2013 Little League World Series

I was the president of a local Pony League 9-10 yr old league; lead were allowed. Man it was brutal watching that form of game; 100x worse than Yanks-Bosox.

The gung-ho guys who want to see "real" baseball? They're only thinking about the top 1% of the kids. What about the fun for the 99% remaining? Where's the fun for them? you think its fun for them? They can barely make contact, run the bases or make a play in the field; now you want them to know how to take a lead and/or steal?

Don't kill the fun for the majority just to help the "gifted" few. Keep those to the "elite" tournaments. Go ahead, see how many Bryce Harpers come out of there.

 

That's what travel ball USED to be for. Now that's all diluted with delusional parents who think their kids are too good for LL. now you have horrible ball everywhere.

 

I would actually agree with this after watching three games this week with no stealing. Game is far more enjoyable to watch and moves quicker without the needless tosses and the inevitable stealing of second.

 

Ouch. Taiwan loses when Panama scores four in the sixth on an error by the third baseman, another ball that went under his glove (I think it was scored a hit), a walk, and an HBP on an 0-2 pitch.

The biggie coming up tomorrow night, California vs. Connecticut. I've got California at -135.

 

This isn't a bet. It's a cry for help. ;D

 

When did they start with dropped third strikes? I like that addition as well.

And they said the Czech Republic league prohibited breaking pitches until age 14. Another good idea.

 

Canada's team -- East Nepean Eagles from Ottawa-- lost 12-0 to Panama on Monday and were out.

Game was over after four innings. Ouch

Canada's made it to the Championship game once-- in 1965. Lost

Two of my sons played LL here in Toronto and my eldest was chosen for the rep team but got cut when he told them he had to go to goalie school for a week in July. Couldn't care that much

We've got other leagues up here with different rules than LL. Huggy Jr plays on the Brampton rep team.

 

2012.

 

Years and years ago, in a city league program, I coached a PONY-level team (13-14) which included some guys who were HS varsity players. Base stealing was alllowed without limit per HS rules.

Which meant, as soon as a player (ANY player) gets on first, now come the throws to first. Three or four of them and the kid takes off for second. Then the whole deal starts over with pickoff attempts to second. And then the kid steals third. And THEN we start having pickoff attempts at THIRD.

After about two games of the season, I went in to the rec director and begged and begged and begged him to put a lid on the base stealing -- limit leadoffs to 6 feet, go to the LL rule, whatever.

He didn't. Any time any player got on, he stole second, then third. A walk was the equivalent of a triple. Every time. Fast players, slow players, slim players, fat players, everybody. Everybody stole bases and nobody was ever thrown out.

Early in the season, coaching 3B, I worked out some signs for stealing bases. After a week or so, the steal sign consisted of me waving my arm and yelling, "Steal."

The entire season long, in the entire league, there was a grand total of exactly one (1) baserunner thrown out at 2B on a steal attempt by the catcher. We stopped the game and presented him with the game ball.

As far as pickoff throws by the pitchers at the bases, I would guess the totals would be something like this:

First base: 2,000 pickoff attempts, 40 successful pickoffs, 200 throwaway errors allowing the runner to advance multiple bases.

Second base: 1,000 attempts, 10 successes, 300 throwaways.

Third base: 500 attempts, 5 successes, 200 throwaways.

After about our third practice, I utterly forbade our pitchers EVER to make a pickoff attempt at third.

I said to them, "If that guy decides to steal, where the hell is he going?"

Pitcher: "Home."

Me: "Exactly. Make the damn pitch to the plate."

 

Not sure if the rules have changed, but once you move from the 10-11-12 year-old level of Little League to the 13-14-15 year-old level the games are played with regulation base and mound distances and kids can lead off and steal.

 

I think California is using some advanced metrics shit -- their second baseman is playing all the way out in right field and the ball is going straight to him.

 

I haven't watched much of this LLWS tourney but always do enjoy when I tune in, year to year, to these games.
But, at first glance today of this West (Calif) team's head coach, or whoever it was that made the pitching change there, he seems like a real douche.
He's mic'ed up and he's telling his star pitcher, during the change, to stop stepping on the mound and other random dictatorial comments.
Really seems like a crappy person to have to call coach.

His team's winning 12-1, BTW