LL Mandatory Play

[Pete in AZ]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

First off IMO you are missing the point.

This is All Stars so it's not like players 12 through 14 cannot play the game.

The International teams do not seem to have a problem with the rule. I believe last year the team that won had no problem getting 14 kids in the game whereas the US team only had 11.

I agree with Dave in that the "old" rule was better but EVERYONE is playing with the same rules so IMO it is inexusable for a Coach who Forfeits a game because all of his players did not meet MPR.

As for your comment about playing "real" baseball. Until LL moves the bases to 70ft. and allows runners to lead off, run on an uncaught third strike etc. then talk to me about "real" baseball.

This is All Stars not the regular season where a coach gets stuck "babysitting" for a handful of kids. The All Stars are selected.

Pete Booth

Didn't you see the story on ESPN.com about the Utah coach? That was no all star team...those were local kids playing and the kid who made the last out had two hits all season. Playoff baseball at that level is about playing...not watching.

[jwwashburn]

I have to throw a screwball here.

OK, HOW could this coach get into this situation? This is as bad as Marty Morningweig(Sp?) choosing to kick in overtime.

Even worse...WHY didn't he have his pitcher throw the pitch out of play? would that not have caused a run to score? LL has one base from the pitching plate, right?

Coaches should know the dang rules.

Joe

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

I have to throw a screwball here.

OK, HOW could this coach get into this situation? This is as bad as Marty Morningweig(Sp?) choosing to kick in overtime.

Even worse...WHY didn't he have his pitcher throw the pitch out of play? would that not have caused a run to score? LL has one base from the pitching plate, right?

Coaches should know the dang rules.

Joe

I didn't think about throwing it out of play. That would have worked, I am curious to know what the umpires would have done. Rules say that one base is awarded TOP, but they had already ejected a player and a coach for trying to lose the game. What else can you do?

Here's a solution, call them strikes!

Better yet, throw out all the coaches, and then say, no coaches left? Sorry, game over.

In all actuality, the TD should have stopped the game, called Williamsport, told them how awful it was, and then Williamsport could have forfeited the game to NH before it was over based off the actions of VT. That would have been the best, and most realistic, thing to do, rather then have the NH coach have his kids intentionally strike out. That made this incident go from funny to sad.