OAK RIDGE LITTLE LEAGUE

PONY Baseball

PONY Baseballs

Little League Fabrication

The Truth about Little League

at Oak Ridge

Age Groups

Two-year increments;

Shetland (5-6),

Pinto (7-8),

Mustang (9-10),

Bronco (11-12),

Pony (13-14),

Colt 15-16). This allows players to take an older leadership role every two years.

Nationally only Minors and Majors - 9 year olds could play with 12 year olds.

Tee Ball       (5-6)

Rookie         (7-8)

AAA           (9-11)

Majors        (10-12)

Juniors       (13-14)

Seniors       (15-16)

Big League (18-19)

Little League is as well age aligned as Pony!

Field Size

Field size changes every two years. Shetland (5-6 years old) and Pinto (7-8) play on 50' bases,

Mustang (9-10) play on 60' bases with pitching from 44'; Bronco (11-12) play on 70' bases with pitching from 48'; Pony (13-14) plays on 80' bases with pitching from 54'; Colt (15-16) plays on full size field as players develop to "full size".

Players 7-12 years old play on 60' bases and pitch from 46' and at 13 jump to 90' bases, (although some local leagues have followed Pony examples and created an 80' base Junior division they still have 90' bases in all national tournaments). 46' pitching and

60' bases are just too small for 12 year olds!

It is true that Little League uses only 2 different size fields, 60' for 9-12 year olds and 90' for 13 year olds and up

PONY does scale the size of their diamonds based on age but Little League players age 13-14 are better prepared to try out and make a high school team because they have already made the adjustment to the 90' diamond

Rules

Pony plays full baseball rules from age 9 & up - the same as high school and major leagues. Shetland gets to hit coach pitching! Pinto players pitch!

Little League plays a mix between Baseball and Softball rules until age 13.

The real fact is the Little League rule book is identical to the rule book of Major League baseball.  Leading off and stealing bases at will is not allowed due to the safety risk that it poses to younger players!

Really now, is your 9 or 10 year old ready for High School ?

By the end of each season Tee Ballers get to hit coach pitching and Rookie players begin pitching after being to taught the fundamentals and proper mechanics

Base Running

Starting with Mustang (9-10) age appropriate field size allows leading off and stealing, head first slides, running on dropped third strikes and the "suicide squeeze play". PONY players learn to read the pitcher on steals. The player, as a base stealer, becomes a threat and has a far greater chance to contribute to the team. This also means high school managers only need to review

fundamentals, not introduce them.

No leading off; runners must remain on the base until the pitch crosses the plate; no running on a dropped third strike. Stealing is mainly advancing on a passed

ball. Not permitting players to lead off and steal means they are only playing, being taught and learning part of the game.

Base stealing, even the threat of base stealing, is a major part of baseball.

Must have a player in one coach's box.

Not true, Little League does not allow leading and stealing on it's sixty foot diamonds first and foremost for safety and secondly but equally important, to make sure that all children develop ALL the necessary basic skills and mechanics  to play the game instead of concentrating on leading, pick offs and stealing and turning a baseball game into a "Track & Field" meet . Could you imagine your child being hit in the head with a bat on a "suicide squeeze play"?

Because of this approach to teaching the game of baseball, Little League players that go on to play on the 90' diamond are more fundamentally sound while learning the final basics of the game, leading, stealing and pick off's after having mastered throwing, catching and hitting in their younger years on the 60' diamond. Because of this 14 & 15 year old Little League players are equally or better prepared when trying out for their High School teams because they have already played 1-2 years on a 90' regulation diamond. 

Lastly, Little League does require a coach in each coach's box but these base coaches are adult team coach's, not players.

Pitching

Because of lead offs, pitchers learn to pitch from a stretch, pick off moves to bases and the art of the "balk". Fielders learn to cover the bag, back up throws from catchers and learn the complete game including "back door" throws. The field size variation allows plays to be made from age 5 & up.

Pitchers do not have to pitch from a stretch. Without runners leading off, balks are irrelevant. Strong pitchers who do not have to hold runners and pitch from a stretch are overpowering. Players who pitch merely become "throwers"

Not true, Little League pitchers are taught to pitch from both the wind-up and the stretch.

Little League pitchers are allowed to pitch from whichever is more comfortable in order to develop and perfect proper mechanics first helping the Little League pitcher to avoid arm injury's which can last a lifetime and end the baseball experience.

Blossom Valley PONY

Oak Ridge Little League

FUNDRAISERS

Mandatory fundraisers for all levels of play, Opening Day Fundraiser is traditionally $25 per player minimum with a second fundraiser during the season

No fundraiser, fees and donations cover the cost of operating cost of our league