I'm guessing your kid didn't make the select team?

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Funniest thing about this post is that a bunch of people who clearly have no idea what they are talking about are getting all worked up about an event that is held for kids.

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I'm betting some people do though.

96ags...what mound/base distances are you using for 10-year-olds? 46/60 feet is plenty long for that age. And for 10U, you can probably get away with 200ft fences. Open bases? Some of the worst "baseball" that I have seen has been open bases for 10U. I don't advocate it.

They use 225ft fences in Williamsport. Like you, I found it unbearable to watch some LLWS games where 10 HRs were hit. It's a joke for players of that skill level.

It has been slow in coming, but what Little League baseball has been trying to do is transition the 11-13-year-olds to 50/70 open bases with much deeper fences. I think it was first tested in 2010 and became official in 2013. Some of the local LLs in the Houston area have gone this direction, but very slowly.

But getting back to one point -- 46/60/225 are extremely suitable field dimensions for the majority of 11s and 12s playing LL baseball. Not the best for the superstars you see at Williamsport, but okay for the 4 or 5 million others who are playing with their neighborhood friends.

No doubt, some of the better ball players at this age are playing select ball. And some of them play year-round (a terrible idea in my opinion). Likewise, some of the select ball players are not very good. Their parents are just wealthy enough to pay the uniform, travel, and coaching costs.

I am very familiar with the Pearland team, and can say that not all of them have been playing select ball. You make it sound like that's what they did in the past and just played Little League baseball this year. Not entirely true. Sure, I see Andrew and some of those kids playing on travel teams at different tournaments, but not all of them. Plus some of the best high school baseball players I know only played Little League and then school ball. Not a lick of select/travel ball. I am not really trying to argue with you, but just wanted to throw in another opinion on this discussion.

I have been involved in both arenas (LL and select) and can see they both have their place, and both have advantages and disadvantages.

Select ball is for the rich folks. Baseball is the modern day tennis.

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Select ball is for the rich folks. Baseball is the modern day tennis.

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Maybe not rich rich folks but it's certainly a way to maintain an air of exclusivity. And you want your kid to play competitive baseball with the right kind of kids don't you? Don't you? I mean what kind of parent would neglect Jaxson's or Braxton's athletic future by letting him play regular lowly little league baseball?

And weekend tournaments - Church? Are you serious?

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Open bases? Some of the worst "baseball" that I have seen has been open bases for 10U. I don't advocate it.

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Agree with this. I stopped by a game where the kids (guessing in the range of 11 max?) were allowed to lead off. Once a kid got on 1st they might as well have been given a pass to 3rd....it was that automatic. The pitcher was obvioisly distracted while he should have been concerned about throwing strikes. But hey, the kids got to lead off like the 'big boys' so it must be better baseball.

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I'm guessing your kid didn't make the select team?

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Maybe this was intended tongue in cheek but there are sadly parents thay really do have this attitude. And if so think about how their kids act.

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But getting back to one point -- 46/60/225 are extremely suitable field dimensions for the majority of 11s and 12s playing LL baseball. Not the best for the superstars you see at Williamsport, but okay for the 4 or 5 million others who are playing with their neighborhood friends.

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86,

I want to give you a full answer to what you asked me, but I'll have to get to most of it a little later today. However, I did want to address this one point quickly because I believe it is the genesis for the majority of my dislike of the LLWS in its current format.

Every other organized youth baseball league that I am aware of (Super Series, USSSA, Nations, etc) INCLUDING our local youth league begins playing on 46/65 at the 9u level. Three full years younger than the boys at the LLWS but they play on 5ft longer base paths. At 12u, the age at which the LLWS kids are, these organizations play either 70 or 80 foot bases.

Girls softball is played at 60 foot bases. That is why I commented that the timing of infield plays is much more in line with softball timing than the traditional game of baseball.

The argument of select vs Little League is silly and pointless.

Are parents worse these days as far as being know it alls?

I picture the "Rock n Fire" parents on this thread

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The argument of select vs Little League is silly and pointless.

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Seems to me there was a few posters talking LLWS until you took it in another direction by running down little league.

I'm a big fan of little league because it offers a place to play and learn baseball at a reasonable price without making it into something more than it should be - a place to have fun and learn sportsmanship. Parents also dont have to be all-in to the extent select parents do (note that i said parents) so it opens it up for more kids to benefit. From a long term development standpoint each parent should do what they think is right. I just don't appreciate those that feel the need to run the other option down. Due to Type A personality traits and a need for validation i find that it's usually directed at little league.

Coupland you seem to be confusing Little League the organization with "local league" ball.

I have zero problem with local leagues. I sat on the board for one for a number of years and that is where my son and our family built some of our greatest friendships.

Local leagues are an absolute necessity of the game is going to continue to grow. Although some local leagues play under the "Little League" umbrella, many do not and are completely separate from the national organization.

My dislike for Little League's rules and field dimensions has very little to do with the majority of local leagues.

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I just don't appreciate those that feel the need to run the other option down. Due to Type A personality traits and a need for validation i find that it's usually directed at little league.

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You really seem to have some misguided anger and are missing what I am trying to say.

Point taken. I am probably applying some negative feelings about some recruiting among local leagues and applying them here.

But mostly i don't like what has happened to youth baseball.

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But mostly i don't like what has happened to youth baseball.

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I can certainly understand your sentiment. As a father of a freshman in high school, I've been up close and personal to both the good and bad of youth baseball very recently.

I tend to believe the good of youth sports still vastly outweighs the bad, but there is plenty of room for improvement across the board.