Rice starts off Little League WS with major blasts; NY, Taiwan win openers

Rice starts off Little League WS with major blasts

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Jim Rice criticized today’s major leaguers as too individualistic, then offered Little Leaguers some old-school tips: Respect your opponents, don’t showboat, and stay off performance-enhancing drugs.

To stress his point at a news conference Friday before the start of the Little League World Series, the new baseball Hall of Famer flexed the muscles in his right arm and said, “That’s all the steroids you need. … It’s called God-given talent.”

Rice said today’s major leaguers fraternize with each other too much on the field, adding that while today’s ballplayers might be in better shape than his generation in its heyday, they get injured more frequently.

“You see a Manny Ramirez, you see an A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez), you see (Derek) Jeter … Guys that I played against and with, these guys you’re talking about cannot compare,” Rice told the Little Leaguers.

Jeter declined comment when asked about Rice’s remarks after the New York Yankees’ 20-11 victory at the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Nick Pucciarelli — all 5-foot-4 and 122 pounds of him — put on a hitting display in South Williamsport that would have made Rice proud.

The 12-year-old outfielder homered and tripled as Staten Island, N.Y., beat Mercer Island, Wash., 10-2, on the opening day of the series.

Staten Island’s players didn’t get to hear Rice’s talk because they were getting ready for their game, though the former Boston Red Sox outfielder did offer the New Yorkers some hitting advice in the dugout.

“He was telling us how to hit line drives and ground balls. If you roll your hands over, it’s always going to be a ground ball. So how to punch the baseball for line drives,” Pucciarelli said, mimicking a hitting motion.

Manager Michael Zaccariello, sitting two seats over, whispered a gentle reminder.

“You guys have heard that before, right,” he asked, as Pucciarelli nodded. Zaccariello said the team’s hitting coach, Glen Morisano, gives the same tips to the players.

“Just checking,” the manager said.

The other winners Friday also put on shows at the plate.

Taoyuan, Taiwan routed Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany, 16-0, in a contest shortened to four innings because of the 10-run rule. Yu Chieh Kao had a three-run homer as Taiwan scored 12 times over the first two innings.

Offering a faint smile, Kao tilted his head and tugged nervously at the buttons on his jersey when asked about his homer.

“I told myself relax, take your time, and I did it,” the 12-year-old catcher said through interpreter Ming Huang Yeh.

Later Friday, Warner Robins, Ga., beat Urbandale, Iowa, 11-3, while San Antonio, Texas, used a six-run fourth to defeat Peabody, Mass., 10-1 in the nightcap.

Rice got the day started with a resounding criticism of the current generation of big leaguers while giving a talk to Little Leaguers in a cafeteria. There’s too much focus on individual goals and getting big contracts, he said.

The outfielder played 16 seasons in Boston, batting .298 with 382 homers before retiring in 1989.

“We didn’t have the baggy uniforms. We didn’t have the dreadlocks,” Rice said. “It was a clean game, and now they’re setting a bad example for the young guys.”

When asked later about Rice, most of the Little Leaguers said they were only vaguely familiar with the outfielder. “He went back to old school and how he played,” said Trey Maddox, Georgia’s 12-year-old third baseman.

Texas shortstop Steven Cardone said Rice inspired him.

“And he was right about how major leaguers do more for show and money than for the love of the game,” the 12-year-old said.

Rice wasn’t the only notable name at the complex Friday. Retired New York Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina, a central Pennsylvania native who is on Little League’s board of directors, watched the Staten Island game, along with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Justin Jones homered twice to key a 13-hit attack as Warner Robins made a triumphant return to South Williamsport. The team comes from the same league that took the title in 2007.

Coach Randy Jones said his team hasn’t felt pressure all week.

“If we learned anything from that 2007 group, as everybody keeps reminding me, ‘Keep them loose. Keep them loose,’” Jones said.

Trae Cropp struck out nine but gave up five runs and seven hits in five innings for Iowa.

Travis Daves tossed a three-hitter and Jacob Ramos capped a six-run fourth inning with a three-run homer as Texas stayed undefeated in the Little League playoffs. Ramos’ deep shot appeared to just clear the foul pole in right field.