What If the Pros Treated Baseball Like the Little League Does?
More fun, fewer scandals at kids' league.
— -- Sure, Little League players are younger and less experienced than stars of Major League Baseball, but that doesn't mean the pros can't learn something from the kids' league.
Here's how MLB games would be different if they adopted the Little League's approach to baseball:
4 Things to Watch for in the Little League World Series
Little League Coach Gives Heartwarming Pep Talk After Loss
1. We Would Learn These Adorable Facts
Did you know Derek Jeter’s favorite movie is “American History X”? Or that David Wright loves sushi and pizza, and Boston Red Sox Slugger David Ortiz’s good-luck charm is an ESPN cameraman?
You might if they played for the Little League.
Instead of splashing players’ batting averages and home run stats beneath their names when they go up to bat, the kids’ league offers fun facts about their favorite foods, movies and nicknames.
2. Sweet Pep Talks Would Replace Timeouts
When a Little League coach addresses the team during a game, it’s usually to offer a few gentle words of encouragement – “You’re doing great, keep it up!” – or a reminder that it is, after all, just a game.
Viewers can watch the sweet exchanges on TV at home, and you can hear the whole conversation.
It doesn’t work like that in the MLB. Players are earning multimillion-dollar salaries, and a loss hurts their career, not just their egos.
3. More Overzealous Parents …
Think about it: When was the last time you saw a major leaguer’s mom going crazy in the stands? Or terrorizing a coach for not letting her son on the team?
But at Little League games, it happens. Parents can get pretty excited about seeing their kids on the field – and making sure they get adequate playing time – especially in the World Series.
In the MLB, where teams play 162 games every summer, that allure probably wears off quickly.
4. … But Fewer Drunken Fans
Booze isn’t allowed at Little League games, so forget about those overpriced beers.
Unless fans are imbibing before the game starts, expect a dry crowd.
5. Sportsmanship Is on Full Display
Imagine a baseball league free of dirty secrets like corked bats, doctored balls and steroid scandals.
That’s what the Little League is. Even in games as high-stakes as the World Series, players are all smiles, gleefully fist-bumping opponents as they cross the field between innings. Kids don’t fight with the umpire, or each other or their coaches, for that matter.