A question about the Little League World Series.

[Rain Man]

When they field those teams, are the kids literally the same kids who were one team in a local league, or are they an all-star team of kids from an area? And if it's the latter, how big is the area?

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

I figured the question was "does it ever end?"

[Buster's Dad]

When they field those teams, are the kids literally the same kids who were one team in a local league, or are they an all-star team of kids from an area?


They mentioned on one of the broadcast that the players were league all stars from one area

[BigRedChief]

There are different sanctioning bodies to little league baseball but the labels are bascially the same.

A
AA
AAA
Major

A is for recreational baseball .AA being the entry level of comptitive baseball and Major being the top level of play.

The players you see are "Major" league players. Then they combine the best players from around their area and make a "All-Star" team. Those are the teams that you see play in the LLWS.

But because they throw curve balls and spend their whole lifes revolving around baseball the majority are ruined by the time they hit high school. Only a handful of LLWS stars ever have made it to the Major Leagues and the big show.

[Joe Seahawk]

They are their league's all star representitives.. I coached my leagues all star team, but we didn't make it through the district tournament.. We never do.. :rolleyes:

[Rain Man]

Cool. Thanks for the info, guys. I've always wondered about that.

[StcChief]

What a waste. Burn 'em out so they can't play later.

How stupid.

[Rain Man]

My next question is why every team seems to have one kid who's 14 inches taller than everyone else, is the starting pitcher, and also the cleanup hitter.

[Biohazard]

My next question is why every team seems to have one kid who's 14 inches taller than everyone else, is the starting pitcher, and also the cleanup hitter.
The one that is good on the field but not so good in school?

[Calcountry]

My next question is why every team seems to have one kid who's 14 inches taller than everyone else, is the starting pitcher, and also the cleanup hitter.Orange JUICE man, he drinks lots of Orange JUICE.

[Simplex3]

Orange JUICE man, he drinks lots of Orange JUICE.
Don't forget the "vitamin R".

I saw a commercial for the Little League World Series that I thought was funny. They made some mention of it being a pure game. I about rolled thinking of that 43 year old Cuban "boy" pitching a couple of years back.

[duncan_idaho]

I think the main reason you don't see the big stars from the LLWS in college or pro ball is that the huge stars are simply overdeveloped 12 year olds.

I know that when I was 12, there were two types of good players: those that were good because they were bigger and stronger, and those that were normal sized but had good fundamentals. (I was one of the latter).

Most of the kids that were huge grew two more inches, then couldn't catch up to the rest of us when we hit OUR growth spurts. The best player I played with when I was that age was 5-9, 160 and threw about 70. He grew another inch and never was able to throw any harder. Then there was me, who was 5-3, 120 and threw about 55. Then I grew 11 inches by the time I was 15 and could into the 80s by the time I was 17.

My guess is, Kalen Pimental will fade into oblivion as the kids around him catch up in size and strength.

Oh, and it is possible to throw a good curveball without putting any strain on your arm, but you have to throw completely over the top. Most of these kids aren't doing that.

[BigRedChief]

Oh, and it is possible to throw a good curveball without putting any strain on your arm, but you have to throw completely over the top. Most of these kids aren't doing that.I call:BS:. What a load of Raiders. You know better. How many kids do you know that use perfect motion on every pitch?

Every frigging scientist and Doctor in the world says it hurts the elbow and the tendons/ligaments in the elbow. There is no debate. The only people who say there is no risk are Coaches and parents/kids who are throwing a curve ball. Does every person devlop arm problems. No. But that is a tremendous risk that a 12 year old should not be taking.

90% of the 12 year olds that play "Major" now will not be playing high school baseball. They are casualties of being pushed by their parents, coaches. They have been brainwashed into thinking that if they want to play college ball and have a shot at the Major leagues that they have to practice 5 days a week and spend every weekend in the summer in a baseball tournament. And thats just a plain old fashioned crock of :BS:.

You can refine your skills. Make them better but the bottom line is you either have the talent or you dont and no matter how many days you spend practcing as a 12 year old or how many curve balls you throw it won't make a single bit of difference whether you make it to college or the big show, but it will rob you of a chance to just be a normal kid enjoying a game played in the dirt and grass.

[Joe Seahawk]

I had an unusual kid on my team.. One practice we were all standing in a big circle doing stretches and he confessed to being a lesbian..
:shrug:

[Iowanian]

They are their league's all star representitives.. I coached my leagues all star team, but we didn't make it through the district tournament.. We never do.. :rolleyes:

Its obvious you just need a couple of 14 year old Cubans or Dominican left handers with 90mph sliders..........

[Simplex3]

I had an unusual kid on my team.. One practice we were all standing in a big circle doing stretches and he confessed to being a lesbian..
:shrug:
That was me. My bad for coming out of the closet but the all queer league was the only one with openings. I'm just glad you guys understood.

[Demonpenz]

yeah i don't see any noon to six curve balls out there.

[BigRedChief]

That was me. My bad for coming out of the closet but the all queer league was the only one with openings. I'm just glad you guys understood.

I had an 8 year old team once that the best pitcher was a girl. Use to strike out every boy she faced besides the 2-3 walks per game she would give up. Just ticked the hell out of the boys.

[Simplex3]

I had an 8 year old team once that the best pitcher was a girl. Use to strike out every boy she faced besides the 2-3 walks per game she would give up. Just ticked the hell out of the boys.
ROFL

That's hardly fair, really. First, guys are told they're supposed to be stronger than girls. Then the b**ches hit puberty first and, on average, are stronger and faster than the boys for a couple of years. It's sad really.

Of course after that we run the world, so who really cares.





:p

[duncan_idaho]

BigRed,

The strain on the elbow/arm comes from the snapping of the wrist most people use to throw a curveball. But if you throw straight over the top, you can mimic that effect by simply turning your wrist sideways and throwing the ball with a curveball grip. Kind of like throwing a dart. Any other type of breaking pitch will put the strain on the elbow.

I agree with most of what you said about the number of games you play. That repitition can't really help you until you've grown into your body. And there is much too little emphasis placed on the little things, in my opinion.

Of course, when I have kids, my son isn't pitching until he's at least 15-16. There's no point in it before that.

[BigRedChief]

BigRed,

The strain on the elbow/arm comes from the snapping of the wrist most people use to throw a curveball. But if you throw straight over the top, you can mimic that effect by simply turning your wrist sideways and throwing the ball with a curveball grip. Kind of like throwing a dart. Any other type of breaking pitch will put the strain on the elbow.

I agree with most of what you said about the number of games you play. That repitition can't really help you until you've grown into your body. And there is much too little emphasis placed on the little things, in my opinion.

Of course, when I have kids, my son isn't pitching until he's at least 15-16. There's no point in it before that.
In spite of 100% of Dr.'s and scientists saying that a 12 year old throwing a curve ball permantly damages a players arm lets assume that your theory is correct. How many 12 year olds do you know that can throw a mechinacally perfect pitch every time?

The fact that you wouldn't let your own son be pushed like this says to me that you feel it is wrong to be doing this to our kids.

There is a long term study being done now. The early data is astounding. We are ruining thousands of kids with this pushing them to excel at such an early age. Did you see the Costas special on HBO about the team Dr. in Cinnicinatti? Before 1998 he had done 5 Tommy John surgerys on 16 year olds or younger. Since 1998 he has done 68.

[duncan_idaho]

BigRed,

I'm not saying those doctors are wrong. But we're talking about two different ways to deliver the pitch. I would bet that less than 1/100th of one percent of pitchers throw the pitch the way I described (I know I didn't. I started throwing a slider instead when I was 15). And using that method doesn't require perfect mechanics... if the arm slot drops down, the ball simply doesn't move like a 12-to-6 curve. There is no twisting action at all, which is what hurts arms and elbows.

I'm not arguing that throwing a normal curveball places strain on the arm. I know it does, and doctors have proven it does. But I highly doubt that anyone has taken the time to study the effects of throwing a curveball as I described, because no one throws it that way.

And you'll get no arguments here about kids having too much pushed upon them. But I doubt that's the case with at least some of these kids... I would have played three games a day year round when I was 12.

[BigRedChief]

BigRed,

I'm not saying those doctors are wrong. But we're talking about two different ways to deliver the pitch. I would bet that less than 1/100th of one percent of pitchers throw the pitch the way I described (I know I didn't. I started throwing a slider instead when I was 15). And using that method doesn't require perfect mechanics... if the arm slot drops down, the ball simply doesn't move like a 12-to-6 curve. There is no twisting action at all, which is what hurts arms and elbows.

I'm not arguing that throwing a normal curveball places strain on the arm. I know it does, and doctors have proven it does. But I highly doubt that anyone has taken the time to study the effects of throwing a curveball as I described, because no one throws it that way.

And you'll get no arguments here about kids having too much pushed upon them. But I doubt that's the case with at least some of these kids... I would have played three games a day year round when I was 12.

Yeah and kids would only eat cake and candy if we let them also. Does that make it right?

Since we all agree that no one throws a ball like you describe its kind of a moot point isn't it?

[HarryParatestes]

My Supervisor is one of those OCD Baseball Moms. She has 2 boys, ages 7 and 10.


She eats sleeps and craps baseball. Pays HUGE money for every baseball camp and seminar she can get them into. She'll even pull them out of school to attend an out of town baseball camp. Amazing to talk to her...


:shake:

[duncan_idaho]

I agree it's a moot point... I was just saying that it WAS possible to throw a curve at that age without hurting your arm. Not likely or common, but possible. My school district's baseball coach (who left the high school before my freshman year, unfortunately) taught that curveball at his baseball camps, but he also strongly encouraged us to throw 85-90 percent fastballs, with an occasional changeup thrown in. But these coaches aren't interested in long-term development or health of the kids... they care more about winning now, obviously, and real curveballs/sliders do that. It really sucks, honestly.

And kids obviously shouldn't get what they want... my dad was my coach when I was 16, and I basically bullied him into leaving me in the game no matter how tired or sore my arm was... I paid the price for that.

[BigRedChief]

My Supervisor is one of those OCD Baseball Moms. She has 2 boys, ages 7 and 10.
She eats sleeps and craps baseball. Pays HUGE money for every baseball camp and seminar she can get them into. She'll even pull them out of school to attend an out of town baseball camp. Amazing to talk to her...:shake:

I deal with parents like this all the time. I have such a hard time recruiting the top level talent because we refuse to practice 5 days a week and travel to tournaments and pay for all these off season camps. It's out of hand. :shake:

[Deberg_1990]

Anyone watching?


Whassup with the white coach with reggae dreads?

[Rain Man]

I was so young and innocent when I made this thread.

[BigRedChief]

I was so young and innocent when I made this thread.Is search enabled again? How does these 10 year old threads get bumped?

[DaFace]

Is search enabled again? How does these 10 year old threads get bumped?

Google still works great.

[Dayze]

My sister in law is getting my nephew into more competitive baseball, but I don't think he really likes it. He did a few years ago when he was probably 7-9 yrs old when nearly everyone sucked and it was just fun for the kids etc. now, the kids that are still serious about it are really good and he's not. But she keeps signing him up. She also likes it because she's a drunk and all her other drunk mom friends use it as an excuse to drink, get out of town, etc.

[eDave]

They are their league's all star representitives.. I coached my leagues all star team, but we didn't make it through the district tournament.. We never do.. :rolleyes:

Looks like the common denominator is the coach. o:-)