9 year old banned for being too good?

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?"


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/natio...story?track=rss

GC Quincy posted about this this morning. Thanks for the full article. I still don't know how to do that. My rant stands from this morning. I saw where Mike and Mike had a clip on this topic. I find it hard to swallow that we adults fuss and [censored] about "today's kids" and how bad they are, and then turn around and pull some BS like this. Sometimes I don't like how things are going for my son (playing politics, etc.)but I chose to shut my mouth and challenge him to have a chip on his shoulder and outwork and outperform everybody else. He goes to my school this year and I ripped into his ass for a smart comment in the locker room...just like I do for other kids.

Oh didnt know, didnt see it lol but seen it on SC earlier and really couldnt believe. Just abunch of jealous parents that need to get their heads out of their rear-ends and realize that their kid will most likely not be a star. But their nose is too far in the air and they have to resort to taking it out on a 9 year old who just wants to play ball with his friends of the same age and can't help it that he is great.

if the kid is so good he should have been moved up to a higher league before the season started

if the league officials let him start the season they should let him finish it

typical LL bullshit

He's a 9-year old playing in a league for kids 8-10. He shouldn't have to move up. And you hit it right on the head...typical Little League BS.

Typical...Of all the ball I've coached or called church league softball is the worst followed by 8-12 y/o little league

GIVE ME A FRICKIN BREAK!!! To much happy glad BS..its a sport bring your best I will bring my best and we will compete..then have ice cream..Dang adults screwing up things for the kids again. What a crock..

Saw this on epsn. It's crazy that a kid is so good that they take him out. Doesn't surprise me though.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: raider13</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
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."
</div></div>

Says it all right there.

And now his life may begin its downward spiral into nothingness because of a fear of being rejected again for being "too good." Make up your minds people. Do you want the kids to be good and learn to excel or do you want everybody to be the same, homogenized little beings of mediocracy?

I seen this on Mike and Mike in the morning there a day or two ago and was absolutely shocked, been reading about it on here but didnt really have nothing to say about it till now....it really bothers me tho, I think its a crying shame. If I were that kids parents, they would be some hell raised and some people paying for this. Is it his fault that hes so good? The kid should not be punished for that, my god hes 9years old and cant play the game he loves then he has to feel bad bc he feels its his fault. Competition is what makes kids better. Sure, they might not be able to hit him right now, but say next year they come out and kids can hit him better. Mike Wilbon said it best, he said that their was a kid like that when he played that nobody could touch and finally he got a basehit off the kid and after that he felt like he could hit off Nolan Ryan, was a great boost for his confidence.

And isn't that the point of competition, to make you better? Did I miss something or has "the game" turned into way more than it should have? Talk of conspiracies and all, just let the kids play their little game. Is it really that hard to do?

I always thought that was the point of competition

OK not taking up for the other side TOO much but here goes

The league was said to be a developmental league it could be that there was a separate division set aside for more advanced players is it possible that the team/parents stacked a team with players that were a bit higher level than the league was intended for?

I do not know the specifics of there league so everything on my part is pure speculation but it is good to remember that there are ALWAYS 2 sides to the story

Me too. If the point is not to win and get better, then why have a scoreboard or uniforms or rules?

I agree that this is total BS, but if 8-10 year olds can't hit a 40mph fastball it is a weak league anyway. Kids in minor league are being pitched to at 40-45mph.