Chock This Up to the Wussification of America

[The Dad Fisherman]

The rest of the league can't take watching their little johnny strike out.....

Sad


9-year-old boy told he’s too good to pitch
By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, Associated Press Writer
Aug 25, 8:37 pm EDT

Buzz Up PrintNEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP)—Nine-year-old Jericho Scott is a good baseball player— too good, it turns out.

The right-hander has a fastball that tops out at about 40 mph. He throws so hard that the Youth Baseball League of New Haven told his coach that the boy could not pitch any more. When Jericho took the mound anyway last week, the opposing team forfeited the game, packed its gear and left, his coach said.

Officials for the three-year-old league, which has eight teams and about 100 players, said they will disband Jericho’s team, redistributing its players among other squads, and offered to refund $50 sign-up fees to anyone who asks for it. They say Jericho’s coach, Wilfred Vidro, has resigned.

But Vidro says he didn’t quit and the team refuses to disband. Players and parents held a protest at the league’s field on Saturday urging the league to let Jericho pitch.

“He’s never hurt any one,” Vidro said. “He’s on target all the time. How can you punish a kid for being too good?”

The controversy bothers Jericho, who says he misses pitching.

“I feel sad,” he said. “I feel like it’s all my fault nobody could play.”

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.

Jericho instead joined a team sponsored by Will Power Fitness. The team was 8-0 and on its way to the playoffs when Jericho was banned from pitching.

“I think it’s discouraging when you’re telling a 9-year-old you’re too good at something,” said his mother, Nicole Scott. “The whole objective in life is to find something you’re good at and stick with it. I’d rather he spend all his time on the baseball field than idolizing someone standing on the street corner.”

League attorney Peter Noble says the only factor in banning Jericho from the mound is his pitches are just too fast.

“He is a very skilled player, a very hard thrower,” Noble said. “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.”

Noble acknowledged that Jericho had not beaned any batters in the co-ed league of 8- to 10-year-olds, but say parents expressed safety concerns.

“Facing that kind of speed” is frightening for beginning players, Noble said.

League officials say they first told Vidro that the boy could not pitch after a game on Aug. 13. Jericho played second base the next game on Aug. 16. But when he took the mound Wednesday, the other team walked off and a forfeit was called.

League officials say Jericho’s mother became irate, threatening them and vowing to get the league shut down.

“I have never seen behavior of a parent like the behavior Jericho’s mother exhibited Wednesday night,” Noble said.

Scott denies threatening any one, but said she did call the police.

League officials suggested that Jericho play other positions, or pitch against older players or in a different league.

Local attorney John Williams was planning to meet with Jericho’s parents Monday to discuss legal options.

“You don’t have to be learned in the law to know in your heart that it’s wrong,” he said. “Now you have to be punished because you excel at something?”

[RIJIMMY]

not suprising.
In fact a whole political party has made this their MO.



sorry couldnt resist

[The Dad Fisherman]

I know, But Bush Still Sucks

I couldn't resist either

[The Iceman 6]

Agreed TDF. Gotta love it when all the kiddies get a soccer trophy too, NOT.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Ever see that King of the Hill episode where Bobby quits the Football team to play Soccer...a classic

Coach says to the Kids "Don't go crazy now, We've already secured the tie"

[Raven]

i'm outraged and i'm not a father

[The Iceman 6]

Don't get me wrong my daughters play soccer, I see it as great off ice training for Hockey.

[likwid]

Whats the next age group up?
Let the kid throw heat at them.

Its not like he's going to learn anything or progress pitching against kids who can't hit him.

[spence]

Originally Posted by likwid

Whats the next age group up?
Let the kid throw heat at them.

Its not like he's going to learn anything or progress pitching against kids who can't hit him.

I agree.

After watching my stepson move through LL and BR, having someone with that kind of grease would be very disruptive and potentially dangerous. Yes, he's not hit anyone but a novice player doesn't know how to get out of the way of a fast ball.

Move him up.

-spence

[NIB]

Originally Posted by likwid

Whats the next age group up?
Let the kid throw heat at them.

Its not like he's going to learn anything or progress pitching against kids who can't hit him.

It happens all the time where skilled players are bumped up.I was bumped up 35 yrs ago..
When My brother tried to have his son skiped up thru the T-Ball league.They laughed at him, calling his son the next Mickey Mantle.At 6 yrs old he dwarfs ALL the other kids and he drills overhand pitching..So he said F it..Now while on the T, He's drilling kids throwin dirtbombs at each other..

[Joe]

Prodigies should be in the AAU Leagues - they have better coaching, more competitive play, everyone would be better off.
The reality is one kid looks great and a bunch of other kids get turned off to the sport. That's why soccer is so popular with younger kids - it's fun. They don't have to stand up there alone and strike out in front of everyone - they can just run up and down the field get some exercise and have a good time.

[PaulS]

Why do they have size limits for pop warner football?

[The Dad Fisherman]

So all you folks that are saying move him up are alright with the whole "We aren't going to play with him" attitude and walking off the field.

The problem isn't the fact that the kid is good the problem is teaching the kids its OK to not take on a challenge and to give up and walk away.

Forfeiting a game because the pitcher is to good is rediculous....you get up there and take your hacks...if you get a hit great, if you strike out at least you tried.

Bottom line is the kid is 9 and playing in a league for 8-10 year olds...deal with it. Either hit the kids stuff or not....but don't walk away without even trying. WTF kinda message is that

[spence]

I would agree that walking away from the challenge would be wrong, although I'd be curious to know the undercurrents that were not in the story. There has to be more to it than this...

-spence

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

So all you folks that are saying move him up are alright with the whole "We aren't going to play with him" attitude and walking off the field.

The problem isn't the fact that the kid is good the problem is teaching the kids its OK to not take on a challenge and to give up and walk away.

Forfeiting a game because the pitcher is to good is rediculous....you get up there and take your hacks...if you get a hit great, if you strike out at least you tried.

Bottom line is the kid is 9 and playing in a league for 8-10 year olds...deal with it. Either hit the kids stuff or not....but don't walk away without even trying. WTF kinda message is that

NICE !!!!
News flash, people are goign to be smarter than you.
People are gioing to be better looking than you.
People are make much more $ than you
People are going to catch more fish than you,
And kids, what should you do? Quit?

[PaulS]

http://www.courant.com/sports/hc-you...,2440011.story

http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.asp?brd=1281

There some info. there.

I'm split on this and there are good points on both sides. I think if the kids were older, I would have no sympathy for them but with 8 year olds and the weight problems kids have today, I could see the point with having either play another position or move him to an older league.

The mother sounds like a real idiot and has threatened people, gotten an attorney and said that when she is done, the league will be shut down.

The part of new Haven where the league is has many problems with drugs, prostitution and killings, etc. All the good the league does is being overshadowed by this.

[Andy D]

These are inner city kids whose parents probably can't afford to put him on an AAU team. If you put him up to the next level 11,12,13 a 40mph pitch is a meatball now it becomes " Dangerous" for this 9yr old to be on the mound with older kids using aluminum bats hitting balls back at him. Getting hit by a pitched ball is safer than a ball that is hit . Also it's not like this kid pitches every game. I think the league is teaching these kids it's o.k. to quit in the face of a challenge.

[Joe]

I coached a baseball team last season 7-10 year olds.
The objectives are: have fun, make friends, learn the game.

[rwilhelm]

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! When I played LL there was kid that threw some serious gas. Yeah I was a little scared when I had to bat against him but that is part of the game. The kid cannot help the fact that he is further ahead than most kids in LL.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Joe

I coached a baseball team last season 7-10 year olds.
The objectives are: have fun

The kid Pitching is having a good time....and I'm pretty sure his team mates are enjoying winning when he's on the mound

Originally Posted by Joe

make friends

And moving him to a league w/ kids that are older than him and he will not see at school helps this how???

Originally Posted by Joe

learn the game.

Is Striking out not part of the game...or learning to hit a Fastball.

[buckman]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

So all you folks that are saying move him up are alright with the whole "We aren't going to play with him" attitude and walking off the field.

The problem isn't the fact that the kid is good the problem is teaching the kids its OK to not take on a challenge and to give up and walk away.

Forfeiting a game because the pitcher is to good is rediculous....you get up there and take your hacks...if you get a hit great, if you strike out at least you tried.

Bottom line is the kid is 9 and playing in a league for 8-10 year olds...deal with it. Either hit the kids stuff or not....but don't walk away without even trying. WTF kinda message is that

I agree. This is spoiled American BS. I'm going to say the kids dad throws the ball around with him and has since he could walk. The other parents drop their kid off to be babysat by the coach. Like everything else you reap what you sow. It's a great life lesson. Work hard and you are rewarded not kicked off the team. What a bunch of spoiled brats.

[The Iceman 6]

+ the kid stated specifically that he didn't want to move up.

[Slipknot]

wussification

the officials made a mistake, they need to fix it now.

I don't blame the coach for not backing down.
I don't blame the mother for getting pissed

I feel bad for the kid

That is just SO WRONG

he should be allowed to play with his friends, the other teams that don't want to are making a poor choice.

I don't know what they heck these people are thinking

[Joe]

I didn't advocate quitting or moving him up. I believe in a ratings system for youth baseball - I think particpation would increase. I guess that makes me a wuss.
If a kid has the skills of someone in the top .005% he's got a gift and should be in a place where that gift can be developed with kids of similar skills.
But would I pull my kid out? No.

[Mike P]

I wonder how this would have played out if the kid decided to pitch for the defending champion team (Carlito's Barber Shop) that tried to recruit him

Sounds like Carlito is getting his "Way" here.

[likwid]

big fish little pond

[The Dad Fisherman]

I wonder, What if the kid was the Worst pitcher in the league and he only pitches because his coach/dad makes him, and every kid in the league just shellacs everything he throws at them....would they refuse to play because it makes that kid look bad.....I doubt it.

[wheresmy50]

Originally Posted by PaulS

Why do they have size limits for pop warner football?

When I played, the fat/tall kids had to wear a piece of black tape on their helmets and couldn't carry the ball. No one died.

I know comics have beat this to death, but when I was a kid, there was a dome thing on the playground that we climbed on that was built over ground that was packed so hard that no grass would grow (again, no one died - it's a common theme here). Now you can't bring peanut butter to schools because there's a one in 10 million chance that someone could have a reaction. Now if you're too good, you can't pitch cause you could hurt someone's feelings.

If the Russians ever invade, we're going to get our butts kicked.

We've now taken another step backwards. Not only are we not rewarding success, we're actually punishing it. God help us.

[spence]

Originally Posted by wheresmy50

If the Russians ever invade, we're going to get our butts kicked.

Not, they don't know what they'd be fighting for.

-spence

[NIB]

Originally Posted by Mike P

I wonder how this would have played out if the kid decided to pitch for the defending champion team (Carlito's Barber Shop) that tried to recruit him

Sounds like Carlito is getting his "Way" here.

Carlito gets killed in the end..