Last regular game of the season

Let him go up! If he truly excels in the minors, you know he has the capacity to do the same at the next level. Give him the chance to do it, even if you don't manage him.

We let ours go up as a 9 and never regretted it one bit! For 2 years he wasn't a "star", but he did have a great coach who gave him a fair chance, and he had teammates that treated him like a little brother.

It gave him a chance to play with the big kids and the experience was undeniably good for him. he ended up starting half the games as a 9 fielder/hitter and then at 10 got a chance to throw a little bit as well as start and play more whole games as a fielder/hitter. But the time he was 11, he was an "old timer" and one of the team leaders. That's when he really took off.

By the time he was done with the Majors, he had played in 2 9/10 All star competitions, and played on 2 TOC teams. When he was done, he had played on 2 11/12 All star team, another TOC team and gotten to play with some teams the district put together to travel and do exhibitions.

A lot of those really upper class things are based on recognition as much as skill and just by virtue of being around will make a player recognizable to a lot of people. Although it may not be fair, that's the way a lot of things happen the higher level you get to.

I don't know if I was just lucky with my boy, but most of the time when I see kids play up and its within their capability, it just makes them better. Its when they get "pushed" up and really don't have the skills, that there seems to be a problem.

You're gonna find the same thing in HS ball. The kids who get promoted a level "up" might struggle at first, but if they really have the tools, those guys usually become the team leaders. Because of their longevity, they know how the system works, how the coaches work and don't get bogged down in the "system".