Got To Give It Up for Little League

One thing I can say about Little League:  they do a much better job of managing and overseeing pitch counts than Travel Ball does!

Those were 13yos (14yos if birthday after 5/1 and possibly rising high school freshman)  playing 50/70 baseball. 50/70 is great from late bloomer 13yos who aren't ready for the 60/90 field. If nothing else they get another year of organized baseball. But 50/70 all stars dorm13yos? I don't know! I would think any really good 13yo is already playing big boy ball. 

If a kid is playing LL Juniors (13/14's on a 60/90 field can be play 11-13yo 50/70 all stars? Or does he have to play in an 11-13yo 50/70 spring season? 

Lots of 13 year olds (May-June-July birthdays) playing 46-60 in the Little League World Series.  Which is, to me, a joke

3and2Fastball posted:

Lots of 13 year olds (May-June-July birthdays) playing 46-60 in the Little League World Series.  Which is, to me, a joke

You're right, but not for much longer. One more year. Then the age cutoff will be Aug. 31st for LL, so they'll all be 12 or under.

3and2Fastball posted:

Lots of 13 year olds (May-June-July birthdays) playing 46-60 in the Little League World Series.  Which is, to me, a joke

It ends after this year. I don't know if USA baseball or LL recognized the mistake. The LL deadline is moving back to 8/1 next year. It's where it was forever until twelve years ago. Blame USA Baseball, not LL for the move to 5/1.

Where did the LL announcer/former LL coach (Bristol CT) get his accent? I know he's from RI.  I live in MA and ME. I've lived in CT. I don't know anyone who butchers the English language with as brutal of an accent. 

His accent is almost as obnoxious as his over the top gushing about plays and player on almost every pitch. Every error is a tough play. "That's alright, son." In the dugout, fine. In the announcing booth, knock it off!

"That was a great effort in the outfield." No it wasn't. The kid broke late, then leaped early when one more step and it was an easy catch. He doesn't have to be critical. But please, don't try to baffle us with bullshite.

Add: After 2019's post I went looking for the game with with the kid's at bats. This game's announcer is a former MLBer, Mike LaValliere** with an academy. He talked about learning to drive the ball rather than a bunch of fluff. I watched through the inning to hear his approach. 

** I rewinded back to the beginning to find out who is the former MLBer. Time has not been good to LaValliere. He looks like a frumpy LL dad/coach. I have to give him a break. He's older (57) than I thought. Damn! That makes me old! 

RJM posted:

3and2Fastball posted:

Lots of 13 year olds (May-June-July birthdays) playing 46-60 in the Little League World Series.  Which is, to me, a joke

It ends after this year. I don't know if USA baseball or LL recognized the mistake. The LL deadline is moving back to 8/1 next year. It's where it was forever until twelve years ago. Blame USA Baseball, not LL for the move to 5/1.

I have a son born in 2006. Next year will still have the May 1st cutoff for the kids born in 2005 (so there will still be 13 year olds), but for kids born in 2006 and later, the cutoff is now Aug. 31st, which is (strangely) a month different than the Aug. 1st cutoff that was used for decades, before the move to May 1st about ten years ago.

The 5/1 date started in 2006. I had heard it was going back to 8/1. 8/31 makes more sense. I heard it's the most common grade deadline in the country. 

RJM posted:

Those were 13yos (14yos if birthday after 5/1 and possibly rising high school freshman)  playing 50/70 baseball. 50/70 is great from late bloomer 13yos who aren't ready for the 60/90 field. If nothing else they get another year of organized baseball. But 50/70 all stars dorm13yos? I don't know! I would think any really good 13yo is already playing big boy ball. 

If a kid is playing LL Juniors (13/14's on a 60/90 field can be play 11-13yo 50/70 all stars? Or does he have to play in an 11-13yo 50/70 spring season? 

RJM, Im not totally versed in LL rules now a days as my sons played a while back and before the 50/70 division.  But I believe (maybe wrong) that 50/70 players can come from 40/60 50/70 or 60/90.  When the division first started it was this way, Im not sure if they changed the rules since then.  The limiting factor was age, not division played in.  So the players are all 11-12-13 league age.  

The interesting thing is, I have not seen a lot of outliers as far as size goes.  There are a few here and there, mostly height, not stature.  I only remember one kid standing out as a lot bigger then the rest.  It was the catcher on the Puerto Rican team.  Some of the bigger bombs I have seen hit have come from the smaller guys.  

There seems to be bigger kids in the 11/12 tournament. Some of the 11/12 kids are late birthday 13yo 7th graders. I'm guessing the best LL 13yos are playing Juniors all stars on the 60/90. 50/70 kids the lesser 13yos a place to play.

In the big picture LL Juniors and LL 50/70 isn't where your best 13yos gravitate in most places. They would be playing travel or Junior Legion. JL now has a 13yo division.

But if anyone knows more or better speak (post) up. I watched some 11/12 all stars this year for the first time in three years. I've watched some LL twice in the past twelve years. My son is now twenty-four.

RJM posted:

There seems to be bigger kids in the 11/12 tournament.

You mean like this, from earlier today: https://twitter.com/LittleLeag...s/894305579975548928

2019Dad posted:

RJM posted:

There seems to be bigger kids in the 11/12 tournament.

You mean like this, from earlier today: https://twitter.com/LittleLeag...s/894305579975548928

5'7" isn't out of the normal range for twelve, early thirteen. 177 is. He doesn't look overweight. He could grow to be a real big, strong kid. He's grown three inches since he did PG earlier this season. I found the game. They said he's done high school home run derbies.

A different pitcher K'ed him with breaking pitches in the second at bat. The called third was borderline. But the camera isn't directly behind the pitcher. Up 12-1 he was removed from the game. 

Into the trees.....

http://videos.littleleague.org...;utm_campaign=buffer

RJM posted:

There seems to be bigger kids in the 11/12 tournament. Some of the 11/12 kids are late birthday 13yo 7th graders. I'm guessing the best LL 13yos are playing Juniors all stars on the 60/90. 50/70 kids the lesser 13yos a place to play.

In the big picture LL Juniors and LL 50/70 isn't where your best 13yos gravitate in most places. They would be playing travel or Junior Legion. JL now has a 13yo division.

But if anyone knows more or better speak (post) up. I watched some 11/12 all stars this year for the first time in three years. I've watched some LL twice in the past twelve years. My son is now twenty-four.

A lot of it has to do with the fields the leagues have to play on. My 2019 played junior league when he was league age 12, on a 60/90 field. We had 1 team in our district that played regular season with us, but played 50/70 during all stars. They were the only team who had a field from our district and got to advance to sectionals without playing anyone. Most leagues still just have 1 field and so play junior, but a lot of leagues are adding fields for intermediate. I think LL should make all 12/13 yr Olds play intermediate, the bases and mound are way too short now.

RJM posted:

There seems to be bigger kids in the 11/12 tournament. Some of the 11/12 kids are late birthday 13yo 7th graders. I'm guessing the best LL 13yos are playing Juniors all stars on the 60/90. 50/70 kids the lesser 13yos a place to play.

In the big picture LL Juniors and LL 50/70 isn't where your best 13yos gravitate in most places. They would be playing travel or Junior Legion. JL now has a 13yo division.

But if anyone knows more or better speak (post) up. I watched some 11/12 all stars this year for the first time in three years. I've watched some LL twice in the past twelve years. My son is now twenty-four.

50/70 kids can play 11/12 and Sr league as well during regular LL season. Almost all the teams are mostly league age 13. These are not the kids who cant play big boy ball, they can and do. If leagues are stacking 14's for junior league why not stack 13's for 50/70 and go make a run that little league will pay for?

My kid played Sr league and 50/70 this year and had his choice of where to play all stars, he chose 50/70 because he had won titles with these kids 2 years in a row before and this team was the best chance to win again. They lost to Freehold in states, Freehold had something like 180 kids to pick from, we had 18, not enough pitching. One of the Freehold parents said 10 of the 12 kids were 14.

Around here they play both travel and LL,  i wont get into that debate.

RJM posted:

The 5/1 date started in 2006. I had heard it was going back to 8/1. 8/31 makes more sense. I heard it's the most common grade deadline in the country. 

I'm guessing that it's mostly about public relations. LL doesn't want to hear another word about 13 year-olds playing on those 46/60 fields.

To think that the kids playing LL in the World Series don't or can't play "big boy ball" is just wrong.  Wait until the World Series starts....take a look at the teams from CA, TX, LA, GA or FL.....it's not tough to find where they play travel ball....and you'll be surprised at some of the teams they are one.....they play for the big boys of the travel circuit....at least a lot of them do. 

With regard to size....we went to Williamsport the year the 6'8 Saudi Arabian kid was there....I was within 2' of him when we passed on the sidewalk.  There is no way in you know where that this kid was 12 or even 13.....he looked like he had to be late teens/early 20's lol.   My son was 10 at the time and barely came up to the kid's thigh

Playing 50/70 as a fourteen year old is not big boy ball.

The 6'7" LLer was Aaron Durley. His father was a coach. He was huge too. I chatted with his mother waiting for a game to start. The family was actually from Houston. Before the parents headed back to Saudi Arabia after the LLWS they dropped him off at his grandparents in Houston. He spent his middle and high school years there. He played basketball for TCU. I think he grew to 6'10".

The kids who looked old were the Hawaiian kids of Samoan decent. It's just their genetics. They were huge and had facial hair. I get uncomfortable with conversations of how old kids look. There's often some jerk in the stands yelling "Did you shave today?" "Did you drive to the game?" "Where's your birth certificate?" It's not the kid's fault he physically matured early. I wonder how they would respond if it were their kid being picked on by adults? 

On the flip side my then 12yo was 5 feet, ninety pounds. At twenty-four he only has to shave about every three days. 

My 2019 made it to a Waco LL regional four years ago - was beat out in the semis.  It was a great experience for the boys.  I remember the night games were especially exciting, with all the huge lights for ESPN and the hum of the generators.  I've had a few photos pop up in my FB memory feed in the last couple of days.   All that was going on four years ago, and this weekend he and his team won the Mid-South Regionals and are headed to Shelby for the ALWS!  Talk about making a momma realize just how fast time is flying by!      

RJM posted:

The kids who looked old were the Hawaiian kids of Samoan decent. It's just their genetics. They were huge and had facial hair. I get uncomfortable with conversations of how old kids look. There's often some jerk in the stands yelling "Did you shave today?" "Did you drive to the game?" "Where's your birth certificate?" It's not the kid's fault he physically matured early. I wonder how they would respond if it were their kid being picked on by adults? 

 

The pitcher from Puerto Rico at last nights 50/70 championship was 6'1". The parent behind me kept yelling 'lets see the birth cert".  "Did you drive to the game", etc.  I turned to him at one point and pointed to my 6'5" son and said, "He was the same size at that age, it happens, he was very very embarrassed about his size and became very upset when someone pointed it out to him.  Do you think maybe the kid on the mound feels the same way?  Maybe you have him feeling bad about himself right now."  He just looked at me and shrugged his shoulders.  It did stop his pointing out the kids size.  Of course he moved onto USA USA, USA is better then your country stuff.  I decided to not point out to him that Puerto Rico was part of the US.  He was also the kinda guy who would cheer very loudly every time the PR team made a mistake.  Not just a clap, but yelling and hooping it up with every ball thrown or booted ball.  Over the top type stuff.  

RJM posted:

Where did the LL announcer/former LL coach (Bristol CT) get his accent? I know he's from RI.  I live in MA and ME. I've lived in CT. I don't know anyone who butchers the English language with as brutal of an accent. 

His accent is almost as obnoxious as his over the top gushing about plays and player on almost every pitch. Every error is a tough play. "That's alright, son." In the dugout, fine. In the announcing booth, knock it off!

"That was a great effort in the outfield." No it wasn't. The kid broke late, then leaped early when one more step and it was an easy catch. He doesn't have to be critical. But please, don't try to baffle us with bullshite.

Add: After 2019's post I went looking for the game with with the kid's at bats. This game's announcer is a former MLBer, Mike LaValliere** with an academy. He talked about learning to drive the ball rather than a bunch of fluff. I watched through the inning to hear his approach. 

** I rewinded back to the beginning to find out who is the former MLBer. Time has not been good to LaValliere. He looks like a frumpy LL dad/coach. I have to give him a break. He's older (57) than I thought. Damn! That makes me old! 

Given how many people seem to believe that ripping adolescents for failure is acceptable, I personally welcome somebody giving a kid some props for trying.  It ain't MLB scouting reports that we need on 14 y/os.  

You aren't going to find a whole lot of 14 year olds, even in high level ball, who are able to make extremely high level plays.  Heck, D1 power 5 players will take poor angles, leap too soon, make horribly off-line throws, and even have a ball pop right out of their glove.

It's little league sports.

Teaching Elder posted:

RJM posted:

Where did the LL announcer/former LL coach (Bristol CT) get his accent? I know he's from RI.  I live in MA and ME. I've lived in CT. I don't know anyone who butchers the English language with as brutal of an accent. 

His accent is almost as obnoxious as his over the top gushing about plays and player on almost every pitch. Every error is a tough play. "That's alright, son." In the dugout, fine. In the announcing booth, knock it off!

"That was a great effort in the outfield." No it wasn't. The kid broke late, then leaped early when one more step and it was an easy catch. He doesn't have to be critical. But please, don't try to baffle us with bullshite.

Add: After 2019's post I went looking for the game with with the kid's at bats. This game's announcer is a former MLBer, Mike LaValliere** with an academy. He talked about learning to drive the ball rather than a bunch of fluff. I watched through the inning to hear his approach. 

** I rewinded back to the beginning to find out who is the former MLBer. Time has not been good to LaValliere. He looks like a frumpy LL dad/coach. I have to give him a break. He's older (57) than I thought. Damn! That makes me old! 

Given how many people seem to believe that ripping adolescents for failure is acceptable, I personally welcome somebody giving a kid some props for trying.  It ain't MLB scouting reports that we need on 14 y/os.  

You aren't going to find a whole lot of 14 year olds, even in high level ball, who are able to make extremely high level plays.  Heck, D1 power 5 players will take poor angles, leap too soon, make horribly off-line throws, and even have a ball pop right out of their glove.

It's little league sports.

I'm not for ripping kids on television. But I'm also not for making excuses. Last night Belisle said a  kid made a great effort to get to the fence and he ran out of room. The kid was two feet from the fence, misjudged the ball and missed it.

A good announcer (former MLBer like some of them) would have made it a teaching moment. In this case the lesson could have been feeling for and finding the fence. It wasn't the tough play Belisle called it. It was a routine foul pop missed by the fielder because he had no clue where the fence was and misjudged the ball 

i watched districts and states in ME and states in MA this year. Therefore, I have curiosity on how the kids on the teams fare at the next level (regions). Unfortunately Belisle is doing half the games for the New England region. 

My son is in Indy today....he and a friend drove 4  hours down to watch the Great Lakes / Midwest Regional games.   He is a D1 pitcher, but actually enjoys watching the younger kids play.  His friend is just a baseball junkie.   We have been to Williamsport twice.   The Iowa / Minnesota game today ended up 2-0, Iowa put up 2 in the top of the 6th.  Each team had 3 hits and only 1 error total.  He texted me and said it was as good of a baseball game as he's seen in a long time....even with no leading off, stealing, etc.  Said pitchers didn't throw hard, but threw strikes and defense made a lot of plays.  Watching LL on TV doesn't really give you a true feel for how good some of those kids are.  If you get a chance to check out a regional or the LLWS, it's worth the trip

Yeah. I saw that play. For a kid it was very a difficult play.  Saw a high school kid at a showcase drop a ball close to the fence just last weekend. 

If I am producing that program, there's no way I want an announcer critiquing kids' games.  Very negative message sent.  Many other times to learn the intricacies of the game.  Praise the kids for being as good as they are and keep it positive. 

Buckeye 2015 posted:

My son is in Indy today....he and a friend drove 4  hours down to watch the Great Lakes / Midwest Regional games.   He is a D1 pitcher, but actually enjoys watching the younger kids play.  His friend is just a baseball junkie.   We have been to Williamsport twice.   The Iowa / Minnesota game today ended up 2-0, Iowa put up 2 in the top of the 6th.  Each team had 3 hits and only 1 error total.  He texted me and said it was as good of a baseball game as he's seen in a long time....even with no leading off, stealing, etc.  Said pitchers didn't throw hard, but threw strikes and defense made a lot of plays.  Watching LL on TV doesn't really give you a true feel for how good some of those kids are.  If you get a chance to check out a regional or the LLWS, it's worth the trip

I hadn't watched a LL for years until I came across an all star game on my bike three years ago. I biked to a game each night. I was in ME when all stars started this year. Once again, I came across the game on my bike. I was curious of the difference from when my son played in PA to what I saw in MA a few years ago and ME this year. I had enough fun to watch states when I returned to MA. 

I probably wouldn't sit and watch on tv if I hadn't watched ME and MA live. It's a fun environment. The parents we ran from in high school are now part of the entertainment. They're also fun to talk with. 

I don't think I would make the effort to go to Williamsport now. But we went when my son was 10-12. It was fun. We also went to Bristol for a weekend each year.

It's not real baseball. It's about everyone playing, allowing balks on every pitch, no lead offs, no slides and hype. 

Announcers are always positive and keep it light, I have no problem watching and often find myself pulling for the smaller kids who are more dimensionally appropriate for the field.

I wrote to ESPN. I'm guessing others did as well. Delisle has toned down the gushing without losing his enthusiasm.