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Online now: 2 members: TABLE SETTER 11, cecil; 125 anonymousDiscussion: Making a ball choice for a recreational league.
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| June 17, 2013 LLaiRy 1 posts | Making a ball choice for a recreational league. Hi everyone, I am in charge of multiple slowpitch leagues of varying level of play. They are leagues for adults of various level of play and age. We like to think it as a recreational league. We play on tiny fields, there is 45ft from bases to bases and the fence are at 235ft from home. We accept ASA bats, we use their list of banned bats and we also have banned every Miken. Last years, we were using the Dudley Sb12, 375lbs cor.44 and since it was getting broke very fast, no one was to upset of it's performance when new. But we received a new ball lately : the Dudley Thunder Heat 375lbs cor. 44. At the beginning, we thought that the ball would just be more durable since it's construction is different. But it appears that not only the ball performs like a new for a longer time, it seems that this ball can be it harder and travels farther. Since this new ball has been introduced, in only a few nights, we have seen things we haven't seen before like homeruns made from line drives or balls hitting structures around which we thought they were simply out of reach and vicious injuries to pitchers and infielder... Since it appears that we cannot have access to the good old SB12, we are actually thinking of getting into a process of finding a new ball. In order to do this we want to try 4 different balls from Dudley, our supplier. I thouhgt of those : ASA, Thunder HyCon, cor.52, 300lbs ASA, Thunder Heat, cor.47, 375lbs ASA, Thunder Heat, cor.40, 375lbs USSSA, Thunder Heat, cor.40, 325lbs USSSA, Thunder Zn, cor.40, 325lbs USSSA, Thunder HyCon, cor.52, 275lbs Here are my questions : a) What's the difference between the two certifications, ASA and USSSA? b) Do you have any experience with the balls I am thinking of trying? c) Do you know a good way, a good process, of ball testing for beer leagues? d) Do you think of any other ball which would be nice to try in order to make it our new ball? I would also like to have access to these below articles for free, so if you have copies or if you know links to them, please let me know! (of course if you know any other articles I should get aware of in order to make a wise choice feel free to recommend them to me) Performance Testing of the Proposed 0.52 COR/275 PQI Ball The Effect of Softball Properties on Batted Ball Distance The Effect of Softball Compression and Coefficient of Restitution on Batted Ball Speed Thanks very much, Richard Lavoie-Levasseur |
| June 17, 2013 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | the 52-275/300 balls would be the best for your situation....they will do way less damage,than any of the balls listed,to players if hit by them.....not a whole lot of difference in balls(asa-usssa) with the same specs.....get a hold of kevin (tattooball) on here....... |
| June 17, 2013 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | If I'm not mistaken, ASA balls are heavier than utrip balls. Tatooball would be the one to ask. I don't think you could go wrong with the 52's or even the 40/375. |
| June 17, 2013 ffdonnie Men's 60 137 posts | The 52 cor ball stinks for more standard size fields, but would be your best bet for such a tiny field. 40 cor ball travels far unless its hot out, and I'm not real sure about 47-375 ball. I'm only familiar with the 47-500 (don't use it). The 52's are very limited it flight compared to the 44cor and should hold up well. But warn the infielders, the thing bounces in the infield like a rubber ball. Just my practical experience and opinion. |
| June 18, 2013 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | Just a suggestion for thought, with fields that small why not consider a wood bat league? I know I would consider playing wood bat league for fun around here if it existed. |
| June 18, 2013 tattooball 774 posts | None of those ball choices will be good for that field. Here is my number if you would like to call for info. 845 532 2668. Bruce the ASA .52 is of standard weight, only the .44 is heavier which makes no sense at all. |
| June 18, 2013 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | You want some different fun on a short 235' fence... try a Clincher 16 inch ball where the out fielders can't use gloves. They will still go over too. |
| June 18, 2013 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | ffdonie,maybe compared to a 44 ball...but we play our senior league with the 52 ball and it does go....our fields are 300'(4 0f them) and we put it out...we also have one 325' field that we did a make-up for rain outs on(3 games)and there was 3 hit out,and a couple more that hit or one-hopped the fence.........so the 52 is a playable ball as far as i'm concerned,with not as many of those wild bounces as you say there are....we use the ASA 52-300 AD starr tattoo ball.....our park is an ASA park......the senior league also gets to use our senior bats..... |
| June 22, 2013 Jetboy 62 posts | Taits, I thought of the Clincher 16 (or blooperball as we call it) too. We play on 200 foot little league fields and there aren't too many HRs. None by me at least. We all wear gloves in our league. And it's a lot of fun. 40 and over. |
| June 22, 2013 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | If it's a co-ed league have only let the women in the outfield use them, since most teams make them play RF or C which kinda evens it up. Either way with or w\o gloves its a good game. Old alloy and wood bats work with the balls. |
| June 23, 2013 ffdonnie Men's 60 137 posts | Dog, yes my comparison is to the .44 ball with ASA bats. |
| June 23, 2013 swing for the fences Men's 50 1224 posts | I agree 1000percent with FFdonnie! those balls suck! |
| June 24, 2013 bpono 6 posts | In Maui we play(over 60) with a 14" ball (not a mushy clincer ball) & it's a great ball, we see it better, it's a little slower, but we still get hard hits & a few homers. I'm hoping to bring it to the Santa Cruz area & hope it gets acceptance. |
