The Little Summer Classic

Issue: How much do you love the Little League World Series (hereinafter LLWS)?

Short Answer: You might be surprised.

Reasoning: I think the LLWS stinks.  Now, before you start calling me a cynic, please, let me explain.  In fact, allow me to parse it out, so everyone can understand why I think it stinks (notice I said "I"...I am not trying to convince anyone that it stinks, because I realize a lot of people enjoy watching the LLWS, for some odd reason).  How about a "pro" and "con" list:

PROS:

1. What an experience for a bunch of 12-year old kids.  There is a team in the LLWS this year that is from Pennsylvania, in fact, they are only about 40 miles from Williamsport (where the LLWS is held), and, you know how many people were in attendance for their first game?  Over 41,000.  No joke.  Could you imagine being 12 and playing in front of that many people?  A few times in my career I was lucky enough to play in front of 10,000+ people.  It was an experience I wish I could put into words, but I can't.  Let's just say, in a sports context, it was the coolest thing that I have ever done.  To put it simply, those kids will never forget that game.  Ever.  My point to this post is not that the LLWS should cease to exist, just that it should cease to be on my TV.  Forever.
2. At least these kids are playing some sort of baseball and aren't sitting in front of the computer or TV.  I give them credit for that.  That is the last entry on the list of "pros."

CONS:

1. Let's just say, hypothetically, you could find the abosolute, very best 12-year old baseball players in the entire world.  About 30 of them.  Then, you split them into 2 teams and played them against each other.  There is still no freakin' way that I would want to watch it.  Why?  Because they are freakin' 12-years old.  Hell, if I ever have kids, it is going to be painful having to watch them play baseball when they are 12.  Really?  Watching 12-year olds play baseball is fun?  No, not a bit.
2. Little League baseball is a joke.  Do you realize why a team with a dominant pitcher always wins?  It's because the pitcher's mound is about 6 feet away from home plate.  A dominant Little League pitcher throws the equivalent of a 6,257 mile per hour fastball.  Not only can you not hit that, you can't even see it.  It's like fast-pitch softball without chicks in shorts, instead you have 12-year old boys.  Only Herbert from "Family Guy" likes that trade-off.
3. Little League baseball is a joke, part II.  Is there a reason the players can't lead off?  Is this a safety issue?  Or is it the fact that if leadoffs were allowed, even the fat kids could steal bases, because the bases are only 60 feet apart?  Again, what we have here is fast-pitch softball played by 12-year old kids, on a mini-baseball diamond.  Fact is, leadoffs and baserunning in general are often undercoached and misunderstood (ever watch the Cincinnati Reds run the bases?).  If kids aren't leading off at age 12, learning it later is going to be difficult, because other kids not playing Little League have been doing it their whole lives.  It makes no sense.
4. Little League baseball is a joke, part III.  Have you ever wondered why there are so many home runs hit in Little League baseball (unless, of course, there is a pitcher throwing 6,000+ mph)?  It's because the fences are 200 feet.  I could find 8-year olds that can hit a baseball that far.  The home runs these kids hit are outs in real baseball (meaning not Little League baseball).  Lazy fly balls.  Yet, I see these kids hit a 215-foot fly-ball, and pimp it.  It's a can-of-corn, deal with it.
5. Little League baseball is antiquated.  The Little League game is not played by the best amateur players anymore.  The total number of Major League players that played Little League baseball?  31.  The total number of those 31 Major League players to play in the LLWS?  23.  The LLWS was founded in 1947.  That means, people who tune into the LLWS see, on average, 1/3 (yes, that says "one-third") of a future Major League player, every single year.  Sweet.  The most recent Major League player to have played in the LLWS?  Lastings Milledge, who appeared in the LLWS in 1997.  At 12-years old, these kids should be playing baseball on bigger fields, a regulation pitching mound, while leading off and running the bases the proper way.  Playing Little League baseball only serves to stunt the development of players.  And in a game like baseball, it's hard to catch up.

Now, I know some of you out there might think I am being a little harsh, you know, bagging on a bunch of 12-year olds, but, I want you to know, I'm not bagging on 12-year olds kids, I'm bagging on 12-year old kid's parents, for being dumb enough to sign-up their 12-year old kid for Little League.  Idiots!