Why can't these leagues continue to use the softer baseballs that are used in T-Ball leagues? The aluminum bats save money because they last longer (although I know 9 y/o's with $250 bats) but why do kids 9 thru 13 need to use real baseballs?
Because anything else would be completely useless for developing baseball skills? Bloody hell, baseball isn't that dangerous; children deal with hundreds of other activities that represent a far greater danger than using real baseballs. And I say that as someone who once did get tagged hard in the head at close range playing the game at that age with a standard baseball off an aluminum bat.
Let's not neuter the kids before their time -- the real world isn't safe and people will get hurt. It is beneficial, especially for boys, to play at games where there is some risk of physical injury; the occasional nasty injury teaches a lot of valuable lessons even to those not injured. I'm not that old, but I did not even realize they had "child-safe" baseballs. I never saw such a thing when I was growing up, nor was it needed.