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March 23, 2024 Montanapnc | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Batting Box rule change Left handed player called out correctly, entirely within the box Its okay that pitchers have some advantages. I will just foul them off or hit another place which may end up being hard to catch. |
March 23, 2024 Montanapnc | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Batting Box rule change Left handed player called out correctly, entirely within the box I am saying that a player, hitting a ball to the off field, is less likely to be injurious, than a ball pitched inside to Mike Adair, short. A pitcher who pitches a ball to Mike, outside and low and short, has lots of warning that it may be coming out hot up the middle. I don't mind rule changes. I don't think it was misapplied. I think its a bad rule that could be easily better directed or applied with a halo rule or a more honestly chalked box. In fact, I don't think you need a box, any more than you need a catcher standing close to the plate any longer. The mat has simplified the game. The box may be entirely unnecessary. |
March 23, 2024 Montanapnc | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Batting Box rule change Left handed player called out correctly, entirely within the box Hi Dave, Rules are rules and I get ease of enforcement. Over the years, the halo rule to the head gear rule to the entire combat rule was to protect older pitchers with slower reactions. Its also easy to interpret. I get that two areas of the game are how to do it and how to all infractions. My point is that it doesn't protect the pitcher, from the time honored idea of a tape measure and a standard batters box. Especially for the pitcher, who gets six feet already and who by and large doesn't use it. He used to be tethered to the mound. If you want the same effect, then remove the front of the box. Its a crappy rule unless you mark it like you are now visualizing it. The rule was correctly enforced with me, on a box I have for years learned to hit within. Erase the front line of the box if this is the way you want to go. You don't need it. If you want to chalk something,chalk the front line of the plate. End of story. |
March 23, 2024 Montanapnc | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Batting Box rule change Left handed player called out correctly, entirely within the box Mike I get the rule. But in my world, the box was always the same dimension. They gave the pitcher the right to move six feet, wear equipment but the guys who fought the rule? Pitchers. Its an easy rule. Just not a good one given the fact a batter is supposed to watch the ball and a pitcher has time and a starting point to soften the blow. I can adjust to the rule... but one of them will endanger a pitcher because both you and I know how to hit line drives at their feet. If I observe the rule, I will keep my back foot back. Does that help the pitcher? What I will do is align myself more to the center of the field. You know who is going to suffer? Pitchers. Pitchers, in my world, fought against the halo rule etc. If I stay in the box, and they get six feet, then this is a poor rule. I play about 40 games a year and this rule seems like more verbage to a rule that is more easily defined by the halo rule. Up the middle... you're out. |
March 23, 2024 Montanapnc | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Batting Box rule change Left handed player called out correctly, entirely within the box When the new rule was explained, at SG UT, I wondered why in the world there was a need for the front of the box, if the front of the plate, now constituted the outer limits of a player being called out. I asked two umpires and neither could give me what I considered to be a reasonable version of why this rule exists, given the pitcher is allowed to move 6 feet at his leisure. Presumably a pitcher can do this for his safety. So he gets six feet. Pitchers have continued to master the art of throwing flat and short. High and deep. Front and back and even some with a curve that I still don't understand how is accomplished. What I don't get is the purpose of a rule that doesn't address safety for the pitcher or provide a safe zone for a batter, in the batter's box. This is an answer to a problem that doesn't exist. I am a spray hitter with power,in a 70s major playoff game. I hit one out of the park in a previous game and painted both lines during the tournament. In the sixth inning with two outs, in a tight tight game, I was pitched short and outside. I walked from the back of the box, dropped my back foot and stepped towards third base, with both feet and I state this emphatically, both feet entirely in the batters box and hit a line drive over third base ... a stand up double ... and was called out on a dead ball out. I basically lined up my body in the batters box, to make sure that I kept the ball in the white lines. The third baseman wasn't marginally protected or harmed by my body stance. The pitcher was able to give himself a six foot margin. I was six inches in front of the plate, with both foot prints inside the batters box and the front foot still four inches inside the box. I get rules are rules and my understanding of this rule was it was to protect pitchers and batters from running up on a pitch outside the box. The scuttlebutt is that it was designed to protect umpires from being challenged on out of the box calls. It's slow pitch and underhand. If the batters box is now defined by the front of the mat, then get rid of the front of the box. Those lines are useless and of no help to a batter. By the umpires own admission, I was entirely in the box and neither foot was anywhere near leaving it. Yet I was called out. Help me here. How has this change helped softball? Pitchers I play against move back as soon as they let it go or they are on the defensive. Fielders are already playing at depth, as they feel comfortable given a batter's relative power and radius. I have played this game for nearly 50 years and I have yet to set a more stupid rule and enforcement. The batters box is already fairly redundant...If this is where the game wants to go, then get rid of front of the box entirely. Just chalk the front of the plate and if your back foot isn't behind it.. you are out. Good pitchers can protect themselves by backing up and throwing something other than flat... After days of thinking, I just don't see where this rule helps our game. |
Nov. 18, 2022 Montanapnc | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: 11 Players For 65 Brackets I was against the rule before it was implemented without much input from the players. I am a 65 major player who plays in park leagues and occasionally at the AAA level. The 11 man rule changes the game but not substantially at the AAA or AA level. At the major level, its ruined the game. Its running older players out of the game as the quality of major arms and fielders far outweigh the aging legs of the players. Not just one extra out but two... . With quality infielders its a rolling buffet of double plays, not only getting the first out ( the guy who got a hit) but the second guy who has no speed and hasn't learned to hit it elsewhere. Hint, don't hit it there ever at all. I hate the rule at the major level. I know of no one at my level who likes the 11 man rule but mostly it kills batting averages of guys who go up the middle which used to be a good thing. We saw an average of three or more double plays in a seven inning game. I could care less about five outfielders but five infielders with good gloves and arms literally kill run scoring innings one after the other. The extra player replaces footwork on the second baseman and a good arm because its no longer necessary. I doubt its going to change and I don't care for the way in which it is implimented but personally, I see people leaving the game because they are so disappointed in their performance against an 11 man infield. I personally, think its hurt traveling teams at from normal places, ( not southern teams who play a lot and can learn to adjust) They just aren't coming to tourneys because of that, high travel expenses and inflation. Moral of the story, don't hit it there and I wish it was only a AAA or below rule. |
April 28, 2022 Montanapnc | Topic: Bats Discussion: Enough Said Is there any difference in any broken in senior bat vs another? Brand wise... I hit the ball hard and hit home runs occasionally at 65 but take little BP, as I can only play tournaments, ( no league). Take a few cuts before the game and go up to bat. Historically.. I have always swung one bat til it broke. Combat, green endload melee, and now an old Miken PT from 2017 two piece end load that has finally got some pop to it. As little as I am getting to play, I am considering getting a bat rolled, if its legal. I can tell when a bat is hot vs when its not. Having been given a 12 inch melee 2, 27 end load, I find its hard to get a sweet spot on it vs my end load 14 barrel, ( duh). So should I stick with it??? |
April 16, 2022 Montanapnc | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: SLI hitting Academy Is Steve's basic philosophy to throw the hands through like a frisbee keeping the bat flatter through the hitting area? I see his swing and videos...I know Steve and my bat has his name on it... |
March 9, 2022 Montanapnc | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: 11 defensive players 65+ I have played in two 65 Major tourneys with this rule. It sucks. It changes the game due to the double plays that are constantly occurring. The extra infielder doesnt just get one out, it gets two because the legs at 65 can't match the advantage given by the rover being in position just to catch it and double the hitter up. Changes the entire game as we have played it for decades. Not a fan at all. It might be okay with lesser skilled levels but its not a one to one advantage. Its a two to one advantage. Penalizes the hitter before the guy way more than the game intended. Not fun. |
Dec. 17, 2021 Montanapnc | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: 11 defensive players 65+ My experience as a left handed relatively fast outfielder on a 65 Major team, is that this rule will change the game we love for the players in a bad way. I have read the arguments for the rule and find it hard to swallow that it failed miserably and was not published for comment, before passage. I do not understand why when a team plays in the tournament in a different division, below them, by choice, they then change the rules of play for teams that had no say in them being in the tournament. Our traveling teams from the North, will most certainly, be attending less tournaments because of this rule alone. It left a bitter taste in our mouth but mainly because of the "Wayne" factor. The middle infielder turns one out into two because its so much easier to double up aging runners where without it, you can't do so. That player is in position to take the short throw and get the runner out, in a traditional double play, in a weighting that much outweighs the need. It changes the game as double plays kill rallies and innings. Instead of the one player adding an out, it adds another "cheap" out, that til today, did not exist. Give the extra player in the outfield, he only adds the initial out if he catches it, not the one before him in an easy double play. The game historically paid going up the middle and now, the historic way we have played the game is changing. Sure you can simply tell your hitters to never go there and fight back, but this rule change is damaging to the game. Slow runners will give up the game and not hurt their teammates because they are always double plays. I equate this rule to when they dumbed the balls down and players began to no longer enjoy the game and left in droves. I hope that Las Vegas softball sees this as an opportunity to take back competitive softball as its much easier to get to Las Vegas than anywhere in the country, from anywhere. I know that leadership intends well, but this is a poor choice. It is most certainly a poor choice at the 65 Major level. |