LLWS

[bersaguy]

I was just wondering if anyone on TGO has been watching the Little League World Series the past couple weeks. The top 3 games are on this weekend. It's down to 2 U.S. teams and 2 Foreign teams on Saturday and the two winners from Saturday move on to Sunday to play for the World Series Championship game. Texas and North Carolina play the U.S. bracket and Mexico and Japan Play in the Foreign bracket and the winners go to Sunday. I have been watching them every August at Williamsport for last 6 years and they play great baseball for sure. 

[smokin45]

Watch it every year. Went to Williamsport with my son on several occasions, It was a great time. A lot of things have changed since we were there.

[KahrMan]

I have been watching when I can.  I love the LLWS.  Its fun watching people play a sport with real passion instead of playing just for a paycheck.

[Ronald_55]

I saw that awesome over the fence catch by that kid in the one game. lol

[bersaguy]

12 minutes ago, Ronald_55 said:

I saw that awesome over the fence catch by that kid in the one game. lol

There was another one made like that in last nights game that stole another homerun. I bet the games over the weekend will be awesome. NC is playing some serious baseball. I'm thinking unless Mexico pulls a rabbit out of the hat it will be NC and Japan on Sunday but not betting on it. NC and Japan have not lost a game yet and I thought South Korea would take Mexico out but they didn't. Texas has some big players and some good pitchers but I still think NC is favored to win.

I am hearing rumors during the broadcasts that the Little League Commission are going to look at a new bat issue which might mean Aluminum Bats are out and Wooden Bats are in but will have to wait and see. If that happens it might get very costly for little league teams that struggle to pay their way without sponsors for a season. I don't know if parents have to pay for the bats or not. I notice in World Series most players carry their own bats.

[bersaguy]

38 minutes ago, KahrMan said:

I have been watching when I can.  I love the LLWS.  Its fun watching people play a sport with real passion instead of playing just for a paycheck.

Those kids play with more hearts and passion than the Pros ever could and I seldom watch pro ball but will try not to miss a game in Little League world series

[peejman]

I coach my kids little league teams. The kids in the LLWS are from another planet. Their skills and focus at such a young age is amazing. 

[bersaguy]

4 minutes ago, peejman said:

I coach my kids little league teams. The kids in the LLWS are from another planet. Their skills and focus at such a young age is amazing. 

Yep and their sportsmanship is at a level you will not find in many adults except maybe in the men and women that coach them. I wish more adults could take lessons from these kids. The world would be a lot place to live............JMHO 

[gregintenn]

Little League is the pinnacle of baseball for me.

I know a guy who has two sons that played in the Little League World Series (Goodlettsville). That has to be awesome.

As for the cost of the bats, the ones they currently use are about $400 a piece. Wood bats would be a financial blessimg for the parents. My younger son had a custom wood bat made for him by Louisville Slugger. It was only about $60.

[bersaguy]

25 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

Little League is the pinnacle of baseball for me.

I know a guy who has two sons that played in the Little League World Series (Goodlettsville). That has to be awesome.

As for the cost of the bats, the ones they currently use are about $400 a piece. Wood bats would be a financial blessimg for the parents. My younger son had a custom wood bat made for him by Louisville Slugger. It was only about $60.

Yea and I was hoping Goodlettsville would have went all the way but the year they went the competition was really tough and on top of their games big time.

That might be why the Little League Commission is looking at changing but it has not been announced if they are going to wood. They have just been talking about it in between games that they are looking at bat issues.

It might be a blessing if the maker of the Louisville Slugger Bats and other bat companies do not get a bad case of the greed knowing all Little Leaguers have to go wooden. Normally when stuff like this happens dollar signs start flashing in the eyes of manufactures...........JMHO 

[smokin45]

If my memory is right LL quit using wood due to broken bats and the splintered wood flying back at the pitcher or any other player. Aluminum bats took care of said problem. Although some aluminum bats were inferior so came LL specifications to resent day bats.

[bersaguy]

54 minutes ago, smokin45 said:

If my memory is right LL quit using wood due to broken bats and the splintered wood flying back at the pitcher or any other player. Aluminum bats took care of said problem. Although some aluminum bats were inferior so came LL specifications to resent day bats.

I went and looked an there is nothing new on line in search about bats for LL yet.

[smokin45]

If I can find my old charter of rules and regulations when I was President of the leg. Some 21 years ago I'll check into it. May not find it though.

[peejman]

I'll agree that wood bats are a safety issue. 

Seems like the kids/game has almost outgrown the field.  Making the field 20% larger would help the bat/ball speed issue. 

[smokin45]

I see that starting January 1, 2018 the bat barrel is going from 2 1/4" in dia. To 2 5/8". Park just got smaller.

[peejman]

4 minutes ago, smokin45 said:

I see that starting January 1, 2018 the bat barrel is going from 2 1/4" in dia. To 2 5/8". Park just got smaller.

Wow. 

[TripleGGG]

8 hours ago, bersaguy said:

Those kids play with more hearts and passion than the Pros ever could and I seldom watch pro ball but will try not to miss a game in Little League world series

Love watching these kids play. Watched the LLWS Softball. They put on a great series as well. 

[gregintenn]

9 hours ago, TripleGGG said:

Love watching these kids play. Watched the LLWS Softball. They put on a great series as well. 

I watched a niece play in the little league softball World Series years ago. They got the crap beat out of them first game, but did make it there. Now she coaches a high school softball team.

[bersaguy]

For anyone interested in LLWS games today. They begin at 10:30 eastern time and 11:30 Central time on ABC. That is channel 2 in Central time but don't know what channel it is in the east time zone...............

[MP5_Rizzo]

17 hours ago, smokin45 said:

I see that starting January 1, 2018 the bat barrel is going from 2 1/4" in dia. To 2 5/8". Park just got smaller.

It's still going to be way too small for kids like 13 year old Jayce Blalock.

Little League orld Series Home run in the trees.

Here he is at Sun Trust Park, looks to be at least a 380 plus feet.

Sun Trust Park Homer by Jayce Blalock

 

Edited August 26, 2017 by MP5_Rizzo

[bersaguy]

18 hours ago, smokin45 said:

I see that starting January 1, 2018 the bat barrel is going from 2 1/4" in dia. To 2 5/8". Park just got smaller.

It may get a little for the 13 year olds but the new bat size will also add weight making it a little harder to swing for the smaller kids. At the speed these kids are throwing also is making the fields smaller when a batter gets the meat of the bat on the ball with a 78MPH (100 MP) fast ball.............JMHO

[smokin45]

From my time playing LL to managing and coaching to present time it's like driving a model T to driving a high class sports car. LL has come a long way. 

[bersaguy]

Well, it's time to make the call!!!       Who do you have picked to take the big trophy home? Texas or Japan I never thought Texas would beat North carolina but they did and are USA champs. I don't think Japan will be as easy as NC. They play way more discipline than most of the other teams. I would love to see it be Texas but have my doubts...............JMHO

[smokin45]

Same thinking as you bersa. Manager lost that game Imo. I think he had a better pitcher to go but didn't pitch him. The pitcher he put in just didn't have it. 

[bersaguy]

3 minutes ago, smokin45 said:

Same thinking as you bersa. Manager lost that game Imo. I think he had a better pitcher to go but didn't pitch him. The pitcher he put in just didn't have it. 

Yep!!    I think he didn't take Texas serious enough to use his top pitchers and was trying to save them for Japan. That older gentelman coaching Texas was on his game and when he told him players to get him just 2 runs they did and won the game. I just don't think Texas will be able to hit the Japanese Pitchers tomorrow. They are not as good and the Japanese team that came in 2015 but they are still pretty good.