richard-1787 There are a few clever scenes in this movie, but mostly, it's play by the numbers. I don't know if it would appeal to a 12 year old, but it could have appealed to a guy of any age who dreams of what he could do if only he were allowed to manage a baseball team.But it would have been far more effective in that way if, instead of having the players played by actors who developed the usual collection of quirky characters, the producer had managed to convince the real players of a real losing team to appear in this movie. Then it truly would have been fantasy baseball at its finest, and more realistic.Not a bad movie, but not a memorable one.

senators24 We got this movie on videotape for the kids, but it just blew me away. Here we are in 2009, and Lou Pinella, Randy Johnson and Ken Griffey Jr. -- all of whom are in this movie -- are still part of the game. That's just luck, but the dialog in this film is outstanding. It is far more than a kids' movie. Sure, there are scenes where a so-called ''adult'' film would have relied on profanity (Jerry Johnson letting his 12-year-old manager know that he didn't like being cut, no matter how much the kid liked his baseball card) but the message is clear. When the kid asks pitcher Mike McGreevy how much a free agent who can't throw strikes is worth, or when he puts down his hot-headed reliever by asking if he thinks the team doesn't have anybody else who can get people out, it's priceless. Or how's this from his bench coach, about Johnson's slump: "Kid, don't you think there's a problem when you get that excited over a seeing-eye single?" or (from the angry reliever): "I've been looking over some film, and you were right about my mechanics, so I ... guess you're not a rat boy.''Despite what might seem like an absurd premise, I have never seen a more realistic baseball movie, and I am a member of SABR and a baseball fan of more than 50 years. The Twins are still wearing the uniforms in this film, and until today (10/11/09) were still playing in the same stadium.It pays homage to the franchise's history by calling the team's GM "Goslin'' -- a Hall of Famer from the Twins' days as the Senators.Get this movie. Even the music is good. You will not regret it.

view_and_review Only kids would like this movie or find it funny, because only a kid would be entertained by the idea of a kid being in charge of adults. This movie was terrible from many angles.Acting: Bad. Can't say much more than just bad. Luke Edwards was terrible. He has the range of Keanu Reeves, he never showed any emotion other than indifference.Humor: It absolutely was NOT funny. I was begging for a chuckle even.Story: It would be fitting to use a baseball analogy here: Swing and a miss.As a baseball fan, I can't imagine the game being insulted by having a kid manage a professional team. I wouldn't care if the kid was an all out baseball savant (as this kid was), managing a team is still managing people and personalities which takes more than just statistical knowledge to do.Grown men will not take to being managed or led by a child, especially macho, testosterone driven athletes. I thought the players reaction to the news of their new manager was far more tempered than it would really be. Those ball players would have been far more objectionable, not to mention the commissioner of baseball.This kid never came across as a bold an audacious boy, but that's exactly what it would require for a boy to put himself in charge of a baseball team. I wasn't interested in seeing how the story would play out. I'm sure they eventually warmed up to him, the team started winning, the mom dated the ball player and everyone lived happily ever after. If this were a better movie I would watch it to the predictable end, but this was just a huge Kansas City Royals flop.

firepants If you're a baseball fan, this is a must see. Billy Heywood is a 12 year old baseball nut that inherits the Minnesota Twins when his grandfather dies. After firing the manager, Billy appoints himself as the new bench boss of the Twins. Sounds completely implausible,0 I know. I avoiding watching this for years because of the train wreck known as Rookie of the Year. They have nothing in common.The writing in this movie is superb. Not only does the script manage to capture what it was like to be a 12 year old, but there was clearly an intelligent baseball fan responsible for much of the movie's dialogue. It's so nice to watch a baseball movie that assumes I might actually understand baseball strategy and appreciate the game's history.However, what truly sets this movie apart are the baseball scenes. Clearly, the extras are (or were) professional baseball players. Even those with speaking parts can all play (or fake it well enough). There's also numerous cameos from a slew of major league baseball players (circa 1994).Terrific supporting performances by Jonathan Silverman, Jason Robards, Timonth Busfield and the two kids who play Billy's best friends. The actor who plays Billy (Luke Edwards) could have been a bit more polished, but maybe that added to the charm. Well worth your time.