9-year-old banned from playing Baseball...
 

... Because he's too good. :gonk:

Source

Who else thinks this shit is ridiculous?

Jesus Christ it's not that hard to just pitch in a way that won't intimidate the other kids. JUST STOP SHOWBOATING.

If I was that kid I'd showboat like it was vaudeville.

I didn't think that such a thing was possible, being banned for being too good. The kid doesn't take steroids, so what rules has he broken? Is the catcher of the team hurting in any way when he catches those 40 mph pitches?

Sure the kid could pitch slower, but that's like saying "Slow your pitch down so everyone else can hit it." You don't do that in baseball, that's how you get strikes!

You seriously need to ask if being hit by a 40MPH projectile can hurt a child?

Ignoring how you clearly don't know shit about baseball if you think throwing hard is how you get strikes, it's not unprecedented in lower-end leagues like this. Me and some of my friends were chased out of a rec league for being too good back in the day. Told us to go play in the more competitive leagues instead. Not mid-season like this, but still. If it's a low end rec league, you don't want to clutter it up with all-stars. Means the sucky kids can't have fun. I've seen them do it with rec soccer, too. "Too good for rec, go play city."

The only bit that really smells about this is how it happened after he refused to be a ringer for a big muckity muck. That strikes me as fucked up.

Maybe I should've just said one of the ways you can get strikes. Changeups, curveballs, fouls, etc. Ah screw it, you're right. I don't follow baseball that well, but the point is I still think this whole thing is bullshit. Let the kid play.

I wouldn't doubt it would hurt or cause some injuries. I'd just like to know if their catcher is hurting from catching that fastball so many times or if he's gotten a broken hand by now.

I'm sure the kid won't be too upset in the long run. He should just join a better league and ride this publicity all the way to a Major League youth contract. If Premiership teams are willing to sign 15 year olds and frankly even younger kids to their youth academies, I'm sure that a MLB team will snap this kiddie up if he's really that good.

Tell you what, why don't you go out and figure out what the maximum accepted speed is then. 40 too much? How about 30? No? Okay, 25. Well, maybe 26. Weeeeelll..... 27.

If the parents are concerned for their kids' safety, they have the choice to pull their kids off the team, not the pitcher. This kid is my hero; strike those little mediocrities out like bowling pins!

"Go play in a harder league kid"

"HOW DARE YOU TELL MY BABY BOY WHAT TO DO"

"Stay out of this lady..."

Yeah, pretty much retarded reporting by the AP here (not unexpected). It's not like this is a Little League team that's ultra competitive, apparently. It's "a developmental league."

Why can't the AP do anything right?

Not to get all Randian or anything, but is no one just a little disturbed that the kid is being kicked out for being too good? A few of you are responding with "But of course" kind of comments, but I find that a little strange because it's really not so cut-and-dry.

I mean, do you REALLY expect this nine-year-old to go play with high school seniors?

Ayn Rand diss.

Also, nobody said anything about high school seniors. Obviously you know nothing about baseball, as a kid who can only throw 40MPH would be chewed up by 17, 18 year olds.

You're absolutely right. I know nothing about baseball. oh, no!

Well, inform me what the hell this kid is supposed to do, then.

Play in a non-developmental league (i.e. a league with other kids who think baseball is Serious Business), maybe with 11 year olds.

Basically, read Deni's post.

So if that's all that matters, what the fuck is everyone so up in arms about? I've heard this discussed a million times from people on the streets and the impression I was getting was that they were KICKING THIS KID OUT based on his being good.

But what you're telling me is that they want to push him into a better league. (Yeah, I read the posts but I thought everyone was being a smart ass and not very serious. I forgive myself.)

Well, who the fuck cares? Let the kid go to the goddam developmental league, then.

...

Have you not encountered stories like this? Reporters love to make mountains out of molehills. The only reason anyone paid any attention is that he's got a crazy batshit mother who called the cops. And it's boring to read about how some kid is moving to another baseball league so they spiced it up by making it all about how he's getting KICKED OUT FOR BEING TOO GOOD and WHAT IS WRONG WITH SOCIETY TODAY and DONT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOUR CHILD and so forth.

I guess the "people on the streets" aren't familiar with that sort of thing though...

nope. They read blogs of questionable veracity.

GOD DAMN I wish I stopped listening to the kids on the streets. :(

Seek help.

So the kid is basically a 9 year old version of Khan Noonien Singh in terms of baseball. All we need now is a Kirk to outwit the kid in his superiority, and all will be right in the world.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...il/khaaaan.jpg
JERICHOOOO!!

There is a "higher level" league in that very town that the league's organizers tried to place this kid into. In this league, the kid is pretty much average. The parents refused to move the kid up to that league, and are now suing for emotional distress.

This isn't a story about baseball, or a kid who is really good at baseball. This is a story about yet another frivolous lawsuit clogging our court system and costing taxpayers money.

We need to send this kid to the Middle East; I'm sure his ability to throw objects faster than what is allowed for a vehicle to travel in a residential area will do well in quelling the terrorist problem.

Anyone heard the story from another source?

I heard about it on the radio this morning and thought "Whaaaaa?" I also heard it was a Co-Ed team and his fast balls were scaring the girls but I'm not quite sure how valid is that comment.

So he's 9-years old and he's too good to play with his own peers. So let him play with the 12 year olds. Or the middle school kids? Why STUNT a good talent >=( Put him in a situation where he's challenged more and let him improve his skill. It's likely he'll average out by the time he grows to be 16; my personal opinion.

I think it's cool that his team is standing by him and stuff but his parents really should've had the grace to put their kid in a league with other kids of his skill level after something like that. (Changing leagues mid-season may have been impossible though, I dunno. )

I think they should move him up to the next age group, which most likely he would almost be an equal to most other pitchers at his young age. Not only that, but the kids would most likely treat him like a prodigal kid for being able to toss a fastball that fast.

Why is it such a big issue to move him up a year group, or to move to a more competative league? Surely the kid should be honoured by that rather than complaining and staying in a group where his talents aren't appreciated, his parents to boot.

He has every right to complain. A performer who shows exceptional talent should be awarded for their skills, not punished because of it.

I just find it kind of funny that sports discourage competition these days, all in the name of making a few kids feel good about themselves. When I was playing baseball, I wanted to go against the best competition I could find as it made me a better player. This is complete bullshit.

Reading this story I agree with ya'll that he should have been put into a different league, but do it AFTER the season.

I mean, heck, if he stuck with a team and then they all of a sudden want to move him, thats completely bullshit. Its like other sports, if its an under 18 league and you're 17 at the start, they let you play and finish regardless if you turn 18 after the first day or the last day of the league.

All this could result in doing is discouraging the kid. I mean hell, whats next? Taking a kid whos at say...Gateway Community College (thanks google) and kicking him out because he's too smart and tell him to go to Yale because he's making the other kids feel dumb?

Unfortunately the western world is on a downward spiral of mollycoddling children these days. It only makes sense that they would want to make the less talented kids feel better about themselves. I do have to agree that a little competition goes a long way, rather than stagnating kids in similar ability groups, but this kid is pitching at 40mph for christ's sake. He should appreciate the competition of moving up a league. Admittedly to do so in the middle of a season is harsh...

I love how everyone is essentially channeling Rand here but to explicitly mention her name is some kind of internet faux pas.

They may be agreeing with her ideas for the moment but that doesn't mean it's suddenly okay to bring her up by name.

You know, because she's an annoying cunt.

Kind of like how even Republicans are loathe to bring up Ann Coulter in conversation.

He's 9! The poor thing is being told he's not allowed to be good, he has to be second, this reminds me of the movie The Incredibles, where the son comes in close 2nd so not to showboat his amazing ability. You know I don't think anyone ever told the major league players as kids they couldn't play normal baseball with their friends and others their age...

You know this will make a great story for when the kid does hit the majors too "Jericho Scott, Banned in his Youth, Now the Best Pitcher of All Time."
And then start with a nice first line of "The jealous league admins of 2008........"