[FunkyBass13]

Normally, I would love to spout Yankee smack. However, there is really only one team I am pulling for right now: Auburn Little League All-Stars!!!! 1st trip ever to the LLWS!!!!!!

[bs69]

FunkyBass13, on 19 August 2010 - 11:21 PM, said:

Normally, I would love to spout Yankee smack. However, there is really only one team I am pulling for right now: Auburn Little League All-Stars!!!! 1st trip ever to the LLWS!!!!!!

Cheering for Hamilton Ohio here. They are from our district and my son used to play against them before switching to AABC. I do have a problem with the way these coaches are sacrificing these kids arms in the name of T.V. and fame by throwing curveball after curveball at 12 years of age. Not good.

[FunkyBass13]

bs69, on 20 August 2010 - 08:33 AM, said:

Cheering for Hamilton Ohio here. They are from our district and my son used to play against them before switching to AABC. I do have a problem with the way these coaches are sacrificing these kids arms in the name of T.V. and fame by throwing curveball after curveball at 12 years of age. Not good.

I know what you mean. My 11 year old played in the division just below the kids who are playing in the LLWS and this year they definitely had a few kids throwing curves. Only good thing was that only one kid I saw actually threw what I would consider to be a true curve ball. All the others seemed more like a looping changeup. I told my son that he doesn't get to throw a curve until he's 16 and his body fills out some. At this age, 11-13, they have enough trouble hitting a good fastball. No need to try a curve at all.

[Dstone5553]

bs69, on 20 August 2010 - 05:33 AM, said:

. I do have a problem with the way these coaches are sacrificing these kids arms in the name of T.V. and fame by throwing curveball after curveball at 12 years of age. Not good.

I haven't been watching but that should not be allowed. There should be rules pertaining to how many curve balls a kid is allowed to throw, so a coach who is more concerned about winning that the health of his kids, won't be able to ruin these young arms.

[bs69]

bs69, on 18 August 2010 - 10:44 AM, said:

Reds Reds Reds!

7 up! St. Louis is folding like a house of Cards!

[August West]

bs69, on 01 September 2010 - 08:01 AM, said:

7 up! St. Louis is folding like a house of Cards!

Joey Votto deserves to be the NL MVP this year.

[kdubfan]

The Reds are red hot! With calling up Chapman, last night he was throwing at over 102 mph, and Votto just crushing everything look for this 7 game lead on the cards just keep growing!

R
E
D
S

REDS! REDS! REDS!!!!!

[Ammagamalin Crew]

Reds and the Yankees in this year's world series. Sorry about your luck NY but there is no stopping Chapman and crew! Anyone think differently?

[found the sound]

Yankees have a much bigger, better package than the Reds in my (biased) opinion. Yanks got the bats, speed, defense, pitching rotation, bullpen could use some help (need consistency and reliability). Hopefully Vazquez and Burnett are strong in October. I don't like how Girardi seems to micromanage every aspect of the game. He likes to put his print on the game and sometimes it blows up in his face. Overall, they're still the best team in baseball though. I think the record speaks for itself.

I think the reds have GREAT strategy and approach to the game of baseball. They score in so many ways with their offense but their pitching could use some help. I hope you guys don't burn out Chapman. It would really hurt you guys to have an arm like that go. So like i said, very strong offensively and I think their lead over the Cards reflects that. Good luck in the post-season (i don't think i'm speaking too soon.)

I would really like a Reds/Yanks WS.

Ok, bring on the hate...

[Electric Green]

Reds vs. Phillies

Yankees vs. Tampa

Phillies vs. Yankees

Phils wln, better pitching

[rickE]

Go Phils.

How do we know that the Little League coaches are making them throw curves? These kids probably care a lot about winning to or they wouldn't be competing for the LLWS. At 12 or 13, a kid can tell which pitch is most effective and might choose to throw a curve ball because its his most effective pitch. I really don't know who is behind the curve ball, but I wouldn't discourage a kid from doing whatever he thought necessary to win. For some, they might not play beyond high school and this may be the most limelight they get on the diamond their entire life. Now, if someone has evidence that the coach is forcing the kids to throw curves, I would certainly say not cool.

[bs69]

rickE, on 03 September 2010 - 02:36 AM, said:

Go Phils.

How do we know that the Little League coaches are making them throw curves? These kids probably care a lot about winning to or they wouldn't be competing for the LLWS. At 12 or 13, a kid can tell which pitch is most effective and might choose to throw a curve ball because its his most effective pitch. I really don't know who is behind the curve ball, but I wouldn't discourage a kid from doing whatever he thought necessary to win. For some, they might not play beyond high school and this may be the most limelight they get on the diamond their entire life. Now, if someone has evidence that the coach is forcing the kids to throw curves, I would certainly say not cool.

The coaches call the pitches, not the players. Kids can be taught to throw a number of off speed pitches that can achieve similar results without ruining their arms.

[found the sound]

Electric Green, on 03 September 2010 - 02:11 AM, said:

Reds vs. Phillies

Yankees vs. Tampa

Phillies vs. Yankees

Phils wln, better pitching

Yeah, that sounds about right to me... except for the part about the Phillies winning

[Dstone5553]

rickE, on 02 September 2010 - 11:36 PM, said:

Go Phils.

How do we know that the Little League coaches are making them throw curves? These kids probably care a lot about winning to or they wouldn't be competing for the LLWS. At 12 or 13, a kid can tell which pitch is most effective and might choose to throw a curve ball because its his most effective pitch. I really don't know who is behind the curve ball, but I wouldn't discourage a kid from doing whatever he thought necessary to win. For some, they might not play beyond high school and this may be the most limelight they get on the diamond their entire life. Now, if someone has evidence that the coach is forcing the kids to throw curves, I would certainly say not cool.

Most of the times, the coaches call the pitches but that's not the point. I was playing in middle school when our coach forbade our best pitcher (the only one who could throw one) from throwing more than 1 curve in an inning. He would take him out of the game if he didn't abide.

And we were just a bad middle school chi-town team! It's always the adult who is responsible in situations like this. Kids are allowed to be kids but adults are, hopefully , held to a higher standard.