05-21-2021, 03:49 PM
My son's Little League has a rule that 12 year-olds cannot pitch at the minors level. That's mostly 9-11 year-olds, and only first-time players would still be at that level when 12.
Little League also has extensive pitch count rules for pitchers and catchers. Apparently, in the old days, a coach could draft the best pitcher and catcher and dominate a league. Now a team needs at least three or four decent pitchers plus two decent catchers to win. Forces coaches to focus on development of all players, so I like the rule.
Still lots of HBPs, but none intentional, which is much better for player development.
Little League also has extensive pitch count rules for pitchers and catchers. Apparently, in the old days, a coach could draft the best pitcher and catcher and dominate a league. Now a team needs at least three or four decent pitchers plus two decent catchers to win. Forces coaches to focus on development of all players, so I like the rule.
Still lots of HBPs, but none intentional, which is much better for player development.
If there's one thing people have learned in Berkeley, it's that you can't put "Cal football" and "Rose Bowl" in the same sentence. The words just don't fit. You'd be better off linking "covered wagons" with "Mars travel." (Bruce Jenkins, Cal '70, SF Chronicle, Nov. 11, 2017)