Another example of the pussification of this country

Mr. Dumass wrote:

It's more than just a coincidence that "_Malibu_" posted some stupid line about Flagpole, and then 15 minutes later Flagpole just "happened" to comment about something unrelated (and then, of course, he subsequently replied to his own post he made as "_Malibu_."

Weird guy.

Perhaps, but not much more weird than someone who spends any length of time analyzing the possible aliases of other posters.

someone wrote:

Yeah, it is easy to say that the league is wrong, but the article states that it is a beginners coed league so the league is not for him. It sounds like there are other leagues available in the area so why can't he go to a more competitive league?

It would probably even benefit him more if he is with better competition at an early age. He obviously excels so playing with older kids might help.

I agree. They didn't handle this very well, but the kid doesn't belong in that league...he'll thrive with more competition.

Isn't this kid's name Danny Almonte?

WDC Runner wrote:

And it's beyond rediculous that you call me out on this one. You must be a recent addition here, newb.

Been here for about 5 years. If you spell easy words incorrectly, you will be called out on it. Learn to take advice, newb.

danno wrote:

The article said that mom called the police. Pity the cop who had to respond to that foolish call.

Police get crappy calls like that all the time

Honestly, I know these kids are small, but is 40mph all that fast for a pitch at age 9? I wouldn't think it would be.

I agree with another poster that reading between the lines, it seems there's some kind of dispute between "corporate" sponsors involved here.

And if it surprises people that this would happen in Connecticut, my former home state, let me tell you that the place has devolved into a litigious quagmire that also has this strange blend of both being overly protective of their kids and branding them as criminals at the slightest miscreance. It's an odd and baffling mix.

Plus, while Connecticut may be our wealthiest state due to all the suburban bedroom communities, New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford are extremely poor and neglected and badly run cities.

That's actually me from the past.

Good points.

So if genetics has any bearing in our discussion, at what age will your kid start going bald?

and then working out his biceps to make up for lack of hair, height, sub-15 5K speed, and overall lack of self-esteem?

Remember New Haven also suspended a kid from school for eating candy. The town is known for insane policy.

Hawkeye wrote:

So let me get this straight: A 9-year-old throws a 40mph fastball and no one can hit it?

With all due respect to young players who are developing their skills, what kind of wimps are in this league. My 6-year-old and a third of his teammates can rake 40mph pitches all over the freaking yard. I don't get it....

I'm involved in youth sports in a number of different sports. It appears that what you question is being addressed since this is a beginners league. The kid is too advanced for the league. Is that really all that difficult to understand. It appears the league went out of it's way to identify kids via skill level.

We've done this in basketball and there's always one numbnuts mom or dad who doesn't want his or her kid moved up so the kid can rack up 30 pts a game vs. a bunch of kids who can barely bounce a basketball. Then when the kid tries out for the school team and is in with the first set of cuts they're busting on the school coach for cutting him.

meet Cedric wrote:

Good points.

So if genetics has any bearing in our discussion, at what age will your kid start going bald?

and then working out his biceps to make up for lack of hair, height, sub-15 5K speed, and overall lack of self-esteem?

As my father and my wife's father and her grandfather are all bald (along with me) it is a good bet that my son will go bald at some point, however, he has a super thick head of hair that I never had, so perhaps he'll escape the hair loss. Hair loss is such a minor thing anyway. The only thing about it is that it's an annoyance in the summer because I either need sunscreen up there or a hat all the time. The hat does help shade the eyes, so I usually opt for that, and the extra benefit is nice.

Not sure when he might work on his biceps. I didn't do that until I was in my 30s. Lots of tall people on my wife's side of the family, so he could be quite tall. Just never know about these things. Sub-15 5K speed? I think that's just a matter of whether or not he's interested because I think he's got the talent; he's also got my talent for diving (springboard) and gymnastics, so he'll have to pick. Since he was 7 he's gone on short runs of up to 3 miles with me with no problems whatsoever, and he destroys any kid who races him in either short or longer distances, so I think he's got some talent, but who knows if he'll want to run? I won't force him to.

Everyone deals with self-esteem issues in one way or another. I'm sure he'll be no different.

I get that you are trying to rattle me in some way, but surely you have learned by now that I look at things in a very factual way and don't get rattled by little insults. You only know that I'm bald and short because I've told you that, hence I obviously have no issues attached to either thing or I would have told you I had flowing locks and was 6'2".

So, so far it's been amusing, but I'll quickly tire of this unless you become more interesting.

Maybe he posts from his home computer as Flagpole and from his laptop as a different poster hence the different IP address.I don't really care, just speculatin'.

Hawkeye wrote:

So let me get this straight: A 9-year-old throws a 40mph fastball and no one can hit it?

The mound is 46ft from home plate in Little League. Might be even closer in this "development" league, I don't know. Does anybody know the rule for that league? Is it the same as Little League, or less--maybe less than 40ft?

I'll guarantee that even a *grownup* who stands in (in a batting cage) against 40mph pitching--DELIVERED FROM 40+ FEET AWAY--will feel some serious trepidation.

Now picture yourself facing that as a nine-year-old--not against a machine that (almost) always delivers to the proper location, but against another (fallible, even if brilliantly-talented) nine-year-old. Yeah, you're not going to be learning a lot of hitting skills.

Oh, and if your coach *doesn't* pull your team from the field; and the pitcher loses a pitch; and you do your best Roy Chapman imitation--who gets sued?

Sorry, this is a joke.

My son is 9 and he throws over 45 mph. he coach only pitched him 2 innings a game, which meant 18-20 pitches and 6 k's each outing against other 9 yr. olds.

Ove the summer, he played in a league with 10-11 yr. olds and some of the kids hit the ball. The best way to learn to hit a pitch is to get in the box and swing.

This whole thing in New Haven sounds a little odd, must be more to it.

My son threw well over 40 (closer to 50) as a ten. Now that he's 12 our league radar gun (used to gauge tournament pitchers) clocked him at 71 mph for his 4 seam. There are others in the league in the low 60's as 12's, and there are a few 10's who play "up". Yeah, they strike out alot, but seeing faster pitching is the only way to improve. Since it's Little League we adhere to the pitch count rule.

WOW. I've had this kind of Sport Politics on my side of the fence in T&F against me and I hate it still to this day. I know how he feels. What makes this more "Piss-off-able" is that the kid is only 9.

Vicarious living of burnt out former players now coaches and parents = bad Mojo for kids and anyone who gets in their way.

In my case it was just a question of coach's control over my winning. THIS story however thrusts BOTH of these, and unfortunately Jericho, "feels bad because others can't play."

Politics in Sport to me = As much hate Letsrun has for drug cheats

There are some valid points on both sides of this issue, but I have to come down more on the side of those who are saying that the kid probably didn't belong in the development league. In a situation where there are separate leagues for beginners and more advanced players, it seems reasonable to me to expect that more advanced players play in the more advanced league.

If your running club offered separate training groups for beginners and competitive runners, what would you think about a guy who shows up for the beginners group 5K fun run and busts out a 15:30? You'd probably feel ok with telling him to run with the other group from now on.

wow, 71 is a 93 mph equivalent for MLB so I would get that practicing considering only 2 or 3 even at the Little League World series were throwing that hard!

mez wrote:

My son threw well over 40 (closer to 50) as a ten. Now that he's 12 our league radar gun (used to gauge tournament pitchers) clocked him at 71 mph for his 4 seam. There are others in the league in the low 60's as 12's, and there are a few 10's who play "up". Yeah, they strike out alot, but seeing faster pitching is the only way to improve. Since it's Little League we adhere to the pitch count rule.

Harry Kooter wrote:

There are some valid points on both sides of this issue, but I have to come down more on the side of those who are saying that the kid probably didn't belong in the development league. In a situation where there are separate leagues for beginners and more advanced players, it seems reasonable to me to expect that more advanced players play in the more advanced league.

If your running club offered separate training groups for beginners and competitive runners, what would you think about a guy who shows up for the beginners group 5K fun run and busts out a 15:30? You'd probably feel ok with telling him to run with the other group from now on.

Except these are kids. Do you have kids? How do you think he would be treated by the older kids who have less talent that he either replaces or strikes out? Most youngsters that pitch only pitch a couple innings and rotate to other positions anyway. If this league is not doing that, they should.