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Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
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Author:  Van_Da_Man [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 6:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp ... 4#41581144

Bear in mind there is more then a little bit of blowing happening from the reporter, and we don't have the whole story, but come on, the kid can throw pretty damn well, and is cut for "not being able to reach bunts" and then gets told not to come back... ever as a player. WTF?
Author:  NYIntensity [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
I think the fact that this is a story is the news trolling for bullshit stories because everybody screams "that's not politically correct".

Life isn't fair - sometimes it sucks. Allowing him on the team would ruin the team's compete level; think about it. He pitches it - someone bunts it. They're fucked. He pitches it - they hit it at him. If he doesn't CATCH it, who's to say he can make the necessary play.

How would he bat? Run the bases? Isn't that a requirement?
Author:  CriminallyVu1gar [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
NYIntensity wrote:
I think the fact that this is a story is the news trolling for bullshit stories because everybody screams "that's not politically correct".

Life isn't fair - sometimes it sucks. Allowing him on the team would ruin the team's compete level; think about it. He pitches it - someone bunts it. They're fucked. He pitches it - they hit it at him. If he doesn't CATCH it, who's to say he can make the necessary play.

How would he bat? Run the bases? Isn't that a requirement?


There are a ton of fatass pitchers that can't field bunts anyways. The kids legs are not that big of a disadvantage in that sense. Since HS kids often can't adjust to upper level speeds, a lot of pitchers are the most out of shape player on the team. The fat kid that can throw hard. And a pitcher typically doesn't field them (not in our defensive system, I was the only pitcher with the green light to field anything I could get my hands on) anyways.

If the coach were worth anything he'd be questioning the kid's ability to make pickoff moves to each base, something that is WAY more important than being able to field a bunt. I went through an entire season without anyone bunting on me, but I had plenty of guys on base.

Also, a lot of HS leagues use a DH for the pitcher.
Author:  CriminallyVu1gar [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
Either this coach is an assbag, or the kid has something else working against him (speed or location) because no coach is going to turn down pitching depth. Worst case this kid sits on the bench for most of the year and eats up innings in blowouts so the top pitchers can get rest. Having a kid like this able to pitch two innings in a 15-2 blowout so one of your top guys doesn't have to is invaluable.
Author:  ironyisadeadscene [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
only 80? what a pussy.
Author:  Sabresfansince1980 [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 11:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
In any competitive HS baseball district, as this one appears to be with 40 roster spots and 62 kids trying out, it is not fat kids on the mound that simply throw hard and stand around. The time for fat kids throwing hard and doing nothing else is around age 10-13, not high school ball that is worth a crap.

Besides that, 80 mph isn't very impressive for a good baseball program. If the kid doesn't have any/enough movement on his ball or good breaking stuff, 80 mph may as well be batting practice. Let's assume though that he also had good movement, maybe he totally can't run fast or well. All we saw in that video was his pitching motion, but if he can't run well (and I'd be willing to bet he can't run fast), he's not helpful on the bases or in the field. A good team will have versatile players and it's not fair to keep a kid off the team that can contribute anywhere on the field in favor of the amputee kid just because you want to reward his determination. Trying your best and overcoming adversity isn't always enough to get everything you want.
Author:  CriminallyVu1gar [ Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
Sabresfansince1980 wrote:
In any competitive HS baseball district, as this one appears to be with 40 roster spots and 62 kids trying out, it is not fat kids on the mound that simply throw hard and stand around. The time for fat kids throwing hard and doing nothing else is around age 10-13, not high school ball that is worth a crap.

Besides that, 80 mph isn't very impressive for a good baseball program. If the kid doesn't have any/enough movement on his ball or good breaking stuff, 80 mph may as well be batting practice. Let's assume though that he also had good movement, maybe he totally can't run fast or well. All we saw in that video was his pitching motion, but if he can't run well (and I'd be willing to bet he can't run fast), he's not helpful on the bases or in the field. A good team will have versatile players and it's not fair to keep a kid off the team that can contribute anywhere on the field in favor of the amputee kid just because you want to reward his determination. Trying your best and overcoming adversity isn't always enough to get everything you want.


Sorry, but your first paragraph just isn't true, at least not in the sense that there are no fat kids. Hell there are fat guys in the major leagues, CC Sabbathia for one. There are probably more out of shape baseball players than any other sport. But you are right in that they need to have more than just a fastball.

Also, 80mph is impressive for a good baseball program, but it isn't for an elite program which, being in Florida, that program may very well be.
Author:  Squanto [ Tue Feb 15, 2011 11:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
The team gave the kid a shot. If he could perform at a level competitive for that league, it would be a great story. However, he can't. It wouldn't be fair to give this kid a roster spot over someone else more capable simply because he was disabled.
Author:  Displaced Fan [ Tue Feb 15, 2011 12:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
Like Squanto said, they gave him a chance. After giving him a chance, NO ONE in this day and age would cut him just for being crippled. Sometimes when you don't make the team ya gotta suck it up and move on and that doesn't change because you have no legs.
Author:  Sabresfansince1980 [ Tue Feb 15, 2011 12:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
CriminallyVu1gar wrote:
Sabresfansince1980 wrote:
Sorry, but your first paragraph just isn't true, at least not in the sense that there are no fat kids. Hell there are fat guys in the major leagues, CC Sabbathia for one. There are probably more out of shape baseball players than any other sport. But you are right in that they need to have more than just a fastball.

Also, 80mph is impressive for a good baseball program, but it isn't for an elite program which, being in Florida, that program may very well be.


So you're saying what I said about HS ball isn't true because of how it is in the majors??? In the majors, for the mos part, players specialize in a certain position, especially pitchers. Big pitchers don't get paid big money to be versatile, they get paid to hrow 98 with great stuff.
Author:  CriminallyVu1gar [ Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
Sabresfansince1980 wrote:
CriminallyVu1gar wrote:
Sabresfansince1980 wrote:
Sorry, but your first paragraph just isn't true, at least not in the sense that there are no fat kids. Hell there are fat guys in the major leagues, CC Sabbathia for one. There are probably more out of shape baseball players than any other sport. But you are right in that they need to have more than just a fastball.

Also, 80mph is impressive for a good baseball program, but it isn't for an elite program which, being in Florida, that program may very well be.


So you're saying what I said about HS ball isn't true because of how it is in the majors??? In the majors, for the mos part, players specialize in a certain position, especially pitchers. Big pitchers don't get paid big money to be versatile, they get paid to hrow 98 with great stuff.


That's also true in high school aside from the money part. There is plenty of specialization, even in weaker states like New York. You don't think with a roster of 40 there are a ton of kids that are just there to pitch? Hell, we only had a roster of 18 and we still had three guys that were just there to pitch.
Author:  Van_Da_Man [ Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
Displaced Fan wrote:
Like Squanto said, they gave him a chance. After giving him a chance, NO ONE in this day and age would cut him just for being crippled. Sometimes when you don't make the team ya gotta suck it up and move on and that doesn't change because you have no legs.

But to tell the kid not to come back ever? Seems pretty harsh. And to not even find a spot on JV to throw him in as a pet project boggles my mind. Last time I checked, JV is supposed to be for learning/evaluating skill. If the guy is a sophomore, are you really going to lose anything by giving him garbage time? That better be one stacked HS.
Author:  Markus [ Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
Poor kid. Manny Ramirez didn't even play baseball and he got into the MLB...
Author:  NYIntensity [ Fri Feb 18, 2011 7:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Amputee with 80 MPH fastball denied spot on HS team
I guess I sort of jumped the gun in my response; I agree that they should give him a shot. I'm just kind of a cynic I guess.
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