is anyone watching LLSWS?

[MattM]

The girls start out in Little League at tee ball and continue to play in their local league through 12U but they play travel ball as well. So really the teams are homegrown local teams but the players have honed their skills on their travel teams and tournaments. For us it was a very positive experience in keeping the connections to the local team. Its a big time commitment to play both travel and Little League so they lose some very good players along the way that choose to focus solely on travel.

 

[corlay]

watched the final game last night.
I was pretty impressed with the overall level of play.

was REALLY impressed with the Carolina team's catcher.
She really received/framed the pitches well!

OF play was a little sketchy, but little league teams usually have a few defensive holes.

 

[MattM]

watched the final game last night.
I was pretty impressed with the overall level of play.

was REALLY impressed with the Carolina team's catcher.
She really received/framed the pitches well!

OF play was a little sketchy, but little league teams usually have a few defensive holes.

My DW noticed the same thing. A good battery together with the NC pitcher.

Also noticed the LH pitcher started on the far left side of the rubber and strode out straight or slightly further left creating an angle on the pitch coming in. The effect is the ball is caught a few inches further in than it crossed the plate getting more called strikes on the outside corner. Also when throwing inside to a RH batter there was a more dramatic angle and the batters were all getting jammed.

 

[The Man In Blue]

On a different note, the Oregon/NC game, high fly to right, right fielder only has to take a couple steps to her right to get under it and calls it, center fielder races all the way over also calling it. Minor collision but RF still makes the catch. The two fielders start discussing/arguing who should have it. Meanwhile, runner at 2nd tagged and went all the way home while they weren't paying attention. RF did her job by getting the (routine) out. RF was set-up better to throw to 3rd had she not been distracted. Both CF and RF messed up on containing the runner. RF gets yanked from the game by the coach, CF stays in. I thought that was a crappy thing to do to the RF, and being on national TV probably adds to the sting. I didn't have much respect for that coach after that. Or am I missing something?

Yes, I am way behind and am binging the games this weekend. Just watched this play ... wow. The RF shouldn’t have been distracted so easily, but I put it more on the CF who not only came all the way over to crash into her, but then immediately started talking to her which encouraged her not to turn around.

Pretty crappy of the coach to yank her right then and there. I know they have to get players in due to the minimum play rule, but substitute it in between innings if you are going to bench her.

EDit to add: and the same CF makes a misplay and a throwing error in the top of the 8th to give up the go ahead run ...