Pitch or Not ?

[joeyballsack]

<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/rick_reilly/08/07/reilly0814/index.html">This actually happened. Your job is to decide whether it should have. <p>&nbsp;</p><p>In a nine- and 10-year-old PONY league championship game in Bountiful, Utah, the Yankees lead the Red Sox by one run. The Sox are up in the bottom of the last inning, two outs, a runner on third. At the plate is the Sox' best hitter, a kid named Jordan. On deck is the Sox' worst hitter, a kid named Romney. He's a scrawny cancer survivor who has to take human growth hormone and has a shunt in his brain. </p><p>So, you're the coach: Do you intentionally walk the star hitter so you can face the kid who can barely swing? </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><br />I heard Dan Patrick talking about this on his radio show today. What do you think the right thing to do would be in this case ? <br /></p></a>

<span class=post_edited>This message was edited by joeyballsack on 8-9-06 @ 7:04 PM</span>

[Don Stugots]

<p>walk big papi and pitch to the water head.</p>

[SatCam]

I say beam the cancer kid with a ball covered in AIDS and cyanide, then kill his dog and rape his sister, and then deport his family

[HBox]

Mr. Reilly got the opinions of a hell of a lot of people about the situation.............. except the kid himself. Something tells me that the kid's opinion didn't fit in with his narrative.<br />

[joeyballsack]

<p>He says at the end of the story that he is going to work on his hitting during the offseason so he will be the one being walked next time. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

[spoon]

<p>That's the gayest fucking league&nbsp;I ever heard of.&nbsp; Those rules are meant for kindergarten, not little league.&nbsp; Hell, the kid himself at least got something true out of this and realized the world's not going to give him a pass in life no matter what.&nbsp; A good lesson even if it's a little harsh at this level.&nbsp; I wouldn't have walked the kid, but then again I wouldn't be coaching in a gay league like that.&nbsp; Can it get any more lame out there?&nbsp; </p>

[HeyGuy]

<p>I would have walked him to. First off no stealing, 4 runs per inning max. This is a shit league. When I was a kid you were good or you werent. If you won you got a trophy if you lost you got dick! Now everyones a winner and gets praised and a trophy. Fuck that. Teach these kids when they are young that not everyone wins. Some people who are better then you at something should get more. Thats just life.</p><p>So the coach who was winning should have taken a chance on loosing and fuck over all his kids, just so some kid who HAD cancer doesnt have to be the one that looses the game? Wrong, if I coached my kids would be just as important. Besides this kid all ready had his wish from make a wish, it was to see awful president Bush. If he wanted to win the championship or not be the goat. Then he should have asked make a wish for that and not wasted his wish.</p>

[OGC]

<p><font face="times new roman,times,serif" size="3">Boy do I feel like a fool, I thought the name of the thread was </font></p><p><font face="times new roman,times,serif" size="3">&quot;Batch of Not ?&quot;. </font></p><p><font face="times new roman,times,serif" size="3" /></p><p><font face="times new roman,times,serif" size="3">I would have voted yes.</font></p>

[HBox]

<p>&nbsp;</p><strong>joeyballsack</strong> wrote:<br /><p>He says at the end of the story that he is going to work on his hitting during the offseason so he will be the one being walked next time. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Yeah, but he didn't ask the kid thought the other team should have done. He said the kid cried that night, which 1. Might be a story fabricated by his parents and 2. If true, probably was because he struck out in a big spot, IMO anyway.<br /></p><p>Is the answer really sparing him of the spotlight because we assume he will never come through? I was the kid who they'd want to pitch to when I was in Little League and I usually struck out. But one time I actually hit a double, and it was fucking awesome. If we are saying this kid is incapable of ever doing that, then why is he playing? But if he can actually play, why take away the chance? I would bet shit loads of money that this kid doesn't want to be protected in this way, that he looked forward to coming up in that spot, that he wants the chance. What he really wants is to be treated like anyone else whenever possible, like just about everybody.<br /></p><p>How is this stuff supposed to be handled, like with that autistic basketball kid? Is that how we are supposed to handle these things, only let these kids play when it means nothing, and if they do succeed let's blow it out of proportion? And never really give them a chance in real competition? Give them their own little artificial world where nothing bad can happen, and nothing good either, but lets just pretend like everything is awesome?</p>

[Hottub]

<p>I am quite involved with all of the youth sports programs in my town. My sons play year 'round. When you sign your child up for a sport, be it Rec, PAL, or Little league, you go in knowing that it is about teaching your children fair play, competition and being a part of a team.</p><p>That being said, I would <strong>so</strong> IW Johnny, to pitch to little Timmy there wouldn't even be a second thought. Now I am sure I would catch shit for this after the game, and probably for years to come, but TOO BAD!</p><p>It's all a further example of the *Pussification of America!* If you sign your kid up for a sport, he has to learn how to win graciously, as well as loose.</p><p>Sean has been fortunate enough over the past 2 years to be on winning baseball teams. At the end, he got a nice trophy. This year, he joined the swim team. Did pretty well for himself and placed in a bunch of races. At awards night, there were only 3 trophies to be had. He got none of them. He was not heartbroken, but he learned that if you want the gold, you must try harder. No tears, but he learned a valuable lesson. Sean is 8.</p>

[SatCam]

When my little league minors team was in the playoffs, my coach told us not to swing until we get our first strike. I swung without a strike and he kept me out of the field the next inning. So I beat him down with a bat

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/graphics/art3/simonsausage.jpg

Did I mention he was a bratwurst?

[ADF]

In little league you should pitch to every player.&nbsp; If you lose, who cares?&nbsp; It's little league.<br />

[Fallon]

<p>&nbsp;</p><strong>ADF</strong> wrote:<br />If you lose, who cares? It's little league.<br /><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img width="220" height="168" border="0" src="http://archives.cnn.com/2002/LAW/01/11/hockey.dads.trial/story.hockey.dad.verdict.jpg" />&nbsp;</p>

[spoon]

Easy Fallon!&nbsp; That's a real sport you're talking about there, bleecher fighting!

[ADF]

<p>I would like to add that Fallon has the greatest avatar of all time.&nbsp; You cannot argue with its greatness.</p><p>But...</p><p>I said no arguing!&nbsp;</p>

[spoon]

Did you just argue with yourself?&nbsp; Nice!

[Fezticle98]

<p>Intentionally walking someone in a 9-10 year old league is a bitch move regardless of who is sitting on deck.</p><p>The kid was on HGH and he still sucks? Guess Barry Bonds deserves some credit.</p>

[Fezticle98]

<strong>SatCam</strong> wrote:<br />When my little league minors team was in the playoffs, my coach told us not to swing until we get our first strike. I swung without a strike and he kept me out of the field the next inning. So I beat him down with a bat <img src="http://www.thesmokinggun.com/graphics/art3/simonsausage.jpg" border="0" /> Did I mention he was a bratwurst? <p>Looks more like an Italian sausage. A filthy Italian sausage.</p>