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| Oct. 29, 2010 Gary Heifner | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: rules of the game As all can see from past posts, I am a HUGE supoporter of Terry, Fran, Dave and the rest of the staff and what they do. However, my two main, on going, grips once again surfaced in Phoenix. I asked well over 50 plus men, if they prefered the 0-0 or 1-1 starting count and 100% replied 1-1 count. We once again had 5 and 6 inning games. I want to play the full seven. The second is the 6-12 foot arc. Some pitchers have the skill to throw that 11 Foot plus arc and hit the mat. There wasn't an ump in our 7 games that had a clue what a 12 foot arc was. Some games turned into marginal fast pitch. Just make the arc 6-10 feet and maybe the umps could better determine what is 3 plus feet over the average pitchers head, I watched a lot of confused, pissed off batters, not only in our games, but others we scouted, who objected often due to the inconsistancy of the higher arc. The higher arc became a problem to batters due the hesitation of the umps in calling illegal. The 6-10 arc would help batters to dial in over a season as to what to expect and probably save the umps a lot grief. |
| Feb. 27, 2010 Gary Heifner | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Tournament winnings......???????? Bob-The purpose of the thread is that there are many teams out there that are just a bunch of guys, many have no chance of ever winning a ring, but when they do well in a qualifer, would like a small award of some type. It doesn,t have to be of great value, but something. Ring Whores- those teams who are only after RINGS. They have NO loyalty to their players and will drop friends that they have played with for years if they can talk top players from other teams into joining them. As you know, this pretty much destroyed the great Chicago Classic Organiztion. I have heard dozens of conversation at tournies as managers talk about who they want to try and pick up and who they will drop. Of those great Classics teams mine is the only one of two left. We are about 90 percent in tack from 6 years ago and our loyalty has produced a bunch of National and World titles even though our total talent hasn't matched many of our opponents. TDs, just find some type of award for the top teams at your tournies. |
| Jan. 7, 2010 Gary Heifner | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Combine Major & Major+? I play on a good 65+ AA team. In the midwest we have four teams that takes turns beating each other. Dead level talent. In Phoenix, there were 7-8 dead even teams that all had an equal chance to win it all. I would hate to see this division altered. It might be the purest out there. Combining 60 and 65 age groups would kill this division. The midwest AA teams are made up of athletes that have played together for many years. Not to insult anyones egos, but the 60 yr. olds are simply bigger, faster and stronger. Tell me if I am wrong, but from what I have seen the AA and AAA teams are mainly made up from just a group of local guys. The Major and M+ teams, especially in the midwest, are more apt to be carefully put together from the best a manager can recruit. When a team has 11 hitters that can hit the wall, That is not an accident. For the future of Sr. SB, let the elite M and M+ find a common ground and battle it out. Leave us normal/regular players alone and let us continue to enjoy the game. |
| Jan. 1, 2010 Gary Heifner | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: What's Wrong With-- Southpaw--I have been postings for years. If you have followed any of them, I have been begging for the 1-1 count and 6 to 10 foot arc. I catch and play outfield. I see So many batters take 2 wheel house pitches with the 0-0 count and swing at the 3rd strike. It slows the game down significantly. Even some of my own teammates do it and it drives me crazy. I can stand on my pitchers head and it still isn't 12'. I think every ball 4-5' over his head was called illegal this year and there was still at least 1' of cushion left. No ump in the history of softball knows what 12 ' is. If an ump where to stand next to a pitcher before a game he could judge his height and better judge another 3-4' of arc. Example an ump who determines a pitcher is 6' tall, could better judge a yard stick and a little more with the 10' arc. |
| Dec. 30, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: midwest nationals Gotta go with Champaign. Seven excellent fields, interstate highways just a short distance from the fields, good umps and Rudy runs a great tourney and is always present if you have a question and is much more centraly located. KC would be a major travel event for the teams east of Illinois. $$$ is becoming more and more an issue for long distance travel. |
| Dec. 22, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: Players looking to join a team Discussion: Tournament of Champions, Florida If teams were allowed to add anyone who was not a part of the team that actually won to qualify, the RING whores would load up with ringers and destroy the purpose and integrity of the tourney. In fact, if a team was caught sneaking in ringers to this special event, all should be banded for LIFE. |
| Dec. 15, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Thoughts on no hit zone Maybe this will work if the rule also states that if the pitcher steps outside the pitchers rubber and the ball goes up the middle over the rubber or the pitcher is hit by a batted ball and he is outside the rubber, there is no out called. In other words an out is called only when the pitcher is behind the rubber. |
| Nov. 7, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: My team wants the one up rule back in SSUSA Mad Dog is correct. The AA especially should never use 1-up. In about 12 games in Phoenix, we hit 3 total hrs in 65AA this year. One was an out and all were wind aided. Our opponents hit 2 total in those games. My point is that the 65AA was a very level playing field with the teams right were they should have been. Very few players who stuck out as ones who could play at a much higher level. 1-up would bring a lot of ringers into the AA level. The 1-up rule at the higher divisions would encourage power hitters to seek out teams in those divisions. |
| Nov. 4, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: pitcher safety thought! To answer a question above, the two cones do not protect the pitcher in any physical way. It would tell all batters that if they go there it is an out and could kill a potential rally. It would end individual umpires interpretation of the rule and standardize or make the call automatic. |
| Nov. 2, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: pitcher safety thought! Terry told me that the pitcher protection rule will be a major topic this winter and it has been enforced in so many different ways, I don't know what the rule is. I was in a Sport Authority store and saw small, soft fully collapsable orange cones that were about 5 inches high. What if you extended the the 6 foot box lines past the rubber forward about 3 feet and placed a cone on each corner. Any ball that passes between, over or hits a cone and is below the top of the pitchers cap is a dead ball out. It wouldn,t matter if he trys to defend himself or not. If the pitcher reaches above his head or outside the cones he is on his own. We have had some rockets hit at our pitchers who slapped at the ball in pure self defense. The umps declared it hit his glove 1st and even though the ball caused bodily injury, it was not an out. Some will say it takes a pitcher started double play away but how many hit at the pitcher with runners in scoring position and an easy double play is possible?? Just a thought. |
| Oct. 17, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: SAFETY FIRST Some of you think that by Xing the U2 all will be good. There are a ton of great hitters out there and they will hit the weakest looking part of the defense. the PITCHER area. A few years ago, I kept count of batted balls that made contact with the pitcher and at least caused someone to ask if he was OK. The final count was low 20s with non Mikens and 9 with the U2. The vast majority of the U2 guys drive the ball. If you will simply add an 11th defender who must have both feet on the dirt and be within 5 feet of 2nd base until the ball is hit will end the reign of middle hitters. Try to hit the middle vs this look in practice. You see "4" defenders in the same line of sight and you won't go there. Any grounder with men on base is an automatic Dlb play.The 11th must be positioned as above because some he man pitcher will say I can handle it and the team will play 5 outfielders which defeats the purpose of the 11th defender. I have very quick relexes and will NOT pitch without the mask, shin guards and a cup. I also recommend that after the ball leaves your hand, back up 5 or 6 quick steps. This will give you quite a bit of xtra reaction time. |
| Oct. 8, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: phoenix-teams-2009 The staff said the 65+ teams were posted on a tourney link. How do you get to the list of teams entered?? |
| Aug. 14, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: Bats Discussion: question on cracked miken ultra 2's I wouldn,t pay for a broken bat but I take broken ones and rap the cracked area with the mesh stuff you repair wall board seams with and gorilla clue. It makes a very good batting practice bat and you can save your game bat. I have had them break in only a hundred swings and some have lasted for 8-10 good batting practices. Hit the ball opposite the crack. |
| Aug. 9, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: You Make the call The senario mad dog brought up happened this year. A batter kicked the mat towards 1st so that about 2/3 rds of the white showed and the mat was at a 45 degree angle.. What then???? |
| July 30, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: pitcher protection rule new definition In the last two tournies, the rule was defined as if you touched the ball with the glove it was not called an out. 2 Liners were hit at our pitchers with such velocity they only had a milla second to throw the gloved hand toward the ball in self defense which tipped the glove and hit them in the body causing brusing and pain. Quite frankly, I can't seem to understand this rule even though it has been discussed for many months. A rule should be a rule and not left open to change by whoever is the tourney director. If it can't be defined clearly to all, drop it! |
| June 16, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Midwest Championships - WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR $495.00 ENTRY FEE Terry, Dave and Fran run the best organization out there. Without them, we got NOTHING! In my 7 years in senior softball, I would say 95%+ of the tournies have gone off without a hitch. As Forest Gump said, "sometimes it happens" |
| June 15, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Black home plate mat moves With the new black matt covering the white home plate an almost happened. The RH batter kicked the matt toward 1st as he ran to 1st. Half of the white home plate was now exposed. There was a play at home and was wide toward the 1t base side. I had the edge of the black matt with my foot but the throw was a little wide on the 1st base side and was just out of reach. Runner safe. However, had I caught it, it would of beat the runner. Now, picture I had the corner matt but it about 8-10 inches more toward 1st than it should of been. What would of been the call had I caught the throw. This was a 1 run game in the Championship game. |
| June 15, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Sliding into Home? Your thoughts... I knew about the no sliding at home but not at 1st the 1st time. Question: What if an infielder throw forces the 1B to jump and the jump carries him to the orange side and the only way to avoid a collision is for the runner to slide. What is the call? |
| June 12, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Dave Dowell is Supernatural With Thursday looking like a washout in the Mid-West championships, Dave looked up, raised his hands and the sky split sending the storms north and south of Schaumburg, Illinois. The tourney finished without a hitch. Guess you could have used him in Texas on Thursday. |
| June 4, 2009 Gary Heifner | Topic: Website comments Discussion: longesthit softball I might add. that as a 5th grader in Kansas City, I saw Harry "suitcase" Simpson hit the longest major league HR ever hit and I am the only living person who remembers. He hit it over the RC field wall and it bounced down the middle of a street until you couldn't see the ball anymore. Probably well over a "MILE" |
