9-year-old too good for youth baseball league

by Sandy Maple (Subscribe to Sandy Maple's posts) Aug 26th 2008 9:00AM

Categories: Kids 8-11, Fun & Activities, Health & Safety, In The News

Should he choose to, Jericho Scott could probably have a career as a professional baseball player. Only nine-years-old, the New Haven, Connecticut boy has a fastball pitch that has been clocked at 40 miles per hour. Unfortunately, it's that fastball that has gotten him banned from pitching for the co-ed Youth Baseball League of New Haven.

Scott's coach and parents say that he's being unfairly targeted and that league officials are picking on him because he turned down an invitation to join the league's champion team, which happens to be sponsored by a league administrator. League officials say Scott was banned due to safety concerns. Although everyone admits that Scott has never hit anyone with a pitch, league attorney Peter Noble says parents are afraid their kids will get hurt at bat. "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."

League officials have suggested that Scott play another position, pitch against older players or even play in a different league. But last week, Scott took the mound despite the ban. In response, the other team forfeited the game and walked off the field. This did not go over well with Scott's mom, who Noble says became irate and threatened league officials. "I have never seen behavior of a parent like the behavior Jericho's mother exhibited Wednesday night," Noble said.

The Scotts have gotten their own lawyer and are looking into their legal options. "You don't have to be learned in the law to know in your heart that it's wrong," attorney John Williams said. "Now you have to be punished because you excel at something?"

What is happening to Jericho Scott may seem unfair, but I don't know that I would characterize it as punishment for being too good. By that logic, forcing beginner players to face a 40-mile-per-hour fastball is punishing them for not being good enough. The suggestion to play with an older team seems like a good solution to this problem and I wonder why he doesn't take it.

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Comments (25)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Karenjean 8-26-2008 @ 9:31AM

First of all, the fact that he has a good fastball now is NO guarantee that he will become a major league player. It just means that he is better than his peers now. Many a phenon has gone bust.
Second, there is no way a nine-year-old has the kind of control needed to contain a fastball at that alleged level so the idea that he could be dangerous is not so far-fetched. Kids have been killed and gotten permanent brain damage from pitched balls.
Third, the league offered solutions such as play a field position. They also suggested another league, which was probably the best thing; he needs to be with kids who are at his level. There is no reason why the other team's parents should be so afraid of this kid that they pull their children from the field and forfeit a game to get away from him. The league owes it to the parents to make the game as safe as possible.
The real issue here is his parents see a way to make a pile of money by suing; they could care less where junior plays.
This is a shame because junior would clearly benefit from being in a high-powered league, not a beginner league. This is not a good fit for him and his parents don't care about that; they see dollar signs and that's what it's all about.

JLO 8-29-2008 @ 8:10AM

My son has played baseball for 10 years and at 9 he was also throwing 40+ mph. I cannot believe that anyone thinks that sports in not competitive. Isn't life conpetitive. There is always comptition in everything we do from the job interview to the promotion to getting the sale to grades. Sports teaches our children to work hard, practice, win with grace and lose with dignity and to respect others. All of these traits make a good man or women. I am appauled that the parents of the team that forfeited think they were doing something good for their children. They taught them that when things don't go your way, "Just Quit". I would have taught my child to work hard, practice and get better so you can hit that fastball. As in life you have to work hard at what you want. As for getting hurt: There is all kinds of protective equipment that is available for children. Helments are provided by the leagues but there are heartguards that are around $15 that will prevent injury to the chest. My son still wears one today at 14 years old(one of two on players his team). A small price to pay for proctection and confidence. When he started wearing his heart guard he became a much more confident player. He did not have to worry about getting hit because he was protected. He got right out in front of the ball and was not afraid. I also must comment that in the 10 years of watching thousands of games I have seen many children get hurt in the field and few in the batters box.
As for the comments about this child playing in a different league or possibly on a travel team. Do you have any idea what travel teams cost. We paid about $5000 a season for my son to play on a travel team with uniforms, tournament fees, hotels, entrance fees and equipment. Who is anyone to say that that family should or would want to spend that kind of money to play. Let the kid play with his friends. Isn't that what it is all about. I bet if you asked the kids on the other team, they would have wanted to play.

SKL 8-26-2008 @ 9:38AM

I feel that as long as he meets all the requirements of being in the league, they should let him play. This is the USA, where individual achievement resulting from either better genes or more diligent practice is not condemned. I thought it was in communist countries that "the head that stands above the crowd gets cut off."

This is a perfect example of tending toward the least common denominator. It is not helpful to anyone, and yes, it is definitely taking something from the boy.

If this boy were forced to play in an older league, he might be a good pitcher but not a great one. In addition, he might have various problems related to being younger socially, smaller physically, and not as capable of other baseball skills aside from pitching. You had a post about not advancing your child to the next grade because you felt she would not be ready socially and emotionally to be grouped with slightly older kids. How would this be any better?

As for the other children, it is not going to kill them to lose. Even if they lose every time they are up against this pitcher, they will still have plenty of other chances to hit the ball. In my opinion, this will build their character more than expelling the good pitcher for the benefit of everyone else. Maybe they should start a "loser league" for kids that can't take it.

A more reasonable solution would be to change the rule for every team, so that, for example, no pitcher may pitch more than a set number of innings in each game, or pitchers can only pitch every other game. At least this would not be penalizing one specific child who did nothing wrong.

Mihir 8-26-2008 @ 9:54AM

SKL...amen!

Dave 8-26-2008 @ 10:42AM

This is yet another example of a lose-lose situation. The league is getting complaints from the parents of the kids this young pitcher is playing against, that his fastball is too fast and hard and might hurt their children. That's why they require helmets to be worn. The pitcher's parents want their son to win at any cost, so that they can continue to live vicariously through him and feel as if they are the winners. The solution? Unfortunately, there isn't one that will satisfy both sides of this argument. The young pitcher's parents should do whatever they can to let their son continue to develop his skills, even if it means moving him to another league. If the teams he pitches against forfeit every time, how will he get his practice? If he does, heaven forbid, hurt another player, then the repercussions will do nothing but harm everyone involved. Where is King Solomon when you need him?

Joy 8-26-2008 @ 11:51AM

I completely agree with SKL. This boy should play with his peers. That’s what it’s about. When my boys played ball, they were “drafted” for an “elite” league. Not all made it but both of mine did and these kids were 10-12. The pitchers were only allowed to throw “so many balls” in each game and weren’t allowed to pitch in two games in a row.

SKL 8-26-2008 @ 12:38PM

As far as physical danger to others' heads goes, that's what they invented batters' helmets for. If this boy is pitching so hard that even a helmet isn't enough protection, won't this be an issue in an older league as well? Also, in an older league, they'll be encouraging him to be creative with where the ball goes, versus just pitching so fast that the batter can't hit the ball. Since he's so young, he might be more likely to hurt someone in that situation. I guess I'm saying I just don't buy the danger argument. Either baseball is safe for kids or it isn't.

As far as it being good for the boy to move up and further hone his skills - let's not assume he's there just to perfect his fast ball. He could do that at home. Playing ball is a social activity. In the article I read, when asked how he felt about this whole thing, the boy said he felt bad that everyone on his team lost a chance to play and have fun - not that he lost a chance to personally rack up another no-hitter on his record. He should be treated like every other child in that league - encouraged to play and do his best for the team.

Another thing. If parents feel their child is too young to be up against such a formidable 9-year-old, why is nobody suggesting they move their kids back to pee wee level? Perhaps a wiffle ball would be more appropriate for their delicate children. Assuming that argument really originated from concerned parents in the first place, which I rather doubt.

Finally, I feel the teams that forfeited and campaigned against this child demonstrated the epitome of poor sportsmanship. In life, when you take your ball and go home, the rest of the world moves on and leaves you behind. The kids on that league have been shown a very warped view of justice and problem-solving.

Greg 8-26-2008 @ 1:32PM

@SKT

Oh my word...come on...this is a DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE. Kids this age are learning the game. There is no reason that kids learning the game should be subjected to a pitcher that could seriously hurt them. They're still learning about the pace of a pitch and may not yet have muscle memory to get out of the way.

The development league is slowing this 9-year old pitcher down. Move him up! "Peers" are not simply grouped by age.

SKL 8-26-2008 @ 2:15PM

So let them learn the game. The game includes a pitcher who is going to do his best to pitch a ball that can't be hit. That's baseball. Like I said, this boy isn't the only pitcher these kids will ever encounter.

By your logic, all the boys in my elementary school class should have been banned from most of the sports we played, because they were strong and aggressive and made me hate gym and recess. For that matter, I should have been banned from most of the academic contests because I always won and probably made the rest of my class feel stupid.

The article doesn't mention whether there is a more advanced league available that includes children of this boy's age. And I don't mean just one in a hundred, I mean a group of kids his age that he can relate to. If such a league is reasonably available to him, then I'd agree that it makes more sense for him to transfer. That said, the decision should be made earlier in the season, and the rule that exceptional skills are banned from the developmental league should be clearly published during signup.

Greg 8-26-2008 @ 1:36PM

See Developmental Considerations - http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;107/4/782

"Compared with older players, children younger than 10 years often have less coordination, slower reaction times, a reduced ability to pitch accurately, and a greater fear of being struck by the ball."

txjason31 8-26-2008 @ 3:06PM

Weaksauce.

I'd love to hear from one of the parents who is having a problem with this boy pitching. If your son is too untalented and scared to face a pitcher who throws 40mph, then either enroll him in tap dancing or put him back in t-ball.

Down here in Texas, that crap doesn't happen. Suck it up parents, baseball is a sport and your kid sucks. Don't hate on some talented pitcher who can wing a 40mph fastball past your twinkie-filled - Chunk - from Goonies look alike kid.

Get Real.

Joy 8-26-2008 @ 2:18PM

Greg, learning the fundamentals is done in T-ball. They play that for two years at least and then move on to coach’s pitch. If some of these kids can’t play with the bigger kids, I feel they are the ones to not be playing.

We were talking about this last night and my son (age 28)said “remember “so and so”, we were scared to death of hitting off him.” This has always gone on. This is nothing new. Yes, this boy may be stronger and can throw the ball faster than anyone else for his age in this league but why shouldn’t he get to be “the big fish in a small pond?” He isn’t breaking any rules. We all have things like this in life and I agree with SKL, he who takes his ball and goes home, is left behind and labeled a cry-baby and the parents are considered poor sports. If you want your nice little darling boy to never experience life, let him stay home and play with a pitch back. I mean really, does this not send a message, if your to good you get kicked out? Don't you strive to be the best?

I don’t mean to sound unfeeling but this boy has rights too. Why should he have to “move up” because a few kids are scared of him? There are always people in life who scare us but we can’t just quit everything. Ask any ball player and I’ll bet they’ll all tell you who terrifies them at the plate.

Keith 8-26-2008 @ 6:17PM

40mph....40mph.....! Are you kidding me? I see 40mph (9's), 50+ (10's) and 60+ (11's) every weekend here in Florida. Although some of these kids play "travel ball" too...I bet these league officials/ administrators are the same ones that will pitch this kid in an All-Star tournament as it benefits their league in a heartbeat!

I agree with txjason31, Joy and SKL. Greg, you sound like a "SIDELINE COACH. Your kid isn't shining, so you look for excuses as to why his performance lacks.... maybe? Also I have seen your kind before too......How you would've done this or that, but your work doesn't allow you to coach. How many times do you throw with your kid a week?

To my point of safety....suppose Jericho moves up unreluctantly and takes a ball off his head from a 10-12 year batter from the mound and is permanately injured because league officials force the situation. Talk about a law suit "Karenjean". Your kid could as easily be injuried from a bad hop to the chest...hence other safety devices for that reason. Maybe lets stop being so anal or scared about junior's fears or at least stop walking on egg shells and let them play!

Greg 8-26-2008 @ 11:09PM

Hopefully you won't see me at the diamond...baseball bores the snot out of me. Now basketball is another story...already got a hoop on the driveway for my 3 year-old.

jordan 8-26-2008 @ 7:56PM

I just wanted to comment on this situation. I think it is ridiculous that a 9 year old has been told he is too good to play with his peers. That is crazy!!!! So he throws 40mph, and so doesn't 1 million other kids in this world at that age. The problem is that you are from such a small area compared to the big world that it is not often that you come across that. Whoever is complaining about this please don't for once think about your child playing AAU ball and going down south to play cause if that is the case you will find that most 9 year olds do throw 40 MPH. I also agree with Keith when he says that he could easily be hurt playing up with older kids his age and talent. You are talking that a 9 year old beginner could get hurt by a pitch but this 9 year old has more of a chance of getting hurt by an 10,11 or 12 year old.....Not only are the balls being thrown harder at that level, the ball is being hit harder and there is much higher of a chance for an injury. I guess my suggestion to parents who don't want their child to go up against a pitcher like this is to keep your child away from any games that may cause injury. Your child could take up tennis but there also is a chance you may get someone else that will hit the ball back harder than your child. Parents grow up....this is part of life and let this kid be a kid. Stop interferring with sports...parents are the one's who ruin the game for these kids!!!!!!!! Let the kids play and have fun.....

Jason 8-27-2008 @ 12:25AM

I have played baseball all my life and this is by far the most ridiculous thing I have seen. To tell kids they cannot play the game of baseball because they have a pitcher who throws “too hard” is cowardly on the part of the other teams coaches and parents.

If parents are that concerned about their child getting injured by a wild pitch then they shouldn’t allow their kid to even take the field as their kid is more prone to injury on the field playing defense as they are in the batter’s box. I watched a 12 year old kid take a ground ball off of his face crushing his nose and later had to have reconstructive surgery. At the age of 15 I took a line drive off my side cracking 2 ribs while pitching. So parents if you thought a 40 mph fastball endangers your 9-12 year old child then you had better remove them from the game, but you would only be depriving your child of the greatest game known to mankind all because you have a phobia.

Parents, if your kid isn’t fast enough to move out of the way of a pitch then your kid deserves to get hit and if your kid can’t take getting hit then your kid needs to play chess. Getting hit by a pitch or taking a hard ground ball off your chest is a part of the game, better that a kid learns that sooner than later.

And for the record just because Jericho throws 40 mph at the age of 9 does not mean he is destined for the majors. I wish Jericho my best but he is 1 in a million and still has a lot to prove and baseball to play, anything can happen.

Lastly, Let the kids play ball and finish up the season and next year Jericho can move on to bigger and better teams and leave the less talented players behind.

AZtraveler 8-28-2008 @ 2:03AM

Let him play, he is gifted. Are we teaching our kids they should only be mediocre and not to try their best? Is too bad the opposing team forfeited, because that is teaching kids to quit and not even try. What if Tiger Woods was told this when he was Jericho's age? Is too bad this is happening in America.

What a privilege it would be to play against him. Just think if your 9 year old could get a hit off Jericho even after trying many times. It would be something your child would remember and feel proud of for many, many years.

Andy 8-28-2008 @ 10:31AM

Get a grip people!! My kid plays ball and there are many different leagues available to him as I am sure there are in Connecticut. One article I read said this boy plays Pony baseball also. So this league is a DEVELOPMENTAL league. He doesn't belong there. It also says he will be 10 soon. So he is pitching to 8 year olds who want the opportunity to learn. Don't they deserve a chance to learn the game in a safe environment? How would you like a highly skilled 5th grader pitching to your 1st year playing 3rd grader?This is not the majors!!! Jericho should be playing in a league that is age appropriate and appropriately competitive. Sounds to me like this coach recruited him because he wanted to win at all costs. As usual this is a case of adults not looking at the best interests of the children. I don't know what the parents are teaching this kid about life - if you compete with people who you know do not measure up to you of course you'll always win, so his accomplishments really do not mean anything!
Those of you who think these parents and kids are crybabys for not wanting to step up to the plate should deal with your on unresolved issues. My kid plays in a competitive league, not a travel one, I expect him to deal with whatever is thrown at him and he does, but if I registered him for a DEVELOPEMENTAL league as the one Jericho is said to be playing in, then I would demand that the coach and league make sure my child has the opportunity to grow and learn. here we do not use 3 year age ranges, there is a huge difference in development from 8 to 10 so maybe they should do what we do -- 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 year old leagues, then there would not be such a divide between players abilities.

Mike 8-28-2008 @ 10:48AM

You are a complete fool. Please take this from someone who has coached youth baseball and football for over 21 years. You have fallen into the current mentality of parnets, which is, "just have fun, don't worry about winning". You say the coach wants to win at all costs. Well, why play the game? They say it is a "developmental league" Take it from years of coaching, it is "developmental" when you CAN'T win. It is a great way to hide your Lack of talent and the current parnet mentality of "it's OK Johnny just have fun" Sports gives young athletes values of fair play, hard work and yes, a competitive edge. I know that's a bad word to use but, too bad, get over it. I teach my guys how to win with respect and to take a lose like gentelman. Sports are not for evryone, I have 7 kids and 2 of mine are not ever going to be athletes and you know what? That's just fine, they can find what they love and do that, and just because you love to do something does not mean you are going to be good at it or are entitled to have a good experience. Let the kids win, lose, skin their knee, get a bump or cut, in short, LET THEM PLAY without parents thinking they know more than a coach.

Andrea 8-28-2008 @ 11:10AM

Perhaps you should look in the mirror, for you are the fool. Not everything has to be about competition. My son has played on competitive teams since he was 5 and that is good for him. He knows how to win gracefully and how to lose with respect. However,
here the only t-ball is for kids 3 and 4 years old. By the time kids are 8 some have been playing for 5 years. If they want to learn at that age they play at programs that run developmental programs. If they already have skills they play for leagues that are designed for them. Our league is very competitive, but we still look out for the safety of the kids.

All kids deserve to have an opportunity to learn, have fun and get exercise. These kids are not going to go on the the Little League World Series. Every league is not for every child. Maybe you should reread the article where they specifically state "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."

Their stated purpose is not competition. Kids don't have to be the best at a sport to have fun playing it and there should be a place for them to do that.

Perhaps you need a refresher course on how to be a double goal coach - look it up its a national program. Our league promotes "Honor the Game" and all coaches complete their certification to be double goal coaches. I'm glad my son won't ever play for you.

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