Kids these days sure have a lot of nerve. How dare a bunch of teenagers clean up an empty city lot and turn it into a whiffleball field!

Fortunately, the citizens of Greenwich, Connecticut, will not stand for such irresponsible behavior. The NEW YORK TIMES tosses up news that angry neighbors are suing to have the built-from-scratch ballpark torn down.

Here’s what the little rapscallions did to cause such horrendous headaches to the good people of Greenwich:

After three weeks of clearing brush and poison ivy, scrounging up plywood and green paint, digging holes and pouring concrete, Vincent (Provenzano), Justin (Currytto) and about a dozen friends did manage to build it — a tree-shaded Wiffle ball version of Fenway Park complete with a 12-foot-tall green monster in center field, American flag by the left-field foul pole and colorful signs for Taco Bell Frutista Freezes.

Not only that, but the little troublemakers “got materials from a friend’s basement plus two big pieces of plywood being thrown away by a Shell station on East Putnam Avenue. They fished pallets out of Dumpsters and spent perhaps $200, mostly on green paint.”

Reusing thrown out materials to build a ballpark? How un-American!

But this travesty should soon come to an end. Neighbors have complained that the field is too close to their homes. Town officials note that building was done on city property without a permit. And the ballpark could potentially create traffic and drainage problems - not to mention a liability nightmare if one of the kids gets whacked by a whiffle bat.

However, that’s not stopping the kids from coming up with their petty excuses:

“It’s just old-fashioned fun,” said Vincent Provenzano. “We did it on our own. Maybe people think that’s unusual.”

“They think we’re a cult,” said Jeff Currivan, 17. “People think we should be home playing ‘Grand Theft Auto.’ ”

Now you’ve got the right idea! Who needs sunshine & exercise?

Kudos to the crabby folks of Greenwich for nipping this ballpark business in the bud. Before you know it, there would have been whiffleball all-star games hurting kids’ self-esteem.