Jericho Scott

[Skahtboi]

In case some of you haven't heard, I thought I would post a link to this article. Political correctness and fair play are just getting way too out of hand.

[Dakota]

The saga continues: taking legal action

The league should tell the whiners to take their fragile little johnnies and have them play communist kickball, where they can all run around the field and no one can be embarrassed about not actually having any playing skill, and they can end the season with their participation ribbon on the wall and their delicate self-esteem intact.

Except for some side-bars to this story:

The pitcher at the center of this was apparently asked to join the previous league champion team before the season, but instead joined another team. If the league is "just for fun" why is there recruiting?

Second, a league official at the center of the move to ban the kid is the manager of the team that asked the kid to join before the season.

Third, if the team is disbanded, this league official's team (surprise) becomes the champion.

This isn't about a kid being too good, it is about adults playing hardball with a "just for fun" 10U baseball league.

Absolutely shameful.

[LMan]

This wouldn't have happened in Cal Ripken.

[JefferMC]

Last year my younger daughter, 9 at the time, was playing in the local rec league 10U division. One of the other teams had a pitcher who could throw in the mid to high 40's already, and had good control (I don't think she ever hit anyone). The other team normally only pitched her one, maybe two innings, sometimes none. Most of the batters either swang way late, or didn't swing at all. A lot jumped out of the box. No other team had a pitcher in that class, either the speed or the control.

Would we have told this girl she couldn't pitch? No. Did we think the coaches showed class by not thowing her every inning?! You betcha. (League rules this year prohibit a pitcher from throwing more than 2 innings in 10U so that you have to have more to your team than one awesome pitcher.)

This pitcher played 12U in a different league this year and did pretty well. You may have seen her. She pitched 9 of ten innings to win the semi-final game in the LLWS in Portland.

[IRISHMAFIA]

While I don't agree with the way it was handled, I can understand the request and I do not believe the request is unreasonable. This is, AGAIN, a private group that has every right to run their business as they see fit.

It wasn't like they threw the kid out of the league, they just asked the coach to not pitch him. If they did not want to comply, the league offered to return the parents' money, so there is no effort to cheat anyone out of anything.

I have yet to read one word which denies the accuracy of the league's concern. And, as far as I am concerned, no court has the authority to tell them how to run their league.

OTOH, let's assume this league receives support, financial or otherwise, from the city of New Haven (i.e., public fields, maintenance, etc.). Now, the court does have some say.

Let's assume the court tells the league they must allow the player to pitch. Now the parents refuse to allow their children to participate. What's the judge going to do, order the other children to stand in the batter's box against this kid?

If common sense prevailed, which IMO so far it hasn't, the kid's parents would explain to their son he has a helluva gift which raises his level of play above that of the rest of the league. They would TELL the coach he is to play whatever other position is available and while this season winds down, would be looking for a higher level of ball for their son to play next season.

Of course, the alternative is the ruination of a recreational league and an obvious loss to the community and it's youth.

But sometimes you just have to offer up the good of the community for the egos of some idiot parents.

[Dakota]

Several things:

Contract law does not exempt private businesses or organizations. I have no idea if there was an agreement that would constitute a contract, but if so, the league may be cooked. For example, ASA is a private business; they have player eligibility rules. If those are followed, they cannot just decide to ban a player because he/she is "too good" for the age division.

The league is not operating in good faith. The manager of the second place team (who is also a league official) knew how good the kid was and tried to recruit him. Now that he is on another team and winning the league championship, he is "too good"? Sure, right. You bet. All kinds of things wrong with this. How can a rec league have player recruitment? How can the same person both want the player on his team, but claim he is too good for the league if he is on another team? How can a league official use his power to disqualify the opponent's star player so his team will be champion?

[bluezebra]

Originally Posted by JefferMC

Last year my younger daughter, 9 at the time, was playing in the local rec league 10U division. One of the other teams had a pitcher who could throw in the mid to high 40's already, and had good control (I don't think she ever hit anyone). The other team normally only pitched her one, maybe two innings, sometimes none. Most of the batters either swang way late, or didn't swing at all. A lot jumped out of the box. No other team had a pitcher in that class, either the speed or the control.

Would we have told this girl she couldn't pitch? No. Did we think the coaches showed class by not thowing her every inning?! You betcha. (League rules this year prohibit a pitcher from throwing more than 2 innings in 10U so that you have to have more to your team than one awesome pitcher.)

This pitcher played 12U in a different league this year and did pretty well. You may have seen her. She pitched 9 of ten innings to win the semi-final game in the LLWS in Portland.

Most of the batters either swang way late...

Dizzy Dean is alive and well, and posting on this forum.

Bob

[whiskers_ump]

Most 10U girls teams would be looking for a new pitcher if she only three 40 MPH.

[JefferMC]

Originally Posted by whiskers_ump

Most 10U girls teams would be looking for a new pitcher if she only three 40 MPH.

Travel: Maybe.

Rec: no, 40 is an adequate speed. At this age in the three rec leagues I'm familiar with, most of the pitchers are still trying to throw strikes.