Little League WS

We got trounced 10-1 by "Asia" last night. I think it is high time (yes, I realize this is amatuer play) that we assemble a "Dream Team" of like two kids from each region to represent our country in the Little League World Series. I may be wrong, but I believe that is what countries like Japan and Mexico do. How would we look with the best of the best? For the record, I am one that likes NBA players crushing the rest of the world in international play. Put THE best we have to offer on the field or court.

Nah. The fact is, despite getting consistently beaten by Asia, the American kids that grow up and play pro ball are guys like Sheffield. Though the Japanese leagues are quite good, not all of them are qualified to be the next Matsui or Ichiro.

As for how the internationals compose their team? I actually think they DO take locals, but I'm not sure. I remember the scandal years back with the Philippines.

Frankly, I look at some of these kids and wonder what the heck they're on. I saw some 12 year old Japanese kid at 5-8. I wasn't 5-8 until high school. I know some kids hit growth spurts but it makes you wonder if we have an issue with ringers.

The Asia team that beat the US last noght was NOT even a LOCAL allstar team. It was the team that won their "league" and just kept winning.

The kid from Japan (pitcher) was 5'7" and weighed 181 !! How may 11 & 12 year olds do you see like that? Last year we won with a simaler overpowering player-Kentucky I think. All it takes is one outstanding player to give a team the edge. The Broad kid had an off night. Too bad it was last night though.

Originally posted by GhostofWoodsonReturns

Frankly, I look at some of these kids and wonder what the heck they're on. I saw some 12 year old Japanese kid at 5-8. I wasn't 5-8 until high school. I know some kids hit growth spurts but it makes you wonder if we have an issue with ringers.

Little League was supposed to crack down on this type of problem after Danny Almonte. US managers had to have a map of their league boundaries signed by the league president of every league that bordered them. They also had to have a birth certificate for each child and three proofs of residence (like utility bills). The map had to show the location of the child's home within the boundaries. P.O. Boxes and rural route addresses weren't supposed to be acceptable. I can see this as traceable in the US, but foreign countries may be difficult to police. If the Asian team won their district and won all the way through, that is great. I'm familiar with the US structure, not the international.