Little league

Rasmuth · 08-24-2007, 11:51 AM

been watching some of the Little League World Series...

am I the only one who hates this "special runner" rule...

What purpose does it serve...just seems stupid to me.

darkhorse · 08-24-2007, 12:10 PM

They have a new rule this year where a pitcher has a limit of 85 pitches. In Lubbock's first game, their stud pitcher struck out the first 17 batters he faced, but wasn't allowed to complete the ultimate perfect game because he went over the pitch count limit with the 17th batter.

Only two pitchers in Little League World Series history have ever struck out all 18 batters. It would have been nice if the kid had gotten the opportunity to be the third.

Rasmuth · 08-24-2007, 01:42 PM

so...it would seem they are creating rules...just for the sake of creating rules...

I don't like it.

That kid should have had the chance to complete that game...stupid....just stupid.

Skipaway · 08-24-2007, 02:51 PM

A pitch count rule obviously has a purpose. It's not just there to be there.

darkhorse · 08-24-2007, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipaway

A pitch count rule obviously has a purpose. It's not just there to be there.

Banning breaking pitches might be an even better rule to protect those gifted young arms.

jaxmagicman · 08-24-2007, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkhorse

Banning breaking pitches might be an even better rule to protect those gifted young arms.

There should be both. No breaking pitches and a count of 85. 85 pitches in 6 innings is a lot. Plus the same kid will probably pitch again 2-3 days later. It is something needed to protect the kids.

Moriarty9 · 08-24-2007, 03:56 PM

The pitch count rule was put together by Little League International because of the overwhelming number of kids that, over the last 15 years or so, have undergone Tommy John surgery. The stat was something like the majority of Tommy John's were done on kids under the age of 16.
The pitch count is designed to prevent overuse of a pitcher's arm.

But when it comes to banning breaking balls, according to Dr. James Andrews and Little League International, there is not enough medical evidence that curveballs or whatever do enough damage. Some may disagree, but that's their stance.

As for the special pinch runner, as a coach, I like the rule as I can keep a good hitter with no wheels in the lineup and, in the proper situation, use a quicker kid off the bench to special pinch run for the slow kid. It's not a whole lot different than the standard pinch runner in use in high school, college and the professional leagues.

There are many things that Little League International does to water down the game in the name of safety and such that I personally don't care for but they do have reasons for each of them.

Skipaway · 08-24-2007, 05:00 PM

I guess an organization overseeing kids are more or less forced to always stay on the safe side.

Rasmuth · 08-25-2007, 09:21 AM

well...we didn't have pitch counts in all the years I played little league...but you could only pitch 6 innings in a week...more or less the same....I guess...

Moriarty9 · 08-25-2007, 10:03 AM

They had the innings per week rule but decided to go with the pitch count because sometimes a kid can go six innings and throw 63 pitches while others can throw more than 100 over six innings.

MorseMoose · 08-25-2007, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moriarty9

As for the special pinch runner, as a coach, I like the rule as I can keep a good hitter with no wheels in the lineup and, in the proper situation, use a quicker kid off the bench to special pinch run for the slow kid. It's not a whole lot different than the standard pinch runner in use in high school, college and the professional leagues.

I haven't been watching much, but thats what the special runner is? Is the courtesy runner and special runner different? In my baseball experience (all the way through high school) the rule was that their would be a courtesy runner for pitchers and catchers. Is that different than the rule from the OP?

Moriarty9 · 08-25-2007, 12:28 PM

It is essentially a courtesy runner.
You can use a special pinch runner once every inning but you can't do it for the same kid more than once.
So if Jumbo the 1st baseman reaches and you wanna run for him with someone faster, great, go ahead. However, the next time Jumbo reaches you can't use a special pinch runner for him again. So you pick your spots.

Astros33Resurrected · 08-25-2007, 09:25 PM

Throwing a curve only hurts you if you throw alot of them and if you learn to throw one wrong.

darkhorse · 08-26-2007, 06:26 PM

A bummer that the best team in the tournament, Lubbock, doesn't get to play for the title.

Jonzard · 08-26-2007, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moriarty9

It is essentially a courtesy runner.
You can use a special pinch runner once every inning but you can't do it for the same kid more than once.
So if Jumbo the 1st baseman reaches and you wanna run for him with someone faster, great, go ahead. However, the next time Jumbo reaches you can't use a special pinch runner for him again. So you pick your spots.

Sounds like it should be in the Babe Ruth League, no?

eriqjaffe · 08-26-2007, 07:13 PM

I'm pretty sure that some of these LLWS squads could pummel the White Sox, special rules or no.

Russ · 08-28-2007, 04:06 PM

I heard on the news today that the Japanese players were crying so much because they had to return to Japan and commit hari-kari.

myasu · 08-29-2007, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

I heard on the news today that the Japanese players were crying so much because they had to return to Japan and commit hari-kari.

Oh, Russ!

This is not the pre-WW2 Japan!
It is not like that anymore.

All they have to do when they come home, is to cut their fingers by themselves with the cooking knives, and then have tatoos that say " We are sorry, emperor"

Seriously, I hate it when they cry.
Not just kids, but Japanes athletes seem to cry a lot these days, when they win, when they lose, when they get hurt....
Professional baseball players cry after the game he had a walk off homerun right after his long DL time, high school baseball players cry after the every loss, even sumo wrestlers cry after they win a tournament!

It is okay to cry at home after the game, but do not cry on the field.
It is pathetic.

I guess Japan is not a country of Samurai anymore.

And what am I to say all this?
I could not hold my tears when Japanese Soccer national team made the winning goal against Iran to make the first ever World cup in 97.

Pathetic!

nanaimo · 08-29-2007, 01:08 AM

Now if only they'd start using wood bats! The distance a ball carries off those aluminum ones and how fast they comeback is really no good.

Little League World Series was very fun to watch though. Nice break from MLB action that has my favorite team on the outside looking in on the wildcard race.

08-24-2007, 11:51 AM	#1
Rasmuth All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Upstate Western NY Posts: 1,760	Little league been watching some of the Little League World Series... am I the only one who hates this "special runner" rule... What purpose does it serve...just seems stupid to me. __________________ http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...?bandID=250426

08-24-2007, 12:10 PM	#2
darkhorse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: fort worth, tx Posts: 10,850	They have a new rule this year where a pitcher has a limit of 85 pitches. In Lubbock's first game, their stud pitcher struck out the first 17 batters he faced, but wasn't allowed to complete the ultimate perfect game because he went over the pitch count limit with the 17th batter. Only two pitchers in Little League World Series history have ever struck out all 18 batters. It would have been nice if the kid had gotten the opportunity to be the third. __________________ "The Human Torch was denied a bank loan."

08-24-2007, 01:42 PM	#3
Rasmuth All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Upstate Western NY Posts: 1,760	so...it would seem they are creating rules...just for the sake of creating rules... I don't like it. That kid should have had the chance to complete that game...stupid....just stupid. __________________ http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...?bandID=250426

08-24-2007, 02:51 PM	#4
Skipaway Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Where you live Posts: 11,017	A pitch count rule obviously has a purpose. It's not just there to be there. __________________ Jonathan Haidt: Moral reasoning is really just a servant masquerading as a high priest.

08-24-2007, 05:00 PM	#8
Skipaway Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Where you live Posts: 11,017	I guess an organization overseeing kids are more or less forced to always stay on the safe side. __________________ Jonathan Haidt: Moral reasoning is really just a servant masquerading as a high priest.

08-24-2007, 03:56 PM	#7
Moriarty9 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,109	The pitch count rule was put together by Little League International because of the overwhelming number of kids that, over the last 15 years or so, have undergone Tommy John surgery. The stat was something like the majority of Tommy John's were done on kids under the age of 16. The pitch count is designed to prevent overuse of a pitcher's arm. But when it comes to banning breaking balls, according to Dr. James Andrews and Little League International, there is not enough medical evidence that curveballs or whatever do enough damage. Some may disagree, but that's their stance. As for the special pinch runner, as a coach, I like the rule as I can keep a good hitter with no wheels in the lineup and, in the proper situation, use a quicker kid off the bench to special pinch run for the slow kid. It's not a whole lot different than the standard pinch runner in use in high school, college and the professional leagues. There are many things that Little League International does to water down the game in the name of safety and such that I personally don't care for but they do have reasons for each of them.

08-25-2007, 09:21 AM	#9
Rasmuth All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Upstate Western NY Posts: 1,760	well...we didn't have pitch counts in all the years I played little league...but you could only pitch 6 innings in a week...more or less the same....I guess... __________________ http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...?bandID=250426

08-25-2007, 10:03 AM	#10
Moriarty9 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,109	They had the innings per week rule but decided to go with the pitch count because sometimes a kid can go six innings and throw 63 pitches while others can throw more than 100 over six innings.

08-25-2007, 12:28 PM	#12
Moriarty9 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,109	It is essentially a courtesy runner. You can use a special pinch runner once every inning but you can't do it for the same kid more than once. So if Jumbo the 1st baseman reaches and you wanna run for him with someone faster, great, go ahead. However, the next time Jumbo reaches you can't use a special pinch runner for him again. So you pick your spots.

08-25-2007, 09:25 PM	#13
Astros33Resurrected Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Lufkin, TX Posts: 2,213	Throwing a curve only hurts you if you throw alot of them and if you learn to throw one wrong.

08-26-2007, 06:26 PM	#14
darkhorse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: fort worth, tx Posts: 10,850	A bummer that the best team in the tournament, Lubbock, doesn't get to play for the title. __________________ "The Human Torch was denied a bank loan."

08-26-2007, 07:13 PM	#16
eriqjaffe Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Under The Christmas Fish Posts: 7,775	I'm pretty sure that some of these LLWS squads could pummel the White Sox, special rules or no. __________________

08-28-2007, 04:06 PM	#17
Russ All Star Starter Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Essex HON! Posts: 1,923 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	I heard on the news today that the Japanese players were crying so much because they had to return to Japan and commit hari-kari. __________________ If you don't love Russ, you don't love America. This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

08-29-2007, 01:08 AM	#19
nanaimo Minors (Single A) Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 73	Now if only they'd start using wood bats! The distance a ball carries off those aluminum ones and how fast they comeback is really no good. Little League World Series was very fun to watch though. Nice break from MLB action that has my favorite team on the outside looking in on the wildcard race.