How sad is the world coming to when they will not let a 9 year old play because he is "too good." Total crap if you ask me. 9-year-old boy told he’s too good to pitch By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, Associated Press Writer 11 hours, 37 minutes ago Buzz Up Print 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.ADVERTISEMENT “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?”
That's such crap. Kids like this are needed nowadays. Good competition makes everyone improve. Learn to deal with it, that's how the real world is. Oh and my friend could throw upper 80's in 6th grade....he was 11 year's old. He would have been a prodigy except he tore a muscle in his shoulder. He can still pitch, but it doesn't compare to where he was at that age.
They will not let him. They say, you either pick another position, or you do not play. All because he turned down to play for the defending champions. Pansies if you ask me.
LOL send this kid to japan....and he will be able to play. I'm pretty sure they don't mind some competition
What movie, with that henry something kid, rookie of the year? This thread made me think of that movie.
If, apart from his pitching, he only plays at a similar level to the rest of his age group would that be fair ? Lets look at the possible reasons for his ban: I find this reason most likely. If he won't play for us, we will use our influence to make sure he doesn't play against us. Looks like someone is taking a casual game far too seriously. In an average year, how often will a team face him ? Or are they trying to say that if it looks like you might make a career out of baseball then you aren't allowed in the league ? Is he pitching fast enough to cause serious injury if he hits the batters, or just fast enough to scare parents ? This should be easy enough to determine if anyone would bother to measure his pitch speed. But I see that noone has done that. So unless someone can show that the kid can cause serious injury with his pitches, I see no reason why he shouldn't be allowed to pitch.
This sounds like "The other team's pitcher is really good and they will fall apart without him so lets ban the pitcher when they get to the championship so our team wins hands down". Theres corruption in the administrators for that league.
Yeah, and it is sad to see this. How is he going to feel later on in life, if he is told he is too good to play with them, so he can't play anymore. It will detract from him wanting to do anything in life. This is just retarded.
In later news, Jimmy Smith, a 9 year old, who plays football for his local league is banned from playing football. The League Administation who is paid by the sponsor of the defending Champions say he "runs to fast and breaks to many tackles for his age". Him being banned is more about politics than playing baseball.