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Online now: 2 members: Rangview85, TABLE SETTER 11; 73 anonymousDiscussion: Screens and Sun
| Posted | Discussion |
| Feb. 8, 2009 OTE24 Men's 65 123 posts | Screens and Sun Looks like a slow day,I have a topic. Can we discuss using screens when the Sun is low early morning or evening? We had a game in Anaheim late last Saturday 3:30- 4 pm and the sun was in both pitchers eyes,seemed like a good time for a screen. I 'm wondering if you could get both managers and the TD to agree, you could use a Playsafe? I pitch,don't believe in the DBO, but think this is a safety issue that should be addressed. I wouldn't make hitting the screen an out,but a strike on the hitter. I don't know what I would do on strike three. We have a couple of fields where this is a problem in SoCal(Menifee/Anaheim). Comments? |
| Feb. 8, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | What a great topic. I think a good idea might be to move the rubber 2-5 feet either left or right to avoid the sun and then back again when it's no longer a problem. I remember pitching with the sun and looking for the best angle to use to insure the ball was coming out of direct sunlight. That's unfair to batters and no fun for them at all. There's tons of minor things that we can adjust to make/keep our game fun and reasonably safe if we really want to. |
| Feb. 8, 2009 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Would still be in other players eyes and throw the game totally off. A large tarp or what ever on the backside of backstop\fence to shield players from sunlight. Other side of coin is when the sun is in the batters eyes... Hard to do that one. But who do you think will be picking up the tab for those... |
| Feb. 8, 2009 #19 Men's 70 302 posts | Stop trying to change the game!!!... Suspend the game for 15-20 minutes!!! |
| Feb. 8, 2009 OTE24 Men's 65 123 posts | #19, I'm not trying to change the game. But, I have yet to see a TD delay a tourney game for low sun. Not for hitters or pitchers. I'm interested in looking into options most can agree on,if it's an idea that catches on so be it. Do they suspend games in Texas? What's the SOP? Has this ever been a problem for your pitchers? If you're at TOC,Sunday afternoon, do you forfeit to make a flight? I'd like to stop games also, but does this work for everybody? |
| Feb. 8, 2009 Mac21 Men's 65 38 posts | In the 2007 ASA Nationals in Burlington NC they suspended games until both pitchers agreed they could see well enough to protect themselves. It should happen more often. |
| Feb. 9, 2009 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | The place, I believe it was, Little Valley Park, 2007 for the 50's games during the Huntsman Games. UMP delayed game for 15-20 minutes. Heard another park this was also done that week. I played both weeks that year in 50,55,60's divisions. |
| Feb. 9, 2009 #19 Men's 70 302 posts | OTE24... I am not aware of any tournament games suspended in Texas because of the sun, however according to Mac21 and taits, it has been done elsewhere and seems to be an easy fix.. If you are at the TOC or any other tournment on a Sunday afternoon and are experiencing sun-related problems, more than likely there are other fields within the same complex that could be utilized to minimize the problem if time is an issue, as most teams have been eliminated by then anyway. |
| Feb. 9, 2009 terryspears Men's 55 38 posts | The TD's should know which fields will have a problem with sun in the pitchers eyes at certain times of the day, and not schedule games on that field at that time. Should only have the field vacant for one game. As for sun in the batters eyes, there are provisions in the rules to change the arc restrictions when this happens. |
| Feb. 9, 2009 TOMAR77 Men's 65 333 posts | OTE, 2007 Winter Worlds,game between Blackhawks & Git-R-Done was delayed around 15 min. due to sun in pitchers eyes, safty issue.Both managers requested umpire agreed. TOMAR |
| Feb. 9, 2009 OTE24 Men's 65 123 posts | Tommy, and guys Thanks for the info, I just want the tournament directors to see that low sun is a problem and maybe plan for players not having to deal with it. SSUSA,what will your policy be? |
| Feb. 9, 2009 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | tomar77 That was a good game. Wasn't their an ejection in one of the games there? |
| Feb. 9, 2009 hombre Men's 60 240 posts | taits idea works and works well. I saw a screen hoisted into position on the back of the backstop by using a couple of ropes and pulleys. It took all of five minutes and the pitchers could see well enough to defend themselves. I can't imagine it being very expensive. I don't have a solution for the hitters. They won't be able to hit very well with the sun in their eyes, but at least they won't be in danger of being hit by a line drive. |
| Feb. 9, 2009 softballer Men's 65 594 posts | I DO believe that Tim Reid did this in Manteca for ncssa last years old dogs and someone was a good thing too! |
| Feb. 10, 2009 TOMAR77 Men's 65 333 posts | taits, don't recall anyone being kick out. could be a memory lapse? i enjoy reading your contributions keep them coming. tomar |
| Feb. 10, 2009 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Wasn't on your team, 'twas ours...Might have been against another team but none the less, our game was good. |
| Feb. 10, 2009 THE HI-JACKER 118 posts | OTE 24: I just recieved this e-mail that got this statement from another. Kind of Funny. A.)THE SUN: Stop crying about the Sun. The Sun was here before Seniors. The sun has always been in the East & sets in the West. Live with that fact. Early Morning Games: 1.) N.W. Fields- sun will be in pitchers eyes. Always been that way. LWI 2.)S.E. Fields- sun will be in batters eyes. Always been so. LWI Mid to Late Afternoon Games: 1.)N.E. Fields- sun will be in pitchers eyes. Always been so. LWI 2.)S.W. Fields- sun will be in batters eyes. Always been so. LWI SS-USA RULE BOOK: The height of a pitched ball can be lowered, if thr Ump…. When will Seniors face the facts & stop their WHINING? O so, true. |
| Feb. 11, 2009 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | HJ LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE A FAN :):) seen umps stop a game in roseville,ca for the 2005 cali cup,between ruth and animals b/c sun was in pitchers eyes.both teams agreed and i think it was a good thing to do.i have pitched with the sun in my eyes and it is not a nice situation,it is very dangerous to do,giving we are using senior bats and such.i have no prol with delaying a game for the sun in the pitchers eyes,for the batter tough luck. |
| Feb. 11, 2009 OTE24 Men's 65 123 posts | HJ, Thanks for the science lesson. The whining stops here. Softballer,I may need a helmet. mad dog, Reno,Reno,Reno! |
| Feb. 11, 2009 softballer Men's 65 594 posts | OTE24 SHOT me an email at montalitle@hotmail.com i send you the info! c u on the field! |
| Feb. 12, 2009 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | Problem is primarily at tournament fields for morning games. Had some new fields layed out in my town, all ready to turf, when it was noticed that the angles were off and sun would be a problem. At some expense, fields were realigned. But tournament fields are usually city fields and they are laid out for evening games during the week. Again in my hometown, there was a notorious and dangerous field where the sun set directly behind home plate in the summer. Was dangerous for the pitcher for most of the game (never mind not seeing your arc). City solved it by planting fast growing trees to block the sun. They don't do this for morning angles. The real solution, as a safety issue, is to use a screen and not delay the game. Purists argue that the screen is not part of "old-time" softball—the sun has always been there. Was double base at first part of the old game? No touching home plate part of old game? Umpires allowing bypassing of bases in wet conditions part of the old game? Pitchers mound 50 feet away instead of 37 feet (the distance I started pitching at in the old days). Lots of things change to promote safety...and we're talking about over 50, over 60, over 70 guys whose reflexes have noticeably slowed. Let's protect our pitchers as well as we can—tarps to shield the sun, screens when necessary, delay of game, whatever. P.S. I also hate to play morning games when the sun is in the batter's eyes. You can pull a muscle swinging and whiffing. It's a travesty of softball, usually a 1 to 0 game. But at least I don't fear a concussion, and the ump can force a lowered arc. |
