Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Little League World Series: Not Real Baseball
We all know too well about the Little League World Series (LLWS). Little kids from America playing other kids from foreign countries. It's a great idea but its a joke. It's not real baseball. According to (http://www.slate.com/id/2087131/) a LLWS pitcher throws from forty-six feet away. Hold on let me repeat that, forty-six feet away. That in itself makes the game a joke. In real little league baseball by the time your twelve you are pitching from sixty feet away. I know this because I was a pitcher. There are so many things wrong with this league like how the bases are only sixty feet as opposed to eighty, players can't steal, and the home run fence is only 220 feet. All of these conditions sets each game up with a fake feel for the real game of baseball. Baseball is the "American Sport" and if we are going to keep playing it the way the LLWS does then this sport will change drastically in the next upcoming years. I can not sit here and watch a six foot, 190 pound pitcher that is "twelve" throw from that little away. That ball for some of those kids comes in so fast. It is just not real baseball. I wish they would try it the right way. How the game is actually played at the age and see how much different they do. I guarantee the results of games would have a different outcome, that is for sure. I mean come on, what is baseball without stealing anyway?
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7 comments:
I never looked at the Little League World Series that way. I watch some of the games but never notice how close a pitcher is and how close the bases are. Now that I know the distance I agree with your points. This is a version of baseball that needs to be played at standard distances. Kids in recreation leagues play at the right distance so kids who make the state team and play other teas against other countries can play at the correct distances. I also agree with your point that the outcome can change if the players played with the correct distance. This blog has now changed my view on the LLWS.
You have definitely caught my attention and changed my mindset that I had on the Little League World Series. I am the same as Lavin in the regards that I have watched a good amount of the games on ESPN and I have never really sat down and paid attention to the rules and regualtions. I agree that the rules need to be changed immediately to the correct way, and this would only benefit the players, fans, and the Little League World Series game itself.I also side with you that the outcome of the games would be much different if the LLWS adopted the same rules as normal little league functions in our nation do. With the LLWS being played on such a worldly stage, the rules and correct distances need to be put into effect to improve and make the games more interesting and appealing. I would like to think that the viewers and fans would like to see more competitive action out of the LLWS.They would like to see players taking chances by stealing bases and the players actually making contact with the ball because the pitcher is at the correct distance so the ball won't be coming as fast. Opposed to a six foot pitcher who dwarfs everyone on the field and just dominates hitters from 46 feet away.
Although I see your point about the LLWS not being real baseball I myself think that is real basebal, it is just modified. I think it must be modified because if you put these little kids on a real field it would be the most ridiculous thing any of us has ever seen. I myself think that the LLWS is somewhat interesting actually. For being twelve years they are not bad, don't get me wrong, I don't think I could watch an entire game or anything, but a couple innings here and there never hurt anyone. I think that the LLWS really gives kids an opportunity to show their stuff out there on the field. Regardless of how big the field is, it is still considered baseball and that's all that matters.
I agree with your statements that the logistics of the field in little league need to change. I personally think they make everything smaller so that it is more exciting because a pitcher reaches its top velocity better as well as it is easier to score because the baseball diamond is so squished in. I would say it has its advantages and disadvantages but I do not believe there is enough public outrage for the LLWS to change in any sort of way. They have had continued success and until that decline they are just going to keep doing what they are doing and that is play "baseball."
Nick this is a very interesting argument you have here. I have played baseball my whole life and on a lot f this I agree with you. The field is way to short. These kids are old enough to play with a bigger field. Also the mound is ridiculously to close. According the radar guns these kids are throwing the equivalent to 90 MPH. But the LLWS is so much fun to watch for me. It makes me think of the old times playing on my teams and how much fun I had. The games this year were great. Teams had walk off homeruns and great pitcher duels. I wouldn’t say that it’s not baseball it just needs some tweaking. Everyone loves watching it because this is where the future of baseball comes from. So by saying its not America is going a little too far. The LLWS has gotten huge and will hopefully get bigger and bigger to get baseball back to its glory days.
Nick, I like the facts you point out here. My friends and I would go to our local little league field years ago to hit homeruns because of how small the ballparks are. The fact that the premier “twelve” year olds play on these mini-diamonds is a joke. I would be much more interested in how these athletes would be able to perform on a full size diamond. I think we may see some different teams in the series every year, which we of course do. However, the larger diamonds would make it harder for teams to qualify because their bullpens would have to be even deeper than they already are. Also, homeruns would be a lot less common, thus making the games even tighter. I do like Little League baseball, don’t get me wrong. But you bring up a very valid point as to what the LLWS needs to consider changing in the future to make the game even more real. Good post, Nick.
I like the points you made in this blog. I dont agree with you though. I beleive LLWS is a great event that should be played every year. Yes little leagues feilds are smaller distances but the kids are not strong enough to reach the mound from regulation size. Also with the bases closer it is harder to turn double plays and the ball is hit harder at the fielders. So the fielding is a lot more key in this game and stealing isn't necessary.
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