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Little League World Series is…..

I'm so old that family members rarely showed up for our Little League games.

I distinctly remember putting my glove on one handle bar, slinging the bat across the front, and riding down Buckeye Road by myself to play and coach giving us orange Hi-C and bags of doritos after the game.

It was a better time. :)

Subtle brag……. Had his own bat.
 
I'm so old that family members rarely showed up for our Little League games.

I distinctly remember putting my glove on one handle bar, slinging the bat across the front, and riding down Buckeye Road by myself to play and coach giving us orange Hi-C and bags of doritos after the game.

It was a better time. :)
Uh, you and I are the same age... :)
 
Subtle brag……. Had his own bat.
Was it a Green Easton, a Blue Easton, or wait...you were probably one of the rich kids with the newest sensation:





Of42QJN7oTvQapBmL6ZXvcoIJNF94wuL6gUzYALoWkoospV7W0D-56i0s2Fj2Q0qSwbEWeJGGWpQfi5Rw5Y8lVlpMCgCDWdVQ8pszh9fb73TysITGSd8XCy5mIpvYG9sxS92hoUPM2JEQQPNlqoC3l_CU8VCBKvQ9TSSgnb4h0ILNl0KuxoWyzISxkes8AGsoLY95iWIym1t2GxcVzrh-gIOqmrlL6vM-iksSpvKmWD1xa2XFEk0cicZ_OmjlgrKiM07wtMrwPdE9TxucXszZz6vR-QySOYLPGm-n235jCzAsOLicF33RTzYaXsSuCmAqhm5F5Ic7jZlpdv2O8y9w3A5Eooy25BXQZhVkqamo-ItXGj_TdRuCntruceAm8xICaCFfpuRYLhSNDrPi3I9BUIc88EUS8TWIEku5VcLE9mQmOrpTtGRLbs4Q7CU9-xRAmIPA4O6IZXN6N1vTn4R7JyBSa0ndAk-RSOJ6OkDbMCWTXXWh0PpGaxdlVGG41FOKWxNDwpCjK1rZ-tFVF7SwwgiYfYDOBZC8qAPHgNBwgxzCbe3_OsMtmyYM5qPFjIUIqeulWXnWpBsIbzfZg29mONRR3czqNx69hOo6UaAJ6LDX4rwS82Q7SXtjeBCfLiLuQIXCObNfk-_JbPzVdvGpD7A3gNV_YliqaqS2Hz_kIPbYQq4zq0PxIbqvzu3ua42ZcoC_AbSUEw1Askw9I2dL5wM8Tk24fxEU806p3XaUhoaoeYy2ZU=w482-h473-no
 
Was it a Green Easton, a Blue Easton, or wait...you were probably one of the rich kids with the newest sensation:





Of42QJN7oTvQapBmL6ZXvcoIJNF94wuL6gUzYALoWkoospV7W0D-56i0s2Fj2Q0qSwbEWeJGGWpQfi5Rw5Y8lVlpMCgCDWdVQ8pszh9fb73TysITGSd8XCy5mIpvYG9sxS92hoUPM2JEQQPNlqoC3l_CU8VCBKvQ9TSSgnb4h0ILNl0KuxoWyzISxkes8AGsoLY95iWIym1t2GxcVzrh-gIOqmrlL6vM-iksSpvKmWD1xa2XFEk0cicZ_OmjlgrKiM07wtMrwPdE9TxucXszZz6vR-QySOYLPGm-n235jCzAsOLicF33RTzYaXsSuCmAqhm5F5Ic7jZlpdv2O8y9w3A5Eooy25BXQZhVkqamo-ItXGj_TdRuCntruceAm8xICaCFfpuRYLhSNDrPi3I9BUIc88EUS8TWIEku5VcLE9mQmOrpTtGRLbs4Q7CU9-xRAmIPA4O6IZXN6N1vTn4R7JyBSa0ndAk-RSOJ6OkDbMCWTXXWh0PpGaxdlVGG41FOKWxNDwpCjK1rZ-tFVF7SwwgiYfYDOBZC8qAPHgNBwgxzCbe3_OsMtmyYM5qPFjIUIqeulWXnWpBsIbzfZg29mONRR3czqNx69hOo6UaAJ6LDX4rwS82Q7SXtjeBCfLiLuQIXCObNfk-_JbPzVdvGpD7A3gNV_YliqaqS2Hz_kIPbYQq4zq0PxIbqvzu3ua42ZcoC_AbSUEw1Askw9I2dL5wM8Tk24fxEU806p3XaUhoaoeYy2ZU=w482-h473-no

Yep. The green Easton was so faded that you couldn’t even read it. We just had team bats back then.

The rich kids in our area had the TPX that had that unique ping when they hit it.
 
Was it a Green Easton, a Blue Easton, or wait...you were probably one of the rich kids with the newest sensation:





Of42QJN7oTvQapBmL6ZXvcoIJNF94wuL6gUzYALoWkoospV7W0D-56i0s2Fj2Q0qSwbEWeJGGWpQfi5Rw5Y8lVlpMCgCDWdVQ8pszh9fb73TysITGSd8XCy5mIpvYG9sxS92hoUPM2JEQQPNlqoC3l_CU8VCBKvQ9TSSgnb4h0ILNl0KuxoWyzISxkes8AGsoLY95iWIym1t2GxcVzrh-gIOqmrlL6vM-iksSpvKmWD1xa2XFEk0cicZ_OmjlgrKiM07wtMrwPdE9TxucXszZz6vR-QySOYLPGm-n235jCzAsOLicF33RTzYaXsSuCmAqhm5F5Ic7jZlpdv2O8y9w3A5Eooy25BXQZhVkqamo-ItXGj_TdRuCntruceAm8xICaCFfpuRYLhSNDrPi3I9BUIc88EUS8TWIEku5VcLE9mQmOrpTtGRLbs4Q7CU9-xRAmIPA4O6IZXN6N1vTn4R7JyBSa0ndAk-RSOJ6OkDbMCWTXXWh0PpGaxdlVGG41FOKWxNDwpCjK1rZ-tFVF7SwwgiYfYDOBZC8qAPHgNBwgxzCbe3_OsMtmyYM5qPFjIUIqeulWXnWpBsIbzfZg29mONRR3czqNx69hOo6UaAJ6LDX4rwS82Q7SXtjeBCfLiLuQIXCObNfk-_JbPzVdvGpD7A3gNV_YliqaqS2Hz_kIPbYQq4zq0PxIbqvzu3ua42ZcoC_AbSUEw1Askw9I2dL5wM8Tk24fxEU806p3XaUhoaoeYy2ZU=w482-h473-no
Old? I'm old enough that we used wooden bats in LL. I used my first non-wood bat as a senior in high school and it was magnesium (or at least that's what they told us).
 
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Frankly, I think it’s a little played out at this point.

these are not some innocent kids tossed together for a last minute tournament. It’s more like a combination of girls gymnastics and AAU basketball.
 
Frankly, I think it’s a little played out at this point.

these are not some innocent kids tossed together for a last minute tournament. It’s more like a combination of girls gymnastics and AAU basketball.
This.

And the clip going around with the kid who got HBP comforting the pitcher...staged. There is something every year in the LLWS that comes off as staged and just doesn't pass the smell test. Things like this or the mic'd up coach making impassioned speeches or all the "sportsmanship", it's staged or only done for attention because they know the camera is rolling.

Yeah, I'm cynical.
 
This.

And the clip going around with the kid who got HBP comforting the pitcher...staged. There is something every year in the LLWS that comes off as staged and just doesn't pass the smell test. Things like this or the mic'd up coach making impassioned speeches or all the "sportsmanship", it's staged or only done for attention because they know the camera is rolling.

Yeah, I'm cynical.
I don't know about staged, but if you can't shake off hitting a batter and quit crying by the time he is back on his feet and makes it down the line to 1B, you might want to think about taking up a different hobby.
 
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What was all that about?

Im guessing the time it took for Missouri to choose to review the call.

It looked like Davenport’s coach was upset that Missouri had a mound visit then chose to review the play. I’m not sure if there’s a time limit that you have to review the previous play or if it has to be decided before the next play.

There were several minutes before the review and another several to overturn the call.

Home plate chick ump has been anything but solid.
 
Saw that an Iowa team was playing and decided to check it out..........and holy hell......

I know it's "Little League", but this umpire's strikezone is impressively awful.
 
What was all that about?
I'm working so I missed the start of it but I think the IA coaches were not happy with the long delay before they decided to review

either way Iowa loses 3-1, tough loss but not eliminated yet. Iowa will play N Dakota tomorrow @ 10AM
 
Do they usually at least require the ball to cross the plate?.........
No. Actually, I think the "zone" has been better this year than in years' past.

The other thing you'll notice is every single "check swing" is called a strike as well.

As someone else noted, having the coaches mic'k up is pretty dumb. The rah rah shit they recite at those conferences on the mound are done for optics. Most USSSA coaches chew ass when they go to the mound. This is "baseball for beginners".
 
And the clip going around with the kid who got HBP comforting the pitcher...staged. There is something every year in the LLWS that comes off as staged and just doesn't pass the smell test. Things like this or the mic'd up coach making impassioned speeches or all the "sportsmanship", it's staged or only done for attention because they know the camera is rolling.

Yeah, I'm cynical.
Staged? LOL!

Was Jussie Smollet one of the Coaches? If not, I'm guessing it was 2 little kids that actually felt something for the other, one of whom was clearly struggling after he beaned a kid in the head.

They have pitchers at the LLWS that cry on the mound if they give up 3 hits in a row. Why? Because they're kids.
 
And btw, good lord some people. An 11 year old cries and you guys say it's staged? Did you never raise any children? Grow up.
Maybe staged isn't the right word but these kids and coaches definitely know the cameras are rolling so there is always the effort to put out that over the top feel good moment.

As for children, yeah, I've got 3 and all in and through youth sports. These "moments" are fake as hell. You want real life? Let's see travel ball mom get tossed by the ump for riding his ass on balls and strikes all game.
 
I was thinking the same thing. I've watched about 4 games and they've all been pretty consistent without any outrageous misses either way that I have seen.
I am surprised by how low the standards are for a strikezone for the LLWS level of play if you're saying this is "better than usual".........
 
Better than usual = consistent

The zone really isn't as important as long as it's the same all game for both teams.
Sorry but as an Iowa football fan, you should know that consistently inconsistent is not a good thing....or even a lesser of two evils thing.

Hope that helps going forward. :D
 
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Depends
Then they probably shouldn’t be coaching 12 year olds.
The level of intensity would vary by age. From my experience, it's pretty tame in USSSA until about 11U. And as someone else mentioned, parents are harder on the kids than the coaches. I coached my daughters in every youth sport from age 8 to about age 13. My wife would tell you I was harder on my own kids than the others.

My #1 rule... NO CRYING.

Back to the LLWS, another rule I don't like is that every kid has to get in the game. Play to win.

IMO... USSSA Majors teams would crush these teams at this age level.
 
I agree that the intensity is going to be higher at 11 or 12. But the goal isn’t to destroy a kid’s confidence if he’s not performing as well as he wants. Encourage him up. If that doesn’t work, pull him out and let him know next time will be better.

As for this LLWS, it looks like the Iowa team is basically made up mostly from the Rage 12U major team that got second at state. So that group is pretty high level.
 
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Depends

The level of intensity would vary by age. From my experience, it's pretty tame in USSSA until about 11U. And as someone else mentioned, parents are harder on the kids than the coaches. I coached my daughters in every youth sport from age 8 to about age 13. My wife would tell you I was harder on my own kids than the others.

My #1 rule... NO CRYING.

Back to the LLWS, another rule I don't like is that every kid has to get in the game. Play to win.

IMO... USSSA Majors teams would crush these teams at this age level.
My son played 12U Major in Iowa and didn’t see the amount of off speed stuff these kids are throwing. That was 15 years ago so maybe coaches today don’t care about kids arms.
 
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My son played 12U Major in Iowa and didn’t see the amount of off speed stuff these kids are throwing. That was 15 years ago so maybe coaches today don’t care about kids arms.
I agree completely with your comments on off speed stuff.

Today's kids are pretty good hitting fastballs and the quality of the bats is so good that they sometimes need to change speed. I still think it varies largely on individual coaches, tho.
 
I agree that the intensity is going to be higher at 11 or 12. But the goal isn’t to destroy a kid’s confidence if he’s not performing as well as he wants. Encourage him up. If that doesn’t work, pull him out and let him know next time will be better.

As for this LLWS, it looks like the Iowa team is basically made up mostly from the Rage 12U major team that got second at state. So that group is pretty high level.
Sorry to derail the thread, but do you know who won 12U majors?
 
My 11 year old expressed wanting to play baseball to me. Is it too late to get him started? Is he too far behind? I grew up poor and never played, but I tried to walk on to my HS baseball team as a junior and couldn't keep up.
 
My 11 year old expressed wanting to play baseball to me. Is it too late to get him started? Is he too far behind? I grew up poor and never played, but I tried to walk on to my HS baseball team as a junior and couldn't keep up.
It's never too late.

He's gonna be playing catchup, but if he's willing to put in the work.

Can I ask where you live?
 
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