WILLIAMSPORT, PA – AUGUST 20: Little League baseball players rally a first pitch from the outfield before the Pittsburgh Pirates play the St. Louis Cardinals in the inaugural MLB Little League Classic at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field on August 20, 2017 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

MLB has announced the Mets and the Phillies will play in the second Little League Classic on Aug. 19, 2018 in Williamsport, PA. While the jokes here are low-hanging fruit — this weekend’s Mets-Phillies series should be of Little League quality — it’s great to see MLB continuing this new tradition.

The first Little League Classic between the Pirates and the Cardinals was a huge success in front of a crowd filled with Little League World Series participants and their families. Josh Harrison made an awesome gesture by wearing cleats autographed by Little Leaguers, and the game ended with both teams forming a handshake line just like the old days.

 

But yes, if the Phillies and Mets can’t turn things around dramatically next season, they will face plenty of barbs next August.

Isn’t every Mets-Phillies game a Little League Classic?

Should they use the Little League stadium instead of the professional stadium? 

But you know none of that will matter to the kids who get to spend time and learn from their big-league counterparts.

[MLB]

About Jesse Kramer

Jesse is a writer and editor for The Comeback. He has also worked for SI.com and runs The Catch and Shoot, a college basketball website based in Chicago. He is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Follow Jesse on Twitter @Jesse_Kramer.