Let Jericho pitch - and adults, get out of the way!
The preposterous case of Jericho Scott is another blemish on organized youth sports, further proof that adults don't know when to get out of the way when it comes to their kids and sports.
In case you missed it, Scott is a 9-year-old pitcher in New Haven, Conn. He's a very good pitcher - in fact, he's too good, some say. He throws hard and accurate, better than anybody else in the Liga Juvenil De Baseball De New Haven.
So, of course, the league acted to ban him from pitching in the eight-team, coed league. And now lawyers are involved.
"I feel sad. I feel like it's all my fault nobody could play," Jericho said.
A New Haven Register story adds more illumination to the tale, and not to surprisingly, this all probably has little to do with what the kids want and everything to do with another team wanting Jericho to pitch for them.
And remember, this is a coed league for 9-year-olds. Any of the adults who acted to ban Jericho should be removed from the league immediately, and find another hobby.
And for the person who actually created a Wikipedia page for Jericho Scott already ... you can try to get a life as well.
Comments
We are from California and my daughter is a 10 year old girls fast pitch softball player. She plays one age division up because she is too strong for the girls in her age group. This has only made her better, so maybe it’s something the Scott family could consider, but it is the parents’ choice, not something the league should mandate. Maybe they need to come play ball out here! To be the best, you have to play with the best.
We are from Texas and have a daughter that played softball in 10u leagues. There are girls throwing softballs in 10u select ball leagues at or around 55mph. After growing up playing baseball and pitching for many years, it is not that hard to understand that throwing a baseball at 40mph is reasonable for a nine year old, especially with practice. Obviously, this kid has a special talent and is being held back for it. If the other kids can’t hit he ball, thats the goal as a pitcher. This is how the major leaguers get started. This is like telling Tiger Woods he couldn’t compete in golf tournaments as a child or like telling one of the Manning brothers they couldn’t play quarterback as a kid. Let the kid play and be commended for his efforts and obvious talents. He may be the next big league pitcher that throws 100+mph if you let him keep going.
To the league supervisors. How would you feel if your employer told you that your are to good at what you do and that you will be laid off so that the other employees can feel good. Let the kid pitch. The other players might learn how to hit a 40 mph fastball.
This kid obviously has talent and has practiced to become the great pitcher that he is. Maybe the complaining parents should practice with their kids too and up their game. No thats way too easy they should just put their kids on a T-ball team since practice is out of the question. Problem solved!
Its pretty obvious that the parents who’s child faces Jericho, know that theyre kids suck. I say the kids who cant play because of thier parents should maybe sign up, and excel in peewee football cheerleading. Its apparent that the parents know that got a bunch of lil sissies. To hold a kid back simply because he’s better then the rest. Wow first our government tries to hold us down, now we got little league parents trying to keep a kid down. If one of my kids was playing against this kid, ide tell him take your best shot, if you cant hit him, “WE” need to practise more. Sorry pathetic parents, should be ashamed of themselves.
What a bunch of commies. I hope this kid’s parents get this whole league shut down. Penalizing a kid for being ‘too good’ is un-American.
The Director of the leauge needs a good kick in the head! Let the kid play!!!!
I am so sick and tired of the world having to slow down because some kids cannot keep up. It’s called life, deal with it, some kids are better, some kids lose, tough —-
The people who wanted Jericho off the team are the same ones who think every child on a team should get an award at the end of the season, whether they excelled or not. That keeps everyone happy. LOL This young man has worked hard to hone his abilities and he is being slapped down! Is this the message we want to give the next generation? How will the US fare in the Olympics in 10 or 15 years if this attitude propers.
What parent in thier right mind would want to keep thier child down in a co-ed league IF he is that good and that on all the time. 40 mph for a 9 year old isn’t that uncommmon. My 8 year old was throwning 37’s in camp before this season.
After reading the full story from the New Haven Register, it seems more politics than anything. Really sad to see in organized youth sports, but it happens.
Coming from the parent of a child that has been playing on a 10u tournament teams since he was 7. The parents need to look at the best interest of ALL the kids and not just one. Find him a league or even a travel team that is more geared to his level. You don’t put a child that is gifted in a remedial class.
I bet ya the Scott’s will want monitary compensation. Either or, let the kid finish up the season.
I am President of our local little league as well as a coach. It is not unreasonable for 9 year olds to throw 40MPH. We have several kids who are 9 that actually throw even harder. This is the most ridiculous article I have ever read. These parents and coaches need to get a clue. Maybe if they spend more time teaching some of the other kids to pitch instead acting like such jerks their league might grow and get more than 100 kids to participate. I know I would never let my kid play in such a legue. Parents a coaches need to get a clue. They are destroying youth sports.
There is a lot more to this story. This child pitched 8 innings over 2 days which is too much at the age. The baseball pitching motion is NOT a normal arm rotation wheres as softball is. This league was a developmental league and most players were new to the game. Jerrico was not banned from playing, the team was simply told he could not pitch. He still could have played other positions, no child at this age should be limited to one position. He needs to learn to field and throw to different position.
Most of you are commenting about wimpy parents etc, sounds to me like the Scott’s are the ones out of control not the other parents. Sue over what? Get real people.
This is kid’s baseball not the major leagues. Remember that
I actually commented on this story in my blog the other day. There should be a limit to the the number of pitches. But the biggest gripe the parents have is that Jericho is too good, he pitches too hard… It is typical of life in the US that if somebody is too good, it is unfair. I too am a pediatirc nurse, but am a perent and have played baseball and coached a couple of others. I’m sorry, I would have put my son out there against Jericho and told him to take his cuts and to do his best. No wonder we are getting our clock cleaned in the classroom and on the athletic field as a country-we no longer celebrate excellence.