Comments for Sports Plus by Steve Kallas

Comment on IN A STUNNING TURN OF EVENTS, LITTLE LEAGUE TO BE COMMENDED FOR MOVING THE RIGHT WAY WITH ITS REVISED PITCH COUNT RULES by Scott

Scott — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:11:01 +0000

I think Steve can tell you that softball pitching is not the same as baseball. Little or no strain on the pitching arm. With that said, we probably need more studies to show how overuse with girls can be potentially as bad as the boys. Bottom line here is that LL is attempting to continue to foster using more boys to pitch in baseball. There are innings pitched rules for girls, but until they prove pitch counts (or some other method) will help control the girls side, things will continue to be different for the softball side of the house.

Comment on IN A STUNNING TURN OF EVENTS, LITTLE LEAGUE TO BE COMMENDED FOR MOVING THE RIGHT WAY WITH ITS REVISED PITCH COUNT RULES by Graham

Graham — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:49:48 +0000

Great insight to this ever growing emphasis on winning at all costs including future hs and college participation.

Does this advice translate to young girl softball pitchers?

I see 8/9 graders girls pitching varsity in upstate ny, that train obsessively in the off season to the detrement of their arm and shoulder.

Comment on IN A STUNNING TURN OF EVENTS, LITTLE LEAGUE TO BE COMMENDED FOR MOVING THE RIGHT WAY WITH ITS REVISED PITCH COUNT RULES by Scott Miller

Scott Miller — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:04:18 +0000

Hi Steve,

I enjoy listening to you and Ric Wolf on FAN’s sports edge on Sunday mornings. I appreciate the fact that you guys are supporting this change of the pitch count rules. I agree that it’s a long time coming, but, in fact, its only been five years. LL is at the forefront of safety and pitch counts go a long way towards meeting that end. What you and Ric need to harp on is these parents who want to push their kids into travel baseball on top of LL (or whatever youth baseball organization of choice may be). These are the kids that are ruining their arms with overuse. LL has done a good job in the recent past protecting the kids arms and this modified pitch count rule will go even further.

Respectfully,

Scott A Miller
DA, CT District 1

Comment on TRIAL STARTS IN DEATH OF PITCHER BRANDON PATCH AGAINST LOUISVILLE SLUGGER by Jimmy

Jimmy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:24:03 +0000

This message is for Luke. I am from the town of helena where brandon patch was playing at the time of his accident. i was 13 years old watching the older guys play the game i love. Watchin a kid that was as old as my brother at that time die on the mound because of a hard hit ball right back at him is most definately a tragedy. and yes patch did leave a ball over the plate but he was 18 years old in a legion baseball game. you were pitching in the professionals and you had balls hit back at you! thats your fault your paid to not leave a 90 mile hour fastball over the plate belt high. im glad you got hit at its your one job to hit your spots and you didnt so thats your fault. the parents of brandon are very strong and i believe high school baseball should use wood bats. high school college, NCAA division one players should not use aluminum make it a challenge to hit a home run. make them work to make it into the majors. end of story. the makers of aluminum bats today need to work on making the ball come off slower not faster.

Comment on PLAINTIFF PREVAILS IN ALUMINUM BAT CASE; AWARDED $850,000 FROM LOUISVILLE SLUGGER by all sport highlights

all sport highlights — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:27:33 +0000

thanks for the info. keep up the good work

Comment on THE YANKEES REALLY SHOULD BRING HIDEKI MATSUI BACK NEXT YEAR by bla

bla — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:34:59 +0000

This article has even more validity considering that the yanks would not be winning the final world series game without hideki (It’s the top of the 7th now as we speak).

Comment on TRIAL STARTS IN DEATH OF PITCHER BRANDON PATCH AGAINST LOUISVILLE SLUGGER by Luke

Luke — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:56:56 +0000

To award the family a cash reward is a sham and disrespectful of our national pastime. why not sue the ball-maker, Rawlings? What if he hit the batter and he died – can you sue the pitcher? This is like giving the pitcher an error for giving up a hit; line drives up the middle are part of the game.

I pitched for 20 years, playing in major league farm systems before getting hurt and going to work. I had dozens of balls batted up the middle on me, some way closer to my head than I liked. A few hit my shins and knees and once I took one off the torso. It just happens. I can attest to one thing that was consistent in every liner back up the box – I made a bad pitch and the batter made me pay for it. All of them were belt hight and out over the plate. I may have thrown 90, but those meatballs get hit hard every time. If that’s the case, Brandon made a bad pitch and was partially at fault. The parents should sue themselves.

What a bogus case. Clearly an emotional verdict by an emotional jury on an emotional case.

Comment on TRIAL STARTS IN DEATH OF PITCHER BRANDON PATCH AGAINST LOUISVILLE SLUGGER by rick jones

rick jones — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:09:37 +0000

if anyone has hit with pro grade wood and alluminum bats you would know and see that the difference is not that great and what about if the pitcher hit the batter in the neck and killed him? would the ball be sued? get over yourself, you play sports knowing that you COULD get hurt, its sad but it happens. you dont sue equpiment for doing its job unless it failed during the job causing major injury which in this case i would think would be the reaction time of the pitcher, even pro ball players get hit in the head and can die.

Comment on TRIAL STARTS IN DEATH OF PITCHER BRANDON PATCH AGAINST LOUISVILLE SLUGGER by Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:30:00 +0000

I agree, there is always an implied risk when playing sports of any kind. I am sorry for the loss of Brandon, but this is just another case of blaming everyone else for a tragedy. More reasons why we can no longer do anything is this country without fear of being sued. I played baseball for all of my life and clearly understood at 18 the risks that I took. I still play hockey and know the risks of what can happen to me if i fall wrong or any number of other things. If i get hit by a puck I am not going to sue the puck manufacturer because i got hit. I understand the risks, and so should a parent when there kids play sports.

Comment on PLAINTIFF PREVAILS IN ALUMINUM BAT CASE; AWARDED $850,000 FROM LOUISVILLE SLUGGER by Caleb

Caleb — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:21:23 +0000

Let the pitcher wear a helmet with a facemask if he wishes. Everyone knows that there is risk in baseball… I have lost many close family members, two on freak accidents. It sucks. Suing and getting $856,000 is disgusting to me. Honestly, it makes me sick.