9 YO told he is too good to pitch (baseball)

[Tucson]

I actually have heard of this happening, before.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/08/25/pitcher.toogood.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

[almosthuman]

LL pitching distance is 46 ft. They must be ridiculously close for anyone to fear 40 mph. I had 9 year olds on my LL teams that could routinely throw 50-55 mph.

Mom should forget the lawyer and just start a travel team!

[anonlooker]

The kid shouldn't be playing in a developmental league if he's all that.

His parents should get him into a competitive atmosphere with kids at his talent level so he can continue to progress.

Can't see how he's going to improve much on a co-ed team striking out a bunch of 9 yo girls straight out of t-ball.

The real problem here is poor parental guidance.

[Sam]

I actually have heard of this happening, before.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/08/25/pitcher.toogood.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

The parents are doing the exact right thing. The kid has every right to pitch at that level. The other parents in the league can pull their kids out if they are uncomfortable. The league doesn't have the right to say who can pitch and who can't pitch.

Should they put him in a higher league? Maybe...not my call. Would you put your 9 year old on a team with ten 12 year olds? I wouldn't. My nine year old can wait until he's 11 to learn how to cuss and lust after girls.

I think the parents should sue the league's collective butts off for being absolute cowards.

[anonlooker]

MY DD is technically eligible to play 12u rec ball, but what's the point?

Sure, he may have the right to play (and wreak havoc with the experience for every other kid in this developmental league), but how does this scenario work to the benefit of the kid and his future as a ball player?

So great, sue the league, which will back down and let the kid pitch, but then the parents of the other kids have an equal right to not put their daughters in the way of his fastball, so his team will win on forfiets all the way to the league championship, and the kid won't ever throw a pitch anyway. Talk about a boy named Sue!

[DonnieS]

>> but then the parents of the other kids have an equal right to not put their daughters in the way of his fastball, <<

Other than the other kids acting like sissies, why are you saying 'their daughters'. We had to early grower types in our 10u league when my daughters where playing - one was very accurate, and one you never knew how many kids she would take out. My dd adopted the attitude that she would never show that this pitcher hurt her - my dd knew very well that the reason the kid was wild was she didnt practice - all she was was big. While I do know a kid that quit because of fear of the ball, there was vitually noone in the league who considered quitting because of her speed - not a thought. What a bunch of wimps.

[anonlooker]

I put that in because, based on the article, it's a co-ed league, and that is apparently the route the other teams have chosen to take... not saying I condone it... but that's where it appears to be heading.

[ballguy]

The key here is this is a developmental league from a small town with about 100 players. 40 mph is not fast for 9 year olds who have decent form and technique. Sounds like a league run by a couple of individuals who want to follow the rules as long as they benefit from them. This boy needs to play in a regular league where he is with players of his own caliber. For a point of reference my son played on a 12U travel team 2 yrs ago that pitched from 50 feet. Their ace pitcher threw 79-80 mph with 5 more pitchers in the high 60's to low 70's.

[Tucson]

I wonder how the mother was approached about this? Was it "Sonny, is really good. Were you and your husband athletes? I was wondering if he should move up to the next level where he can play against kids of his talent?"

Or was it "We've decided that Sonny throws too hard and might hit someone. We aren't going to let him pitch."

Generally, when a coach came to me and told me what my kids should be doing and why, I was agreeable.

[NewCoach]

"Jericho's coach and parents say the boy is being unfairly targeted because he turned down an invitation to join the defending league champion, which is sponsored by an employer of one of the league's administrators"

If you don't pitch for my team you wont pitch for anyone. The ultimate in Daddyball.