If you’re a baseball parent, this question hits sooner than you think: Should we stay in rec… or make the jump to travel ball? I’ve stood on both sides of this. I’ve been the parent in the bleachers packing snacks and calculating registration fees. I’ve also coached a travel team — setting lineups, managing pitch counts, and answering late-night texts about playing time. Here’s the real difference — not the sugar-coated version.