NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP)—Nine-year-old Jericho Scott is a good baseball player— too good, it turns out.
The right-hander has a fastball that tops out at about 40 mph. He throws so hard that the Youth Baseball League of New Haven told his coach that the boy could not pitch any more.
“He’s never hurt any one,” Vidro said. “He’s on target all the time. How can you punish a kid for being too good?”
Yes doctor, I am sick. Sick of those who are spineless. Sick of those who feel self-entitled. Sick of those who are hypocrites. Yes doctor, an army is forming. Yes doctor, there will be a war. Yes doctor, there will be blood.....
The parents should have him in a league that is more to his level or with older kids. It does no good for the kid to dominate kids who can't hit his pitches or to play a different position and if the league is truly a beginner's league it's not fair for the other kids who strikeout every time. I think I side with the league on this one.
I side with the league on this one too. At that level, little league is more about introducing kids to team sports and having fun than it is about being competitive. It's the same philosphy as sitting your best hitters occasionally so everyone on the team gets some playing time. If the kid really wants to keep pitching against other little leaguers, he should be allowed to move up a level though.
wake wrote:It's the same philosphy as sitting your best hitters occasionally so everyone on the team gets some playing time.
Making everyone sit on the bench every once in a while so everyone gets playing time is different than not letting a kid play at all, no matter what the reason is.
wake wrote:It's the same philosphy as sitting your best hitters occasionally so everyone on the team gets some playing time.
Making everyone sit on the bench every once in a while so everyone gets playing time is different than not letting a kid play at all, no matter what the reason is.
He can still play, he just can't pitch in games. He can pitch in practice or in a higher league but I think of the under 10 yr old little league in the same way as I view elementary recess- It's almost purely for introducing the younger kids to these sports or organized team events. He has other outlets if his parent's only concern is developing him towards being a major league pitcher.
Is a 9-yr old who throws 40 mph a big deal? My son threw low 50's when 10 (he was never measured at 9) and people didn't get goofy about him pitching in little league. My feeling is that 40 mph at 9 yrs is certainly good but is not unusual enough to prohibit him from pitching.
Now, the 12 yr old who threw 78 that my son had to hit against last year was a freak. Maybe we should be talking about that boy!
featsofstrength wrote:Is a 9-yr old who throws 40 mph a big deal?
This is really my feeling. I don't see that as being overpowering. I should have asked our rival school not to pitch their ace in high school because he threw 90.
Though if that's the situation, I think the kid just has to move up to the next league if he wants to play. In my little league, it wasn't unordinary for a player who was really good to move up to the next league and play with older kids.
Kids need to man up. Pick deal some kid is better than you, man up. I remember when I was 13 I faced a kid who was the nastiest pitcher I have EVER seen. He a breaking ball that no one could hit because it had Zito curve, and fastball with all sorts of movement. We had one hit and it was a blooper in the 6th. Thats the kind of kid that should be moved up, but chances are he blew his arm out because of all the curve balls he threw.
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by Madison » Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:48 pm 
