Home of Senior Softball-USA and Senior Softball World Championships
| April 11, 2018 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: 1-1 count and new ball We get it gentlemen, you are not in favor of the starting with a 1-1 count. No offense my senior brothers but complaining about it isn't going to help because its here for at least this year. Try your best to give it a chance. After one year, if what you're saying is true for most senior players, it will probably be changed back to 0-0. For me as an umpire, I think I like it because it will possibly allow the batter to put the ball in play sooner which means we may get more game "action" in the allotted time. (I don't think its main intent is to speed the game up but if it does, what's wrong with that?) As a player, it doesn't really matter. I will try to be more ready to hit when I first step in the box this year. (I normally always take a strike before swinging...but I'll just have to make the adjustment this year.) In the end, Its still underhanded, slow pitch softball. I don't know how much more comfortable or relaxed I need to be in the box. I just don't think its that serious a change to our game. Time will tell. Just my opinion. |
| March 31, 2018 The Screamer5 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Texas State Championships turnout This is just one Texas Senior Team's perspective. It wasn't that the Texas Championships are being hosted by El Paso this year that drove our decision not to go. (We figure its only fair that this tournament be held in West Texas every now and then as our good brothers out that way never complain about the long drive east for most every other senior tournament here in Texas.) For us it had more to do with the scheduling. As stated earlier in this thread, SPA is holding their annual Salute to Military Veterans tournament in College Station during the same week as the Texas State Championships. Our team voted and we chose to attend SPA's tournament mainly because a lot of our team is composed of veterans. If not for the conflict, we would probably be going to El Paso next week...regardless of the long drive or the turnout. Our point is with a little forward thinking & communication, SSUSA's biggest tournament here in Texas (State Championships) and SPAs biggest tournament here in Texas (Salute to Veterans) shouldn't have been scheduled for the same week if at all possible. As a side note, it is disheartening to hear that no other city or area besides El Paso expressed an interest in hosting the State Championships this year (regardless of the process). C'mon senior players in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, etc., etc.,....! It's time to step it up! |
| March 30, 2018 The Screamer5 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: TOC determinations As a follow-up question, do the different Senior Softball organizations (SSUSA, SPA, ISSA, GSA, etc.) attempt to communicate with each other concerning tournament dates? In moving the Texas State Championships to early April this year, it fell on the same week as SPA's Salute to Military Veterans tournament in College Station (a very popular tournament here in Texas). I realize there are a limited number of potential tournament dates to be used for various reasons and that some times conflicts between the different organizations cannot be help. It just seems both tournament's turnout is hurt by being held at the same time. |
| March 2, 2018 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: pitcher getting hit Maskedman, I was there at the game you referenced. It was a one day tournament hosted by the SA Crush here in the San Antonio area. SA Crush do an excellent job with these events and many of the local teams here use them to prepare right before bigger national/world tournaments. On the play you spoke of the Tex Vets pitcher simply got hit by a shot up the middle in a really bad place. (He still talks about how bad it felt.) There was no bad intentions by the batter to hit him and the batter apologized several times afterwards. Other SA Crush players also came out the dugout to make sure he was okay. I don't think the umpire was even aware of the actual rule referenced above, but as Double D stated, the umpire's approach of warning anyone else going up the middle toward the pitcher would be ejected, was excellent. Just practicing good preventive maintenance as an umpire. |
| Feb. 2, 2018 The Screamer5 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Heart of Texas & State Tournament El Paso ... the biggest SSUSA tournament of the year (here in Texas)... |
| Feb. 2, 2018 The Screamer5 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Heart of Texas & State Tournament El Paso CRASH, I think most seniors here in Texas are disappointed again that the biggest SSUSA tournament of the year will be held in El Paso this year. I'm sure our good brothers in El Paso will put on an excellent tournament but the truth is most of the teams in Texas just won't go. (It's an 8 hour drive from San Antonio, even farther from the Houston, Dallas and Austin areas.) Like you, I believe most would like to see the tournament more centrally located. But CRASH, what else is SSUSA and the Independent Tournament Director to do if no other city in the state steps up and puts together a viable package to host the Heart of Texas tournament except for El Paso...??? What else are they to do but allow El Paso to host it? |
| Jan. 29, 2018 The Screamer5 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: 1 and 1 with courtesy foul new rule for younger guys As a player, long time umpire and big fan of our game, I don't care as much about getting 7 full innings in...but I'm for ANYTHING that "may" make the batter put the ball in play a little sooner than he would've normally. I want to see more game "action" in the allotted time. Let's give starting 1-1 a chance. Like Mr. Dowell stated, we will know whether or not it was a good decision at the end of the season. |
| Jan. 10, 2018 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Drum Roll...the Starting Count decision results. I can appreciate the opinions that are opposed to this change. Changing something we've done for years is difficult to embrace. Personally, I'm ALL for anything that makes the batter put the ball in play a little sooner and increases the pace of our game. (If I had my way we would start with a 2-2 count or even go to "one pitch," but that's just me.) Regardless of the count, I feel very confident I can hit the ball hard just about anywhere I want and I also like to think I have enough bat control to definitely not hit the ball toward the picture. But if what some of you are predicting is true and we indeed see an increase in picture shots this year, it certainly won't be the fault of SSUSA for going to a 1-1 count. That blame still rests mostly on that batter. |
| Jan. 6, 2018 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: 1-1 or 0-0 Count It will ALWAYS be a "hitter's" game. That will never change. Last I checked, its still underhanded, slow-pitch softball. The batter will always have the advantage. I don't know if throwing more strikes is the answer, especially for the pitcher. (Anything close to mat is more than hittable.) I think the idea of starting 1-1 is simply to get the batter to hit the ball a couple of pitches earlier in the count than he usually would...not to penalize him. |
| Jan. 6, 2018 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: 1-1 or 0-0 Count To me the purpose of going to a 1-1 count isn't to speed the game up (which I think would also be an added benefit), but to increase the amount of actual action in our game, which we badly need. I love this game but watching one of our senior softball games is difficult for me because there is simply too much "dead" time. Our pitchers are already at a disadvantage with the HOT bats and balls. Add to that there are no "corners" on the our strike mat. A pitcher doesn't really have much of a chance. Really good hitters and teams will take a lot of pitches and really work the count in their favor until they get something good they can drive. Now I know its a "hitter's" game, but we have to do something to (maybe) make the hitters hit the ball earlier in the count. I'm strongly in favor of going to 1-1. |
| Aug. 19, 2017 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Looking for a Senior League Rule I kind of agree with marcster13 on this subject. Maybe I'm just old school but walks (unintentional or intentional) are just part of game. As a pitcher, I'm always aware of the game situation, who the opposition's big hitter(s) are, who has been hitting the ball well, who is on deck and where the other team is at in their lineup. I'm going to always carefully pitch around the big hitters (hoping to maybe get him to reach for one or swing at a bad pitch)...but if I walk him, I walk him. The next batter(s) just have to make me pay for those walks. Am I'm suppose to serve him up something he can drive just because or in the name of "fun?" I don't think so. Each league is different and has to make rules that best fit their players...but for me, it's no "fun" watching the other team's HR hitter hit a HR off me. In my opinion, someone else is going to have to beat me. |
| July 31, 2017 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: San Antonio Legends should be Majors not AAA as they are now! larryreg, I don't know what the criteria is for a team to get bumped up midseason as you are suggesting. I'm sure SSUSA has a formula in place for such an occurrence when its necessary...but wouldn't it seem your time and efforts be better served worrying about your own team's rating and being the best team you all can be instead of worrying about another's team standing in SSUSA...? No disrespect intended but you calling out another team in this manner doesn't seem like good sportsmanship or what senior softball is all about. Let SSUSA work it, if needed. And no, I'm not a member of the San Antonio Legends. |
| July 27, 2017 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Courtesy runners I know I'm in the minority with this opinion, but I would like to see runners running for themselves as much as possible...especially at the younger senior levels (40, 50, 55). I believe we overuse courtesy runners. Maybe I'm a "purest" but to me the game wasn't meant to be played with the best/faster runners on the bases whenever possible. Bad base runners and slower base runners are a part of the game we need to overcome as a team. I think I understand why we have CRs and its probably more to do about safety/health of our seniors. I just don't think the intent of the CR was to be used for someone who just didn't feel like running (like I see in so many instances.) I would like to see CR use be limited to once per inning. That would at least put some thought and strategy into it use. It would also speed up the game some. Just my opinion. |
| July 17, 2017 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: aggieland classic-college station,tx Can we make it mandatory for all TDs to make better use of this excellent site by posting tournament information (Dates & Details, Tournament Administration, Game times, Game Scores and Bracket Results, Hotel Information, Playing Fields, Teams Entered, Final Results, etc., etc.,)for their tournaments...? Most TDs post this information; some choose not to. It would make things so much easier and accommodating to the players. |
| May 22, 2017 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: team times for georgetown,tx...heart of texas tourney.. All Saturday and Sunday games were cancelled early Saturday morning. There were some puddles of water on the infields first thing Saturday morning. It's tough because there were teams in town from as far away as Colorado, Oklahoma and El Paso (to name a few) so you would hope they would try their best to get it in sometime over the weekend...but they postponed the entire weekend early Sat. That was probably for the best. The TD is in a no win situation. I know our team was looking forward to playing but if he doesn't call it early and all the teams show up to play, but the rain doesn't let up (and the fields get worse), we are on him for not calling it off early. Its a very tough decision. I agree with Wayne 37 though...coming back to play Memorial Day weekend is probably not going to happen for a lot teams. |
| May 18, 2017 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: team times for georgetown,tx...heart of texas tourney.. Chino 12, they usually won't cancel anything based on the forecast...even if its a really good chance of rain like this weekend in Georgetown (80% last time I checked). My experience is everything is on as scheduled until which point the fields become unplayable. We all know the weather forecast here in Texas can change drastically from one day to the next...so hopefully we don't get as much rain as they think or maybe even none at all. (I know that's wishful thinking.) Just got to play it by ear and hopefully no one get's charged for rooms they won't use if they have to cancel the weekend session. |
| April 14, 2017 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: You make the call. I believe that would be ruled a delayed obstruction where the umpire would signal obstruction on the 1st baseman and let the play continue on to its end...and then award the batter/runner the base he feels the runner would've gotten to safely if not obstructed with. Pass that point the runner is on his own and not protected. |
| April 10, 2017 The Screamer5 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Tournament seeding In senior softball having the "hammer" is such a big advantage I don't know if simply giving the higher seeded team the choice in bracket games is the fairest solution. Most senior games I've been a part of have been really close and mostly always comes down to who wins the "open" inning. Having last at bats might be too much of advantage to give based on the higher seeding...especially seeing how differently teams approach and play their pool games. A coin toss might still be the best way. Just my opinion. |
| Aug. 29, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Colin Kaepernick As a military veteran (22 years as a MP) and as a black man, I totally disagree with how he is going about disrespecting our National Anthem and our flag. I would think he would be able to better effect social change and impact all colors of people with the stage he is on more positively than to sit during the National Anthem. I don't know exactly what that accomplishes. It's just not a good look no matter what your perspective. That said, I still have to respect his right to protest in that manner...no matter how much I disagree with him. |
| Aug. 24, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Labor Day Classic Postponement Why was the Labor Day Classic Tournament scheduled for 25 - 28 August in San Marcos, TX suddenly postponed today? The site states the "impending rain forecast for Friday-Sunday" as the reason but there is only a 20 percent chance of showers each day through the weekend in the local area. We've played tournaments here in Texas when the weather forecast was way worst than this. Now the forecast has been the same all week. Why would the powers that be wait until the day before the tournament was scheduled to begin to postpone it? Travel and accommodation plans had already been made. (I would assume some teams where already in route to the area.) And it was moved to the Labor Day holiday weekend? I'm sure we can't expect the same turnout for the tournament as many holiday family plans have already been made. I'm just about sure our team won't be able to participate next weekend as we'll have several players out of the loop for the holiday. (And we still need to qualify some players for Las Vegas too.) I don't want to sound like I'm complaining...because I'm not. (Just a concerned senior player.) I just want to know why did it take so long to make the decision to postpone the tournament. We have got to do a better job of looking out for and taking care of our teams and players gentlemen. |
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