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Let me start this off right...

Watching Mexico and Italy.  Fleming and Kruk with Kirkjian adding color in the booth.  There's a microphone on the Italian coach as he makes his mound visit, speaking only in his native Italian.  Italy's relief pitcher's favorite player is Jake Peavy.  Italian players are very "expressive" when they error.  The kids from Mexico love wearing all the free gear.  Kids are playing at times like they are older polished players and at times like they are the kids they are.  Fans are wearing masks and wigs.  Kid fans are sliding on the grass hill beyond the OF fence (apparently Jessica Mendoza slid down head first).  Some of the American teams' kids are watching from the stands.  Teams from all over the world, each representing a very specific community - a tiny little corner.  Kruk can't get Kirkjian to leave.  Williamsport showing it's usual full support with the stadium full of fans and buzzing with activity all around the park.  And, oh yeah, some good baseball on a beautiful day.

How can you not love this stuff?

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Been there twice....once when my son was 10.  Myself, a friend and our 3 boys in a camper.  It was an absolute blast...stayed less than 10 minutes from the park.  Had such a great time my son convinced me to start a local LL so "he could go play in the LLWS"....so I did.  Lost in the District tourney.....no other local support so we were one year and done.   Went again with a group of 40+ 3 years later.....hotel 45 minutes away.  Not nearly as fun as the camping, but the games/facility/atmosphere are top notch.  I highly suggest making a trip to Williamsport....you won't regret it.  Son and I are already planning a trip the summer after he graduates from college.  One last time before he heads off into the real world

Last edited by Buckeye 2015
PGStaff posted:

Kids playing baseball and creating life long memories.  How can anyone hate that?  I only wish every kid could experience something like this.

Only thing that bothers me is at that age you could have 6-2/200 lb kids competing against 4-6/80 lb kids.

That's not necessarily a LL issue....these are basically 12U teams (same age cutoff).  We had that same issue in travel....my son was always the smallest kid....maybe 4'6 and 80 lbs at that age....his best friend on our team was 6'2, 180....when he threw from 46' he could almost just hand the ball to the catcher

Buckeye 2015 posted:
PGStaff posted:

Kids playing baseball and creating life long memories.  How can anyone hate that?  I only wish every kid could experience something like this.

Only thing that bothers me is at that age you could have 6-2/200 lb kids competing against 4-6/80 lb kids.

That's not necessarily a LL issue....these are basically 12U teams (same age cutoff).  We had that same issue in travel....my son was always the smallest kid....maybe 4'6 and 80 lbs at that age....his best friend on our team was 6'2, 180....when he threw from 46' he could almost just hand the ball to the catcher

11U and 12U travel is 50' mound and 70' bases.

Go44dad posted:
Buckeye 2015 posted:
PGStaff posted:

Kids playing baseball and creating life long memories.  How can anyone hate that?  I only wish every kid could experience something like this.

Only thing that bothers me is at that age you could have 6-2/200 lb kids competing against 4-6/80 lb kids.

That's not necessarily a LL issue....these are basically 12U teams (same age cutoff).  We had that same issue in travel....my son was always the smallest kid....maybe 4'6 and 80 lbs at that age....his best friend on our team was 6'2, 180....when he threw from 46' he could almost just hand the ball to the catcher

11U and 12U travel is 50' mound and 70' bases.

Yep....but we had LL too....6'2 kid pitching from 46' was unfair.....lol.  I would catch him in practice and it almost felt like he could step all the way to the plate

Buckeye 2015 posted:
Go44dad posted:
Buckeye 2015 posted:
PGStaff posted:

Kids playing baseball and creating life long memories.  How can anyone hate that?  I only wish every kid could experience something like this.

Only thing that bothers me is at that age you could have 6-2/200 lb kids competing against 4-6/80 lb kids.

That's not necessarily a LL issue....these are basically 12U teams (same age cutoff).  We had that same issue in travel....my son was always the smallest kid....maybe 4'6 and 80 lbs at that age....his best friend on our team was 6'2, 180....when he threw from 46' he could almost just hand the ball to the catcher

11U and 12U travel is 50' mound and 70' bases.

Yep....but we had LL too....6'2 kid pitching from 46' was unfair.....lol.  I would catch him in practice and it almost felt like he could step all the way to the plate

I think most are in agreement that the Little League fields are too small for today's kids.

Go44dad posted:

I think most are in agreement that the Little League fields are too small for today's kids.

 

Wrong, wrong, wrong! 46/60 fields are too small for the most physically mature kids, but they work perfectly well for the vast majority.

 

What you’re forgetting is, in order to “handicap” the bigger kids you’ll be handicapping the smaller ones as well who don’t yet have the physical maturity to play on the larger fields very well.

 

Since LLI has made fields larger than 46/60 legal for some years now, why do you suppose every league hasn’t gone to the larger size?

I am a friend of the president of a local little league.  He says for the past several years they have discussed switching to the 50/70.  And it always comes down to the same 3 things bringing that idea to a halt:  1) Cost and/or effort to upgrade the existing fields; 2) Not enough space to work with to move the fences back; 3) Williamsport is still using the 46/60. 

Doctor Joe posted:

I am a friend of the president of a local little league.  He says for the past several years they have discussed switching to the 50/70.  And it always comes down to the same 3 things bringing that idea to a halt:  1) Cost and/or effort to upgrade the existing fields; 2) Not enough space to work with to move the fences back; 3) Williamsport is still using the 46/60. 

 

How much could it possibly cost to put in 3 new base pegs, move a mound 4’, and remove a few feet of grass to make the infield dirt bigger? The fences not only don’t have to be moved, they don’t have to be there.

 

My guess is if you dig deeply enough you’ll find out that the real reason they don’t do it is because there aren't enough big kids in the league making it necessary.

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