Message board »Message Board home »Sign-in or register to get started
Online now: 6 members: Gmoney 3, Rob64, Salt&Pepper, TABLE SETTER 11, TonyA, softball4b; 120 anonymousDiscussion: USSSA STYLE PITCHING IN SENIOR SOFTBALL
| Posted | Discussion |
| May 7, 2015 twintower Men's 50 21 posts | USSSA STYLE PITCHING IN SENIOR SOFTBALL In my opinion U-Trip style pitching will definitely keep homeruns down and show who the weaker hitters are. The UTRIP style of pitch is much more difficult to square up and gives pitchers more options when pitching to hitters. Pitchers should also be allowed to fake arm movements to throw hitters off. I think that this will be the next step in making senior softball less of a pure hitters paradise and give pitchers a chance to really show case their skill. What do you think? |
| May 8, 2015 JDub Men's 60 206 posts | USSSA does have Senior Tournaments. However, the Majority still Prefer T-Ball with Lively Bats & Balls ! ! ! Have Fun, Be Safe, Jeff White #7 AZ Elite 50/55M+ |
| May 8, 2015 Nancy Allen Men's 55 1438 posts | ...and even the senior portion of Utrip does not allow their pitching style. Utrip pitching in all other divisions but seniors is about deception. Senior softball is about sportsmanship and playing. So it would never work, kid. |
| May 8, 2015 DoubleL10 Men's 70 907 posts | Nancy, thank you for expressing so succinctly what many of us real "senior" players enjoy about the game. Larry Lopez 65s (70s next year). |
| May 8, 2015 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | Interesting-I just commented on this over in the rules category. Again, I do think that if SSUSA sponsored one or two wood bat tourneys they might be surprised at the turnout. I would love to play one with my GSC team. |
| May 8, 2015 Nancy Allen Men's 55 1438 posts | Webbie, I like the wooden bat idea. I have a picture in my head of you guys playing it in old time baseball uniforms though. I watched 16" ball played in Chicago, and up there it is strictly no glove defense. Also Utrip senior softball is not the only one that defers to "our" rules. ASA and ISA do not allow stealing (base burglar) in their senior divisions. |
| May 8, 2015 softball4b Men's 70 1248 posts | Seriously Webbie. Do you know how much batting practice Imlay would want to do if we did that. He would a bat made out of Bamboo, Pine, Oak, Composite, we would never get done. |
| May 9, 2015 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | It would only be a few thousand cuts-no biggie! I understand there is a composite wood grown in the Amazon rainforest that can only be harvested at 2:25 am on the night of September 5th each year-and he would just have time to make a special bat for Worlds. Should we get started? |
| May 9, 2015 JDub Men's 60 206 posts | You Hit the Nail on the Head Webbie! No Matter the Age, Skill Level or Sanction, the Majority of today's Players Want/Need to Swing "Special Bats." NUFF SAID ! ! ! Have Fun, Be Safe, Jeff White #7 AZ Elite 50/55M+ |
| May 10, 2015 Sparky.1 Men's 75 284 posts | Well said JDub, well said! |
| May 10, 2015 JoeMarine Men's 50 15 posts | The United States Specialty Sports Association (U-Trip) has rules that make the “Pitcher” a magician. The five second rule that allows the pitcher to Fake, Juke, Windmills, throw behind the back, between the legs, knuckleball, and curves can make the pitcher a master of deception. The purpose is to get the batter to swing at anything but HIS/HER pitch and to keep the batter off balance. This style of pitching creates a lot of ground balls and popups. So a good team needs to have a solid infield. It’s competitive, lively, and exciting to watch and play. U-Trip & SSUSA are two whole different games when it comes to batting. When you’re in that batter’s box, you have to bring your “A” game, you have to be on your toes, have that keen eye, know the situation, can’t fall asleep, and can’t “oops”, or you’re find yourself be thrown out at first or worse, double play or even triple play. The thought or perception that it is un-sportsmanship, dishonest like, and/or made for kids is unfair to say. That’s like saying that MLB fits those criteria because of its pitching. I know of MANY senior ballplayers that still and played well, this game of U-Trip style. I wish that SSUSA did have tournaments WITH the U-Trip Rules, and since there are NOT many of us, let ballplayers throughout the country be on ANY team, No matter what state they’re from, have four Divisions which will be called Men’s Competitive, Men’s Recreation, Women’s Competitive and Women’s Recreation. Organize Tournaments for the West Coast and the East Coast and in the end of the year have a World Series (WS) on both coasts on different dates so that teams can participate in both WS, if they wish too. You would be surprise on how many ballplayers would come out to play. “Food for thought” God bless you ALL and see you on the battlefield. Joe.T #69 Semper Fi |
| May 10, 2015 Nancy Allen Men's 55 1438 posts | Joe, thanks for your opinion. I am guessing that these comments came from what I said. I have umpired Utrip at all levels and enjoy that part of it but would never play it. It is deceptive; batter has to ask for time, and almost everything else is a strike. It has no comparison to baseball as their pitchers do not fake or pump or do any other types of tricks. Yes, fake is a synonym for deception as is trick. It may have its place, and I hold my wrist whenever I umpire it because I am used to keeping time for batters to keep pitchers from quick pitching a batter; I cannot do that in Utrip. In Utrip they are trying to fool (another synonym for deception). The batter. My opinions are my own, and I am not trying to get you to change yours any more than you will ever change mine. I will continue to umpire it but not play it. The other associations do promote good sportsmanship. I can give time in the box to protect the batter from pitchers motivated to quick pitching. I am not criticizing Utrip only acknowledging the differences as someone that has a lot more experience on the field than most people. Actually I do think Utrip gets it when it comes to seniors. They finally allow senior bats and do not allow traditional Utrip pitching. This is not the way seniors play. When we all dead and gone, do what you want. |
| May 10, 2015 OZ40 549 posts | My 2 cents on this topic: I played and umped U-Trip here in Michigan since God created the ball diamond. Unlike some other areas of the country U-Trip is the big dog in this state. When it came to the higher divisions such as class B, A, AA, etc. That 3 foot minimum arc for pitching sort of disappeared. It got to the point where the pitch was delivered almost semi-modified style. Couple that with the 3-2 count and the pitchers had an advantage, you could amplify that advantage if you had a good juker on the mound. It was exciting at that time in my younger days. I believe I have more fun now with the current arc and pitching rules. No one is stopping anyone from hitting a U-Trip arc and pitch as those leagues and tournaments still exist. As for me personally, I stick with the senior arc. |
| May 10, 2015 crusher Men's 75 524 posts | UTrip pitching is diff when it is 12 inches high at front of plate and just hits 6 inches back of plate for a strike. + UT start 1-1. However with the NOT SPECIAL BATS I can hit the fence when a fast pitch is just a little high. One of the dangers if this was used in Seniors is lots of shots goes back middle. The only thing I do not like about the UTrip pitch is I get to eager seeing the flat pitch coming in verses the 12-14 foot coming in to the back edge of the plate in senior ball. |
| May 10, 2015 garyheifner 649 posts | I would be against it. Most teams have only one maybe two pitchers. Guys get tired enough without the x-tra movements that go along with u-trip style. So often, in senior ball, the pitcher is the one with a bad hip or knees and couldn't do all that jumping around stuff. I would not be against letting the pitcher have "1" fake arm swing towards the plate. We already have a slight portion of the u-trip style in place. Can't tell you how many 100s of times I have seen a pitcher pitch, back up 3 or 4 steps and as the ball comes from the catcher walk up catch it and pitch it in the same motion. I believe the pitcher is supposed to delay at least a second before delivering the ball. I have never seen an ump call illegal pitch. Since arc was mentioned: I still would like to see the senior arc changed to 6' to 10'. I have been in senior ball since 2001 and have yet to see an ump who knows what 12' is. With a 10' arc, the ump could roughly judge the height of the pitcher. Say he is 6'. I think they could, easily, picture about a yard stick and a little more over the pitchers head. I believe this would result in more strikes and more hitters hitting. What do most pitchers do when a hitter takes the 1st pitch for a strike? They throw the next 2 high, test the umps limits, create bitching and moaning when he calls it illegal and most often go 2-1 and then go back to the 6-8 foot arc to avoid a 3-1. I got more but it late and I am tired. This Mother's day thing is very deserved but stressful. My mom is turning 90 and the betting odds are at "6" years. No, not her death, but the # of years she is going to out live me!! |
