Posted by: BHL (Knight1285@aol.com) on Tue Mar 23 23:13:46 2004

Interesting post BHL. You described my son's LL league to a tee! I solved the problem of getting my son off the bench by signing him up in several leagues in one season. One team (our neighborhood team with all his friends) never let him pitch, only the coaches' sons pitched, and my son was lucky to play 3 innings a game. Ask him what his position was and he'd tell you "the bench". This team came in last place.
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> The other team (in an adjacent neighborhood)let my son pitch most every game and had him batting 3rd. The coach didn't know him from a whole in the wall, and I didn't know anyone which was great as it kept me away from the politics. This coach saw my son's potential & by the end of the season he was the star pitcher. They won the league championship and my son pitched the championship game! He doesn't want to play for the neighborhood team anymore, as he learned what it is like to be treated fairly by a coach.

Hi All,

I appreciate your input. Besides, I have a thought for SBK. According to Little League rules, a team must consist of twelve players; however, this means that only six will play full time, and the others will platoon. It is quite possible that these bored individual will display an inimicable, apathetic, or ungrateful attitude for being on the team, but their point of view is understandable. Seen in this light, individuals need a system whereby they can play all six innings.

If you look at the current options, though, this suggestion seems impractical. Oftentimes, the "minor" and "major" leagues have conflicting schedules. These leagues believe in Darwinian theory--if you are athletic, you hit, if not, you sit--and must continue to do so because no one can find a better alternative. Yet, one exists.

My suggestion is to use a running-batter order in "minor" league games, and allow three from each team displaying the best all-around statistics (i.e., hitting, fielding, and baserunning) to "travel" with the "major" leaguers on the days that they play. This will be the first rule that I will amend. The second change that I will make is to have the "majors" pick nine full-time players, and three "minor" leagues "reserves," who will be told that their only role is to replace an injured player on the team. Having such players on hand must mean a third a final change: the "minor" league schedule must be entirely different from the "major" league schedule, so the three "representatives" can have ample time to rest, and dress for game day in case of an emergency.

Sincerely,
BHL
Knight1285@aol.com

P.S. Let them play six!