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Online now: 2 members: TABLE SETTER 11, dawg888; 86 anonymousDiscussion: NW Ideas for major plus summit
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| June 11, 2008 hornachec Men's 55 50 posts | NW Ideas for major plus summit Talking with a lot of the major + players in the NW here are ideas which they would like to see: 7 runs per half inning 10 - 12 home runs per game (for ALL age groups) over limit hr's go as singles with runner having to be "forced' to advance DBO if pitcher hit with unfieldable batted ball (line drive or bounced) while IN pitcher's box 70 minute time limit then open inning / championship full 7 innings Tournament balls should be available for purchase by teams (dozen?) at cost. If they don't want to chase hr balls. Only tournament ball used as back ups. If not used, can be sold back to tournament director. Should be noted that not all players liked each of these ideas / but for most part these rules could be "lived" with These are recomendations I will present to Major plus summit at phone conference on Thursday evening Jim Hornus Ruth 55's |
| June 12, 2008 audieh Men's 60 249 posts | Jim, I believe on the major plus level that we should not have to "live with" any self imposed rules to dumb down the game. Let the best players play the most umlimited ball there is. Let this division be a showcase for what softball should be. I believe this will create a desire in other to play on this level and there are many players who should be playing this level who are not. Why limit runs to 7 per inning. That takes away from the dramatic 14 run comebacks. Limited runs per innings also allows a lesser team to stay close and then have one big last inning and win. Why would we want to do this on the top level? Why are we afraid of competition? If we get pounded by 20 runs. Big deal, congrats to you and we will be ready next time. Why limit home runs on the top level? Just because the young guys do? No, this is an opportunity for us to have it the way we want it. Why settle for something less? Let us be the leaders, not the followers. DBO if hit at pitcher seems reasonable from a safety point of view but if safety is the issue than unlimited homeruns is the only way to go. 70 minute time frame seems reasonable. Personally I'd rather play 4 innings in 70 minutes than 7 innings as so much time is wasted changing sides. 70 minutes of softball is 70 minutes whether it is 3 innings or 7. Actually 3 innings results in more actual playing time. Purchase of extra balls from the tournament and chase your own is definitely the way to go. Jim, these are my thoughts as well as the vast majority of major plus players I have spoken to in the Florida/Georgia area. Our job is to develop a comprehensive survey, send it to the major plus managers, analysis the results and then make recommendations that may or may not be followed by the powers to be. I look forward to speaking to you tonight and getting the ball rolling. You can reach me by email at audieh@comcast.net if you like or 904-568-1436 and we can discuss off of the board. |
| June 13, 2008 Tate22 Men's 60 280 posts | Jim: As the newest member of the 50 Major Plus world, here is my .02 worth. I like your suggestion of 7 runs, I'd go with 10 HR's, then singles with every runner moving up a base. 70 minutes/open inning is fine. Some sort of DBO rule penalizing shots right at the pitcher has it's place. Now here is my main suggestion. With these rules, combine Major and Major plus. Who needs two team draws at the M+ level, all M+ teams complain about it. This year in the West, we've had three good tournaments with no less than five and as many as nine good Major teams, while M+ had 0 to no more than 2 at these same events. The two active M+ teams from the West (Mavericks and Mac II) decided to play in the 40's in Reno. Last year in Phoenix 50 Major had 17 excellent, well matched teams most of whom could hang with current M+ teams with some compromise in the home run rules. As for 7 run limit, be honest, who really wants to be in the outfield at our age weathering a 40 minute/25 run air show every inning. The rules you've suggested and I support will allow more than one style of team to win in a combined division. It's a win/win because tournament brackets will be much larger, the current M+ teams won't have to deal with the equalizer (5 runs/11 on defense). Audie, we haven't had the pleasure of meeting but probably will now in Phoenix since my team just got bumped to 50 M+. I enjoy and respect your posts. I have an alternative view on allowing unlimited runs and homers. If enough people want an M+ division with unlimited homers, then participation at this level should be voluntary. I don't agree that having HR and run limits dumbs down the game or that only the best play at the M+ level. I've been in 50 Major for six years and I've seen some great ball played there that doesn't look much different than what I see on the M+ field. IMHO the limits proposed by Jim expand the field of competition and would benefit a larger percentage of our membership. Regards; Don Newhard Manager - Evolution 50's |
| June 13, 2008 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | I think Jim and Audie are in the ball park I want to play in. Hey Don. Congratulations on winning in Reno. You've got one of the finest pitchers in Senior Softball with Bill. He's a monster and someone I always try to learn from. Bill is a major plus pitcher, not a major pitcher. He's in the top 3 in all Senior ball if not the best and respectfully, I beg to differ with you. The best players in Senior Softball play in Major plus. And that's the way it should be. And if your team can beat any Major plus team you guys are in the wrong bracket. Come on up. We need more teams. You've got the key with Billy and I think you probably know it. It's really more about defense and the pitcher than most would like to let on. Isn't it. |
| June 13, 2008 Tate22 Men's 60 280 posts | Joe: Thanks for your comments, and you know I agree with you about Bill, That's why a certain M+ team whose name starts with M stole him from us last year. We're sure glad they had a "catch and release" policy on him. FYI, as of 6/10 we are already "up" in Major Plus. It's not right the way it happened, but it did happen so we will be competing like men at the new level in Vegas and Phoenix. As Ron Galvin says, it's only softball. I totally agree with you that pitching and defense goes a long way. It's gone a long way with us for a year and a half, and it was the reason my previous team, the Road Dogs, won a triple crown in 2006. See you on the fields. Don Newhard, aka Larry Tate Manager Evolution 50's |
