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Online now: 3 members: TABLE SETTER 11, Warrior8, kotonk; 99 anonymousDiscussion: Winter Worlds, Las Vegas
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Nov. 22, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Winter Worlds, Las Vegas We, Powerhouse Miken at 50 major plus played 3 games at Desert Breeze on Friday and the weather/conditions were top shelf. Cool and picturesque with a great combination of synthetic and natural fields. Congratulations to the East Bay Oldies who beat us at Lorenzi, winning the 50 major plus championship. Jessie, Sal, Mark, Brad, Roger, Doc, Brownie, Calley and the boys won one for Mike Vaughn who's recuperating in San Jose California. Way to go, guys. The balls were fine in the cool temps. Dave Dowell was at Lorenzi handling everything putting out fires graciously and well. The umps were good to very good and I have the sense the umping is getting better, tournament by tournament, year by year and that's a good sign. Way to go, umps. Joe Reed, Ron Chenier, Ron Brooks, Danny Mac, Hank, Joe Tang and Jerry Jue were there, too reminding me how great it is to see old adversaries and friends again and again. Thanks Mike Burbank for the opportunity to play with you and Johnny Hose on Powerhouse. Thanks to Barry for pitching so well. I had a great time and sorry we didn't win. And thanks again Otis Menasco. You are the man. |
Nov. 22, 2009 Jawood Men's 50 943 posts | But a two team tournament? Wouldn't it had been more enjoyable to just have combined Major-plus and Major? |
Nov. 22, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | I think the major plus and major should be combined, played with 5 run innings, equalizer home runs at 1, no PPR and HR's as walks(no push). TD's have a problem with losing too many balls. Make mandatory, a member of each team chase balls, one per inning. Again, this is something we've been doing with great success in NorCal for a couple of years now. |
Nov. 23, 2009 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | I also agree that Major and Major Plus should be combined. The five or seven innings are enough of an equalizer. I don't like making team members chase balls. I'd rather give teams the option of buying extra balls. |
Nov. 23, 2009 CRUSADERVB Men's 70 275 posts | JOE, you must have been playing when the sun was shining when you talked about the weather being sooo nice. We played one day time game and 4 under the lights!! Old guys have no business playing at night. Your ex-teammate; Eric[Old A's] took a shot up the middle 2'' from the jewels, in our 10pm game!! He never saw it. we were at Shadow Rock; just terrible lights. Bad hops in the infield, terrible neighborhood.....40 degrees. The lights were on a timer, off at 11pm. In the middle of the game, with the pitch on the way, the lights went off, that was fun trying to find your stuff in the dugout in total darkness!! |
Nov. 23, 2009 turn2 489 posts | I do not like the idea of chasing balls. If you supply them you chase them. If I buy them I dont mind going after them. If the game is on the line I need to concentrate on winning ball game and then after the game I can go get my balls. The equalizer is nice when playing lower level teams. Anybody can win when both teams can only score 5 runs. Later Donnie |
Nov. 23, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Hey Donnie, colonel and Bruce. We need to keep talking like this and to others and to Dave and Terry about what we want, see and need. We don't need the PPR or HR's as outs. They will take too much fun and the natural protection for the pitcher by the most powerful hitters out of the game. Colonel, I'm glad Eric still has the family jewels. I don't like night games anymore either and as much as possible games should be in the day time. I agree completely. Donnie. I was trying to make a concession maybe we have to make to TD's that would leavethe most important stuff about HR's as balls and fundamental rules, intact. Say hi to the boys for me. |
Nov. 23, 2009 Rightrj Men's 50 57 posts | hey joe, Thanks for the props..We, Doubleplay had a great time playing this weekend. We came up a little short against TWO very good 50 major teams in Texas & the AZ Bandits. Our 55 team did win the 55 division!!!!They did a great job and congratulation to the Texas team who won the 50 majors and to the AZ bandits for taking the Texas team to an if game, letting everyone know that the 50 major's will be a very good division. Dave, I had the pleasure of talkng to to you this weekend and to get a better understanding of what it is you do! I can only take my hat off to you, for the JOB you do for US the SENIOR SOFTBALL WORLD. Trying to please 20,000 GRUMY OLD MEN, SET IN THEIR WAYS can be very challaging, Thank You! I think out of the fourteen teams in the 50 major's, at least 12 had a real shot at winning this world. I had a great time, thanks to all the guys who played. |
Nov. 23, 2009 Johnny Hose Men's 50 73 posts | Joe, Thanks for being there. You're a true class act and a team player. It's always better winning, but like you say, love of the game. Great squad with you, Mike, Cruz, Rock and the rest. Had fun & wished I'd been at the Commedy Club with you guys... heard it was something. |
Nov. 23, 2009 Jawood Men's 50 943 posts | They will be discussing the possibility of combining Major and Major-plus at the covention. 95% of the games are close when teams can only score 5 runs an inning and limit the homeruns. Most Major-plus teams are really Major teams made to move up to try to fill the classification. Why cater to 2 or 3 teams? |
Nov. 23, 2009 salio2k Men's 60 547 posts | That's what happened to my 60 team. We were moved up, showed up for Winter Worlds and played best of 3 for 60 M+ against one other team. We played 3 games on Friday against major teams and lost to one by the 5 runs we spotted them. I would vote for combining Major and Major+. |
Nov. 23, 2009 Tate22 Men's 60 280 posts | Combining Major and Major Plus, an idea whose time has come. All the key points are made in the above posts. Last month in Phoenix, it was clear that a number of the 55 Major teams could have handled any of the 55 M+ teams present with the existing run-per-inning rules. The positives far outweigh the negatives for this change. Nothing is gained by skimming off good teams, nobody wins with 2-team "2-of-3" tournaments. Subtract the plus, it equals nothing. Don Newhard Manager Nighthawks 55 M+ |
Nov. 23, 2009 udaplaya 90 posts | AGREED. The two team "championships" are the bane of the Major+ teams existence. The 5 run equalizer and using the Major's hr rules truly do level the playing field. I suggest that if there are not at least 5 teams in the Major+ draw, then the Major and Major+ draw should be combined. Similarly, if the AAA draw does not have at least 5 teams, then the AAA and AA should be combined. |
Nov. 23, 2009 E4/E6 Men's 70 873 posts | Congratulations to everyone who played in Vegas, and especially to the winners. AAA Marauders 60's you are deserving champions! I would like to bitch about the natural fields at Shadow Rock & Hollywood. WHY, cant the grass be cut a few days before the tournament begins, the outfields werent that great to begin with and the grass was at high shoe top level. The infields were ok and the grounds people did what they could with what they had to work with. I cant recall seeing so many walking wounded at one tournament. Several of the injured said they twisted or stepped in uneven areas of the outfields. Portable toilets at Hollywood, how many wives or girlfriends gave us misery about that one. From what I hear this is a step forward from last year when there were none. As for the tourney itself, great job by staff and umpires. even if BIG RON missed one.........just kidding Ron! |
Nov. 23, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Jawood, Right on. If they're(top 2 or 3 teams) better than they still should win and they shouldn't give up the opportunity to show us. |
Nov. 23, 2009 barrym 158 posts | I just want to say congradulation to the wilson 55AAA for a great tournament and most of all to my teamates who help me through a tough time of being hit in the head and for all the help getting to the hospital and making sure i got home alright. This is what team mates are all about. They were there the instant the accident happened, lyman papa lou, jesse, darryl and al for a safe trip home. And to my team mates who fought on to take second place. We will be back and congradulations to r ans r. We both should alot of class in the championship. |
Nov. 23, 2009 4x4 Men's 65 601 posts | Eric took a wicked shot. On that field (far right) the backstop is built on top of a cement wall about 5-6' high behind the batter and around the base. Balls coming out of this backround simply could not be seen. Ron had one whizz by his head at third that he couldn't see and didn't react to, the rest of the infield and outfield had huge problems tracking the ball with it going in and out of the badly illuminated areas. I spoke to someone that aimed the lights for a living and he pointed out that the poles were not high enough and the dark spots in the field from poor light aiming. The infield had a dark area to the infielders' positions (darkened inside the base paths) the lights shined down where the infielders would play. The result was a dark ball coming into the lighted areas very quickly that the fielders could not track. My wife also heard several people watching the games making comments about the poor lighting. The outfielders on either side of the play could not track the ball well enough to assist on line drives. Lighting aside.....Night games should not be played. This could have been a real recipe for injury. All the fielders were at risk. No one should be playing on those fields at night regardless of age, let alone us old guys. |
Nov. 23, 2009 barrym 158 posts | I totally agree, draging the feilds wasn't done at all. The out feild was an ankle breaker. Some people don't realize how fas the ball comes off the bat. The nite time it was a suscide feild you could see the ball until it got to you. But the people running the tournament never had to experience that so they don't realize it. The should have the paramedics in the parking lot, ready to roll. Its sucks when you go out to injoy softball and come home beat to hell. lol |
Nov. 24, 2009 PSmit 37 posts | I just want to Interrupt here and say Congrtat's to all that participated in the Winter World's and the Respected Teams that WON. The 55 Major division was evenly matched and I look forward to my run in the 55 Division. Props to "West Coast All Stars" Philip you have a very Strong Hitting Team.. Nor Cal Reds... (Redwood City Reds) Always a Pleasure .. Always Gentlemen on and off the Field. Last but not least, Hat's off to my DOUBLEPLAY GUYS. Happy Thanksgiving! Paul Smit #1 Doubleplay Classic 55 Mgr |
Nov. 24, 2009 softballer Men's 65 594 posts | hey Paul! this is monta you still have my email addy? how's your wife? had to miss L.V with knee surgery! congrads to your team! |