A manager at the 2026 Little League World Series Regionals has divided the internet with his mound visit speech.
Drew Breivogel, a manager for Arizona's team in the regionals, went viral Wednesday night when an ESPN hot mic caught his mound visit speech. The Arizona manager invoked Jesus and the Bible while talking to his pitcher, who was facing a difficult situation. There were two runners on in a critical situation in the fourth inning.
The Arizona manager called time, walked to the mound and attempted to inspire his pitcher with some advice using Jesus.
"I'm so proud of you," the coach said. "I've known you since you were eight. Remember Zacchaeus in the Bible? Someone planted that tree, 30, 40 years prior, so he could climb up into it. Salvation. We're talking salvation. It's a baseball game, right?
"If you walk the next five guys Jesus is still Lord. If you strike out the next five guys, guess what? Jesus is still Lord. I love you. Have some fun."
Ultimately, the mound visit didn't result in a good outcome. Hawaii would score four runs in the inning and go on to win the game, 5-2, to stave off elimination.
However, it's the Arizona manager's mound visit that caused a stir on social media. Some appreciated it, calling it one of the most powerful mound visit speeches they have heard. Others, meanwhile, disliked it, saying it was inappropriate for the setting. And then there were some who would've preferred to get some actual strategy from the manager.
LLWS manager's speech divides the internet
"Then the next 3 hitters reached base safely because there was no gameplan instilled during the mound visit. This was a coach using TV to make himself look good he knew he was Mic’d up, that was his BIG moment," one fan wrote.
"This is the way Coaching should be at this level and in every game. No one's giving out College scholarships and he's keeping it 100% real..It's an honor to coach a group of young men (or women) and see their play develop, not to only get strikes," another fan added.
"In an absurd little league baseball world full of Coach Bud Kilmer wannabes….be this guy. Kids will quickly forget being yelled at or criticized, it doesn’t make them perform better. But that moment right there will stuck with those kids for a very long time and become part of their character as men and fathers. Well done, sir," one fan added.
"Cringiest thing I’ve ever seen. He only said that because the cameras and mic were on him," one fan added.
The Little League World Series has made all sorts of headlines this week, with a team from Oklahoma getting disqualified due to a violation of roster rules, sparking all kinds of reactions online.
But what did you make of the Little League World Series manager from Arizona's mound visit speech to his pitcher on Wednesday night?
Sound off in the comment section below.
