Ted22 posted:I have no problem with Lufkin advancing. They won the games required to advance. I have no connection to any NC team. I understand the format was known before entering. The format is defective by any reasonable measure.
Ted previously said ... "Its a poor format that rewards the losers bracket. I enjoy watching but it is silly to have kids 6' 2' 150+ lbs playing on that size field."
Makes for good debate... I respectfully disagree about "defective format" and "rewards the losers bracket". It doesn't reward the losers bracket, it just doesn't punish to the extent that other formats do. You still have to win more games and use more pitchers to come out of the losers bracket. That is no reward, as became evident in the game against Japan. Not saying they would have won, but it would likely have been far more competitive if they were able to throw their better pitching at them. As with all formats, there are pro's and con's. The single elimination once reaching the US/Int. finals and the Champ game are certainly more dramatic than if there were an "if" game. Knowing everything is on the line with one game is just more exciting than the thought of, "oh, well if this team wins, they play again". And, one could certainly argue that the format where the "if" game exists makes it far more impossible to come back through the losers bracket to actually win the event. That said, not matter the format, to win, you have to win the key games on the field. Period.
As far as the 6'2" 150+ kids playing on the little field, that issue is being addressed going forward with the reverting of the age cut off. I agree many of those players were too big and mature looking for what we traditionally think of as LL. But, again, with any youth event at any age, you will always have those early bloomers who appear to be man vs boys.
I also agree that the called strike zone was noticeably better this year. It didn't feel like any teams were taken out of the competition by ridiculous zones.
I still love the event. The concept of kids playing baseball for their communities and trying to advance to further reaches and bigger stages is just special. Not perfect, but very special. In fact, the "not perfect" is part of the "very special".