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Online now: 2 members: Dick6, TABLE SETTER 11; 85 anonymousDiscussion: New HR rule
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| April 14, 2009 JamesLG 420 posts | New HR rule Hi All: We play our first tourney this weekend where the new rule will definately come into play. I would like to know how it has worked out for those who have used it so far this season. Did it help level the playing field as it was intended? Thank You: James |
| April 16, 2009 gott2play Men's 60 212 posts | Hey James, We played our first major tourney (Mesquite) since getting bumped up to Majors, where the HR rule is 5 per team before the DBO goes into effect. Our last game Sunday morning saw us hit our maximum of 5, then hit 4 more for DBO's. We ended up losing by 1 run. I think it's something that we'll have to get used to......shorten our swings and play some "small ball" Under the old rules, we just swung away and if it left the yard, we just took the single. To answer your question, while I didn't like the rule at first, I can see from the tourney that it somewhat leveled the playing field. |
| April 16, 2009 turn2 489 posts | If you are hitting that many homeruns per game you need to move up or get some base hitters. Some major plus teams don't hit 9 per game and you are major. My 2 cents Donnie Turn Two |
| April 16, 2009 grumpy55 Men's 60 102 posts | I agree with your 2 cents. |
| April 17, 2009 gott2play Men's 60 212 posts | Before you guys vote to move our team to Major+, let me just say...that was one friggin' game!!! For the 5 games we played that weekend, we averaged 2 to 3 per game. We never made it out of Sunday morning, didn't win the tourney, and finished 4th or 5th. I'll admit we have a good hitting team, but we're certainly not a Major+ team. Hope that helps. |
| April 17, 2009 Robo2 238 posts | No the new rule does just the opposite and so do any such variations. Unlimited HRs is the best way to separate teams; saves times and allows games to get in full 7 innings. What is everyone afraid of? Yes, when the wind is blowing out, some teams will hit more than normal. So What? Yes, players play on teams with friends and maybe more than half don't hit HRs. Why should any batter change his swing? Does a singles hitter take of a glove in the field? You people that advocate limited HRs cannot provide one reason why such a limit exists. with 5 runs per inning, the game will go faster than allowing singles and a tema that is capable will not hide when they all count. The team I play on probably hits on average 2 or 3 per game - more when the wind is right. other teams we played against have hit as many as 13 against us, but most were singles so we falsely were kept in the game. I never understood and nobody has ever successfully explained a reaon why a limit exists. As it is, we all play by whatever rules exist. But I have heard many individuals from many teams say, they will pick and choose what tourneys they go to because it just is not worth traveling and getting an out of a single for doing what most cannot. My opinion. I know many disagree. |
| April 17, 2009 turn2 489 posts | Robo, I don't like unlimited home runs because we as a team only hit about 2-3 per game. I would rather have defense and high average hitters because the wind doesn't affect singles and defense. I would rather play old fashion softball than all of these made up rules. SCore the runs and let the best team win. But these rules to balanse the field but some teams do not want to play with the major plus teams by any rules. Why are teams so scared to play against better teams. We will play anybody and if we get be so be it. In the past we have actually had teams refuse to play us. If you do not play good teams your own team can't inprove. My 2 cents, Donnie Turn Two / Rock Solid |
| April 17, 2009 Al33 Men's 55 183 posts | Robo2, You are right on with this. I'm not sure that unlimited home runs is acceptable. However, no home run should ever be an out. Limits are fine, one up is fine, walks are ok. Why should anyone ever be forced to adjust their swing??? There are sme teams who may hit more than the limit from time to time. Does that make them a Major+ Team?? I don't think so. Those same teams more than often might not hit any. Does that justify them moving down?? I don't think so eiher. Occasionally my team will hit several if the conditions are right. More often than not we only hit one or two if we're lucky. You can only score so many per inning, so who cares how you get them. As turn2 puts it, his high average hitters should be able to make up for home runs and score their 5 runs per inning. |
| April 17, 2009 udaplaya 90 posts | It's about time! I have made the same comments many times myself - why should one be penalized for doing his best? Not everyone can dunk a basketball, yet we don't limit how many there are in a game. We don't tell the fastest football player to slow down, nor do we tell the smooth fielding shortstop that he can not catch every ball. Yet, we are so determined to limit a team and/or individual from hitting hrs. Leave the hr rule wide open and move teams up, or down, based on their performance in tournaments, not on whether they hit more or less hrs. It may take a year to sort things out, but it would be better for the players/game in the long run. One final note, I also agree that the number of teams in each age category at most tournaments is far too small to warrant a separate bracket. We are already broken up into 5-year age bands, do we really need to then break that into an additional four sub groupings - keep it at two divisions per age group. Quite honestly, this is called competition, not everyone is supposed to win. Next thing you know we will be handing out participation trophies to everyone...joking, but only a little. |
| April 17, 2009 Mac21 Men's 65 38 posts | Hey Donnie, I play for one of the teams that refused to play you. I thought someone explained the reason, but if not I will now. It was in Manassas last year. You were the only 60 Major Plus team there. On Friday they had you play your preliminary games with the 55 Major's and Major plus teams...which by the way you won easily. On Saturday morning they set up a single elimination 60 Major Plus Championship between you guys and the four 60 Major teams. This was only done to give you guys your 5 games. They had you play in a play-in game at 8:00am which you won 40 to 5 in 4 innings. We played one of the other 60 Major teams at 8:00am and beat them. Both of the losing 60 Major teams then went back to their hotels to rest up for the 60 Major double elimination that started at 2:00pm. At 11:00am you then played the 60 Major team that was given the bye and beat them 34 to 5 again in 4 innings. That team now also went back to their hotel to rest for the 60 Major double elimination. So now the senario is they wanted us to stay and play you at 12:30pm and then start our 60 Major double elimination at 2:00pm having been at the field since 8:00am (in the mid August heat) while the other 60 Major teams were back at their hotels resting or getting something to eat after only playing one game (two of them having only played 4 inning games against you.) We refused to play the game because we felt it was unfair for us to have to play another game immediatly before starting our double elimination, NOT because it was against you. We have played you in the past (suprisingly a couple games have been realitively close) and will play you in the future if scheduled to do so. By the way, as I'm sure you remember, they did the same thing to the four 55 Major teams because Hollis was the only 55 Major Plus team there. The remaining 55 Major team also refused to play that last game against Hollis so they had you and Hollis play at 12:30 and you back doored them in 4 or 5 innings too. |
| April 18, 2009 turn2 489 posts | Mac21 I was not told that. That is no problem at all. We were gust told a team did not want to play. I understand the situation and I would have done the same. Maybe we will see some teams in Salem or Manassas. Later Donnie Turn Two / Rock Solid |
| April 18, 2009 FOFO Men's 60 284 posts | We played one tournament with the new rule, and I liked it, at least for our devision.(AAA). I think we used our limit every game, but may ave only hit one for an out. I think it puts more emphasis on good defense and a little bat control. It doesn't take a good ball player to hit home runs with the bats we're using, but it still takes one to play solid D. I think the rule will convince teams loaded with power hitters to move up to Major, and Major plus where the emphasis is on hitting the home run. |
| April 19, 2009 jim16 Men's 65 180 posts | Donnie, You are too nice. A forfeit and a refusal to play is never OK. We play this game to compete, to win when we can and to love the game even when we get pounded. I'd do almost anything to play against Tiger and would just hope I didnt embarrass myself. Its always a high to take the dugout across the diamond from your team. I just hope to not embarrass myself and to give you a good game. If my team forfeited a game against you, for ANY reason, I'd quit the team. If I had a player who refused to play against your team, he'd be gone. I'd much rather go 0 and six, not win a game than to stay home. Six games is a blessing from GOD. At our age be thankful to just compete. |
| April 19, 2009 Mac21 Men's 65 38 posts | Jim16...You are entitled to your opinion, but you were not at the tournament where we refused to play so you don't know the circumstances. You can read my post above and then add to it that there was the posibility we would have had to play 3 games that afternoon in our double elimination tournament. Turn Two was the only 60 Major Plus team there so the games were only "exibitions" for them. The TD could have set it up so that none of the 60 Major teams would have had to play 2 "exibition" games with the posibility of playing 5 games and being at the fields from 7:30am until 7:00pm on a hot & humid August day. We also had two players get injured, one on Friday and one in the game that morning. I don't have to justify to you why we decided not to play that game, but it was not because we didn't want to play against Donnie's team. We will play anyone anytime but the circumstances that day dictated differently. |
| April 20, 2009 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | I wonder what the reasons are some 60 Major teams have for not playing us at the Springnationals in Polk Co. this comming weekend? I hope we and adjust to the new hr rule. |
| April 20, 2009 JohnBob Men's 65 256 posts | Mac21,I agree 100% with you on not playing the game. This was a World Tourney right? All the teams that travel to these events know that the team that has played the least amount of games has a big advantage on last day of tourney.That why we try to stay in winner's brackett.Your team traveled from New Jersey to Virginia to win Tourney not to play exibition. I know the Turn Two team, very good team with a lot of class Donnie said he understood after now knowing why your team did not play.Its very easy for Jim16 to set at home stick his chest out and type what he did, maybe his team only plays in league's and local Tourney's. Have a good season. |
| April 20, 2009 Gekle BUilders Men's 50 204 posts | The new Hr rule is a joke.It may be fine for lower divs.But when you limit M+ teams out put to ten than outs than you have handicapped the game.Our age is a handicap we don't need rules to do the same.Our solution is that we will only play (2) SSUSA events this year,maybe (1) now, with the conflict between ISF and Midwest.Than after this season that will be my last. Ray Morgan Gekle Builders |
| April 20, 2009 tater9 62 posts | Using the hottest bats on the planet and then limit HR'S. I not sure I understand that logic. |
| April 20, 2009 Mac21 Men's 65 38 posts | BruceinGa...If we were in the Spring Nationals this year we would play you...We play whomever we are scheduled to play. We're not there because SS-USA scheduled the Atlantic Coast Championships the same weekend and Virginia is a lot closer to New Jersey than Florida. We were in Mesquite and were the only team there that came from farther East than Colorado. We were scheduled to and played against GSF (60 Major Plus) there. My team (I actually didn't play that year...was only 59) won the SS-USA 60 Major National Championship in Seattle in 2006 by playing the best softball they ever played all in one tournament. Several players had career tournaments that weekend. They got moved up to Major Plus for 2007. The 3 best players (with all the HR power) left the team because they didn't want to play Major Plus, but we didn't wine and complain and ask to be moved down. We played Major Plus the entire year in 2007 and won 4 games against Major Plus teams. Last year we were reclassified Major and were very competitive while playing a little over .500 ball. We really can't compete with 60 Major Plus teams but we play them when we are scheduled to play them. I don't know what the solution is to getting teams classified where they belong and creating competitive divisions, but I know all of senior softball is facing serious problems. |
| April 20, 2009 Mac21 Men's 65 38 posts | JohnBob..Thanks for the support....I have a feeling you played for the team that beat us in the finals 20-19!!! The 60 Major division at that tournament was very competitive with several 1 run games. As you said it's easy for Jim16 to say he'd gladly be 0-6 but I'd be willing to bet his team has never done that. It's always easy to say you don't care about winning when you win!!! And as the saying goes "show me a good loser..and I'll show you a loser"!!! |
| April 20, 2009 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | I don't blame you for not traveling to Fl. Good luck in Va! |
