The article says this is a developmental league for kids age 8 to 10 - which to me sounds like what we call around here "minor league", where you play until you are ready to participate in the "regular" little league level. If it's a developmental league and he's developed beyond the level of the league, I see no problem with saying he belongs in the next level up - that's what is supposed to happen. Sounds a little to me like they've kept him down in the lower league so he can dominate and win a championship - which if it's a developmental league they shouldn't have in the first place (so that fosters the problem, as do the pissing matches between parents & coaches on the two teams that wanted him). The two key things I see here are:
1. He probably is too good for the league which by definition is for kids who are "not so good yet". So, there is nothing wrong with having him bump up to the next level because that next level is designed for him accommodating both his age and ability (9 years old is little league age).

2. If the league he is in is truly a developmental league, then they shouldn't have playoffs and championships and parents bitching and moaning over who gets what kid and pulling kids off the field because they don't get their way.

He's a kid, he wants to play with his friends.

You really think that's the case Zapp? I've coached from tee ball through Babe Ruth and have seen stuff like this happen over and over again no matter if the age is 5 or 15 or somewhere in between.

And, even if that is what he wants, unfortunately you can't always get what you want (but if you try sometime you just might find, you get what you need .. aw yeah ... you get what you need - oops, sorry about that, back to the discussion ...). A 'developmental' league is there for just that ... to develop kids who need work on their baseball skills or who are not physically developed enough to play in little league. He does not appear to fit into either category and probably should not have been in that league to begin with. Once there, though, I do agree that they should let him pitch if other 9-year olds in the league are allowed to pitch. There's just a lot more to this story, I'm sure, than the mom, etc., are trying to portray (particularly when you see the comment about two teams wanting him to play for them and the mom calling the cops to try to get them to let the kid pitch - wtf?). It's more than "they won't let my little boy pitch because he's too good." There's a lot of adult drama going on beyond that - trying to win an 8-10 year old league championship for god sake.

Then why, oh why, did the league champion (defending) offer him a spot on THEIR team....then, the coach of the team and the president of the league now rule right before the playoffs the team couldn't play.

Originally Posted by Zapp Brannigan

Then why, oh why, did the league champion (defending) offer him a spot on THEIR team....then, the coach of the team and the president of the league now rule right before the playoffs the team couldn't play.

Did you miss the part where I said once he was in the league they should let him pitch? Or the part where I said this all has to do with the drama of ridiculous adults worrying about winning the championship of freakin' developmental league for 8 to 10-year olds (in both directions - his parents & coach wanting him to play there and the other coaches/teams that tried to get him and are now trying to get him excluded this far into the season)? I agree that since he's in that league now and of the proper age, etc., he should be allowed to pitch. I was simply pointing out that this is not a case of "sissifying America" or equivalent to making a kid move up to another league for older kids as some have suggested. And that the poor kid was put in this situation by adults who weren't looking out for his best interest & should have put him in regular little league right from the beginning. Their cry about him just wanting to play with his friends is likely only a smokescreen.

I was thinking the same thing as you legridder. 40 mph for a 9 year old isn't the most unreal thing I've ever heard of. I know when I was 10 there were people in my All-Star games throwing in the well into the 50s. It's not like the kid is throwing 70 or something ridiculous like that.

This is a developmental league whose main purpose is to promote the sport.

Sooo, you're promoting the sport by disbanding a team and punishing the best competitor??

Another example of bringing down the special people to make everybody special so nobody is.

Just a wild guess, but I'll bet the 'league attorney" didn't complete in sports as a kid.


Adults can really ruin things for kids now, because they have the need to filter the experience through their own sense of judgement. A couple years back I had big kid on a little league team I coached who threw 72 as a 12 year old, which is the equivalent of 103 in MLB when you factor in distance. And his control wasn't the best either. Nobody complained. Thank God that league's parents understood that the games were for the kids to play, not for the parents to watch and mitigate.

Originally Posted by OldShamrock

Another example of bringing down the special people to make everybody special so nobody is.

I completely disagree with that assertion. It's a DEVELOPMENTAL league - which by definition means it's for kids that aren't so good yet. If the kid is good enough to dominate a DEVELOPMENTAL league, then he should be in the regular league (where, guess what, he wouldn't dominate anymore but be just an average player for his age at the proper level for his age and ability). I don't think this situation has been handled well by anyone directly involved, but it is not an example of bringing down a special/talented person so that s/he is equal to everyone else.