again for the 2012 season.

Enjoy the balance of the 2011 year and realize the new Major League Baseball season is drawing nearer by the day. We share the sentiments and anticipations of many Royals fans for the start of Spring training in Surprise, AZ and hope to see you around the ballpark soon!

Quiet time around the house this time of year

Laguna Hills, CA – A professional baseball season is commonly referred to as a grind due in part to the overall length of the entire schedule. From early February to October if your team is competing in the World Series is a long time to play professionally in any sport. Baseball players generally have a small window to decompress from the game if they really want to remain on a roster spot. The off-season is filled with an enormous amount of business surrounding the game but most if not all players continue to prepare their bodies and minds for the grind of another season. The few times that my son John Lamb has popped into town recently has afforded some quiet time around the house this time of year. Despite his Tommy John surgery earlier this year in June he has continued his rehabilitation at the Kansas City Royals spring training facility under the watchful eyes of staff. Therefore anytime my son comes home it is special due to the high demands of a professional baseball lifestyle.

This recent trip home for Thanksgiving was embraced for the obvious but enhanced last Wednesday for the simple reason of having lunch with both my kids. Professional baseball may keep my son away from home for plenty of good reason, but getting the limited opportunity to spend any time with my daughter is always cherished. Having both of my kids together is extra special to me, as many fathers would agree. Our lunch together was simple in idea but heartfelt none the less due to a complicated situation that evolved before my daughter’s first birthday. So I think you might understand the overall excitement with having them together now that she’s an adult with a few more liberties away from her mother. The day was eclipsed by John and I continuing our way to the Los Angeles Auto Show to dream a little about fancy cars.

My son is healing up well from his elbow surgery and set to begin a throwing program in January to prepare for the 2012 professional baseball season with the Royals. No exact time tables or details have been provided by my son to share on this platform. The family and close friends are genuinely ecstatic over his progress, as I’m sure many Royals fans that are keeping a watchful eye on the minor league system of the organization. We are eager to see him throw this coming spring in Surprise, AZ at the Kansas City complex which is shared with the Texas Rangers club.

I’m not willing to share any opinions of the evolving baseball business issues that are typical during the break from the grind of the season. The one thing which has made this fan extremely happy was the 5-year deal attached to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement between Major League Baseball and the Players Association. It’s good for baseball not to jeopardize the growing fan-base rather than experience a labor dispute similar to the National Basketball Association. Many of the details can be argued but the most important thing to me is there will be no work stoppage of America’s pastime for at least another 5 years.

So for now, the household will continue to enjoy all the extra time around John Lamb during the off-season from professional baseball. Next break of time with him is set for this coming weekend due to a scheduled autograph session at a local vendor in South Orange County. John will be at the MVP Sports Cards shop in Laguna Hills this coming Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 2pm. He will be available to sign for an hour leading up to the raffle of a 1958 Mickey Mantle card by the owners of the well- established sports card trading store. Even though his return from Arizona this weekend will be short, the family always enjoys his presence while trying to take a quiet break from the grind of professional baseball. 

Some fun in the Arizona sun

Peoria, AZ - This past weekend was filled with an enormous amount of baseball for myself and many other families around the game of baseball. It is not an unusual event within the warm weather states to have these type of showcases that bring plenty of players, families, coaches, scouts and advisers looking to make a connection for furthering their careers in the game. Some are simply hoping to find a good fit for college, while others aspire to solidify a professional baseball opportunity at the conclusion of their senior season. My recent fun in the Arizona sun has afforded my personal desire to observe the Senior Fall Classic, visit with my son and rub elbows with colleagues around the game of baseball.

The annual Senior Fall Classic at the Peoria Sports Complex included 61 teams from many great distances. This premiere event helps promote many young men to the next level of baseball competition. The majority of players will move on to try and play at various schools throughout the country based off their impressions to the coaches whom were in attendance. Nowadays players have multiple chances to make their impressions upon the college coaches. This Arizona showcase is one of the largest in the country and surely set to continue the services for the student athlete and coaches.

It is impossible for me to consider attending a baseball event in the suburbs of Phoenix without making every attempt to see my own son. Luckily I had a few chances to see John Lamb during my stay. Between his continued schedule with rehabilitation in the Kansas City Royals complex and games I attended throughout the day and evening we managed to spend some time together and catch up on some deeper conversations. The handful of times we spent together included meals, some Arizona Fall League baseball and a movie at his apartment with some spicy pizza and wings. Despite loving every moment around him and this being the first time since his surgery back in June I could not have been more proud for his actions on Sunday morning. John spent three fall scout ball seasons with the Royals during his high school years and the coaching staff had asked me if he would be willing to visit with the team during the Senior Fall Classic. I asked and even though Sunday is his only day off from professional baseball duties with the club he agreed. I know the coaching staff and players appreciated his effort and willingness to hang out in the dugout for a few innings. I was an extremely proud Dad  knowing that my son was willing to return to the roots of his own personal experiences around baseball. Giving a little time and knowledge to others simply shows me that my son has observed the action of his Dad during the past 17 years around the game.

During my time around the ballpark these past few years of scouting it is much more common for solitude conditions at games while doing my job. Baseball buffets, or showcases, do provide a common ground of gathering amidst the amateur and professional evaluation community. These conditions afford the opportunity to see friends and associates from all over country. It's always a pleasure to see guys that work in other areas around the country. One of my best friends whom currently works for the Arizona Diamondbacks managed to make some time in his busy schedule to break bread and catch up about family, careers and aspirations around the game. One of the greatest benefits around baseball has been the friendships that have forged over the years. Large events like this recent Arizona Senior Fall Classic provided a unique chance to open new doors of kinship which I can only hope will last for the balance of my life around America's Pastime.

This recent trip to Arizona for scouting, visiting with my son and friends was well worth all the efforts. I love the game of baseball and look forward to each and everyday around the ballpark. This time spent in the desert simply offered a little more fun in the sun than in years past.

Involvement with with respect to your son playing baseball

Laguna Hills, CA – There are plenty of theories that circulate in and around the game of baseball throughout all levels of participation. The ideas shared here on this platform were used during my son’s play and driven by providing every opportunity available during his development. The shear hope for his sincere enjoyment during his path of playing baseball was not left for chance, but rather constantly monitored through a parental involvement. The idea of taking a walk with your son during a baseball career was described in an earlier article. When is it time to stop the parental involvement? Should a parent meet with the high school coach about playing time? Does changing schools help a player get into the college or professional levels? How does playing club, or travel, baseball impact an amateur career? These are just a few of the ideas to be addressed about involvement with respect to your son playing baseball beyond recreational levels.

The concept of stopping a parental involvement with your son playing baseball is near and dear to my heart. The answer is quite simple but also very difficult to follow. Never stop being a parent to your kids… ever. Support and involvement can cause a cloudy area about athletics and more specifically baseball during the wrong stages of a young man’s career. Continue to support their participation with your involvement from a distance. There is no value in coaching your son from the backstop or the stands. Let the coach try to aid your son’s development as a man, a teammate and a player. Surely some coaches are better than others as with players on the field. If you can help your son’s ability to play the game by catching, throwing and hitting the baseball that is great but there are more important things to do as a parent. A very dear friend of mine that continues his professional baseball career as a scout once told me that my son did not need another coach to play he simply needed a supportive Dad from the stands and nothing else. Truly the best advice I could have received when my son entered Laguna Hills High School at the age of 13 years old. Parental involvement never ends from the citizen perspective, but clearly has limits during baseball.

When should a parent face a high school coach about playing time? Never is clearly the best answer here unless you want to start issues that will never be resolved. I always enforced the belief in my son to talk with his arm, glove, bat, legs and intellect to play the game. Work harder than everyone else at throwing, catching and hitting the baseball and any competent coach should place the best players in his line-up to win some games. If the coach does not place your son in the game have your son ask the questions about areas he needs to improve for a better chance to play after the hard work. Feel free to stand behind him during his conversation with the coach for support but let him do the talking and ask the questions. If the coach does not give him the respect to ask the questions then you might just have to step in and help buffer the situation to allow your son to talk. Respect is a two-way street between the coach and player but keep in mind the egos that are tested by all entangled in this equation. The distant approach is typically implemented during the wrong stages of their son’s amateur career. More parents seem to become obsessed during the high school, college and even the professional levels of baseball. The ideas of confrontation during the later years of playing the game can be devastating to a baseball career. Support is the key without engagement for the player to compete for the spot on the roster or line-up card. Actively participating with a coach about your son’s playing time will get him nowhere within the game real fast.

Many families change schools based on coaches, roster spots availability or reputations associated with certain programs. This is really a family choice and the merits come from a variety of positions on this concept. The same can be said about the wide diversity of opinions for signing a professional contracts out of high school versus college. Some players are ready to move on while others are not.  There are pros and cons associated with changing schools for the benefit of baseball development due mostly to education and athletic ability. Some coaches teach the game better than others, just as some players have raw tools to play the game and some need help to improve. If your son can play he should be on the field no matter where he goes to school. College and professional scouts will more than likely find him playing and if not there are plenty of simple suggestions to increase your chances of finding the right college or university to further a career. There is a plethora of advice and practical approaches to keep the uniform on until the player is ready to take the cleats off. Changing schools does not always work as intended but sometimes it will serve a true value for the player’s growth and opportunity to play baseball beyond the recreational levels.

The last area of this article will focus on the popular decisions during an amateur career to play travel, or club, baseball and the potential result of involvement. From a development standpoint, playing on a club team can greatly aid a player and baseball opportunity. The research and time needed to insure your son’s improvement should not be underestimated otherwise you are merely allowing someone to take your money without results. Simply writing a check to play in tournaments or on the weekends will not guarantee improvement if your son does not put in the necessary effort to work on his own. Keep in mind that a few talented instructors throughout the country, and world for that matter, really can help your son improve but there is no magic wand waved over their head walking in and out of the dugout. Your high school team should always have first priority to take part and be very careful trying to add travel baseball during school activities set by the coach. Within the Southern California area there is a growing tendency to play for a club organization over high school and college. Tremendous debate has been triggered over this propensity to ignore the challenges associated with playing in high school and college. There seems to be family logic involved with some of these choices but others are being held to rattling rumors of handling the rigors of college and, or, professional competition based on these growing trends. Only time will tell if this path has merit for being a successful college or professional baseball player with any true substance and value. Now if your high school does not have an off-season program and there is no interest of playing the other sports in season than by all means play baseball during the fall and winter. The paramount suggestion about travel baseball is buyers beware. I am a firm believer that the best programs are the least expensive, or even free to take part. Prime example is the reigning 2011 Connie Mack Champions the Midland Redskins in Amelia, Ohio. My opinion comes from personal experience of my son’s development while associated with the Midland program during the two summers he spent away from home learning how to compete and play without Dad making out the line-up card. Don’t forget the importance to take some time off while conditioning the body and mind for another full season of baseball in school.

There are a heap of concepts related to amateur baseball and a yet a very limited number of stories that can successfully account for playing Major League Baseball as a career. The story has not fully been written within the Lamb household during our experiences associated with the professional phase of John Lamb playing the great game of baseball. There are two things most certain as a foundation for a player’s development. Support and involvement seem to be the common denominators for many if not all the paths to the big leagues. Knowing when to back off and just be a supportive parent is critical for the player’s success on the diamond.

Some basic ideas about being a baseball parent

Laguna Hills, CA - The power of social media has served a tremendous value for connecting people from all walks of life throughout the world and bringing them together with common interests. While the power of the Internet continues to grow on a daily basis the same can be said for the multitude of sites that connect people to discuss a wide variety of topics, including the one very near and dear to my heart… baseball.

Not long ago another friendship was ignited with a Canadian lawyer that has a five year-old son and another son on the way via twitter. We have stayed in touch through emails, tweets and an engaging telephone call about baseball and our common love for the game. Jonathan Hacohen, founder of MLB Reports, asked if I would write something for his site about my parental experiences. I know my story is similar to many others, but by sharing some basic ideas about being a baseball parent, I can only hope your family receives the blessings like ours around this game. Hope you enjoy the following article and take something away to help your son fall in love with baseball.

What can a parent do?

Baseball has an infinite number of stories about the players, personnel, coaches and fans whom are associated with the game. One thing that is common among all the unique stories is having parents during the path of participating with the game. I realize the common thread is obvious, but the job of parenthood is key to success as a citizen first and athlete second. There are multiple positions affiliated with the game of baseball throughout the many steps of participation on the field. Surely there are some instances of tragedy where a child loses a parent, or maybe both, but the relative or friend that steps up to facilitate the child assume a very important role in their life. So what can a parent do to help their son play baseball? Try to take a walk with your kids in the game of baseball.

I will never claim to have all the answers but being the father of a current professional baseball player in the Kansas City Royals organization and also a scout for the Florida Marlins I do have a small clue about the game of baseball. Routinely I’m asked questions about things associated around the great game of baseball. Some ask about youth ball, some ask about the high school challenges, some ask about playing college baseball, some want advice about improving their son’s skills and many more want to know about the path of their son playing in professional baseball. What is the most important thing a parent can do for their son around the game of baseball? What should a parent do about extra instruction? When should a parent leave the dugout and let someone else control their son’s participation on the field? The examples of questions go on and on covering a huge variety of topics. There all good questions but I’m reminded by a comment my grandfather made to me when I was very young… the only stupid question is the one never asked. It’s very obvious that many parents have no clue about the game and steps to play for a long time and that is fine. Sound advice for the baseball parent can be discussed in a wide variety of ways, but for the purpose of this article I will address the key ingredients to help any parent with their challenges around the game. I have made mistakes during my walk of being a parent but hopefully some of these experiences can be beneficial during your journey. Take a walk with your kids in the game of baseball and you just might be pleasantly surprised.

Wait for your son to ask you about playing the game. Take them to games and hope they catch the bug and desire to play. It will happen sooner or later if your son wants to learn how to throw, catch or hit. Don’t rush this step of the baseball career. If you already missed this important step, or ignored the obvious, it will eventually be exposed and unlikely they will be a fan of the game. Not the end of the world by any means but I see players on a regular basis in the high school level, and even college, that illustrate major resentments. The further I dig or observe it becomes extremely obvious the player does not play for the right reasons. Way too much work is necessary for baseball success and the desire simply must be from within the individual not someone else. The best approach to baseball starts early through desires from the player not the parent. Parents cannot do the work needed for the player’s opportunity to play the game at the highest level, nor can they write a check for their son’s chance to be in the show. Don’t force the game on kids!

Allow them to be kids. Let them enjoy playing the game of baseball. This directly ties into the previous point I know but if parents don’t have a sound grip on the foundation of the game of baseball there will be some serious challenges around the dinner table. Even if the only time you use the table is during the holidays. Kids need to be kids as long as possible and cannot be expected to be perfect on the baseball field. The game of baseball is failure based during half of the game. The offensive side is the glaring example of failure associated with baseball and must be accepted during the early years of playing. Parents that expect more hits, less strike-outs, more wins or higher expectations than the statistics of an average big leaguer are setting their kids up for some serious challenges in baseball and in life. I can say that in retrospect I too was a victim of high expectations during my son’s playing youth baseball. I realize it is difficult to allow our kids to fail with dignity but if we, as parents, push too hard… our young men will likely have years of therapy in their future due to our high unrealistic expectations during their youth. The games your son plays during the ages of 5 to 17 will not impact their careers of playing for a long time, but the negative reaction to possible failure during those games could keep them from wearing a uniform quicker than necessary. If you allow them to fail with integrity, I guarantee you will see them succeed around the game. It is imperative that the kids are allowed to be kids during the early years of playing baseball. The longer they can play with fun in their hearts the higher the likelihood they will be in love with the game enough to survive the challenges ahead. Don’t forget their kids while they play!

Let them experience other sports during their youth. Don’t be in a hurry to have your son play 100+ games a year. Way too many kids are simply playing too much baseball during their youth. This approach to playing baseball is an epidemic now in some areas of the United States where the weather permits games and tournaments to be scheduled practically year round. The ideas of missing out on baseball development are driven by good marketing from a bunch of ill advised individuals and corporations. Some players in the professional level are falling victim to a growing statistic of arm problems before their careers are complete and in certain circumstances a player’s career comes to an abrupt halt due to injury. Recently, I have struggled with this situation via hindsight of my own son’s amateur baseball career. John went down earlier this year in a Double-A level game with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals in the first inning against the third batter. Maybe he played too much during his youth, and maybe he didn’t, but this Dad will always wonder if the amount of youth games really contributed to the Tommy John surgery before his 21st birthday. Parents should force their boys to rest or simply play another sport to help occupy their minds away from baseball during the typical off-season periods of baseball. If you live in California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas or Florida try to pretend there is snow on the ground during the winter months and you might not need to endure the agony of watching your son‘s career stop against a huge brick wall. My son played youth basketball and even flag-football in an attempt to rest from the game, but his desires to play baseball usually won the household battles especially the closer he got to graduating from high school. The hundred plus game schedules should be a goal for the parent of a baseball player not part of the process for obtaining the professional opportunity of the game. Plenty of other things can provide their much needed rest.

Keep being involved with your son playing the game of baseball. Having been a coach for many years now throughout all levels of youth baseball following my son’s desire to play the game, I am still mind blown by the number of parents that treat their son’s practice, games or training as nothing more than a form of childcare. It’s not necessary to be at every practice or game but the more the merrier, at least until they become high school players. Pushing your son’s out of the car at their practice and running errands prevent the chance of assuring he really is learning how to play the game, or more importantly, having fun. If he’s not having fun he should be doing something else to find his passion and genius in life. I played for a few real crappy coaches during my youth but my love and desire to play the game was my personal driving force to work hard and compete for a line-up spot. You’ll never know about your son’s desires if you’re busy getting your nails done or working your brains out to help your boss pay his mortgage. By watching your kids practice or play you’re giving yourself a chance to ensure their desires to participate. Popping into a practice without announcement will give you a clear perspective of their experience and it will have enormous benefit when your son finds you there taking part of their enjoyment, or lack thereof. Your son’s may lose their desires to improve if you’re not part of the experience needed for them to improve and develop during their amateur days of playing the game. I realize the huge challenges parents have to mange time in our fast paced economy and lifestyles but you really should make an effort to be actively involved with the baseball stuff. If you’re too involved your son will let you know that you need to back off. Over involvement is really very common during the wrong stages of a boy’s baseball career, but that is another article for another day. Keep staying involved during their baseball until they make the high school team, at least.

What can a parent do? Try to take a walk with your kid in the game of baseball. The experiences from walking side by side around the game will be life changing for everyone involved. Although a potential love affair with the game may create other obstacles down the road of life all of which depend on the level of involvement with baseball, one thing can be said for sure and that is a true respect for the game will be created. If a relationship is fully allowed to blossom the benefits are unlimited by the amount of jobs associated in and around the game. Parents can have a profound impact on their kids both in and out of the ballpark. Being a good human being only adds to the true value of any ballplayer at any level. Talent, hard work, a dash of luck and tremendous humility can open many doors and reciprocal affair with baseball. I’m always looking forward to yet another unparalleled baseball story ingrained by the individuality of the greatest game on earth.

Copyright by James O. Lamb. All rights reserved.
Twitter @JamesOLamb

* Please be advised that this article and any additional comments, posts or opinions from this article do not reflect the opinions of the Florida Marlins, L.P., Major League Baseball, or any other affiliations of professional baseball.

For many this time of year in baseball is much tougher than normal

Laguna Hills, CA - Tomorrow will mark the day that Major League Baseball clubs can increase their rosters to 40 men rather than the usual 25. Some professional baseball players will get their first taste of the big league life. However, for many more this time of year in baseball is much tougher than normal life around the game. Lack of promotion, injury, trades or releases are common place during the end of a long minor league and major league season. Hard decisions are made around the game everyday but they are simply magnified at the close of another summer marked by the Labor Day holiday weekend and they are all driven by perceived value.

The new crop of signed players from the most recent MLB First-Year Player Draft will always be one of the greatest pressures in the game for players. Fresh investments and projection of the new players with limited roster spaces available throughout the pro baseball system only make it tougher on more than others. Players that continue to improve and make the necessary adjustments to maintain value have a much greater chance of staying in the game. Those that don’t increase their value are likely to be mere statistic of merely having only played professional baseball and not making it a career.

Any hick-up from injury can cause some fans, players, families and friends to discuss the hypothetical situations. Our family has become entangled with the injury bug since my son, John Lamb, went down earlier this season which required a ’Tommy John’ surgery back in June. Not his first run with injury but his first since signing out of high school following the Kansas City Royals 5th round selection of the 2008 draft. It serves nobody any value to fret over what-if it didn’t happen. A dreaming discussion serves no purpose around a true baseball household. I have been associated with the game long enough to realize the swift changes to the perception of value and  both he and I continue to be grateful for our opportunity to be around the game we love. I have confidence he will play again through the same principles that started his professional career and the displays of his ability to compete, improve and make adjustments to maintain value.

Trades and releases will always be part of the professional game and all the more reason for players to take their opportunity as serious as possible during their time of wearing a uniform. Value drives the majority of these decisions throughout a long season. Both types of these moves come without warning and can be very difficult to understand and digest for those entangled. It’s not always the end of a career around the game. Actually, many stories can be told of positive experiences from the players that simply continue to work hard at perceived value with the new organization.

There is nothing easy about playing professional baseball or being associated with a player involved in this extremely competitive environment. No need to worry about the things controlled by others perceived value. Many will leave the game with a bad taste in their mouth based on decisions by others, rather than working their way to another perception of higher value elsewhere. While this year’s full-season schedule in minor league baseball draws closer to an end for most of the players and their families, some are already looking forward to a playoff series in their respective leagues. A few might be heading into their off-season not knowing if their done playing the game for the current organization. One thing is for certain, 450 players will be getting a chance of their life to play in the show. Only time will tell if their perceived value will keep them there to make a career of playing professional baseball in the Major Leagues.

More to come about the John Lamb recovery from "Tommy John Surgery"

Top Royals Pitching Prospect John Lamb To Have Tommy John Surgery - Baseball Nation

Laguna Hills, CA - I know... old news for the Kansas City Royals fans looking toward the future of the club. I have been dealing with my own medical issues surrounding my spinal injury and disability but more will come soon regarding John Lamb and his recovery from surgery on June 3, 2011 with Dr. Lewis Yocum. 

Thank you for all the mail, emails, texts, tweets and phone messages with well wishes for my son during this challenge of his professional baseball career. It touches the hearts of family and friends to know that my son has plenty of fans pulling for a speedy recovery.

Limited environment of professional baseball

Laguna Hills, CA - Being the family of a professional baseball player brings tremendous excitement the days leading up to games. If it’s a text or phone call leading up to another pitching start they are usually brief in nature and reassuring that everything is okay. There are a limited number of families that have the experiences associated with the Double-A or higher level of this great game and the Lamb family is simply one of about 2,250 that currently have the opportunity to physically and emotionally experience game day events of their son, grandson, uncle, cousin or brother. Pretty cool stuff most of the time during these unique journeys of minor league baseball, but one thing is certain, whenever a player reaches Double-A level they are in a very limited environment of professional baseball. There are only 30 Double-A, 30 Triple-A and obviously only 30 Major League Baseball clubs currently in the United States of America. We know where the show is and players throughout the world strive to get on one of these 90 rosters involved in professional baseball here in North America.

The physical demand of being a Dad of a professional baseball prospect is really nothing worth noting. Sure I currently have plenty of issues to discuss regarding my physical limitations due to my injury, disability from work on December, 2009 but I’m likely to get a tongue lashing from one of many attorneys helping me navigate the legal maze with being injured on the job by a large corporate entity in the state of California. Ridiculous is an understatement with the speed of the legal process when dealing with denial of accountability. The weather has more of an impact on my spinal disability than my son John Lamb starting in his 6^Th game of the season for his fellow Northwest Arkansas Naturals team in the Texas League. The normal anticipation of another professional start for my son can add to the usual insomnia symptoms while taking my pain relief medicine, but he only throws every 5-7 days, so it is well worth the lack of winks. Special territory for few families to experience and the Lamb’s take every one in stride with gratitude.

The emotional activity is very diverse throughout the family of John Lamb (0-2, 3.22). I spend more time with weather concerns in the Midwest than I do over his baseball starts. I express my feelings about his performances with reserve based on my continued involvement with the Florida Marlins as a scout in the Southern California area. I firmly believe that every Father of a pitcher deals with similar emotions while watching their son’s action during a game and most of it is plain anxiety. The obvious desire to grin is the joy of watching your son control the game from the mound, but the blank stare can be triggered by a tight strike zone to an error recorded following the ball being placed in play off a bat. The game of baseball can be referenced by some as a roller coaster of emotions and those same feelings are just magnified as a proud Dad of a professional baseball player. Strike outs are highs and leaving base runners on base during an exit from the game is definitely one of the low points of a game. Making every attempt to control emotions during a game can be challenging every time my son pitches, but it has gotten much easier over the years and I’m sure will continue to progress with every professional start.

The physical and emotional paths of professional baseball are very personal on many levels during a career. It is much easier to address questions about these experiences rather than provide content rich material for readers. My wife is much more intense than I within the household during John Lamb performances and today she finally gets a chance to listen to the broadcast of the Naturals game against the Tulsa Drillers, Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies at 7:00 CT from Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, AR.

A quick pinch of reality can return a smile to my face regarding the opportunity my son has had with the Kansas City Royals organization since his 5^Th round draft selection back in 2008 no matter how bad the game may evolve.

A limited number of families will experience professional baseball above the Double-A level and statistically more stories can be shared over failure during their journeys. Everyday my son continues to play the game he loves, I am literally excited knowing that he is still living out his dreams and remain happy with his progress and development.

* Little side note from the last start by John Lamb on May 4th against the Springfield Cardinals affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals organization:

Innings pitched - 6.0 (longest of the season)

Batters faced - 22

First pitch strikes - 13

Total pitches - 81

Strikes thrown - 45

Ground ball outs - 5

Fly ball outs - 9

Pick offs - 0

Stolen bases - 2

Strike outs - 3

Walks - 3

Hit by pitch - 0

Earned runs - 1

Hits - 2

Home runs - 0

Lowered ERA - 3.22

Today will offer another start of my son’s young professional baseball career and no matter how high, or low, the experiences may germinate we realize the limited number of people that get to personally attach themselves to the results of a Texas League game. The Lamb family is raring to go with the 48^Th start of the John Lamb professional baseball story. Don’t hesitate to offer comments or ask any questions you might have about our experiences associated with being a family of a professional baseball prospect.

Counting down the minutes

Laguna Hills, CA - My son John Lamb will start today for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, against the Corpus Christi Hooks, Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, at 7:05PM CT from Whataburger Field in Texas. This marks the third start of the 2011 season for my son in the Texas League. Some of those close to John, like the household, are counting down the minutes for the first pitch.

Today I will take a break from my Development Baseball instruction and scouting responsibility with the Florida Marlins to be a nervous Dad of a professional baseball prospect. Nervous only in the sense that my son is better than the early season statistics expose with the Naturals. The number of walks and hits allowed during his first two starts have some concerned with his overall health, but John insists he feels great and ready to take the ball every 5 days to try and help his team win.

Last outing had a lopsided number of walks for the 3.2 innings of work and an untypical low percentage of strikes thrown during the game. Baseball is a continuous effort of adjustments to succeed and much more evident through the professional levels. John Lamb (0-0, 4.05) is fully aware of the necessity to make adjustments during games and between starts. While his first two appearances have been less than dominating, we are eager to see what today will bring for this young professional baseball player.

Our recent subscription to MiLB was initiated over the televised game schedule and the fact that John Lamb will be on the mound for the Naturals (7-4) against the Hooks (3-8) in the coastal town of Corpus Christi, TX. Seeing him play has always been a challenge during his career and getting the opportunity to watch the game today has merely added to this Dad’s excitement for this Texas League game. Now we simply stare at the clock and continue to count down the minutes leading up to the broadcast.

Just another professional baseball start

Laguna Hills, CA - The Lamb family and friends that have a connection to John Lamb and his professional baseball career typically know when the lefty gets the ball. This is really just another professional baseball start for John while he continues to develop but the only difference is the fact that today he will have the pitch count which gives him the opportunity to pitch into the fifth inning.



The radio broadcast during his first game, last Friday, addressed the slight strain John suffered during Spring training. The strain obviously set him back a few days and limited the number of pitches for this early portion of the season. John managed to throw only 3 innings during his first outing of the year of which ended up being the first win for the Naturals in the opening series of the Double-A season. A relatively uneventful start for the 20 year-old left-handed pitcher for his 2011 season but today could bring another type of jaunt in professional baseball.



Today the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (5-1), Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, will have their first game on the road versus the San Antonio Missions, Texas League affiliate of the San Diego Padres. Game time is set for 8:05 pm ET in San Antonio, TX. With less than an hour before first pitch this dad of a professional baseball prospect will simply pace around the house in a queasy anticipation for the results.



Despite the nervous moments leading up to my son’s pitching performances we plan to turn on the radio broadcast and listen to every pitch during the sashay. John Lamb has not missed a professional baseball start since the 2009 season assignment at the Rookie level with the Burlington Royals in the Appalachian League. John will embark on his 44th start in professional baseball with his fellow teammates on the Naturals roster. Just another start for the young baseball prospect trying to live out his childhood dreams while his dad’s stomach is doing somersaults.

Time to start the 2011 baseball season

Laguna Hills, CA - The Lamb family has been patiently waiting for the next professional baseball season for sometime now. My direct attachment started as has many others by simply being a fan of the game when I was very young. My adherence has grown over the years as a player, coach, scout and now a Dad of a professional baseball prospect. The affection to the game of baseball comes from within and is merely exemplified thru the personal experiences our family has been blessed with. Today our family will get the opportunity to assume the position since it is time to start the 2011 season for John Lamb and his fellow teammates on the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals.

Opening Night for the Naturals ended with the defending Texas League Champions taking their first lost of the season. The game had ceremonies to celebrate the 2010 Championship for the returning players and fans of the Springdale, AR affiliate of the Royals. The game ended as a pitching duel between the Naturals and visiting San Antonio Missions, Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. The Naturals fell short by a final of 3-2 with Christopher Dwyer talking his first loss as the opening day starter.

Following the Naturals Opening Day game we received a rather unusual call from John Lamb about baseball, cars, apartment and general stuff. Not uncommon in content but duration only. It’s not every time we get more than just a few minutes based on time zones and work schedules. Professional baseball has some strange work hours, both on and off the field, for all involved in the game. Late night calls during the season are common place within the Lamb household with my continued scouting position with the Florida Marlins and coaching with the Orange County Giants. Last night’s call was satisfying while discussing baseball with my son and I’m happy to hear that he feels good and he’s ready for his first start of another season in professional baseball. He has a tremendous awareness about his abilities and typically stays within his strengths to get outs for his team.



Last night was what has been a normal occurrence for many years the night before my son’s games as a pitcher. Not the case during his amateur days of playing baseball as a position player also. Surely due in part by the frequency of games John Lamb played during his youth because he really does love the game. I firmly hold on to the hope that I’m no different than any other dad that suffers from a little anxiety when their kids play. The fact I continue to experience some additional insomnia the night before his professional baseball starts simply confirms my personal passion for the game.



My anxiety over my son’s career will continue until the day he stops playing or I stop breathing. Playing in Major League Baseball is not an easy task and staying in the big leagues is even tougher. Every game has an important role in the development of a professional baseball pitcher or position player based on the player’s preparation, work and ability to execute. Careers can end in an instant as history has shown, so there lies the basis for the added stress by this professional baseball prospect dad.



Today marks another special day for the Lamb family out on the West coast as my son takes the ball to start game 2 of the season’s first series against the San Antonio Missions in a Texas League game. The Naturals schedule indicates a 8:00PM E.T. first pitch from the beautiful Arvest Ballpark. Game can be heard on the web at ESPN 92.1 The Ticket for anyone unable to pass thru the ballpark gate. My wife Colleen, my mother Judith and a couple of Yorkshire Terriers will be listening with heartfelt attention. In reality I’m sure the dogs have no clue about the radio stuff or John playing baseball. That wasn’t the case when he was young and dressing up in his various baseball uniforms before leaving the house to play. The computer will be connected to external speakers to officially anoint the 2011 professional baseball season for John Lamb and his fellow farm-hands with the Royals organization. The Lamb’s are very close to notching up another professional baseball start by our dearest John Lamb living out his dream.

First flight of the season

Laguna Hills, CA - An earlier conversation with my son John Lamb confirmed he will be throwing for the Double A Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium against the Triple A Omaha Storm Chasers during an exhibition game for the Kansas City Royals fans. John indicated, “I feel good and I’m looking forward to it, ” which is really a good example of a typical answer for most games during my son’s pro baseball career. Game is set to begin following the regularly scheduled Royals game 3 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim season opening series. John and many other fellow teammates will be boarding their first flights of the season and for most I’m sure their first time playing in front of a Kansas City crowd that is anxious to win again and return a championship to the city.

There has been a large media buzz about the Royals prospects and their farm system throughout the baseball community. I have seen local, regional, national and even worldly reports about the players within the Royals development system and it brings me tremendous satisfaction over the acknowledgement. However, I’m confident most, if not all, of these talented young men realize the true value of these articles, lists and opinions soaring about the world of communication. I know of one for sure that will not be satisfied by the words of the media until he is in the show helping his team win another championship ring. Saturday’s minor league assignment and game in front of the watchful eyes of an eager crowd will be exciting for players, coaches, staff, families and fans alike.



Plans to break down my son’s performance through heavy evaluation and opinion are not for this media platform, but for those of you that may have never seen my son in person throw a ballgame I would like to make a few suggestions. He works at a smooth but fast pace, so hit the concessions and bathrooms early unless your fully satisfied with the left-center field view of pitching on the monitors throughout the stadium. John’s typical strike throwing performances seen in the past can quickly expedite an already quick pace of work for the 20 year-old from the South Orange County area of Laguna Hills, CA. John said he was up first for the Naturals but offered no indication to his restricted pitch count numbers this early in a full-season schedule. John is merely one of many other prospects within the Royals system on display Saturday.



Enduring any form of long travel right now is an ongoing challenge and will need to be delayed until a little later on during this second full-season of my son‘s career. Hope to catch a glimpse of the game and John pitching on the television but not holding my breathe of finding a feed. I plan to simply listen to the radio broadcast just like I did when I was a little boy sitting in my Grandmas’ kitchen and grin during the game. While John Lamb takes another first step in his professional baseball career playing in front of the Royals fans, I may have a slightly bigger grin than when I was 6.



The Lamb family extends well wishes to all professional baseball players, coaches, staff, families and friends during the grind of another season trying to live out a dream.

Poll: How many Royals wins in 2011

Poll: How many Royals wins in 2011

Only a few

The video above was the fourth out recorded by John Lamb during a simulated game on March 24, 2011 in Surprise, AZ. The out was recorded against a future teammate Mike "Moose" Moustakas. Fairly certain that John and Mike have not played on any teams together during their Royals careers. All players in the video are deemed by many to be the Kansas City Royals top prospects in a talented farm system.

Laguna Hills, CA - The 2011 professional baseball Spring training days are dwindling down. Some teams have already left the Cactus of Grapefruit League facilities based on their schedules for their opening series. For example, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are scheduled to play at Dodgers Stadium tonight in the customary Freeway series here in Southern California. Some guys are continuing to compete for last minute roster spots on the 25 and 40 man rosters with only a few days left for the opening day of the 2011 Major League Baseball season. All teams are equal in the beginning throughout professional baseball. Just about everyone within the rookie level, class A, double A, triple A and the big leagues, whom are scratching and clawing their way up the ladder, is a bit on edge right now while they wait for their official assignments.

My son John Lamb is more than likely to be assigned to the Double A level, in the Texas League, with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals to further develop his professional baseball career. John got a taste of the big league camp this Spring as a non roster invitee for additional opportunity to learn and grow around the game. My son has made me smile throughout these early stages of his professional career path and we are looking forward to many more throughout this and coming seasons. So for now, nothing official, other than a current Naturals roster spot, can contradict my position on where John will begin the season for the Royals organization. Believe me when I say that there are plenty of things a 20 year-old could be doing other than playing at the Double A level in professional baseball and we are grateful for his opportunity and baseball development.

It was nice to get my first live action of my son playing in his third Spring training with the Royals since signing out of Laguna Hills High School following the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player draft. Life does not permit staying out in Arizona during his work but whenever the stars line-up to get a peek I make every effort possible to watch him throw. Travel has been a serious challenge for sometime now since my spinal injury back in 2009 and has drastically impacted my ability to see my son pitch during his professional baseball career so far.

John should be up again today following his last start in another minor league assignment, per his indication during our last visit. Despite the struggle of my painful spinal condition I managed to see him throw for the first time this year during game speed this past Thursday against and with other Royals prospects. I could not stop grinning with pride and excitement to see him work and throw against his fellow teammates. Good, bad or indifferent it was a good first for this Dad to see this year while his son continues living his dream around the game of professional baseball. Of course the recorded game where he pitched one inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a big league game gets an occasional replay on the home television for a smile, but nothing beats a live performance to fully appreciate his special experiences during his young career.

He physically looked great and said he feels good going into another full season assignment for the Kansas City Royals along side a large number of very talented prospects in the farm system. No mystery why there is a genuine buzz throughout the Royals camp with all the talent from top to bottom levels of development. With only a few days to conclude the 2011 Spring training work the Lamb family patiently waits for a call regarding work and the official announcement of John Lamb and his fourth year of assignments by the Kansas City Royals baseball club.

FREE youth baseball clinics

Limited space available for the FREE youth baseball clinics coming to the Orange County area!

Laguna Hills, CA - That's right John Lamb's Dad has finally returned to one of his great passions inside the game of baseball...teaching the fundamentals. Surely out of some necessity to have more purpose than just my part-time scouting position with the Florida Marlins. My recent work related injury and physical condition have come with tremendous limitations which are preventing my full-time return to "work" at this time. Certainly standing around watching and teaching the great game of baseball does not give me any concerns over the jeopardy involved with my disability. Due to the legal process allowing long delays in decisions I must move on with the need to financially survive and provide my genius in another field of expertise. Bye bye trucking industry and hello baseball with a full speed ahead attitude.

I have recently established a working relationship with Development Baseball to represent the South Orange County area. The organization is teaching sound fundamentals to young baseball players and has been operating since 2005. We have services available throughout multiple areas of the country. Instructors include players, coaches and scouts with many years of experience around the game of baseball.

LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE!

James Lamb, Lead Instructor:

Experience -
* 14+ years of playing amateur baseball
* 17+ years coaching and private instruction in Southern California
* 7+ years of influences from professional baseball
* 2007 Associate Scout for the Cincinnati Reds
* 2007 Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau - Scout Development Program graduate
* 2008 blessed with the experience that my son John Lamb received a 5th round selection and signed with the Kansas City Royals out of Laguna Hills High School
* 2009 Manager of the North team for the “Jesse Flores Memorial All-Star Game” sponsored by Professional Baseball Scouts of Southern California (PBSSC)
* Currently under 4th yearly contract as a Scout for the Florida Marlins

Clinic Details:

What: Basic hitting and pitching fundamentals
When: March 27 and April 3 only
Where: Location near the El Toro "Y" and will be provided following sign-up via web site
Time: 9am - 2pm
WARNING: One parent must attend the clinic with their son!
 
*SIGN-UP by text to the following # 949-697-2018


1) Parent name
2) Players name
3) Players age
4) League the player is associated with
5) A valid email address that must be verified to secure the spot in the FREE clinic

All questions or comments can be sent through our web site with James Lamb in the comments of the "contact us" section or send an email with the above noted information to secure a spot for your son.

Our web address is Development Baseball so secure your spot NOW!

Instruction begins with the most basic fundamentals and goes up to the most advanced, professional training available.

We wish you continued success both on the field and off!!!  

Time for ring

Laguna Hills, CA - The 2011 Spring training work for the Kansas City Royals took pause today to acknowledge their Double-A affiliate Northwest Arkansas Naturals. The Naturals captured the Texas League Championship last year by defeating the Midland Rockhounds, affiliate of the Oakland A’s organization, in the best of a five game series. Players and staff will celebrate during a ceremony at the Surprise complex this morning to collect their hardware for a successful professional baseball season. This special time for ring presentation should serve as proof to the Royals fan that winning ways are brewing though the farm system.

Photo credit - Dina Wathan Blevins

John Lamb continues his third Spring training assignment in the Cactus League, while having just recently been sent to the minor league portion of camp. Although we have had limited communication, I’m confident he is filled with excitement to collect another ring for his contributions on the baseball field. I share the joy from the West coast, during this celebration, as these young men take pause and continue to prepare for the next step in their professional baseball careers.



Unfortunately, my scouting schedule and ongoing health issues prevent me from being in the desert today to see my son and his fellow Naturals teammates receive their well deserved hardware. I’ll simply wait for the next ring ceremony with confidence that additional rings are in the future for the Kansas City Royals organization much sooner than most have predicted. Maybe it is parental optimism but only time will tell.

Good day of work

Laguna Hills, CA - Sorry but the need for a brief post is due in part to medication, exhaustion and bad timing by a virus attack on my computer. John Lamb took the ball for one inning of work on Wednesday as previously noted for his spring training debut in a big league game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. His performance ended a long but good day of work for the Kansas City Royals as a non roster invitee for spring training in Surprise, AZ.

Plenty of big smiles in the house watching John throw in the fifth inning and face a total of four Dodgers. Three fell victim to the strike out and one banged a double down the third-base line with one out. Lamb did not allow a run during his single inning of work.

Can't emphasis enough how weird it was to see my son on TV in the living room and hear a radio broadcast in the car. I will eventually adjust to these simple evolutions to my son's career but hope never to take for granted. We are grateful on a daily basis for the opportunity the Kansas City Royals and the Glass family has provided John Lamb.

I hope to return soon for additional updates to the site with a fully functioning computer and not just this iPhone I'm using right now.

Dropping the ball

Laguna Hills, CA - This format to discuss the experiences associated with professional baseball started with modest expectations. Although there is only one contribution source on this site, at this time, I hope this year can provide at least one more author to facilitate fresh content about the topic. No excuse is good enough for the three, maybe four, visitors to this site for dropping the ball and maintaining the blog during the last few months. I am sincerely sorry.

John Lamb has been very busy during the past couple full-moon cycles with trips to Kansas City, MO for his Paul Splittorff - Pitcher of the Year Award from the Kansas City Royals, trips home to Orange County, CA and spending the majority of his time in Surprise, AZ close to the ballpark. Lamb had quite the year in professional baseball during last season during the early stages of his development and a tremendous surge in media coverage.



If you don’t know already, you may have just woke from a coma or recently suffered a blow to the head, but the Kansas City Royals have the best farm system in Major League Baseball according to the experts. My son and plenty of other parents within the extended Royals family are riding a wonderful wave of neighborhood attention. Many of these talented young men are knocking on the door to play in the show and try to return the Kansas City Royals fans back to winning ways.



Today, John Lamb is set to work in his first spring training assignment at the Camelback facility in Glendale, AZ, home of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Game time is 3:05 E.T. and can be watched or listened to through various media sources if interested. I plan to watch in the privacy of my own home so I can get fully engulfed with emotion without any consequence.



My handful of viewers on the site have my word to regularly provide content about professional baseball and the ride for the family of a Top 50 MLB Prospect for the 2011 season.