The Little League World Series is a fantastic ESPN television experience. You get to watch the magic and innocence of youth, in the beginning of their awkward years, and place a ridiculous amount of pressure on them. Some cry, some pout and some probably even crap themselves. Most of these players go on to be terrible or not play baseball at all. Some go on to become big fancy Major Leaguers. Here are 10 Little League World Series Alumni Who Didn’t End Up Sucking.
10. Jason Marquis
Marquis is currently among the National League leaders in victories. While in the Little League World Series, he managed to toss a no-hitter. And, he’s a Jew!
9. Charlie Hayes
Hayes spent 14 years in the majors and won the World Series with the ’96 Yankees. Terry Mulholland might know him as the guy that ruined his perfect game with a throwing error in 1990, but that’s only if Mulholland is a dick who holds grudges.
8. Dan Wilson
Wilson was an All-Star and a great defensive catcher who once hit an inside-the-park grand slam. He spent several years catching for Jamie Moyer and Randy Johnson in Seattle, which is weird because when Wilson was in the Little League World Series, Moyer was already in his sixties.
7. Derek Bell
Bell was a good player for years with several Major League teams. He was also the victim of a famous prank as a rookie, when teammate Joe Carter drove his Jeep on to the field as the announcer said it would be given away to a lucky fan. He’s been arrested for soliciting prostitutes. He criticized his manager for dropping him in the batting order, the day the poor guy returned to the team from a near-fatal seizure. He became such a problem with the Pirates that they once paid him $4.5 million to not play for them. That’s when Pittsburgh newspapers dubbed Bell the Ultimate Pirate because he lived on a boat and stole money. Bell got arrested a few years ago for crack cocaine. It makes sense. He did grow up around Dwight Gooden, after all.
6. Jason Bay
Bay was the N.L. Rookie of the Year in 2004 and is a three-time All-Star. He played in the 1990 Little League World Series for a Canadian team, which might count a little less since Canada isn’t a real country.
5. Jason Varitek
Varitek is a three-time All-Star catcher and captain for the Boston Red Sox. And he also once shoved his mitt into the stupid face of Alex Rodriguez. He didn’t do so hot in the Little League World Series. He went 0-7, and his team lost in the finals to South Korea.
4. Rick Wise
Wise was a two-time All-Star and the pitcher for the Red Sox in Game 6 (the Carlton Fisk game) of the 1976 World Series. He once pitched a no-hitter and hit two home runs in the same game. He also has the distinction of being traded for two Hall of Famers (Steve Carlton and Dennis Eckersley), despite the fact that you’ve never heard of him.
3. Boog Powell
Powell was the A.L. MVP in 1970 and won two World Series with the Orioles. Now he’s a big fatso who owns a BBQ joint outside of Camden Yards. ”Boog Powell” actually sounds like a sex move fat people should do to each other in the restroom of his restaurant.
2. Carney Lansford
Lansford was the All-Star, batting-title-winning third baseman for the World Champion Oakland A’s teams of the late ’80s. You may also know him for his sweet ass cameo in “Angels In The Outfield” with Tony Danza. He also had a really cool mustache. Anyway, Lansford lost in the Little League World Series finals to Taiwan in 1969.
1. Gary Sheffield
Gary Sheffield is a nine-time All-Star with a batting title and 500 home runs under his belt. And his uncle is famed pitcher and crack head, Dwight Gooden. Gooden lived with Sheffield in the projects and taught him how to play baseball. And when Sheffield was a Little Leaguer, his team lost in the finals to Taiwan. Derek Bell was also on that team. Hmmm. That loss probably made Sheffield angry. He was known to have a temper, even back then. Once when he was late to practice, his Little League coach benched him and Sheffield picked up a bat and chased his coach all over the field.
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