Road to the LLWS 2023 edition

[The Man In Blue]

"Flipping around the channels" and the LLWS softball regionals have started on ESPN+ and Hulu.

Watching Missouri/Iowa and Missouri just totally lost track of the game. Missouri in the field, bottom of the 3rd inning, down 5-4. Iowa has runners on 1st and 3rd with two outs. A chopper back to the pitcher for the easy third out ... and the pitcher goes home to the catcher who receives the throw like it is a force out. It wasn't. Catcher is just standing there so R1 breaks for second base. Catcher throws the ball into centerfield and another run scores. Ouch.

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, coaches ... teach SITUATIONAL AWARENESS! Drive it home.

Two tangents ...

Why are the umpires dressed like basketball referees? Not a fan of this new shirt.

Intentional walks ... coaches, use them! I'm not saying the above situation was ideal (it wasn't, too early in the game), but over the last few weeks I have seen no less than three times when a coach should have put a runner on to create the easier force out ... but they didn't, and it bit them in the butt.

 

[_MIA_]

Did I dose off and miss the rest of 2023? Who won the World Series and more importantly who taught my Fall classes??

 

[The Man In Blue]

Did I dose off and miss the rest of 2023? Who won the World Series and more importantly who taught my Fall classes??

What are you smoking @pattar ... I have no idea what you are talking about ...

(Yes, I put 2024 up there originally ... I mean ... we do have to get through this year before we can get to 2024. Just trying to get as much ground between us and 2020 as possible.)

 

[_MIA_]

What are you smoking @pattar ... I have no idea what you are talking about ...

(Yes, I put 2024 up there originally ... I mean ... we do have to get through this year before we can get to 2024. Just trying to get as much ground between us and 2020 as possible.)

Ok whew..I had started writing an apology e-mail to the Department Director citing TB exhaustion as my excuse for missing all of my Fall classes.

 

[erniekru]

My sons team is in states right now for southern california, but this is not his little league year as he's 11. Our league 12's are in states too, the teams out in CA are crazy good. Western Regionals start next week, would be amazing to see our 12's go there and go up against Hawaii.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Missed the Illinois game at 7:00 ... does anybody know how long it is before they post the replay on ESPN+? It's not up there yet, but the afternoon game (MO/IA) is.

Going back and watching Illinois's first game and ... I think I worked with the plate umpire a few weeks ago up in Wisconsin! He told me he was going to LL Regionals for both softball and baseball this year.

 

[The Man In Blue]

So ... is nobody watching any of this? Not much talk on here.

@RADcatcher ... if you have a chance, watch the Senior League Canada vs. Central game from a few days ago. Would love to know your thoughts on the catchers (both teams).

The Central catcher seems to have great awareness on positioning, including getting two outs at the plate in the same sequence. (Disclaimer: she is from my area, but not a team I see very often.)

The Canada catcher is amazing with how fast she usually gets the ball back to the pitcher. Love to see that! She isn't waiting for a call or moving the ball around unnecessarily.

Edit: Here are the two outs at the plate. This team is really good about being aware of the lead runner in these situations. They've cut down several.

 

[BucketDud]

So ... is nobody watching any of this? Not much talk on here.

Watching the quality of play pretty obvious these teams are about the equivalent of middle/upper B level USSSA.

I'm not sure if the announcers are just pretending to be unaware or if they truly don't realize these aren't even close to the top teams in a region nonetheless the US.

 

[_MIA_]

Watching the quality of play pretty obvious these teams are about the equivalent of middle/upper B level USSSA.

I'm not sure if the announcers are just pretending to be unaware or if they truly don't realize these aren't even close to the top teams in a region nonetheless the US.

Why does it matter? Your kid isn’t going to lose her full ride to OU because of what some ESPN announcers think..

 

[Vertigo]

Watching the quality of play pretty obvious these teams are about the equivalent of middle/upper B level USSSA.

I'm not sure if the announcers are just pretending to be unaware or if they truly don't realize these aren't even close to the top teams in a region nonetheless the US.

Again, who cares? It is just great to see any level of softball on TV at all. The girls are having a summer to remember. Let them have it.