JBO/ Cal Ripken Primer and FAQ

Reedville Parents:

In 2012, Reedville Baseball is offering BOTH Junior Baseball Organization (JBO) Baseball and Cal Ripken Youth Baseball (CRYB) to our participants. This is a change and one we think will better serve our players and parents. This page is to help you understand dual affiliation, compare and contrast the two programs and better understand how the program will work.

First, please know that the Board of Directors for Reedville Baseball thinks BOTH JBO and CRYB are great programs. Reedville has been associated with JBO since its inception and we are excited to add CRYB as an additional program. It is the goal of Reedville baseball to provide baseball opportunities for ALL kids within our area to play. We believe this dual affiliation leads to that goal.

Please NOTE: Cal Ripken Baseball DOES NOT APPLY TO SENIOR AGE PLAYERS (13-14)...these players only play JBO.

Frequently Asked Questions about JBO and Cal Ripken Youth Baseball (CRYB)

1. What is JBO? What is CRYB?

A. Click on this link to read our description of JBO and CRYB.

2. Why is Reedville choosing to make a change and add an affiliate baseball program? What is wrong with JBO?

A. First of all, JBO is a great program. The Board of Directors for Reedville enjoys the style of play (high school rules) and Reedville has been very successful in JBO (32 Championship Tournament Births in 5 years). We intend to continue our affiliation with JBO at least through 2012 and likely beyond.

However, JBO has some significant problems the Board of Directors for our organization and several other JBO affiliated organizations have asked them repeatedly to address. Specifically:

I. Administration of the levels of play:

JBO has refused to require its members to play teams according to their adopted "caste" system matrix. Essentially, all but 7-13 organizations throughout Oregon and Washington have quit playing Federal Baseball and now field their best 12 players at the American Level. Meanwhile, programs who attempt to follow the rules, like Reedville and our sister organization to the west, HBBA, field Federal Teams per the Matrix and put our players at a competitive disadvantage. This is especially difficult for big organizations like Reedville and HBBA. We are essentially punished for being successful and fielding more teams.

II. Redistricting of regions; length of travel:

Kids living in Hillsboro are part of the Portland Metropolitan Region. We play 6A baseball against other 6A teams. However, in JBO, Reedville is forced to play in a league with teams from Banks, Vernonia, Yamhill-Carlton and even Tillamook! Reedville has requested to be moved into the West Hills District with closer organizations like Aloha, Sunset, Westview and Sherwood, but the JBO Board has failed to act.

III. Unequal tryout systems:

At Reedville, we use a numerically based, blind tryout system that assigns numbers to our players and has them graded by high school coaches and select individuals. Some organizations have their coaches "watch" kids and decide who plays and who does not. There is no uniform system.

These reasons and a host of others led to the Board of Directors for Reedville seeking a second alternative for our players. This doesn't mean JBO is BAD. In fact, Cal Ripken has its quirks as well. Rather, it means we as an organization are no longer willing to accept it as our ONLY option for players.

3. OK, so how does CRYB improve on these issues?

A. CRYB mandates that each Association create its own internal league or a combination "inter-league" with other local Associations. Reedville will compete with our neighbor to the west, HBBA and with Tualatin Hills Cal Ripken Association, located directly to our east. Regular season "league" games will all be within a 10 minute drive of the home district.

Occasionally during the regular season, our Cal Ripken Teams will engage in games with other Cal Ripken Districts from the Metro Region as well. Newberg, West Linn, Sandy and Vancouver may or may not want to play exhibition games with us, however this will not be a requirement of the schedule.

There is no "caste" system of levels in Cal Ripken. Regular season teams are divided evenly (with the exception of the 2012 transition year) and play for the Regular Season League Championship at the end of the season.

4. So what are the "quirks" of CRYB?

Cal Ripken Youth Baseball offers an All-Star program after the regular season for players to pursue the Cal Ripken World Series through tournament play. Players for these teams are selected by the Board of Directors with input from Coaches and the Player Agent. Some folks like the All-Star system, some don't. JBO does not do All-Stars and you always stay with your same team.

Cal Ripken Baseball's season also begins much earlier than JBO. Cal Ripken participants will begin playing games in the middle of April rather than the first week or second week of May. Regular season will typically end just as school is getting out. Then All-Stars will begin. This is not bad, just different.

CRYB play for 7-10 year olds is also different from JBO. CRYB uses modified baseball rules that limit stealing and pickoff plays. The rules for these players are similar to Little League. At the 11-12 year old age though, the rules for Cal Ripken are identical to JBO American Baseball.

5. So how is this going to work?

In the past, you child came to tryouts and then was assigned to either Federal, American, National or City League teams (for competitive baseball) based on their tryout performance.

Now, your child will come to tryouts and based on their performance will be assigned as follows:

JBO American- Top 12 or 13 players for the age group assigned to this team

JBO National- Next 24 players assigned in alternating fashion to one of two teams

All remaining players will play Cal Ripken Baseball. HOWEVER, players who make a JBO team may opt to play BOTH Cal Ripken and JBO, but they must accept an additional fee and be very aware of the time commitment associated with playing both leagues.

Also, for 2012 only, Cal Ripken will be split in two divisions at Juniors (11-12 year old players):

Metro League: This division will feature teams from Reedville, HBBA and Moundtime/Tualatin Hills Baseball. It will be highly competitive and will include players who have previously played JBO or are currently playing JBO in addition to Cal Ripken Baseball.

City League: This division offers competitive but more instructional baseball with teams from Reedville and HBBA participating.

It is the intent after 2012 to have these two divisions combine.

6. Can we choose which one we want to play in?

A. No. The only choices are 1. If a player selected for JBO wants to play Cal Ripken Ball they must formally request it from the Board of Directors or 2. A player selected for JBO chooses to NOT play JBO and play only Cal Ripken.

To be clear, both offer a unique experience. JBO Baseball is highly competitive, intense and tailored to parents and players who are willing to play 40-80 games a season in several invitational tournaments aroundOregonandWashington. It is expensive and not for everyone.

Likewise, Cal Ripken Youth Baseball (CRYB) is competitive in regular season, but more local. All-Stars ramps up the competitive level to JBO like proportions and plays in several tournaments around the region.

7. What if my child attends tryouts and does not make a JBO Team, but we really wanted them to play JBO?

At Reedville, your registration is non-refundable once tryouts are complete. We do not refund any money once tryouts have been completed whether your player participated in tryouts or not. However, if you still wish to seek a JBO option outside of Reedville and make a JBO team with another organization, Reedville will provide a waiver. This is ONLY AFTER YOUR PLAYER HAS PARTICIPATED IN TRYOUTS. All other waiver requests are at the discretion of the Board of Directors and their decision is final. Click here to find out more about the Waiver System with JBO.

Cal Ripken baseball has no waiver system. Players are not allowed to play out of district for any reason at this time.

8. In JBO, there are dozens of different Associations playing JBO Ball. Who plays CRYB?

A. In Northern Oregon, Reedville will compete via invitational tournaments, exhibition games and in All-Star Post Season Play with the following:

HBBA (Hillsboro), West Linn, Tualatin Hills (Moundtime), Newberg, Vancouver, Lakeridge (Lake Oswego), Redlands (Oregon City), Dallas, The Dalles, and Mid-Valley (Salem area).

Lakeridge, Reedville and HBBA are bringing approximately 20 new teams to the program for 2012 (all from JBO).

9. What if we do not want to play Cal Ripken All-Stars and our child is selected?

A. You can decline the invitation.

10. I have other Questions not answered here. Who do I talk to?

A. If you have additional questions, please email us at info@bluemountaincommunity.com

JBO/CAL RIPKEN SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON

This side-by-side comparison shows the differences between the two leagues so parents and players understand how the two organizations differ.