Controversy Over 9-Year-Old Pitcher Divides League

just let the kid(s) play. it will work itself out.

This is a sterling example of why this country will continue to fall behind the rest of the world.

Excellence among our young being punished to save the egos of other kids' parents. Everyone having to get an award, no matter how badly they perform. Parents pushing their children to live their own unfulfilled fantasies. ENOUGH!!!!!!

Let's get back to reality and reward excellence, and teach some hard lessons about the fact that everyone cannot always win. That is the source of motivation - the drive to improve yourself. How can you improve if you have no true measure of yourself?

This is what happens when Parents control every aspect of kids play!
These kids wouldnt know how to start a neghborhood kickball game.

I have been to many of summer baseball games most high end pitchers were in all stars then had a few weeks off till the fall. Some parents want their kids to play year long and burn them out by High School.

I the kid really pitched 5 innings one day and 3 innings the next day the coach should not be allowed to coach. A kid that age should only oitch 1 or 2 innings at the most. let the kids move around an play all positions.Also there is no need for playoffs at that age. Perhaps the family should hire Scott Boras as his agent. The Yankees could use him as Pavano should be getting hurt again soon.

Another example of the worst thing to happen to yourh sports in the last 30 years- parents. Let the kid play, geeeez!

When I was a kid we had cuts, i got cut every year and nobody sued. I got cut because i sucked. These kids probably play in a second rate league because the kids are not playing together on their own or their caregivers are not teaching them the basics. Theres talent and there is talent and preperation. Anyway it will all work out in the wash remember Danny Almonte.

Jericho shouldn't be punished for his talent. I applaud his mom for not allowing him to play in the older division.

Parents need to stop managing every aspect of their children's lives. They are teaching their kids how to be a bunch of cry babies if they don't get their way.

Wow, what has this world come to. Should we be tellimg someone not to try and do your best because your too good.
Shame on the parents. What are they afraid of?
You take away the ability to know the score, but they know the score. You take away the ability for someone to win and soneone to lose, but they knoe who wins and who looses.
Competition is good, I coached LL baseball for 10 years and when the kids went ot a pitching machine at 8-9 yrs. old, it started out at 35 mph, and in the middle of the season it was put up to 40 mph and the kids adjusted fine. It is easier to see a ball coming out of someones hand than a pitching machine.
GROW UP. You all are a bunch of babies.

You go little boy! Let's teach the kids to raise the standards, not lower them! Let him be an inspiration to the other players. Parents who can't handle it should grow up.

This is insane!!! If you are a standout, you can't participate....what kind of thing is that to do to a young child...hey Billy, you got an A in gym class so next year you can't have gym class because you are too good... just more parents trying to wussify the youth of America!

Why did it take several days for the Hartford Courant to pick up this story? I read about this and saw video about this Little Leaguer on CNN two days ago!!!

MJR wrote:

Why did it take several days for the Hartford Courant to pick up this story? I read about this and saw video about this Little Leaguer on CNN two days ago!!!

duh, no reporters only repeaters at the courant.

Get over it wrote:

<quoted text>
duh, no reporters only repeaters at the courant.

They had to ask the good Mayor Perez if the story meet his expectation, just in case a negative comment could have been made. One the censors in the Mayors office ok's the story this 2 bit paper ran it, most likely the so called reporters work for the Mayor as the paper sinks deeper into financial ruin

You tell your children to be the best they can be and they will succeed in life. This child has a gift, he's talented and now he's being punished for being the best he can be? G*d forbid a kid nowadays should get hit by a ball, get a black eye, get even so much as a scratch. We are raising a generation of kids who will be in for a rude awakening when they enter the 'real' world as adults. Let them get their bruises, believe me, they'll get up and dust themselves off,learn to have a backbone. As an adultthey would have learned how to handle a situation when life does hand you a hardball(no pun intended).

America is breeding wimps. This is a classic story. Wahhhh, the kid is better then my kid so throw him out of the league. What a joke. An inner city has something positive going on and then this nonsense goes on. The league is probably run by some loser who wants to relive his youth and can't.

Sounds like this talented boy should be playing in his age group in a more organized league. He should not be pitching 5 innings one day and 3 the next. There are leagues out there with rules that protect the arms of young developing pitchers. New Haven has little league teams and there are also AAU teams in the area. This league, while well intentioned to keep the kids occupied and off the streets, is probably not the right place for this youngster.

they did not kick the kid out. stop sensationalizing.
they asked him to move up
his mother is an a$$.
this is an instructional league. let the kids hit. let the kids on the pitchers team field hits. it's about learning how to play at this age, not see who can dominate.
loser parents living through their kids. pushing them all year, no wonder there is a rise in sports injuries for kids.
winner take all is what is killing this country.

No wonder our country is going down the tubes. This is just unbelievable. What a bunch of babies.

It sounds like this kid needs to be moved to a better league. There are real safety concerns that need to be considered when you have a kid that can really play v. a bunch of kids just wanting to take a whack at the ball for fun. Parents shouldn't have to worry about their little ones being hit by a 40 mph fast ball (which can lead to serious injury/death) and, yet, the kids shouldn't be punished for having a real talent. Basically, he needs to be in a league with kids that are at a similar skill level. It's a win-win for everyone.