Little League World Series

[Fire0nIce228 1]

I just wanted to see if anyone else was watching this.

I freaking love these games but I hate MLB. Little league is so much better. Guam/Curacao right now is a great game!

My pick is Mexico to win it.

[lampliter87 8]

I thought it was really cool when I was their age and still played baseball. I've been watching it some, but watching Curacao slaughter Italy 11-1 in 4 was horrible to watch.

[5minutesforfighting 0]

I've watched a few innings here and there but baseball doesn't really excite me to begin with. I watched some of the Japan/Canada game and it wasn't bad. The pitcher was decent, threw a mean change-up that caught a couple guys off guard. There's just not enough action in it (like Hockey or Football) to keep me entertained.

[Chadd 916]

If you get the chance, you should go see a game or two. I grew up a mile from the stadium and my father worked there for 10-15 years. I spent a lot of time there every year.

[Dougie8 0]

I can't believe how big the first baseman is on S.Arabia. 6'2 - 228lbs, These kids are 12 and 13 years old?

Maybe the next Prince Fielder...

[cw91 0]

usaully watch some games.. actually went a few years back and its a pretty good time. the foods cheap and the seats are free

[budro727 0]

  Dougie8 said:

I can't believe how big the first baseman is on S.Arabia. 6'2 - 228lbs, These kids are 12 and 13 years old?

Maybe the next Prince Fielder...

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His brother is there and he played for Saudi Arabia two years ago and he is now 6'10" 270lbs.

[mack 44]

I hate seeing kids throw curveballs.

[RadioGaGa 162]

  mack said:

I hate seeing kids throw curveballs.

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I've heard you shouldn't even have kids throwing curves until they are at least 14...

How many kids who play in the LLWS actually go onto Major League careers...?

[Hooah4 12]

Chris Drury is the only one that comes to mind right away.

[Chadd 916]

  RadioGaGa said:

  mack said:

I hate seeing kids throw curveballs.

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I've heard you shouldn't even have kids throwing curves until they are at least 14...

How many kids who play in the LLWS actually go onto Major League careers...?

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LLB paid for a study while my father was still there and it showed that a properly thrown curveball puts no more stress on an arm than a fastball. The bigger issue at that time was pitch counts and they phased in the new rule limiting the number of pitches a kid could throw in any game.

There are always coaches that don't care about their kids but LLB, as an institution, has always cared about the safety and health of the kids.

  Hooah4 said:

Chris Drury is the only one that comes to mind right away.

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If you want to stick to hockey players:

Ray Ferraro

Pierre Turgeon

Stefan Matteau

[Fire0nIce228 1]

I would love to go see the LLWS someday, I think its great!

Now that the first round is over the games should start getting a little closer, but thats part of the cool thing. The kids actually make mistakes and arnt as trained to take a momentum letdown and come back firing, so the momentum and attitude swings during each game is sometimes crazy to watch happen.

[cw91 0]

  RadioGaGa said:

How many kids who play in the LLWS actually go onto Major League careers...?

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for kids that go to the mlb i can think of gary sheffield, jason varitek, and sean bouroughs off the top of my head

[mik3 1]

Last year Real Sports(which is terrible 90% of the time) had a good report on how many kids are just destroying their arms. This kids play year-round in a lot of states and are throwing sliders at 14. You can teach a kid how to throw a curve well, but you still shouldn't till high school. A slider is just going to destroy them though. Dr. Andrews said he was doing over 100 Tommy John surgeries a year to kids under the age of 18.

I forget what team it was but some big kid was throwing mid70s with two fastballs and a change, that's all you need, you're not facing elite players out there.

Since it was asked, these people have played in the LLWS.

Wilson Alverez

Jason Bay

Derek Bell

Burroughs

Matt Cassell from the Patriots

Drury

Ferrar

Dwight Gooden

Charlie Hayes

Carney Lansford

Jason Marquis

Stephane Matteau

Lloyd McClendon

Lastings Milledge

Boog Powell

Sheff

Turgeon

Varitek

Dan Wilson

[Drewhunz 3]

My shoulder was destroyed by the end of high school due to only pitching sidearm and underhand with limited instruction from the age of 8.

[mik3 1]

Yeah, they always talk about how much less stress is on the shoulder, but it's only if it's done correctly. If you just wing it then yeah, you probably do more damage than throwing overhand.

The kids I coach, 7th and 8th graders, pretty much all throw 3/4 with no breaking balls. Two(three if their hands are big enough for a split grip) fastballs and a change.

[Chadd 916]

  cw91 said:

  RadioGaGa said:

How many kids who play in the LLWS actually go onto Major League careers...?

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for kids that go to the mlb i can think of gary sheffield, jason varitek, and sean bouroughs off the top of my head

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Sheffield and Derek Bell were on the same team from Belmont Heights.