Junk

[DOUGHBOYS]

You know what used to piss me off?
My team having a heckuva day. You know, something like a .350 avg, 3 hr's, sb, 10 rbi, and 10 runs and having a pitcher have a good start and a save from the closer....and yet still drop in the standings.
It's happened to all of us.
Now, especially at this time of year when we're trying to eke out points in categories, I embrace it.
We know we've had a good day, but only the Managers in our leagues that go over every stat with a fine tooth comb, also know we've had a good day.
It's stealthy!

This happens because we were too far back to catch somebody with our good stats or on that day, other teams also had good days in the categories where we had a chance to catch them.
The only time I do not want this phenomenon to happen is the last day of the season.
That would be maddening.


A great Little League game yesterday. It is a shame that adults have invaded a kids game and made a perfectly good game like baseball, wussified.
Pitch counts, mandatory playing time, blah, blah, blah.
Why does it seem like these rules are made by adults who always got picked to play last on the playground as a kid?
The Tennessee-California game was wonderful to watch yesterday, until both teams were hamstrung by their best pitchers, pitching too many pitches.
So today, Tennessee plays Japan without the use of their best pitchers.
It's stupid.
What's next?
A youth football running back can only take so many hits before not being eligible to play?
A 6 foot 5 inch 13 year old has to sit the bench because his advantage is too large vs. other basketball teams?
Puhleese!
Heck, Little Leaguers cannot even say "Hey Batter, Batter" any more for fear of distracting the hitter.
WHAT?
That is what is intended!
But former bench sitting parents don't get it and made a rule.
Holy Cow!
And yes, this is still part of the wussification of America.

Hawk Harrelson is going too far in coming out on the air and saying certain umpires give opposing teams a wider strike zone. In a way, I admire Harrelson. He's sort of like an abrasive Ron Santo. He wears his Sox on his sleeve. And sometimes in campaigning for the Sox, he has a 'them against us' mentality. And in his thoughts, the 'them' includes the umpires.
It is stupid to think that umpires have it in for one team or another. It is even stupider to verbalize those feelings on air.

The best thing about watching the Little League game yesterday was knowing that Tim McCarver or Joe Morgan was nowhere near this national telecast.

Roger Clemens might pitch a game for the Astros. As usual with Clemens, he has ulterior motives.
He knows that the Hall of Fame is not going to include him in the next vote.
All the money or steroids can't change that. The writers are not giving anybody with Hall of Fame numbers and an imaginary asterisk a chance to get in the Hall.
Clemens knows.
So the only thing he can do is to turn back the clock.
If he pitches in an Astros game this year, his Hall of Fame clock is turned back five years.
By that time, things may have changed among Hall of Fame voters and Clemens can still get in on the first ballot.
Clemens is used to getting his way. It wouldn't surprise me to see him pitch in an Astros game.
A lot of former players are thankful for what baseball has given them.
Since Clemens has retired, he has done little but take from the game.

I love the line that somebody had after the Dodgers-Red Sox blockbuster trade.
Absolutely loved it and I can't remember who said it. I wish it were me.
He said that right now, Magic Johnson is more beloved in Boston than Larry Bird.
Perfect.
The trade gives the Red Sox a 'do over'.
They can sign different players to contracts of their choice.
They are now completely rid of Theo.
But, there is still a problem.
Dustin Pedroia, John Lester, and Alfredo Aceves all do not care much for Bobby Valentine.
I feel for Aceves. He's done everything the Red Sox have asked of him over the last two years and always seems to get the short end in the end.
Pedroia and Lester will either have to get along with Valentine or Red Sox Management can keep on admitting past mistakes and fire Valentine.
No matter what, the Red Sox will be awfully intriguing to watch over the off season.

[viper]

I have to take a small issue with your Little league observations. Pitch limits may be seem to be stupid but you may not have seen an adult manager have a 10 year old pitcher throw over 200 pitches in a 6 inning game in an effort win. I have. Many adults are living their lost youth in the arms of 10 to 12 year olds. They don't really care at all about the youth as long as the win that particular game. If the child never throws a baseball game after the age of 12 is fine from some manager's point of view. The rules that little league imposes can create some stupid situations but there is a reason behind them. Kids play the game but adults bend rules, push things beyond reasonable limits and have forced little league officials to impose these rules.

That said, please keep writing. No one writes better baseball related articles anywhere. You may have missed your true calling.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Great reply.
And thanks for the compliment.

I remember those days of the one man (boy) teams. They weren't good for that kid or the league as a whole.
That said, when three or four kids are ineligible to pitch for the biggest game of their young lives, the pendulum has swung way too much the other way.
Little League officials should sit down with a KIDS representative from each team , voice concerns and see if the kids can suggest alternatives. It's their game, they should have a larger voice.
Just my take.