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Online now: 3 members: TABLE SETTER 11, The Wizard, fitzy; 201 anonymousDiscussion: 4-4-4 Game
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| Oct. 26, 2016 Sidewinder44 2 posts | 4-4-4 Game I have been asked to find information on a softball game format called 4-4-4. As I understand it three teams of 4 players play a game where 1 team bats, while the second team plays infield and the third plays outfield. Once the inning is over, the team's rotate. Does anyone have information on that type of game? Thank you in advance for your help. |
| Oct. 26, 2016 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | Yes, I've played that game several times but it doesn't quite work because of the absence of a catcher and pitcher. The team at bat can catch, but what happens when bases are loaded? And in our case, it took a good-natured pitcher who tried to throw all plums against every team. The pitcher was often a tournament pitcher who appreciated the practice, but when he tried to get cute and practice some difficult pitches (outside front corner, 13 foot back corner, knuckleballs in the wind, etc.), there were complaints. Also, having a catcher call strikes and height limits on his own team was a stretch. One of the rules is that you need unlimited courtesy runners when a team is at bat who can enter any time and anywhere, because a batter on base is often up with only four batters. One rule variation is to have the fourth batter keep batting until a man got home or was forced at a base, who then took his turn batting. We stopped playing it as a senior league because it was way too tiring on the team at bat. We never got more than three innings before everyone was exhausted. A little better game was 5-5-5 where there was always a pitcher trying his best, an outfielder up the middle behind second, and a little more breathing room for the team at bat (which had to catch for themselves). One variation is to have the outfielder up the middle move to catcher instead. Still a tiring game, but at least it is a competitive game when you are shorthanded. |
| Oct. 26, 2016 Sidewinder44 2 posts | Omar, you've been very helpful. I appreciate it. |
