9 yr old banned from little league? Your thoughts?

Question

Apparently in CT, a little 9 yr old boy is being banned from the Little League simply because he pitches “too fast”. Lots of parents on opposing teams were angry at the fact that this boy pitches so well that their children feel intimidated. So the league has banned this particular boy from playing as well as banned the team he plays on from playing.

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ap-toogoodtopitch&prov=ap&type=lgns

I’m curious where some of you stand on this as parents.

I personally feel that no child should receive special treatment when part of a team. The League has rules, this boy is within those rules in terms of age and he paid his dues and just happens to be a great pitcher. Why is everyone so upset about it? Parents need to allow their children to play a game, win or lose. We need to stop clearing the path for our children and allow them to have a little life experience themselves. I think this 9 yr old boy is being treated unfairly. All he wants to do is play baseball with his friends. In my opinion, if I were the parent of the 9 yr old boy, I’d be pretty upset over someone banning him because he’s too good. As the parent of all the other kids playing him, well hey, time to practice a bit more if you ask me. Learn how to hit off a faster pitch. Because once you leave Little League, the stakes are raised up anyways.

So I’m curious, what do you think about this story? What would you do as the parents of the 9 yr old boy? What about as the parents of all those other children?

Thanks!

Answer 1

wow the 13th time this question has been asked....just keeping a tally. and not only that, just 6 questions ago!!

they neeed to let the kid play, and maybe the other kids need to practice harder. or the parents need to let their kids try to play up to his level and quit complaining

Answer 2

i saw this on espn this morning. i truely think this is unfair for the kid.  as a teenager myself, i went through little league. there is always going to be kids that are better than others. it makes the game more exciting. Sure, hes intimidating to the other kids, but that is what baseball is all about, challenging yourself.  

Answer 3

i think its absolutly disgusting that they would tell a nine year old your too good to do what your good at you have to do something else. i say if the parents are actually scared for their childrens safety they should say something to the league right now it seem more like the team that wanted him is protesting . how many parents actually know how fast he is pitching. come on!

Answer 4

I think we don't know the whole story.  The League Attorney says "There are a lot of beginners. This is not a high-powered league. This is a developmental league whose main purpose is to promote the sport.”  What we don't know is if there's is another league with the same ages that's more competitive.  

If there is another league at that age level then I think the kid should move to the other league.  If this league is indeed just for beginners and developing then it doesn't do the kid any good to be in this league as well as all of the other players that have to face him.

However, if this is the only league for that age level then I say let him pitch instead of moving him up to an older kid league.

Answer 5

I do not feel that it is right for him to be kicked out of the league, however I also do not think that it is right for him to be playing with those kids. If he is clearly that much better than everyone else, then he should be moved to a league with older kids who can handle his pitches. He isn't going to get better by pitching to kids who are just beginners.

Answer 6

I think this is totally wrong my nephew just turned 8 and he is throwing in the upper 30 around 37 or 38 and he is getting stronger every few months the kid has a talent let him play.

Answer 7

Too many parents these days.. don't KNOW how to teach their kids TO TRY -- and baseball is 60--70% about LOSING and not succeeding & retrying over and over... and the kids can't handle it, and the parents -- many of whom shouldn't even Be There, but are for their entertainment/travel purposes, can't handle their kids Striking Out and crying, etc. and threatening to Quit. If they can't "win" they don't want to play/try. In fact, ALL of these kids may be too young to play.. and maybe too immature, because they only see a baseball field when their mommy/daddy bring them..

Some people may think -- the 9 yr old simply should play in a higher league (with better talent at a higher age level). That's not right, either, because of his maturity-level.. he's 9 yrs old and 11/12 is a BIG difference, many ways. Everyone other team, player and parent should just know who's pitching and that they have to change, try harder, alter strategy and PREPARE for that kid.. is all. You may NOT win, but you can TRY.

There's a lesson in this -- but it reveals the "babying" side ot today's parents, suburbia and the Little League culture, which have NOTHING to do with simply learning to play the game. I'd LOVE to see a LAW SUIT vs. ALL the league, coaches and parents who have forfeited games, pulled their teams OFF fields because another kid was pitching that day (!!!) and forced his team to disband, because it's too hard to beat?

Nonsense.

Answer 8

I'm not a parent, but I think its absolutely ridicules that they would do such a thing to a 9yr old boy. I am no Lawyer, but I'm sure something can be done to put a stop to something so wrong.

On a high note though, if he is only 9 and is able to  pitch so well, hes gonna have a heck of a career if he takes it all the way to his adulthood.

Answer 9

im no where near a parent, i use to play in little league softball. i was a pitcher and i pitched faster than everyone else in the league and i was the MVP in the championship game, my proudest moment lol. anyway kids use to play in the sandlots in the backfields. parents are spoiling the game for little kids. they are ruining the best thing that has probably ever happened to the kids. would you rather have your kidded tackled by a 80 pound defensive and end up with a concussion or get hit in the leg with a little sting? i mean c'mon, let the kid play

Answer 10

HE'S IN A LEAGUE WITH KIDS HIS OWN AGE-SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THE OTHER KIDS NEED TO LEARN HOW TO HIT THE FASTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 11

PARENTS are to blame. instead of teaching their kids to face their fears they are telling them to hide behind politics. this is probably the biggest charactor builder these kids will ever face in their whole lives. years from now when this kid is debuting in the MLB, the kids from his little league SHOULD be telling whoever is around that THEY got to face this phenom in little league(with pride), and they did their best to try and get a hit off of him. and some would have! now the story will be hidden because they will then know that they let their parents disgrace their childhood because they were too scared to face him.

Answer 12

Wow! How pathetic is that? This is just another example of moaning & complaining going too far.  If their kids can't handle this kids pitching than they shouldn't be playing. Go play marbles or something which is safer.

Answer 13

I'm not sure really.

I think it must suck to be nine and watch another team of children and the adults involved walk away from you because you are too good at something.

If he's already throwing at 40mph, he's probably capable of throwing faster but can't get there because of the kids he's playing with now or he can throw faster but is scared the parents will say something since they are already complaining.

I work with kids and am learning how much they just want to please people at this age.

That being said he's only nine. He's on the right team. He's the size of a nine year old and putting him on a league with 11 and 12 year olds make me cringe a little.

If there were another team with kids his age that he could be on that might be better but at this age it is mostly about friends and his friends seem to be his team mates. What 11 and 12 year olds would want to be friends with a 9 year old especially if he turns out to be better than them at some point. I'd be happy if it happened and he made friends with the older kids but 11 and 12 olds will be hitting middle school soon and probably will not be wanting to do too much with a 9 year old.

I think the best thing to do is let this little boy stay on his team. The parents on this other team should help their kids to learn how to take a loss gracefully or to strive to be as good as this little boy. If the kids on the other team work to get better everyone benefits. The children who will be able to hit or at least tap this boy's balls and Jericho because he will need to be faster if the other team gets better : )

Answer 14

This is wrong. To tell a young boy that he can't play anymore because the other kids can't hit the ball is ******* outrageous. This kind of PC bullshit is going to ruin us all.

Answer 15

He shouldn't be banned from Little League. He shouldn't be banned from pitching. What they are doing is wrong. By banning this boy they could cause mental anguish to him and his family. If they won't let him play with the 9 year olds, maybe he can move up and play in a better league. Good luck to the boy and his family!!

Answer 16

That is a slap on the face of baseball in any level of skill. The kid is not a "ringer", because he's within his own age group and he is not breaking any rules of baseball to warrant his getting disqualified from play.

Just because he's probably a pitching prodigy, it scares the parents and opposing coaches do death having someone that is capable of striking out his opponents at will with his devastating fast ball.

It's typical that whatever is not "normal" will scare people and fearful of his skill at such a young age. It's just a matter of the opposition eliminating someone that can truly play the sport. He should be reinstated to play.