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Online now: 1 member: TABLE SETTER 11; 66 anonymousDiscussion: Any Update on The Stote?
| Posted | Discussion |
| June 26, 2021 NYGNYY 215 posts | Any Update on The Stote? Good morning Just looking for an update on The Stote Softball delivery timeframe prior to the July tournament schedule. Thanks |
| June 26, 2021 DaveDowell Men's 70 4313 posts | No update we have been informed about ... The status is unchanged: There is still a global shipping crisis affecting just about all imports and we are in that unfortunate circumstance as it relates to softball import shipments ... |
| June 27, 2021 NYGNYY 215 posts | Thanks for the update My only hope is that SSUSA has considered a change to using the Trump Stote. Other than one positive comment on this board from a SSUSA member regarding that ball ….the rest have been negative. Appreciate the update D2 |
| June 27, 2021 DaveDowell Men's 70 4313 posts | We will resume using the STOTE Trump microcell technology 44/375 ball as soon as pending shipments clear customs and find their way to us through BSN ... Nobody, present company included, has a crystal ball with any real clarity on that timing ... Patience will most likely be rewarded ... |
| June 27, 2021 IDon'tKnow 3rdBase Men's 65 28 posts | Dave, In the interim, would we consider using the Rock, my personal choice, |
| June 27, 2021 DaveDowell Men's 70 4313 posts | IDK3B ... I haven't the slightest idea ... I'm a tourney technician and decisions like that are way above my pay grade ... You're also presuming that The Rock is readily available in sufficient quantities ... I'm not sure that's true either (but it COULD be) ... |
| June 28, 2021 The Wizard 20 posts | As long as we're discussing options, can we just bring our own balls to the Western Nationals ? I have several dozen of the STOTE Trump Microcell 44/375 that I can bring for our use. I was told in Reno that all of the microcell 44/375 balls by Trump were the same ! My team is registered and paid for the Western Nationals, but my guys have doubts about coming if the same ball is used as was in Reno. Sacramento is going to be a very expensive event, so we want to make sure the product offered is the best it can be. I guess we're no being very patient, but we'd really like to know before the deadline. Thanks. |
| June 28, 2021 DaveDowell Men's 70 4313 posts | Don't plan on ANY SSUSA event being a B.Y.O.B. party ... That's the one guaranteed way to eliminate a level playing field for all teams ... Nope, not gonna happen ... |
| June 28, 2021 sbsoftball30 Men's 65 15 posts | Rocks are available through BSN. Just purchased 10 dozen two weeks ago for my Arizona league and they arrived to my Tucson home in less than one week. The Stote balls we used in Reno are junk, why can't the Rock be the tourney choice until the Stote Microcell balls arrive in the States since they hold up the best in hot temperatures? |
| June 28, 2021 Mikelmart 152 posts | Any options on getting the Stote from another source besides BSN? Direct Sports shows it on their website. |
| June 28, 2021 Bruce M Men's 55 122 posts | With respect, we have BYOB (bats) as long as it has a SSUSA stamp on it. There are rules for altered bats. So, why not BYOB softballs that have a SSUSA stamp on them? I don't see how that is any different. If folks wish to bring 10 year old SSUSA water logged softballs for their own team to hit at a tournament, they are free to do so. For me, if I am going to pay over $1,000 to play a tournament, it is worth bringing the best and most fresh SSUSA stamped balls I can buy. I trust the umpires to know if a ball has been in the freezer or not. If you are going to argue that only the same exact balls level the playing field...then why not mandate only a single bat from a single manufacturer with an SSUSA stamp on it? BYOB has many advantages...it releases SSUSA from having to maintain, procure, store, and sometimes ship the balls. It lowers cost. So, the argument about leveling the playing field remains. Exactly how would it be unfair for teams to bring their own SSUSA stamped balls marked with their names on them....knowing the penalties for altered equipment? |
| June 28, 2021 domer 36 posts | We used the ball in Reno and again in Hemet this past weekend, worst ball ever we bought extra from the director hoping that would help. I know both teams hit the same type ball but bad for the game |
| June 28, 2021 rightrj1 Men's 55 286 posts | Just finished playing in Hemet...Played two divisions, this SSUSA replacement ball is just a bad ball to hit in the heat!!! It hits like the Old DEBEER balls back in the day! When the 40-year-olds have trouble hitting the ball 300 feet, that should tell you how much of a SOCK these balls are! SSUSA should tell teams if they're using these SOCK BALLS in the Western Nationals and a discount should occur...The balls are just plain bad! folks pay too much $$$ to not play with a quality product. That's just good business! |
| June 29, 2021 NYGNYY 215 posts | I agree with the Wizard’s comments regarding knowing what ball is going to be used before the July 6th enter deadline. It’s a reasonable request of SSUSA. Thanks |
| June 29, 2021 DCPete 409 posts | Why does any manufacturer go to the time and expense to make a lousy ball? Where is the benefit to making balls that discourage teams from participating? |
| June 29, 2021 DaveDowell Men's 70 4313 posts | Pete ... They don't ... There's not a softball manufacturer anywhere who says to their R&D Department, "Let's see how crappy a ball we can make!" ... This is about the diversity of opinion that ballplayers have about the various choices in the marketplace ... That's all it is, and getting all of those opinions to merge to one choice is an impossible task like herding cats ... |
| June 30, 2021 ju25 Men's 60 236 posts | Micro-cell was banned by other associations for a reason. Those suckers fly and it is to easy for the young guns to hit out. We used standard Trump Stote for years here in Michigan and many complained. As an outfielder I was doing a lot more chasing after we changed to Micros. The game is not all about HR's, play some defense and enjoy the fact that at our age we are still playing! |
| June 30, 2021 DaveDowell Men's 70 4313 posts | NY² ... Sitting here today, June 30th, we don't have the slightest idea what the specific tournament ball will be for the Eastern and Western National's starting in about four weeks ... The BSN "promise of the day" for the STOTE/Trump balls is now for mid-July but, based on recent history, there is no reason to attach any credence to that guesstimate ... The best we can promise at this time is: The ball will be the best available at that time in the required quantities (40± cases) for those events ... The probability of having a more refined/definitive answer by July 6th is remote ... |
| June 30, 2021 NYGNYY 215 posts | Thanks D2 |
| June 30, 2021 bkb555 301 posts | I just got an email for the managers of the teams going to Syracuse Northeast Championships and it said we are using the Evil 44/375 for that tournament....we used the Trump stote in Westminster a few weeks ago and it was a dud...3 HRs in 4 games for our major team....if the Evil ball is anything like the Evil league ball we use in leagues, it will be a HUGE improvement over these dead Stotes we were given....obviously there has been enough comments in our part of the country to realize that the USA stamped Stotes we are using are vastly different from the old SSUSA stamped Stotes we have used in previous tournies |
| June 30, 2021 db14 104 posts | Really did not want to get into this topic (other than with my softball buddies) but...Just will put this out there as one players's observation. Reno we used the ASA 44/375 pillow ball with characteristics of a limited flight ball. Northern California Championships we used the Evil AK-EZ pillow ball with characteristics of a limited flight ball but with very high seams. Can only speak to (not for) 65's and 70's in multiple divisions. Balls over, off or near the fences were virtually non-existent. Granted both teams used the same ball however it was absolutely not a quality product. Please do not be led down the path or sell us that all 44/375 balls perform the same. Those who play the game know differently. I know that SSUSA is earnestly trying to acquire sufficient quantities of balls for upcoming tournaments. I might only suggest that we might deviate as a one or two time exception from the current ball standards to a ball more equitable to the standard one we cannot obtain. |
| June 30, 2021 DaveDowell Men's 70 4313 posts | bkb555 ... There was NO DECISION made to switch anything ... That Northeast/Syracuse ball was the ONLY one available from multiple sources as Fran played "Dialing for Softballs" with every vendor she had in her Rolodex over the past two days ... That's the way it's going to be for a while it seems! ... Commentary here, while often highly amusing, has no influence on the process ... If Vendor "A" or "B" or "C" has an acceptable ball in stock (very few have ANYTHING) at a fair price, she instructs them to generate an invoice and get them on a truck! ... |
| June 30, 2021 bkb555 301 posts | Dave, I only stated a fact that was delivered to me (I am a manager entered into the Syracuse tourney)...being I have played with both balls, I can give a review of their performance...no speculation or he said/she said info from what I posted above.....all I know is the ball we are going to play with in the Syracuse is the Evil ball and I said I used that ball in league play with great success...I played 4 games in a tourney with the Trump stote and heard first hand from other teams in my bracket, the ball was a dud...those are facts and that's all I stated above |
| June 30, 2021 DaveDowell Men's 70 4313 posts | No worries at all here ... Just also no reason to over-think something where luck is the determining factor at the moment ... I sit within earshot of the conversations and NOBODY has any softball inventory ... When it normally comes down to ONE option, the only choice issue becomes "Well, do you want what we have or not?" ... It's a very frustrating set of circumstances ... |
| June 30, 2021 db14 104 posts | Dave..db here. I'm looking into my crystal ball. I see you somewhere with flowing palm trees and some sort of adult beverage with a tiny umbrella in it....... |
| July 1, 2021 J R 251 posts | I bought 48 dozen XRocks back in April from BSN.That ball really holds up and flys in Texas heat and humidity. We had been using the Trump Microcell. |
