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| May 17, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Rules for Courtesy Runner from the plate in regular leagues (non-tournament). Our league has a broad span of ages (50 to 93) and also some women from 50 to 81. We are much more casual about courtesy runners from home. The start line is an imaginary extension of the third base line (makes it easy for umpire to spot violations). Runner cannot start until ball is hit. Any batter can request a courtesy runner from home (almost always uses one in every at-bat except in case of game injury). CR cannot get more than a single unless ball goes out of play, then is awarded second. Same courtesy runner cannot be used more than once in an inning. CR cannot be run for during inning except for injury or if playing with only 10 players on the team. Most of our players needing a runner are permanently disabled as far as running (they catch, pitch, or play corner bags). We used to start the CR farther back as Chico does, but with many older runners, we moved forward to third base line. |
| April 28, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Information on the safety of the run by rule I don't know of any study that compares the two options. How would data be gathered? Who would care to gather it? What I do know is that our day league changed to the run-through more than a decade ago and has stayed with it. Why? Far fewer collisions and less stress on aging knees! The rare collisions are usually at second because sometimes the shortstop, the second baseman, (and the guy up the middle—we play with the extra player since our leagues are ability balanced and have players from 50 to 93 on the same field) converge at the same time leaving little option for the runner. Nonetheless, past collisions where the runner could not slow down in time and crashed into the fielder were more severe than the rare brush-by collisions that occur now. We would never go back to the old system. We are friends, young and old...male and female...experienced and less experienced...playing our best but not to win at the risk of injury. My personal data base on this is anecdotal but I have played about 900 games in the past ten years (we play more than one league game a week on all-weather fields) and this is my observed experience. And there are other players who have played more games than me and they are not advocating for a return to the tournament standard. |
| April 5, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Centennial Park Kingman Agree that St. George is a wonderful place to play (my only concern is that some of the fields have such a beautiful view of the surrounding mesas and cliffs, that as an outfielder, I would get distracted). Tripling prices reminds me of our local synagogue 20 years ago. A businessman joined the synagogue board. He discovered that they had six tenants (a preschool, two churches, three 12-step groups) and that they were not paying market rates (of course, only the non-profit preschool was more than a once a week tenant). He convinced the board to double the rates to be "market rates." Within a half-a-year, the synagogue had NO additional income from any tenants as they all relocated! Maybe it is time to re-inquire of St. George and see if there has been a change of attitude. |
| April 1, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Product review Discussion: face masks I think it depends on your age group. In the 70s and older, quite a few infielders now wear face masks. The most common seems to be third basemen, followed by shortstop and second base. Once or twice a middle fielder (allowed on older teams) but I can't recall seeing a first baseman wearing a face mask. I suppose it is just a matter of time. Most of these face masks are inadequate for a blow to the side of the head, but all of them do a pretty good job of saving a bloody nose or busted teeth. |
| March 9, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Bats Discussion: Softball bats on southwest airlines I have flown to Las Vegas for years. I always use my regular full-length bat bag, make sure it is zipped closed, and check it as regular luggage. Have never had a question or a doubt. Passenger agents are used to it (I might be the 20th that day flying from my city), and on the plane it goes. Flying Southwest usually, where both my bat bag and my suitcase are checked for free. Never had anything stolen, although my bat bag's hooks got caught in something once and one of them twisted almost open. |
| Feb. 28, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Bats Discussion: DUDLEY 2019 LIGHTNING HOTW Looking at recent postings about the new Dudley breaking prematurely, it looks like Dudley's integrity will be built more on its response to these unacceptable performances than on videos. Recall? Replacement? |
| Feb. 20, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Interference or incidental contact? stick8, our senior league has the same run-through rule and it has worked successfully for more than 15 years. One minor point, although it is not codified as a rule, the runner should run away from the ball. In other words, if the throw is coming in to second from the right side, the runner should go left of the bag (safer for both runner and fielder) and alternatively, if the ball is coming from the left, run to the right of the bag. This is true not only for infield plays as well as outfield, but for the rarer options of a potential double play from pitcher to first to third and the runner dashing to third (run by on the right). |
| Feb. 6, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Recent Palm Springs Tournament - One & One Count with one to waste. Mason's Grandpa and ffdonnie both make good points. This tournament often has disagreements, usually involving Vicky and her helpers. In a recent year, it was forbidding the championship game to play on an empty good field, but rather making them play on an adjoining wicked sun field with multiple strikeouts. No such big deal this year, but it is true that umps are a bit inconsistent. Our first ump didn't believe in giving a courtesy foul after one strike, but the other three did. Three umps had a 12 foot top (or a bit more with one) on the pitches, but the other ump liked to cap it at 10 feet. Their personalities were pleasant for the most part and we didn't mind. One ump blew about two base running calls a game, but there was no bias so it evened out. Which brings me to ffdonnie. It was indeed a fun tournament in a pleasant location. Our boys were happy just to be in warm 75º weather and enjoyed the games. It wasn't like the uber-tense Vegas Championships where players are strung pretty tight. |
| Feb. 4, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Recent Palm Springs Tournament - One & One Count with one to waste. Curveball, if you are talking about the Palm Springs tournament, I think they put all their eggs in one basket—the one and one count. With 1:15 allowed for every game, we also experienced late starts consistently throughout the tournament. One reason is changing fields where one team finishes on time, but the other team is late arriving after finishing their game...then the late arriving team wants a chance to go to the bathroom, get a cold drink, etc., and the team that has been waiting for some time wants to warm up again. You get the idea. Had the time slots allowed for 1:30 for each game, I think all but one of our games would have started on time (the exception was where an early afternoon game started almost one hour late! I, too, was puzzled as to why a one-and-one tournament couldn't keep to a 1:15 schedule. Proponents of the count always rave about how much time it saves. |
| Feb. 2, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Recent Palm Springs Tournament - One & One Count with one to waste. My 80s team also played in the Palm Springs Tournament with the 1-1 starting count. All of our games did NOT achieve 7 innings of play. On the first day, we finished one hour late by the end of the supposed 1:15 game! No injuries...no ambulance...no field problems...just slower on and off the field and one game that had a long last inning. So 1-1 doesn't automatically give longer games. The difference seemed to be the attitude of the umpire and making the players hustle a little bit, shortening infield warm-up, giving the pitcher only 1 or 2 warm-up pitches. This is the first tournament where we have had a 1-1 count for every game. It was a different mindset for sure. At the end of the tournament, had we polled the players on my team, I think we would have had a universal vote to retain the normal 0-0 start for older players. Even if we want to, at our age we don't "hustle" on to the field very well. Most missed getting used to a new pitcher and taking a pitch to size up his style. There were many more strikeouts than normal (about 2 or 3 a game with both teams, about half on a foul out). This partly explains why guys our age are reluctant to change. Playing 7 versus 6 innings just isn't worth the pressure to bat and to rush warming up. It will be awhile before it changes. By the way, my league goes to 1 and 1 when games are running late. I don't notice a difference then. I think it is because all of the hitters are familiar with all of the pitchers and we don't play on 300 foot fields like Palm Springs. |
| Jan. 15, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Players looking to join a team Discussion: 65 Major Plus Players from Texas Looking for a Team MurrayW, no, I was not being sarcastic. A good shortstop is a benefit at any age, a bonus once you round 60, and a treasure and a game changer after 70! My teams have tried for years (sometimes successfully) to find a good shortstop, but the agility, quickness, and arm strength that is required starts to fade away in the late 60s. I trust mad dog's opinion as well as others on this site and I am dumbfounded that they haven't found a team except for the well-known challenge that they want to play as a trio on a team, and many teams are reluctant to replace two already present good players for the sake of filling one hole in the lineup. If they are on a team that is at the World's or Rock n Reno this year, I'll look for them just for the joy of appreciating their play. P.S. Dave, when was I ever sarcastic with you? Send me a private email to remind me. Complaining a couple of times (the shirt fiasco at Western's; the misranking at Woodland) but I am seldom sarcastic with anyone on this forum (with the "retirement" of Einstein) so I am genuinely puzzled. |
| Jan. 11, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Home run hitting contest with a twist? low profile, I like it! Most home run hitters I know (very few in my age bracket) have a menagerie of bats any how. A $200 buy-in with a guaranteed new bat as a participation prize sounds like a no-brainer. I would raise it to perhaps $$225 so it isn't just guys who want a potentially discounted bat for $200 whether they can reach the fence or not. Also, be sure of your numbers before you start throwing around a figure of $1000 for first prize. Challenge will be a venue and time accessible by all participants. I would guess that the prize money is not as important as bragging rights and getting a new bat. We had a hitting-for-distance contest for our Club a couple of years ago and it was three swings for a $5.00 buy in with the possibility of multiple reentries, particularly by those whose mark had been surpassed. The prize? Nothing but the title. It became a fundraiser for the Club. |
| Jan. 10, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Sponsorship Looks like a lot of guys are going down this possible path: "I didn't know Sparky was sponsoring again! I should have called him and asked a month ago." Thanks for your commitment to post your sponsorship interest if it comes up again. |
| Jan. 10, 2019 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Players looking to join a team Discussion: 65 Major Plus Players from Texas Looking for a Team WOW! A shortstop who hits .750 with power and Major Plus experience!! These guys won't be on the market long. Too bad my team is not Major Plus...and not that young! LOL |
| Dec. 27, 2018 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Bats Discussion: Is it too soon to compare the new Dudley Hot 14" vs the new Adidas Melee 2 - two piece? Mont25, good question. It would seem that DocDuck is a very big fan of Dudley or else a sales rep for them. |
| Nov. 8, 2018 Omar Khayyam | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: 70 & over playing after dark under the lights The Northern California Senior Softball Association is one of the larger associations in the world with around 100 teams and about 1800-2000 players. They officially use SSUSA rules as their rule book, and then they annually post any unique rules for NCSSA or any rules that differ from SSUSA. They have always been a bit more conservative than SSUSA when it comes to safety. Their rules state that no tournament games may be scheduled to be played under the lights for any team aged 60 or over! This means that no games would be scheduled that would need lights turned on (such as most twilight games) even if only for the later innings. Of course, in actual tournaments, the play may run late due to overtime games, injuries, weather delays, etc. and the teams would play under the lights. We also have an evening league in our local association of about 300 members, and it is the rare player who can safely play under artificial light after his 50s. Some do, and take the chance (there is no age limitations other than a minimum of 50), but many a player has discovered in his 60s that his vision can rapidly deteriorate even in a year's time. |
| Oct. 31, 2018 Omar Khayyam | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: called out By the way, re-watering a field during the day is appreciated and sometimes almost necessary. Redragging a field is always admired by players and a sign of a good tournament. Rechalking is far above expectations. Good for Vegas! |
| Oct. 31, 2018 Omar Khayyam | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: called out I forgot about the seriousness of this rule. I was pitching in Vegas Worlds this year. It was the third game of the day and batter's box had just been rechalked. The batter stepped forward and erased the front line while the umpire watched. It irritated me and I yelled out "Hey! You're destroying the hard work of the maintenance guy!" Ump smiled. Batter not amused. I thought it was witty. Game continued on. I would have been happy with the ump not smiling but calling the batter out (ejected if Dave's suggestion is adopted) just to set a tone that rules are there for a reason. In reality, that particular lead-off batter did not cause us much grief in the game. |
| Oct. 8, 2018 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Rule: 1.27 • FORCE OUT - FORCE PLAY How about this. Runner on first. Shallow ball is hit to right field and appears to be a single. Runner on first takes a big turn after second and interprets base coach's instructions that ball was caught, so retreats back, touches second and is approaching first when realizes that ball was NOT caught since batter is standing on first, so turns around and runs to second again. Fielder throws ball to second baseman standing on second and ball arrives before runner. No tag on returning runner. Is runner forced out, or must he be tagged? Sounds like my team at times. |
| Sept. 22, 2018 Omar Khayyam | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Ruling for runner stepping on baseman's foot instead of the base? Turbobob, I am impressed with your tough guys! |
