Little League - 2010 Edition

[Stuie]

I love spring. The tryouts, the green grass on the fields, the mud puddles around home plate that need to be cleaned up.

So this year I'm managing Pony ball - that's 7 and 8 year-olds with a pitching machine (the manual catapult type). Looking forward to a fun season; hopefully my kid can catch a ball now that he has glasses.

Oldest son (12) just got his team roster, and it looks like a decent one. We got the manager I was hoping for, so at least the kids should have fun whether they win or not.

And my wife decided to manage a t-ball team that my daughter is on. Good luck to her.

I'll post updates when I feel like it. Happy Spring!!

[Berzerker]

I remember when my Mom dropped me off for the first time at munchkin league, I looked upon a massive field of green with several diamonds and what seemed like 1000 kids all trying out for various teams. I think I cried I was so scared.

and dont worry if your kid doesn't catch on right away. Seriously, until the muscles and coordination develop little league is strictly entertainment I played and I was lost out there, but that was all irrelevant when puberty hit

[Stuie]

Ok - so one team in the 7-8 year old division is totally stacked. And it happens to be the commissioner's kid's team. Wow - what a shock.

How should I deal with this when I play them again?

1. Ignore it.
2. Field the best kids in the best positions and make the best lineup possible while adhering to league rules. (Note that this means some kids will not be getting much playing time at all).
3. Refuse to play against this ridiculously stacked team because my players realize there's something not right here.

Very interested in feedback. My first instinct is to go with number 3, but that's probably wrong.

Edit: I should note that we lost 30-2 last time we played them, the "30" being thanks to the mercy rule (5 runs an inning max, 6 inning game - you do the math)

[KrazyHorse]

Given that you're from Philadelphia, I suggest stabbing the commissioner's son in the face.

[Guynemer]

Option 3.

Or the stabby-stabby thing.

[Asher]

I'd say Option 1. It's just kids having fun.

[KrazyHorse]

I agree.

[Asher]

When I played little league, I didn't really give a **** about the score.

Except for when I played my little brother's team in the Contra Costa County championship. And he hit a game-winning homerun in the bottom of the 9th. I wish I was making that up.

Hated baseball ever since. Douche sport.

[Asher]

I nominate #3 to be renamed the Alex Burrows option.