OT: Trumbull CT little league

[Husky25]

I've coached Little League for nine years, starting when my oldest son was in Tee-Ball. He has one more weekend of games for his AAU team and will be vying next week for a spot on a U-14 team for the Fall and next Spring, even though he would still be eligible for the U-13 that he played at this season. My youngest just completed his 1st season of Minors (i.e. only three years left in LL).

I've filled all sorts of roles: Board Member, Level Director, Safety Officer, Head Manager, Assistant Coach, Fallball Coordinator, Plate/Field Umpire, official score keeper...even grill man in the concession stand (ours is fairly robust).

I say all that to say this...Nearly anything thrown to this kid in that stance is a strike if I'm behind the plate. Period. This is worse than the kids who step out of the box every pitch, if only because this is the LLWS and the kid should know better. Besides, the strike zone is established when the batter steps into the box. Not by his stance.

 

[RuffRuff]

Played Trumbull Legion, same time as those guys. They then defected and played Pony instead for some reason. Was bummed.

 

[controlfade]

I played for Southington LL the same year as the Trumbull team that won the title and we had three separate teams that participated. Southington South, West and North. We would have been really good if we could have fielded only one combined Southington team.

i played for East Hartford and we had 4 different teams and that was early 80's

 

[JMick]

Played Trumbull Legion, same time as those guys. They then defected and played Pony instead for some reason. Was bummed.

Youth sports league drama is the craziest drama. Babe Ruth vs Little League, Legion vs AAU, Pop Warner vs AYF. Parents fighting board members to change leagues because one is "better" than the other, boards giving in or resigning, teams end up on islands because all the other programs in the area leave for another league. It's so weird.

 

[WaterDawg]

I went to St. Teresa’s in Trumbull and was friends with Danny McGrath from Australia, the outfielder that caught the final out of the game. Took the same bus home from school and our dads worked together as engineers for Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford.

 

[RuffRuff]

Youth sports league drama is the craziest drama. Babe Ruth vs Little League, Legion vs AAU, Pop Warner vs AYF. Parents fighting board members to change leagues because one is "better" than the other, boards giving in or resigning, teams end up on islands because all the other programs in the area leave for another league. It's so weird.

Kinda what happened here - was no good reason to go Pony over Legion back then.

 

[Husky25]

Babe Ruth did not compete with Little League when I was a kid. I don't think they do now either.

LL is 12U. Babe Ruth goes 14-16 IIRC. Pony was a single transition year for 13 YO (i.e. just aged out of Little League) to get used to the 90 foot diamond with their peers. Some communities play 50/70. We jumped right to 60.5/90 as 13 year olds back in the day.

AAU is all ages so it competes with Little League, Legion, Senior Babe, etc.

Anyway how about that stance? Is anyone else awarding that player a ball (egregiously outside notwithstanding...even then), let alone a walk?

 

[Chuck]

Thread resurrection time!!

I've coached Little League for nine years, starting when my oldest son was in Tee-Ball. He is has one more weekend of games for his AAU team and will be vying next week for a spot on a U-14 team for the Fall and next Spring, even though he would still be eligible for the U-13 that he played at this season. My youngest just completed his 1st season of Minors (i.e. only three years left in LL).

I've filled all sorts of roles: Board Member, Level Director, Safety Officer, Head Manager, Assistant Coach, Fallball Coordinator, Plate/Field Umpire, official score keeper...even grill man in the concession stand (ours is fairly robust).

I say all that to say this...Nearly anything thrown to this kid in that stance is a strike if I'm behind the plate. Period. This is worse than the kids who step out of the box every pitch, if only because this is the LLWS and the kid should know better. Besides, the strike zone is established when the batter steps into the box. Not by his stance.

This is bush league, but you are wrong about the strike zone. "According to the current edition of Little League’s Rules, Regulations, and Policies, the STRIKE ZONE is that space over home plate which is between the batter’s armpits and the top of the knees when the batter assumes a natural stance. The umpire shall determine the strike zone according to the batter’s usual stance when that batter swings at a pitch."

So, if this kid really bats like that, then that's his strike zone. Rickey Henderson had a small strike zone because he really had a crouched stance. But the kid in the video clearly (in my opinion, and yours) has no intention of really batting like that. It's the coach's fault for letting the kid do this.

 

[Husky25]

This is bush league, but you are wrong about the strike zone. "According to the current edition of Little League’s Rules, Regulations, and Policies, the STRIKE ZONE is that space over home plate which is between the batter’s armpits and the top of the knees when the batter assumes a natural stance. The umpire shall determine the strike zone according to the batter’s usual stance when that batter swings at a pitch."

So, if this kid really bats like that, then that's his strike zone. Rickey Henderson had a small strike zone because he really had a crouched stance. But the kid in the video clearly (in my opinion, and yours) has no intention of really batting like that. It's the coach's fault for letting the kid do this.

That is not a batting stance, let alone a natural stance. No one, least of all this player, can hit out of that stance, as evidenced by him nearly falling over backwards. For that pronounced of a "crouch," the natural stance is at what position the player is in immediately preceding the crouch.

Henderson's natural stance did not shrink his strike zone per se, but pitchers found it difficult to pitch to him because of its appearance and the fact that he was Rickey Fv<kln& Henderson. Also in the days before Questec (and the like), umpires gave Henderson the benefit of the doubt.

The funny thing is that the pitch looked like it was a strike regardless and appeared to be called as such.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Thread resurrection time!!

I've coached Little League for nine years, starting when my oldest son was in Tee-Ball. He is has one more weekend of games for his AAU team and will be vying next week for a spot on a U-14 team for the Fall and next Spring, even though he would still be eligible for the U-13 that he played at this season. My youngest just completed his 1st season of Minors (i.e. only three years left in LL).

I've filled all sorts of roles: Board Member, Level Director, Safety Officer, Head Manager, Assistant Coach, Fallball Coordinator, Plate/Field Umpire, official score keeper...even grill man in the concession stand (ours is fairly robust).

I say all that to say this...Nearly anything thrown to this kid in that stance is a strike if I'm behind the plate. Period. This is worse than the kids who step out of the box every pitch, if only because this is the LLWS and the kid should know better. Besides, the strike zone is established when the batter steps into the box. Not by his stance.

I feel like there is one of these videos of a kid crouching down trying to draw a walk every year. Or of a kid who looks like he cuts himself shaving while driving himself to the games hitting moonshots on Sportscenter. Integrity goes out the window a lot of times in youth sports these days.

 

[Husky25]

I feel like there is one of these videos of a kid crouching down trying to draw a walk every year. Or of a kid who looks like he cuts himself shaving while driving himself to the games hitting moonshots on Sportscenter. Integrity goes out the window a lot of times in youth sports these days.

These days? Remember Danny Almonte? How about the Chinese Taipei teams mentioned by the OP? There is a fine line and if an organization feel the need to cheat, I put it mostly on the adults.

A kid cannot be judged by his/her appearance alone. For instance, my son turns 13 in a few weeks, and as I mentioned above, he aged out of Little League last year. In fact he was still 11 when the All-Star team was bounced from Districts last Summer. Also he got a razor for Christmas last year, four months after turning 11.

One of his good friends is less than 6 weeks younger, same grade, just as tall, 20 or so pounds heavier, and was still eligible for the Little League season that just ended.

 

[Chuck]

I feel like there is one of these videos of a kid crouching down trying to draw a walk every year. Or of a kid who looks like he cuts himself shaving while driving himself to the games hitting moonshots on Sportscenter. Integrity goes out the window a lot of times in youth sports these days.

But everyone loved Big Al!

Make sure you watch past the first couple kids.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

These days? Remember Danny Almonte? How about the Chinese Taipei teams mentioned by the OP? There is a fine line and if an organization feel the need to cheat, I put it mostly on the adults.

For instance, my son turns 13 in a few weeks, and as I mentioned above, he aged out of Little League last year. In fact he was still 11 when the All-Star team was bounced from Districts. One of his good friends is less than 6 weeks younger, same grade, just as tall, 20 or so pounds heavier, and was still eligible for the season that just ended.

Oh it’s 1000% on the parents and you’re right, this isn’t new. Just seems more prevalent. Maybe I’m just paying attention to it more now bc my kids are playing.

 

[HooperScooper]

These days? Remember Danny Almonte? How about the Chinese Taipei teams mentioned by the OP? There is a fine line and if an organization feel the need to cheat, I put it mostly on the adults.

A kid cannot be judged by his/her appearance alone. For instance, my son turns 13 in a few weeks, and as I mentioned above, he aged out of Little League last year. In fact he was still 11 when the All-Star team was bounced from Districts last Summer. Also he got a razor for Christmas last year, four months after turning 11.

One of his good friends is less than 6 weeks younger, same grade, just as tall, 20 or so pounds heavier, and was still eligible for the Little League season that just ended.

Gotta stop giving your son milk from cows that were given growth hormones.

 

[Husky25]

Gotta stop giving your son milk from cows that were given growth hormones.

Ha! He doesn't really drink milk.

 

[HitDog]

I was down at Disney World about 10 years ago. I went to play golf as a single. I got paired up with a guy from New Jersey. After a few holes I ask him where in Jersey. He says Toms River. I ask if he knew anyone from little league team that won the World Series. I don't think I ever seen a bigger smile. His son was the catcher on the team.

 

[HCCForever]

I was down at Disney World about 10 years ago. I went to play golf as a single. I got paired up with a guy from New Jersey. After a few holes I ask him where in Jersey. He says Toms River. I ask if he knew anyone from little league team that won the World Series. I don't think I ever seen a bigger smile. His son was the catcher on the team.

It was pretty cool to see Todd Frazier as a LL champ on the field with Jeter. And then years later he made MLB and the Yankees.

 

[mauconnfan]

Babe Ruth did not compete with Little League when I was a kid. I don't think they do now either.

LL is 12U. Babe Ruth goes 14-16 IIRC. Pony was a single transition year for 13 YO (i.e. just aged out of Little League) to get used to the 90 foot diamond with their peers. Some communities play 50/70. We jumped right to 60.5/90 as 13 year olds back in the day.

AAU is all ages so it competes with Little League, Legion, Senior Babe, etc.

Anyway how about that stance? Is anyone else awarding that player a ball (egregiously outside notwithstanding...even then), let alone a walk?

Baseball has changed so much over the years. When I played prior to HS and college you started farm LL until good enough for majors LL. You then went to Pony and Internediate 13-15 or if good enough you could play Legion 15-18 as well as Babe Ruth 16-18. In Meriden we had a team called the Post 45 Villagers in which we played both legion and babe Ruth schedules playing about 45- 55 games a summer depending on tourney wins. Legion seems non existent now as does Babe Ruth it’s a shame. Legion in the mid to late 70s was the game, you were scouted by college programs and even MLB guys ventured to Legion games as all the best city and town kids were playing. Is it just CT and WesMass where it’s gone? Where do they play now just those AAU type programs?

 

[HooperScooper]

Baseball has changed so much over the years. When I played prior to HS and college you started farm LL until good enough for majors LL. You then went to Pony and Internediate 13-15 or if good enough you could play Legion 15-18 as well as Babe Ruth 16-18. In Meriden we had a team called the Post 45 Villagers in which we played both legion and babe Ruth schedules playing about 45- 55 games a summer depending on tourney wins. Legion seems non existent now as does Babe Ruth it’s a shame. Legion in the mid to late 70s was the game, you were scouted by college programs and even MLB guys ventured to Legion games as all the best city and town kids were playing. Is it just CT and WesMass where it’s gone? Where do they play now just those AAU type programs?

Legion is still going on strong around here in Central MA. My son played Legion in the summer 2020. Best kid on the team got drafted by MLB a couple years ago. A bunch of kids they played against got drafted, including Matt Shaw who was the overall 13th pick in the 2023 MLB draft (Chicago Cubs). He's up in the majors right now.

 

[mauconnfan]

Legion is still going on strong around here in Central MA. My son played Legion in the summer 2020. Best kid on the team got drafted by MLB a couple years ago. A bunch of kids they played against got drafted, including Matt Shaw who was the overall 13th pick in the 2023 MLB draft (Chicago Cubs). He's up in the majors right now.

Good to hear it’s great baseball loved my 3 years in legion. Not so much around here and from what I hear in CT either.

Fun thing about it as well is in Meriden we had 3 high schools so while during the HS season we were rivals but during the summer many of us became friends and still are. We also had Wallingford kids who didn’t have a legion post so we took from actually 5 high schools overall. And summer rivalries in legion were hot too especially Middletown and Southington for us big crowds for night games. Add the Babe Ruth schedule and tourney we had many summer rivalries all over. Those were the days!

 

[husky429]

Youth sports league drama is the craziest drama. Babe Ruth vs Little League, Legion vs AAU, Pop Warner vs AYF. Parents fighting board members to change leagues because one is "better" than the other, boards giving in or resigning, teams end up on islands because all the other programs in the area leave for another league. It's so weird.

I never played anything seriously other than basketball as a kid and coaching as an adult. I just can't imagine sports being worse than a 9u aau basketball game. It's like taking every mouth breathing bozo in the world in one room and seeing what happens as a science experiment

 

[Flipside]

is Jaycee Courant league still around?

 

[Jaydumo20]

I never played anything seriously other than basketball as a kid and coaching as an adult. I just can't imagine sports being worse than a 9u aau basketball game. It's like taking every mouth breathing bozo in the world in one room and seeing what happens as a science experiment

I know you're not the person to trash strangers but can you please share a story or two? I live for that stuff.
I swear I've watched that documentary about crazy sports parents about 75 times.

 

[husky429]

I know you're not the person to trash strangers but can you please share a story or two? I live for that stuff.
I swear I've watched that documentary about crazy sports parents about 75 times.

You vastly overestime me.

I've had a coach (who is still an assistant varsity coach in the CCC) drunk at a game. Coaches kicked out for cursing at refs, put on a wig and come back in to coach from the sideline. Parents throw things at me. Had a parent call DCF on me because she was mad about playing time. Refs leaving in the middle of games because of parents.

My biggest beef was with coaches who pressed entire games even if they got up 20+ points. Playing zone exclusively even with little kids. Folks who lied about kid's ages to win more.

When I was the site director of a fall league a name some UConn fans hold in high esteem got booted from a game and was bordering on verbally abusive to their kid.

 

[Jaydumo20]

You vastly overestime me.

I've had a coach (who is still an assistant varsity coach in the CCC) drunk at a game. Coaches kicked out for cursing at refs, put on a wig and come back in to coach from the sideline. Parents throw things at me. Had a parent call DCF on me because she was mad about playing time. Refs leaving in the middle of games because of parents.

My biggest beef was with coaches who pressed entire games even if they got up 20+ points. Playing zone exclusively even with little kids. Folks who lied about kid's ages to win more.

When I was the site director of a fall league a name some UConn fans hold in high esteem got booted from a game and was bordering on verbally abusive to their kid.

It's enough if this happens once, but to know it's this common is nuts. Thanks for humoring me. You actually have to deal with it.