Nine year old banned from pitching because he's "too good"

[peplaw06]

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_y...g=ap-toogoodtopitch&prov=ap&type=lgns&print=1

9-year-old boy told he’s too good to pitch

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, Associated Press Writer

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP)—Nine-year-old Jericho Scott is a good baseball player— too good, it turns out.

The right-hander has a fastball that tops out at about 40 mph. He throws so hard that the Youth Baseball League of New Haven told his coach that the boy could not pitch any more. When Jericho took the mound anyway last week, the opposing team forfeited the game, packed its gear and left, his coach said.

Officials for the three-year-old league, which has eight teams and about 100 players, said they will disband Jericho’s team, redistributing its players among other squads, and offered to refund $50 sign-up fees to anyone who asks for it. They say Jericho’s coach, Wilfred Vidro, has resigned.

But Vidro says he didn’t quit and the team refuses to disband. Players and parents held a protest at the league’s field on Saturday urging the league to let Jericho pitch.

“He’s never hurt any one,” Vidro said. “He’s on target all the time. How can you punish a kid for being too good?”

The controversy bothers Jericho, who says he misses pitching.

“I feel sad,” he said. “I feel like it’s all my fault nobody could play.”

Jericho’s coach and parents say the boy is being unfairly targeted because he turned down an invitation to join the defending league champion, which is sponsored by an employer of one of the league’s administrators.

Jericho instead joined a team sponsored by Will Power Fitness. The team was 8-0 and on its way to the playoffs when Jericho was banned from pitching.

“I think it’s discouraging when you’re telling a 9-year-old you’re too good at something,” said his mother, Nicole Scott. “The whole objective in life is to find something you’re good at and stick with it. I’d rather he spend all his time on the baseball field than idolizing someone standing on the street corner.”

League attorney Peter Noble says the only factor in banning Jericho from the mound is his pitches are just too fast.

“He is a very skilled player, a very hard thrower,” Noble said. “There are a lot of beginners. This is not a high-powered league. This is a developmental league whose main purpose is to promote the sport.”

Noble acknowledged that Jericho had not beaned any batters in the co-ed league of 8- to 10-year-olds, but say parents expressed safety concerns.

“Facing that kind of speed” is frightening for beginning players, Noble said.

League officials say they first told Vidro that the boy could not pitch after a game on Aug. 13. Jericho played second base the next game on Aug. 16. But when he took the mound Wednesday, the other team walked off and a forfeit was called.

League officials say Jericho’s mother became irate, threatening them and vowing to get the league shut down.

“I have never seen behavior of a parent like the behavior Jericho’s mother exhibited Wednesday night,” Noble said.

Scott denies threatening any one, but said she did call the police.

League officials suggested that Jericho play other positions, or pitch against older players or in a different league.

Local attorney John Williams was planning to meet with Jericho’s parents Monday to discuss legal options.

“You don’t have to be learned in the law to know in your heart that it’s wrong,” he said. “Now you have to be punished because you excel at something?”

 

[Brandon]

This is as stupid as letting teachers carry guns.

 

[DallasFanSince86]

This is one of the stupidest things I have ever heard. The kid cannot pitch like he wants because he is too good at it, how does that make sense to anyone?

There are always safety concerns when playing sports so that is a crappy excuse, IMO.

And the team that packed up and left when Jericho Scott got onto the pitchers mound showed very bad sportsmanship, by doing that.

 

[jimmy40]

This is one of the stupidest things I have ever heard. The kid cannot pitch like he wants because he is too good at it, how does that make sense to anyone?

There are always safety concerns when playing sports so that is a crappy excuse, IMO.

And the team that packed up and left when Jericho Scott got onto the pitchers mound showed very bad sportsmanship, by doing that.

When I was eight they put me in the 9&10 year old division because I threw so hard, of course NOT being on target all the time might have been a reason.

 

[DallasFanSince86]

When I was eight they put me in the 9&10 year old division because I threw so hard, of course NOT being on target all the time might have been a reason.

Yeah, that could have been the reason.:laugh2:

 

[Tusan_Homichi]

Jeez. If it's that big of a deal, just move him up a division. Don't disband a whole damn team. That's ridiculous.

 

[burmafrd]

what do you expect. Look at all the schools that do not want to keep scores on any games since the team that loses will have "psychological damage"
Or banning dodgeball since it sets a "bad example"

 

[Danny White]

When I played Little League, my team had a huge kid on it who could throw absolute smoke. And unlike the kid in this story, he would spray the occasional pitch over the batter's head or even behind him at times.

It was horrifying to face him in batting practice.

But all that said, no one even thought about "banning" him from playing. It was part of the game and the other teams had to deal with playing against him.

This seems pretty weak if you ask me.

 

[cbfan55]

quote//Jericho’s coach and parents say the boy is being unfairly targeted because he turned down an invitation to join the defending league champion, which is sponsored by an employer of one of the league’s administrators. Jericho instead joined a team sponsored by Will Power Fitness. The team was 8-0 and on its way to the playoffs when Jericho was banned from pitching.


Sounds to me like the defending champs are a little scared and made this happen

 

[vlad]

The sad thing is I'm not even surprised. Instead of promoting the best, we stifle them so the rest don't feel bad. That goes for sports, education, politics, just the general expectation of everyday USA.

What's so wrong with a meritocracy-based society?

 

[Vintage]

what do you expect. Look at all the schools that do not want to keep scores on any games since the team that loses will have "psychological damage"
Or banning dodgeball since it sets a "bad example"

Glad my school didn't do that crap.

Dodgeball was awesome. How could you ban that? It should be a ******** requirement.

Though, Secret Medic was even cooler (a slight variation on dodgeball).

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I listened to this on mike&MIKE this morning. It's just crazy.

Should just get all these kids together at a ball park, throw out the balls, bats and gloves and just let them play Baseball. Better that way I think. No need for Parents or Leagues to get involved and ruin a good thing.

If a kid is that much better, then eventually, the hitters he faces will get that much better because those boys are not going to stop trying to hit.

I don't know. Maybe I just don't get it anymore. Then again.........

 

[Hostile]

That is ridiculous.

 

[big dog cowboy]

That is ridiculous.

Pretty conservative wording Hos.

 

[DallasCowpoke]

“He is a very skilled player, a very hard thrower,” Noble said. “There are a lot of beginners. This is not a high-powered league. This is a developmental league whose main purpose is to promote the sport.”

Noble acknowledged that Jericho had not beaned any batters in the co-ed league of 8- to 10-year-olds, but say parents expressed safety concerns.

Seriously, he's throwing at girls and snot-nosed boys!? Hey "Cy Young", pick on somebody your own size, who doesn't "throw like a girl"!

 

[Biggems]

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_y...g=ap-toogoodtopitch&prov=ap&type=lgns&print=1

not to get too political....but these idiots must be Liberals. They don't want to give this kid a superiority complex and those other kids an inferiority complex, so they take away his chance to play.

These are the same people who would have kicked Michael Phelps off our swimming team and Usain Bolt off the Jamaica track team.

BTW, my Uncle lives up there, I can't wait to discuss this with him.

This kid needs to move to Texas, California, or Florida....I guarantee he can play in those areas.....heck, he might even get a Major League contract by the time he is 16.

 

[Biggems]

The sad thing is I'm not even surprised. Instead of promoting the best, we stifle them so the rest don't feel bad. That goes for sports, education, politics, just the general expectation of everyday USA.

What's so wrong with a meritocracy-based society?

we are slowly becoming what we fought for 4 decades to destroy.........the U.S.S.R.

 

[Bizwah]

On the surface, I totally agree with you all. It's ridiculous that a kid is deemed "too good" to play.

But, if I read this correctly, the league that he's in is a beginner's league. If that's the case, then why isn't he playing in a league with players that are more advanced?

I guess it's possible there isn't one. If that's the case, then the parents should just tell their kids to "man up" and play ball. Do the best you can.

I think this story just smells fishy. I can't imagine a league telling a player, "You're too good, you can't play."

I would imagine that this league is for beginner's and this boy obviously isn't a beginner. I would think that there are more advanced leagues for him to play in.

If he were my boy, that's what I'd do....I'd try to find him better players to play against.

That's what I enjoy about the YMCA in our town. They usually have two leagues. One league is for kids that are just learning the game. One is for kids that want to play in a more competitive setting. Usually, my girl wants to play in the beginner's league....basically, their team picks flowers. My son usually plays in the advanced groups....he wants to move up a few age groups. If he were a better player, I'd let him.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I listened to this on mike&MIKE this morning. It's just crazy.

Should just get all these kids together at a ball park, throw out the balls, bats and gloves and just let them play Baseball. Better that way I think. No need for Parents or Leagues to get involved and ruin a good thing.

If a kid is that much better, then eventually, the hitters he faces will get that much better because those boys are not going to stop trying to hit.

I don't know. Maybe I just don't get it anymore. Then again.........

good idea, esp. w/ the way parents are these days

they're psychos

 

[Garland powerplay]

every league has a pitcher like this. Send him to Garland ,
40mph would be batting cage speed.