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Online now: 2 members: Larry1955, TABLE SETTER 11; 63 anonymousDiscussion: Safety concern for runners on the corners
| Posted | Discussion |
| March 17, 2008 Lecak Men's 60 1026 posts | Safety concern for runners on the corners I was playing yesterday in Palm Springs and during one of our games we had a situation where a runner on third was struck by a line drive foul ball from the clean up hitter on his team. It sounded like a shot gun blast when he was struck, amazingly he stayed in the game. We were discussing this and an idea was generated about letting runners float in foul territory parallel to the bag so they didn't feel anchored to the bag. Any thoughts the gentleman was very lucky and did continue on in the game. Safety first. |
| March 17, 2008 AZBaller 44 posts | Pitching nets, floating off the corner base's where is this all gonna end. Play the game the way it was designed. Quit trying to change the game. Before you know it we'll be useing piching machines and ghost runners on the corners. |
| March 17, 2008 softballer Men's 65 594 posts | lecak he got hit in foul territory! i was the ump in that game! what position did you play? monta |
| March 17, 2008 Lecak Men's 60 1026 posts | I was the first baseman for the MOB. That was a shot My thought was to let the runner roam around a little as long as he doesn't get an advantage. We're you the plate ump when I asked for time told me it was 12:30? |
| March 17, 2008 softballer Men's 65 594 posts | lol wasn't it 12:15 ish? i was getting a kick out of u on that one nice to know who you r now! way to hit the ball good luck this year you guys are a good team monta |
| March 17, 2008 Jawood Men's 50 943 posts | I have always thought of this solution. Allow the baserunners on the corners to wear a fielders glove. This would be just for protection. If they touch a fair ball, they would be out but would be allowed to catch or deflect a foul ball. |
| March 17, 2008 umby44 48 posts | allow the runner the option of wearing a hemut |
| March 17, 2008 umby44 48 posts | helmet |
| March 17, 2008 Jawood Men's 50 943 posts | Can't you wear a helmet anyway? You can protect everything if you have a glove on. Head, face, chest, legs, etc., etc. |
| March 18, 2008 FOULBALL 9 posts | IM WITH AZballer, LEAVE THE GAME ALONE ALREADY. THATS WHY I ALSO PLAY MSBL HARDBALL, THATS GOOD OLD FASHION BASEBALL LIKE ITS ALWAYS BEEN. SENIOR SOFTBALL HAS MESSED THE GAME ALL UP WITH ALL THESE CHANGES...... FIRST CAME A 2ND HOMEPLATE, DOUBLE IST BASES, OVER RUNNING ALL BASES, PITCHER MOVED BACK SIX FEET, A SCREEN TO PROTECT THE PITCHER AND NOW RUNNER CAN FLOAT AT THE CORNERS TO AVOID LINE-DRIVES. WHAT A JOKE THIS HAS GOTTEN TO BE. LETS JUST GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL REGULAR SOFTBALL RULES AND USE ONLY "WOODEN BATS", WANT TO BE REALLY SAFE?? GO PLAY TENNIS, GO BOWLING OR JUST STAY HOME AND PLAY WITH THE GRANDKIDS. LET THE REST OF US ENJOY THIS GAME OF SOFTBALL THE WAY IT WAS MEANT TO BE. |
| March 18, 2008 AZBaller 44 posts | You want a net in front of the pitcher, why stop there lets just have a net for the 1st and 3rd baseman to. Heck why stop there lets put a net infront of everybody on the infield. WHERE IS THIS CRAP GONNA END?????? If you don't wanna get hit when your pitching "THEN DON"T PITCH" nobody's makeing you pitch!!!!! If you don't wanna get hit on the base's "GET A COURTESTY RUNNER" you got a whole dugout full of players that can run!!!!!!!!! This is way your haveing tournies with two and three maybe four teams per division. Look at palm springs last weekend 3 teams in the 50AA(granted gas prices are getting out of control) If you keep makeing all these changes there won't be any tournies. If senoir softball starts to use a net in front of the pitcher i'll be folding my team and starting sponsering a couple of saturday morning golf teams. |
| March 18, 2008 terrymac 46 posts | There is always going to be some risk when you play. A couple years ago we tried playing at 70 foot bases. A lot of guys liked it. It does give you more room to get out of the way. (the heavy guys voted it out) Terry Ohio Silverados |
| March 18, 2008 Joncon 328 posts | Ther would be no harm in letting the runner stand off the base as long as he tagged up. Some guys absolutely DRILL the ball down the line. 60' is too close without even a glove to help defend yourself. We ask the umps to allow it in league play all the time and they generally comply. No harm no foul. What I hate is when the 3rd bas ecoach is standing 2 feet away chatting about something. Get the heck outta my way and pay ATTENTION! |
| March 19, 2008 AZBaller 44 posts | Hey john, your so old you fart dust!!!!!!! Plus you can't even see the 3rd base coach let alone hit it there!!!!! LMAO |
| March 19, 2008 the wood Men's 65 1123 posts | Joe, I usually agree with most of the points that you make. They are always well thought out and, more often than not, they make good sense. I disagree with this one... I believe that we have more than enough rules already. I can remember being on 1st base as a runner (25 years ago) when certain lefties batted and was always cognizant of being hit by a line drive or one hopper... still, I did get hit at times. When we played the local stuff (SCMAF) the runners could leave the base after the pitcher released the ball. This made us more vulnerable... but we got through it unscathed, for the most part... and back then we used Bombats mostly. You're saying that we need to be totally concerned with the runners on 1st and 3rd and others are saying that we need to be more concerned about the pitcher's safety... and/or the corner infielders... or all of the infielders. If this is true AND VALID, then why are we playing with senior bats? If their safety is truly at risk, what right do we have to use high end bats? It has been said before many times (Gary19 probably said it 50 times himself), we cannot have it both ways... bat performance and safety... they definitely are on a collision course with one another. The only variable that might change this is to consider the ball (COR, compression) that Trumpball suggested several times in the past... or play when it's 150 degrees outside (being facetious). Having stated this, I don't want to give the impression that I don't care about safety. I very much do. If the game is not safe, then we need to tone down the bats before we change all of the other things. The one change that I would unequivocably support is to use a 36" wide pitching screen (+ -) when the sun is setting behind the batter. If it hits the screen, it's an out. If it hits the pitcher (w/o hitting the screen) it isn't an out... presuming that he is not behind the screen for whatever reason. This is particualry true during the pre-season and seeding games. I'd even vote for it for DE games in national events. So my question to you is this... how much do we care about safety? Enough to use lower BPF bats? we = global sense, not you alone. Bob Woodroof |
| March 19, 2008 Joncon 328 posts | Hey Baller, I may be old, but I'm slow. |
| March 19, 2008 DMac Men's 60 207 posts | As a person who runs the bases a lot, I have taken my share of getting hit and nearly getting hit, by balls hit fair and foul. Sunday, in Palm Springs, I got hit twice with the same shot. Two outs, I'm off with the swing (maybe even a little early) and Bam, a line drive hits me in my left thigh and riccochets into my right thigh. Then the batter has the balls to bitch at me. That's life. The truth is that I have been hit or almost hit less than one percent of the times I have been on base. Not bad odds when you think of it. This weekend I saw the same ump hit twice. Should we get a screen for him? |
| March 19, 2008 DCPete 409 posts | Ironic & hypocritical that all the safety freaks that are worried about getting hit by a 6 oz? ball think nothing about getting into their 3,000 pound steel car & driving 75mph on the hiway to get to the game. There will always be injuries in this sport no matter how many changes are made; by far most of the worst injuries I've seen (or been involved in) have come from players colliding with each other or the fence. If you can't deal with the possibility of getting injured you need to stay home & play chess and leave those of us who actually want to play the game alone. |
| March 19, 2008 the wood Men's 65 1123 posts | DC Pete: perhaps you'd be willing to pitch for your team the next time that the sun sets behind the batter... 75 mph? who drives that slowly? DMAC: No, don't get a screen for the umps, they're fair game... JK. I've been hit (while running toward 2b) so hard that it knocked my legs from beneath me... long time ago though. I was hit in Tucson last Dec at 2nd base... 4-5 feet toward 3rd base... line drive, got me squarely in the thigh... but that was/is roughly 1 1/2 times farther than 1st or 3rd base. One of our runners was hit while on the bag (1st base)... one hopper, it had to smart. BW |
| March 20, 2008 AZBaller 44 posts | Hey WOOD, sounds like you need a screen on wheels so you can wheel it around the base paths. You even heard of running w/your head up a paying attention to the hitter. Just playing w/ya wood, sounds like you have alot of bad luck on the base paths. JONCON, there is no sun dial or calendar then can time your speed. How many times in the past year have you been throwen out at 1st from the outfield. LOL LOL I saw you get nailed at 1st base from right field and you were barely out of the batters box when the 1st baseman caught the ball. It was kinda of a bloop hit and you didn't even trip getting out of the box and "BAM" you were out!!!! LOL LOL "IT ALL GOOD" |
| March 20, 2008 the wood Men's 65 1123 posts | AZBaller: You picked up on that, did you? Yes, I have been somewhat of a ball magnet over the years. By reducing body mass, it is my hope that I'll be a smaller target. Also, the '25 extra' is/was not a boon to mobility/agility. But none of the body hits that I have taken left anything stronger than a bruise... more of a laughing matter than a cause for alarm... at least to me and my teammates. :-) |
| March 20, 2008 AZBaller 44 posts | Hey WOOD, I was born at nite but it wasn't last nite. LOL LOL I think in all the years if played softball i can only remember being hit maybe 2 times. I think it's safer on the corners if you stay on the middle of the bag and turn your body sideways, try to act small or thin. LOL LOL But then again if JONCON is batting you can stand anyway you want on the corners, he couldn't break glass.!!!!!!! LOL LOL |
| March 20, 2008 the wood Men's 65 1123 posts | AZ: it could also be a function of the law of averages... if you were on base more, the likelihood to being hit increases... also, if you hit in front of big hitters or not. :-) |
| March 20, 2008 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Good point BW, if you have a high ob% you have a higher risk of being hit. I think that I have only been hit 3 or 4 times in the last 20 yrs. |
| March 20, 2008 softballer Men's 65 594 posts | hey the wood nice to get to meet you last week in palm springs monta aka softballer |
| March 20, 2008 AZBaller 44 posts | WOOD:I've always hit in the top of the line up and on base alot. I think a big part of it is knowing your players, and there abilities, and tendencies. Plus being able to read a players front hip when he swings helps alot. The ball usually goes where the front hip point on the swings. Knowing the pitch count on your batters helps alot. Players a creatures of habit just like everybody else |
| March 20, 2008 the wood Men's 65 1123 posts | It was meant in jest... hence the smiley face. |
| March 20, 2008 AZBaller 44 posts | WOOD: I didn't take it that way, i'm not mad at what you posted. :-) |
| March 20, 2008 the wood Men's 65 1123 posts | Bruce: As a lefty, you're less vulnerable than us righties... you're more of a 'carrier'. :-) Monta: Thanks for making the effort to introduce yourself. It was nice meeting you. :-) |
| March 20, 2008 Joncon 328 posts | if JONCON is batting you can stand anyway you want on the corners, he couldn't break glass.!!!!!!! Oh...it's ON fat boy ! BTW the only time I ever got thrown out from the outfield was two days after my knee surgery when only 8 player showed up and I was forced into action. |
| March 20, 2008 Joncon 328 posts | ""Play the game the way it was designed. "" You DO know that it was designed for girls......right? |
| March 21, 2008 AZBaller 44 posts | JONCON: If it was designed for girls then your playing the right game LOL You were forced into action 2 days after knee surgery, I think you need to get your priorities in order. What more important a meanless softball game which was designed for girls as you say, or your health, tough question isn't it!!!! :-) "IT ALL GOOD" :-) |
| March 21, 2008 Joncon 328 posts | I NEVER claimed to be the sharpest tool in the shed Baller. Come and pitch some BP so I can watch you dance lol ! |
| March 22, 2008 rihoba2 4 posts | concern for runners on the corners IVE BEEN PLAYING THIS GAME LONGER SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN ALIVE I'M 82 , I AGREE WITH MOST OF YOU THERE HAS BEEN TO MANY CHANGES, ALL THE TIME I.VE PLAYING I'VE NOT NOTICED THAT MANY BATTED BALL INJURYS , PITCHERS ,YES BASE RUNNERS, VERY FEW, MEN ON BASE ,SELDOM ,WHEN THAT HAPPENS AND THE UMPIRE MAKES A DECISION THERE IS USUALLY AN ARGUMENTBECAUSE MOST DON'T KNOW THE RULES COVERING THAT SITUATION. BUT OTHER INJURY ARE JUSY AS DANGERUS,OUTFIELDERS RUNNING INTO EACH OTHER, RUNNERS RUNNING INTO FIELDERS MAKING A PLAY,RUNNERS GETTING HIT WHILE RUNNING TO 1ST BASE.PULLING , A HAMSTRING . THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE OF GETTING HURT NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE ON THE FIELD.SO LETS JUST PLAY THE GAME AND BE CAREFULL |
| March 22, 2008 doker Men's 60 185 posts | HEY GUYS...FIRST BASE WILL ALWAYS BE A PROBLEM AS YOU ARE ENTERING THE PLAYING FIELD WHEN THE BALL PASSES THE BATTER...BUT THIRD BASE IS NOT A PROBLEM UNLESS YOU'VE LOST YOUR DODGEBALL SKILLS OVER THE YEARS!!!! YOU ALWAYS GET OFF THE BASE TO THE FOUL SIDE WHEN ON THIRD IF YOU GET HIT ITS A FOULBALL AT LEAST...BUT YOU HAVE ALOT OF ROOM TO DODGE THE BALL OUT OF BOUNDS!!!! |
| March 23, 2008 wison25 1 posts | If you are afraid to get hurt quit the game, there doesnt need to be any more changes to the rules |
| March 24, 2008 cpope Men's 75 160 posts | Bruce, they said "being on base you have a higher % to get hit" No wonder you have been hit just a few times. :)You are not on base when you just "Hit, touch 1st and sit down" |
| March 24, 2008 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | :) |
