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

... Because he's too good.

Quote:

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) -- Nine-year-old Jericho Scott is a good baseball player -- too good, it turns out.

The right-hander has a fastball that tops out at about 40 mph. He throws so hard that the Youth Baseball League of New Haven told his coach that the boy could not pitch any more. When Jericho took the mound anyway last week, the opposing team forfeited the game, packed its gear and left, his coach said.

Officials for the three-year-old league, which has eight teams and about 100 players, said they will disband Jericho's team, redistributing its players among other squads, and offered to refund $50 sign-up fees to anyone who asks for it. They say Jericho's coach, Wilfred Vidro, has resigned.

But Vidro says he didn't quit and the team refuses to disband. Players and parents held a protest at the league's field on Saturday urging the league to let Jericho pitch.

"He's never hurt any one," Vidro said. "He's on target all the time. How can you punish a kid for being too good?"

The controversy bothers Jericho, who says he misses pitching.

"I feel sad," he said. "I feel like it's all my fault nobody could play."

Jericho's coach and parents say the boy is being unfairly targeted because he turned down an invitation to join the defending league champion, which is sponsored by an employer of one of the league's administrators.

Jericho instead joined a team sponsored by Will Power Fitness. The team was 8-0 and on its way to the playoffs when Jericho was banned from pitching.

"I think it's discouraging when you're telling a 9-year-old you're too good at something," said his mother, Nicole Scott. "The whole objective in life is to find something you're good at and stick with it. I'd rather he spend all his time on the baseball field than idolizing someone standing on the street corner."

League attorney Peter Noble says the only factor in banning Jericho from the mound is his pitches are just too fast.

"He is a very skilled player, a very hard thrower," Noble said. "There are a lot of beginners. This is not a high-powered league. This is a developmental league whose main purpose is to promote the sport."

Noble acknowledged that Jericho had not beaned any batters in the co-ed league of 8- to 10-year-olds, but say parents expressed safety concerns.

"Facing that kind of speed" is frightening for beginning players, Noble said.

League officials say they first told Vidro that the boy could not pitch after a game on Aug. 13. Jericho played second base the next game on Aug. 16. But when he took the mound Wednesday, the other team walked off and a forfeit was called.

League officials say Jericho's mother became irate, threatening them and vowing to get the league shut down.

"I have never seen behavior of a parent like the behavior Jericho's mother exhibited Wednesday night," Noble said.

Scott denies threatening any one, but said she did call the police.

League officials suggested that Jericho play other positions, or pitch against older players or in a different league.

Local attorney John Williams was planning to meet with Jericho's parents Monday to discuss legal options.

"You don't have to be learned in the law to know in your heart that it's wrong," he said. "Now you have to be punished because you excel at something?"

Source

Who else thinks this shit is ridiculous?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

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

There's nowhere I can't reach.

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

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

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!

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

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by SuperSonic

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!

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.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

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.

Originally Posted by Pangalin

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

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.

FELIPE NO

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.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Pangalin

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

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!

Jam it back in, in the dark.

"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?

How ya doing, buddy?

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?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Hachifusa

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.

How ya doing, buddy?

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

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

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Hachifusa

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.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

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.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Hachifusa

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...

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by ramoth

I guess the folks on "the streets" don't read the paper.

nope. They read blogs of questionable veracity.

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

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Hachifusa

nope. They read blogs of questionable veracity.

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

Seek help.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

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.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

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I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

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.

I was speaking idiomatically.

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.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

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.

FELIPE NO

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. )

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

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.

How ya doing, buddy?