[Cred]

[quote author=BobK link=topic=16598.msg191706#msg191706 date=1492221680]
Mercy again

FWIW, I have always wondered about the "mercy" rule, even in little league. It seems to be saying that you are so bad you can't 59er up to "real" competition. It is kind of insulting in that sense. Then again, in this case, it may be true.
[/quote]

The "mercy" rule does serve a practical purpose in tournament play, as it helps keep the games on schedule.

Generally speaking, I'm pretty okay with the rule anyway. It not only spares the losing team from absorbing an unnecessarily prolonged beating but spares the losing team's fans further exposure to the slaughter.

Though this act of invoking "mercy" might seem a little insulting, the fact that the actual play on the field beats the "mercy" rule to the punch in suggesting that the losing team doesn't belong on the same field with the competition, I think, takes a lot of the sting out of the insult.  :)

[Cred]

[quote author=BobK link=topic=16598.msg191706#msg191706 date=1492221680]
Mercy again

FWIW, I have always wondered about the "mercy" rule, even in little league. It seems to be saying that you are so bad you can't 59er up to "real" competition. It is kind of insulting in that sense. Then again, in this case, it may be true.
[/quote]

The "mercy" rule does serve a practical purpose in tournament play, as it helps keep the games on schedule.

Generally speaking, I'm pretty okay with the rule anyway. It not only spares the losing team from absorbing an unnecessarily prolonged beating but spares the losing team's fans further exposure to the slaughter.

Though this act of invoking "mercy" might seem a little insulting, the fact that the actual play on the field beats the "mercy" rule to the punch in suggesting that the losing team doesn't belong on the same field with the competition, I think, takes a lot of the sting out of the insult.  :)