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Real name:
Marv Ruddell
Location:
Murrieta, CA
Division:
Men's 60
Messages posted by Marv19 »Message board home »Start a new discussion
| Dec. 13, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: players please respond to rule changes This string is an interesting read. Some things you guys have to consider is the ISA ROCK is only used in Vegas by SSUSA. It will only be used 3 more years as the contract I'm told with SSUSA and LVSSA is a five year deal. So enjoy the ISA ROCK while you can. Here is why I think that ball performs so well in the desert and the heat. Las Vegas is 2200 feet above sea level. Henderson and Boulder are 2400 and 2500 respectively. Add that to the fact that the ball is illegitimate! Its not a 44/375. Its in reality a 52/400. Then add to it 300 foot fences... seriously! No wonder the egos are boosted. How many of you pitchers and infielders would complain if I put a 52/400 ball in play. Its rhetorical... (You dont need to answer) I know what I'd get if that were to happen. Id have ever pitcher and 1St and 3rd baseman in the tournament coming up to me and say "Are you trying to kill me!" But because the ball says 44/375 on the cover its all good ... right? You have to remember the conversation in September that the ISA ROCK was designed to fool the ASA and U-Trip testing. Both those organizations have banned the ball. Ask yourself why? To me its no wonder SSUSA changed the rules with all of the above information. Now add to that composite bats and time constraints. I can tell you first hand the HR and an out will go a long way to keep you on time. Since we went to the one and one and HR with an out over 90% of the games are on time and about that percentage go 7 innings as well. Which means more guys get more at bats. BTW Im pretty sure the mask came as a result of the HR rule change. Its no coincidence that the two were in tandem. Another thing. I dont have a crystal ball but I remember a conversation I had with David of AZ Elite in June. The discussion was the HR and out we were using. I told David if SSUSA were to employ the HR and out rule they could easily transition into merging M and M+. Time will tell but that game between AZ Elite and Nazarrino Electric was the best softball game I have ever seen at the senior level. Because they both used up their HRs early we saw some major league plays in the infield. Those guys can play. The game ended 13 to 12. Yes... 13 to 12, not 40 to 38 but 13 to 12. I could have charged admission to that one. Have a great Christmas. And to you that I will see tomorrow, Good luck and lets have a fun time. Cuz this one is for the KIDS :O) |
| Nov. 4, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Results of the SCSSA Harvest Invitational, Hemet - CA A Very Special thanks to the Ladies that traveled to the tournament. Your participation is always welcomed. In the end it was Diamond Dames with Espirit as runner up. Apparently you brought us superb weather... thanks It was nice to see a few managers that didn't have teams there. They all said they were there to recruit... err... visit us. :O) We had a short one day schedule this weekend but congratulations to the finalists Vandals, Wongs, Monsta 55 and Grants Posse 55 Hope everyone had a good time! In case you were wondering what the construction was all about. Valley-wide has started their 1.3 million dollar project. It was really interesting to see the progress on the two story snack bar / observation deck. The elevator enclosure is coming along and the first courses of the block exterior were done as well. Completion is expected to be early May. Yea!! no more porta potties :O) Good luck with the new teams that are forming. We hope to see you in December at our charity event. "Toys for Kids" 12-14-15 2013 in Hemet. Please come and support the kids! |
| Nov. 4, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Marv Kevin I didn't realize SEMA was this week. In years past the show was during the dead week between NHRA Vegas and The World Finals in Pomona. The reason was there were a lot of manufacturers that had staff at the races and the show. (Vic's not doing his job ):) The truck is very kool. Hope your son enjoys the show. I'll be going to the races on thursday. Should be another California Chamber of Commerce day in pomona. Talk to you soon and thanks for the pics. |
| Nov. 4, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Corky Kevin how was SEMA? Start another thread I don't want to hijack this one |
| Oct. 18, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: ISSA Virginia Beach tourney rained out.......who got screwed???? I have no dog in this hunt but there may be extenuating circumstances you may have to consider. From my perspective let’s use Temecula for an example. As with all my venues I have a deposit on file. In Temecula its $1250. This is their insurance for me canceling a tournament inside 30 days of the event. They keep it... no if’s and’s or butts. AND I loose that date for the following year. Inside 30 days the city is the only one that can cancel a tournament without impunity. In your example I'm surprised the park didn't cancel the event purely from the standpoint the dirt had to be wet days before. Most if not all park people don't want you walking on damp dirt. It creates klods that don't dry out right away to a point that they break up. One of my biggest fears is a rain on Friday. Even light depending on ambient temps may not dry out overnight. Worse yet is rain on Thursday and no sun on Friday. Its bad no matter what cus you have guys getting no refunds on rooms that they paid in advance and so on. BUT my point is the park people, not me, are who has control over whether or not a tournament goes on days prior to the event. NOW if once a tournament starts its like the Pottery Barn. “You break it you own it”. Once the tournament starts I owe for both days. If it rains and play is suspended I don't get a refund on my money. Its just the way it is. They have rented me the fields and had part time employees they paid to work that weekend. Plus again in my case I have to pay umpires if they show up. They came to work and expect to be paid. So I understand your frustration but the other parts of the equation have to be considered. Not every circumstance is black and white. In any event good luck with this. |
| Oct. 9, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Las Vegas Fields and Umpires A white line does one thing. It creates another possible error in making a call. Did he hit the line? Was the line clearly defined? Did he hit the white bag bcuz the runner instinctively went to a bag and not the line? We tried the line concept when we found out we didn't have orange bags at 70. The umpires couldn't get it right. Absolutely no consistency. AND they all were at the same meeting. Go Figure that one. So we play the field conditions as they are given us. No orange bag we play old school. Orange bag we play orange bag. That one the umpires can get correct. We have no orange bag at our thursday night league Tom Jadwin and I put on. So far it hasn't created any issues. As for a single post tandem bag. They are very expensive and I'm told they don't hold up over the long haul. You have to remember you're hitting a base at full speed without a stationary post under it. Some have told me the bag over time will move depending on who and how its stepped on. Pretty pricy experiment I would think not to mention the liability issues. |
| Oct. 9, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Las Vegas Fields and Umpires You make way too many assumptions about orange bags. What if the park or city wont dig up their field and install the posts necessary to put them in. A lot of parks around here don't even have 65 foot single post let alone a double post or posts at 70. Ease up on the blame game when it comes to orange bags. I know first hand as I have a simular problem with Diamond Valley in Hemet. They wont put in the (orange bag) posts... period. It took me a year to get them to put in 70 foot single posts on the lower 5 fields. If it were not for a SCMAF rule for 70 foot bases we wouldnt have orange bags in Temecula. They just installed them last year. Its not always the way YOU see things. |
| Oct. 9, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: sick players at Sunset Park You know! I have told this story over and over, even on this forum. This is the primary reason we DO NOT provide water in the dugouts at our tournaments. Not to mention there are drinking fountains conveniently located at all of our venues. Question: when have you ever seen one of those drums sanitized? For us we have heard about guys soaking their sweaty towels in the ice water to put them on their heads. I even heard one story about a guy putting his injured foot in the barrel to keep down the swelling. I had one guy at our tournament in September tell me “you better put water in the dugouts or were not coming again”. He went on... ”No on second thought when somebody dies from dehydration we'll just sue your a$$” As he’s telling me this Im looking at a drinking fountain no more than 30 feet away. Count your blessing and be thankful it was just an intestinal thing. Tip of the day: Don’t drink from those things! |
| Sept. 26, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: Product review Discussion: Rock softball Lefty, to say EVERY ball is misleading and incorrect. The two balls in question are the Bauden Fireball and the ISA ROCK. We know from the engineer that designed the ROCK both balls have misleading specs on them. For what reason I haven't determined yet. The One ball that was competition to Anaconda was designed to mislead the test equipment. Then as the story goes the ball which is now the ISA ROCK was designed only to tell the competition that “we have a ball that will do the same so don’t produce it”. This was done as a bluff. The bluff didn't work so both produced their respective balls. The bottom line is I wont use a ball that has misleading specs on it... Plain and Simple. Where we get into which will and wont breakdown is a matter of conjecture. The only thing we can do is try to put a fair ball on the field that at game time is at a temperature that is consistent with keeping the specs on the ball. Then by using a leather composite cover ball it will reduce the degrading over the next hour and a half. We also plan to test the ball. Well... in our own way. I made arrangements with Grants Posse (local 50M team) to use balls in batting practice and hit the crap out of it in all conditions. We already know what the ISA ROCK does cuz we meet twice a week and hit the crap out of it. Only problem is we are heading into Fall and the ambient temperatures are cooling. I’m also going to house these balls in a cooler behind the umpires at the games. One of the interesting things to come out of a conversation last night was we test bats all the time. Guys give us results all the time. But no one tests the balls. So this being considered what do we know about the ball that is being used when guys boast about certain bats? Interesting question dont you think? I really don't know what else to do for you guys. But I’m pretty sure no one else is going to this much trouble. |
| Sept. 25, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: Product review Discussion: Rock softball Mike this is from Kevin that engineered the ball when at Anaconda " The rock and baden are not the same maybe, some confusion. The ISA ROCK is a .44/470 comp ball with a padded cover to fool the test on compression. The baden Fireballs I tested were .47/480 compression marked .44/375. NSA,ASA, and usssa have all banned multilayer balls due to the FACT that they were designed to cheat the compression test" |
| Sept. 24, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: Product review Discussion: Rock softball Matt43 I appreciate your observations. BUT Monday during bating practice with about 10 guys B4 the game I observed several. (temp 90 or so) One in particular was hit to me. The ball moved 10 feet at the last minute. (it was spinning not knuckling) At first I thought I was seeing things but the guys around me commented on it. One said but it doesn't move like that in the infield. I only have my home as my largest asset. And its just now coming out from underwater. If I lose it and the ability to make extra money I'll be a greeter at Wal-Mart at $8 an hour. Perspective is different when your A$$ is on the line. I told him it only takes one... just one! But the point is the ball doesn't have the correct core or compression test specs on it. If a guy loses an eye and my $2,000.000 doesn't cover it when I knew the ball was not represented properly then I'm the one thats screwed not the casual observer that thinks this is silly. Have a great time in Vegas guys Marv |
| Sept. 21, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: Product review Discussion: Softball and hot weather!! For those of you that participate in SCSSA tournaments one part of this equation will be attend to. I have ordered some pliable nylon insulated coolers to house the balls during the day at each field. I hope this will keep the balls at a desirable range to keep them lively. I will order out some "ASA" ROCK balls for the November tournament as well. These have a legitimate core and compression rating on them. But not only that they have a leather composite cover. This is another factor in keeping the balls from degrading. I know its a little late for the heat but as a matter of giving you a constant (fair) ball I think this will help. We will see when the temperatures come back to So Cal and the first 90 degree day. Could be November for all I know... even December. It is SO Cal you know :O) Good luck to all in Vegas. |
| Sept. 20, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Sliding on Turf - Big League Dreams Fields STLO The bases are not attached to the ground like the ones we grew up with. At least not here anyway. Here they are held to the turf with grippers or teeth like plastic. If you reach out and grab or hit the bag as you slide it will most likely dislodge. Interesting comments about turf. Im no Lab technician but most germs can't live in the environment of a hot synthetic field. If it were the case we'd have a horrible problem nationally with the NFL, College and High School turf. This forum is the first I have ever heard of any infections being passed by this means. I'd suggest further research on this issue before blaming turf for these problems. |
| Sept. 15, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: Product review Discussion: Softball and hot weather!! Happy Sunday everyone. OK which Baden Fire is NCSSA using? According to Baden's own website only the Lexum has a leather cover. All the rest ASA, U-Trip, NSA and non licenced ball have synthetic covers. From what Im told the Synthetic cover contributes to the breakdown of the core. I'll have to check with Kevin when he gets back as to which one won't pass the sniff test at 47/480. The main reason Im reluctant to consider the Baden Fire (The one that's 47/480) is its deception of the spec. Does the ball have an organization's name on it? Like ASA etc. Lets say I were to use a ball that says 47/480 on the cover just how many complaints would I get. I can hear it now "Are you trying to kill us?" But if the ball says 44/375 on its cover then its OK? Need to know which Baden you're using up there. Check to see if its composite or synthetic? Also FYI Im told ASA NSA and USSSA are very strict about the test and specs. Thats probably because their name is on the ball and they have a standard to maintain. The only A2LA approved lab in the country is Southern Impact, they are Located in Knoxville at the university. |
| Sept. 14, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: Product review Discussion: Softball and hot weather!! Thanks Mike you're right. But can you tell me if the Baden is a multilayer construction? Im advised today that the ISA ROCK has been tested at 44/470 Not as previously stated. I do apologize for the misinformation. Im also advised that the Baden Fireball has tested 47/480. However if that is true neither ball is listed correctly on their respective covers. Im also advised that NSA,ASA, and USSSA have all banned multilayer balls due to the FACT that they were designed specifically to cheat the compression test. Kinda like the guy that has a blind date and finds out she's a dude :O) But seriously why are we playing with cheater balls anyway? Who's kidding who. Or is it whom? Never got that one down. At this point it would appear the NSA, ASA and USSSA have concerns over this type of ball where ISA is either naive or doesn't want to pay to have a lab test it. Or they just don't care. Which to me is sad. Softball is a very popular sport and safety has to be one of our concerns. Shouldnt we have some kind of oversight or accountability with the equipment we use? If a ball says 44/375 shouldnt it be just that? |
| Sept. 14, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: Product review Discussion: Softball and hot weather!! Swing: According to Kevin The Baden Fireball is the same ball as the ISA ROCK. However I have never hit one or better yet had the chance to cut one in half. I can only go by what Kevin says. I'd like to know if it has a double layer cover. This, the hardness and the fact it was never intended to be hit with the softer senior bats is what causes the flight characteristics. This is my main concern. (the flight) As for it breaking down if you get away from the synthetic cover you'll have less degrading in the heat particularly if the T.D.s keep the ball at room temp (which I do) before bringing them to the park. Once there however the ball is subject to ambient temperatures. Steve, even with the precautions of keeping the ball sort-a cool you can see in high humidity and heat what the Stote’s did. Again its not the cost its the flight. If somebody can send me a Fireball I'll cut it in half and compare. I’d like to see what it looks like. I know Ridge is high on that ball. But if it is, as Kevin says, a cheater ball Im not to eager to use it. Lets see what happens. Just getting rid of the synthetic cover and going to composite will IMO make some difference. Also if anyone has an ASA or U-Trip ROCK 375/44 could you please send me one as well. Thanks Address is on the site www.socalssa.com |
| Sept. 14, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: Product review Discussion: Softball and hot weather!! Thanks Fabe. I guess what Im trying to say is why wait till injury before we look at the ball. The engineer that says he designed it while at Anaconda also says its a 47/525 but the ball says on the cover 375/44. On top of that he says it was never intended to be hit with senior bats. Analogy: Take Miken U11 re painted to look like a Miken Freak and used in an ASA tournament. The guys know it. The T.D. knows it and so to the Umps. But since the bat has all the right decals, graphics and specs we turn our heads and let it be used it anyway. This is a made up analogy but its the same thing only a different necessary item to the game. No one on this board would allow a repainted bat... right? So why do we turn our heads at a ball that is suspected to be juiced? Why? Because we can hit 400 foot shots in 100 degree temperature? Is the bat safe because its disguised? Is the ball... |
| Sept. 14, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: Product review Discussion: Softball and hot weather!! First let me address Fabe's comment. I don't need stats to know its a matter of time. And how many have been injured using this cheater ball and just say "oh well it's softball". Let me give you something to think about. If we did things as a result (or by stats) here is what I have seen in my 55 years in Drag Racing. At Lions Drag strip in early 70s. Big Daddy Don Garletts top fuel car was cut in half. He lost the end of his foot and all his toes. Result. No more aluminum cans. They had to be high grade metal. Garletts eventually perfected the rear engine car. At OCIR one night a top fuel rear engine car blew a tire and made left turn into the guard rail that was a metal rail and 6X6 posts like the old freeway guard rails. Result: The man lost both legs and THEN they installed a guard rail you cant drive under. A byproduct of this and others is Goodyear added inner liners to the 16” slicks. The famous crash of Prudome and Jimmy Nickol at indy in 1970. That was a clutch coming out of the car and cutting the car in half. Nichol was OK (dont see how if you watch the video). Result better safety equipment and better specs on the material the clutches and bell housing were made of. 1969 I was at the US Nationals. John Mulligan was injured when the back end of his engine exploded and fire engulfed Johns face and upper body. John was only wearing a single layer fire suit. John was a good guy and could make anyone laugh and smile... I went to his funeral. They painted his face on him. Cause: hydrazine added at the staring line to the fuel. One man dead. New rule: no hydrazine anymore. Now they wear 5 layer suits. And last but there are more trust me. My good friend at the time Dave Russell (Russell Performance hoses) was in line for a round of top gas eliminator in the early 70s and behind him in the push truck was was his wife. A fuel altered lost control doing a burn out when the throttle stuck and hit her at high speed in the drivers door. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Result one dead and a new rule... no burnouts in the pits. My point is the ball is represented as a 375/44 and by now you and the everyone else that reads this knows it is not a 375/44. You might as well just use a 525/47 ball. But if they handed one to you most of the players would object. I can just hear the complaints now... makes my ears ring. Its too darn hard right? The twin layer has very little padding properties. Acording to the engineer that designed the ball its there only to fool the old compression test. Yet Anaconda to this day continues to tell you guys its a 375/44. Don’t believe me do what my friend Tom Jadwin did for me. Cut one in half and compare it to a Stote 375/44. The core should be the same but they are not. The other point is if we know there is potential exposure to a ball that is totally misrepresented on its specs AND has erratic flight issues then I have to remove it. Its no different than if I know there is a bat that is shaved or tricked up. I have to remove it or I’m the one that they will come looking for. I hope you see my point by now. Its not being overly cautious it called using common sense. |
| Sept. 13, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: Product review Discussion: Softball and hot weather!! Sorry PattyMac but its my job to worry. I have a responsibility to hundreds of guys on a weekend to make sure we don't as an association put anyone in harms way. Its very cavalier to say it'll be Ok don't worry. In my early days I was involved with SEMA. SEMA wasn't a car show then it was a non profit set up by the NHRA to certify safety on products. We were the testing organization for Brakes, Chassis, Bellhousings, Clutches, Fire Suits and Parachutes in the beginning. Those products that if failed could kill. I have seen way too many young men die as a result of product failure. Call me crotchety or senile or whatever. BUT you have one of the biggest and best hitters in the game just say the ball has issues with flight. You have several people acknowledge the ball has idiosyncrasies. Then you have the engineer that designed the ball tell you it was designed as a cheater ball and the specs on the cover are misleading. You have a ball manufacturer (Anaconda) that continues to miss identify the specs on the ball. Fast forward: Waiver or not a pitcher loses an eye. Gets his jaw broke or worse. AND DON'T TELL ME IT WON'T HAPPEN. Then what? Do I say well the guy signed a waiver? PattyMac said don't worry? Neither of those will keep me out of court. I'm sorry guys but I value all of you and your safety. I don't like shaved bats and I don’t like guys that say we're going middle. (I better not ever hear it) I have everything on the line when you guys come to town. I am not a gambler. You can complain all you want but this blog tells me one thing... No ISA ROCKS at our tournaments. But I will tell you this, I will try to find a ball that will be fair. I will keep the ball as cool as possible till tournament time. Thats pretty much all I can do. Thanks for everyone's input. Have a safe and fun tournament in Vegas |
| Sept. 12, 2013 Marv19 | Topic: Product review Discussion: Softball and hot weather!! guys we still don't know what ball is used in Vegas. "All Pro" didnt respond to my request to identify the ball. As I said before not all Rocks are the same. So far until I have one cut in half, only the ISA Rock is to blame so far. If they hit it in BP in Vegas and it doesn't have an erratic flight it must be an ASA or U-trip Rock. Yesterday in BP I counted 10 Knuckles. Problem was it one batter only doing 30 swings. I lost track at 30 for everybody else and stopped counting. All Pro Please identify the ROCK you use? Nor do we know what ROCK SSUSA will supply in Vegas. Remember too the Stote has a synthetic cover. This adds to the degrading by not giving the core the insulation properties that the composite cover does. god I'm starting to sound like an expert.. better get back to what I know :O) |
