EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Little League Baseball World Series is currently underway in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, with some of the best youth baseball players in the country on display.With members of the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers heading there this weekend to join the festivities by playing in the Little League Classic, it got us thinking about their days of youth baseball. What advice did major leaguers get that has stayed with them? And would they give young players today the same advice, or has it changed with their time in MLB?We asked over 15 current and former major league players these questions, with answers ranging from the typical "have fun" to ... "don't dig holes in the outfield."Let's get right into it -- and make sure to tune in to ESPN for the Little League Classic on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.What advice that you received as a young player has stayed with you to this day?Bobby Witt Jr., shortstop, Kansas City Royals: "For me, it was always just work hard, stay humble, keep your head down and keep trying to get better."Riley O'Brien, pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals: "Working hard and having fun. It's kind of clich. Most importantly, you have to enjoy baseball -- if you don't enjoy it, it's going to feel like a job. And then you have to work hard. There are tons of kids out there that want to keep progressing and playing at a higher level and you have to work hard to keep up. So I think it's a combination of working hard and enjoying the hard work."James Wood, outfielder, Washington Nationals: "My travel ball coach that I had throughout the years would always tell me to hit to the middle of the field. So I feel like ever since then I've just been trying to hit to the middle of the field. I always had a little bit of power, but ... umm, I was always a little bit bigger than most kids my age, so I think people always just assumed it. I had to prove I was a contact hitter sometimes."Brady Singer, pitcher, Cincinnati Reds: "I was taught to enjoy this game. Have fun and play it like a little kid. Those people you come up with are going to be your friends possibly for life. There are no trade deadlines when you're a little kid."Matt McLain, second baseman, Cincinnati Reds: "My dad always harped on the only two things you can control are your effort and your attitude. That was my best advice I got. We were really good. We all played together and it was super fun. And we played football together. So definitely the advice was have fun and play hard.Nick Martinez, pitcher, Tampa Bay Rays: "My dad as a kid would always tell me to play as if someone was watching and that's the way I played. Whether it be a fan, a scout, a coach, other players. If they watch you play hard, you're going to earn a lot of respect."Don Mattingly, Phillies interim manager/former first baseman: "Well, that was a few years ago, right? My Little League coach was Pete Studer. I don't remember any advice, but he would tell me every Sunday at church, 'I just want tickets when you get to the big leagues.' When I got to the Yankees, I didn't realize he lived in Yonkers, right down the street, and he did come and see a game. It was pretty cool."Max Meyer, pitcher, Miami Marlins: "Youth baseball days, I can't even remember. ... Probably the basic have fun. That's probably the biggest piece of advice because you have so many highs, so many lows. But as long as you're having fun playing the game and not thinking it's a job, that's where you're going to get most of your success."Hunter Goodman, catcher, Colorado Rockies: "My dad always used to tell me, 'Control what you can control.' A lot of things that happen in baseball you can't control. It's a lot of individual performances, so I would say that ... the things that are out of your control, you can't really worry about."CJ Abrams, shortstop, Washington Nationals: "Believe in yourself and stay positive. There's a lot of failure in baseball but if you see it as failure and hang your head then bad things happen. Just keep going. Stay positive."Byron Buxton, outfielder, Minnesota Twins: "Always be a good teammate and always have a positive attitude. No matter if you're having a good or a bad day, my dad taught me that you can always be a good teammate. Being a good teammate takes you farther than being a good player sometimes. It's taught me to treat people how you want to be treated. That's how I go about my business every day, and you don't have regrets. Everybody's special."Cade Smith, pitcher, Cleveland Guardians: "That would come from my parents. And it's the idea of taking it one day at a time and trusting the process, not the outcome. That allows you to have fun and compete and be free."What advice would you give to young players now that you are a major leaguer?Foster Griffin, pitcher, Cleveland Guardians: "Don't dig holes in the outfield and pay attention."Singer: "Figure out what you're good at. Learn what you're good at and roll with it. Whatever natural ability you have as a kid, do it that way. Don't try to be something you're not."McLain: "Don't take it too seriously. Kids are hitting on Trackman at 10 years old. Are they doing it for fun or other purposes? I think we all know what that's about."Drake Baldwin, catcher, Atlanta Braves: "Just go out there and have fun. I think that's the biggest thing, is just take it day by day and enjoy the time with your teammates and the people you're with. And, yeah, have fun with it."Chase Burns, pitcher, Cincinnati Reds: "Have fun. I think we get caught up in thinking everyone's going to make it to the big leagues ... but I think just go out there and try to be better every day. The scholarships and the draft will come, but when you're young, just go out there and have fun."Bryan Baker, pitcher, Tampa Bay Rays: "I always try to preach not focusing on one sport too early. So I grew up as an athlete, played all kinds of different sports. Something my dad and grandpa really pushed on me so I think it really helps the athletes long term, just having the versatility and having that baseline athleticism trying a bunch of different sports and then not focusing on one too early and getting burnt out when you're 10, 11, 12 years old. I played a bunch of different sports all the way through high school so I would really encourage that.Smith: "Play multiple sports. Be athletic. Have fun. Don't feel the pressure to specialize at such a young age, and take care of things in the classroom. If you want to go and play baseball, or any sport, at the next level, it helps a lot to open that door if you have good grades."
