Message board »Message Board home »Sign-in or register to get started
Online now: 1 member: TABLE SETTER 11; 96 anonymousDiscussion: This should be the new pitching rule
| Posted | Discussion |
| Dec. 4, 2009 AustinRelentless33 2 posts | This should be the new pitching rule I have been pitching for 31 years now and it is amazing how they always want to protect the pitcher with softer balls, bat regulations and distance. I'm here to tell you that giving the 12ft arc, and be generous to the upper part, and keeping the batters in the box will protect pichers better than anything. Calling an out after someone has been hit or happened to dodge it does nothing for the pitcher. Moving the rubber back only flatens out the pitch more for the batter and more so when they don't call a true 12ft arc. I propose that since we use mats make the arc unlimited and strictly enforce the batter to be in the box. Then let the pitcher field his / her position. With a good arc a picher can get in a ready position and if they don't then it's probably time to find a different position to play. Just a thought. |
| Dec. 4, 2009 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | ding,ding winner chicken dinner here.way to put it austin,i stood on the mound waiting for a batter to get in the box,only to have the ump say pitch,i'll then ask isn't he supposed to be closer than 5' to the plate.boxes are only 3' wide and 6" from the plate,how can he be in at 5'. |
| Dec. 5, 2009 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | I am sure 5' was your estimation, I doubt you pulled out a tape measure, but yea there are times when a batter is obviously out of the box. The best is when the ump says "there are no lines, how am I to tell"? I then ask "if there were no foul lines would you call everything fair"? |
| Dec. 5, 2009 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | Austin, best post I have seen regarding the pitcher. With the mat I have been a proponent of unlimited arc on the high side and just regulate the low fast pitch. I started playing ball when the arc was unlimited and we had some guys that could hit 20 plus feet. They also had 40-50 K's a year. Also-GET RID OF THE ACTUAL RUBBER. I have written letters for years on this. The only function is serves is to deflect a ball into the pitcher's face. Put a line there. |
| Dec. 5, 2009 butch17 Men's 55 412 posts | I agree if you want to protect pitcher the best way is go to unlimited arch so he can throw it up there and has time to retreat and get set to field the ball. If you dont want unlimited arch the next best way is go to 11 fielders and keep the arch 12 to 15.imo |
| Dec. 5, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | The higher arc will protect the pitchers better. That rule about hitting the pitchers does nothing to protect the pitchers in coordination with HR's as outs. It's so obvious that making home runs outs is like putting a target on the pitcher there has to be another reason why "the committee" would allow it. Dave and Terry? How and why would you think that having people fly to another state without having voting capability would make SSUSA's decision making process more representative of the senior softball community? What balls will SSUSA be using next year and in years to come if you're able to project that far ahead? What was some of the thinking as to why California and Florida should be restricted from "touching states" allowance? Didn't you guys try this a couple of years ago and decided against it? What happened then and what's changed now? |
| Dec. 5, 2009 #6 Men's 60 1173 posts | protect the pitcher,protect the 3rd baseman,protect the 1st baseman.....where is it all going to end ?Guys I play and have played against some pretty damn good pitchers and this is what they all told me.leave it alone and let's play ball. |
| Dec. 5, 2009 butch17 Men's 55 412 posts | I hear the same thing from most pitchers and I agree. |
| Dec. 5, 2009 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | By "leave it alone" I assume that one means the bats and balls of the recent past—single wall bats and lively balls, not the hyped-up composite bats of the past decade and the resultant dead ball to try and take something off the super bats. If that's what "leave it alone" means, I as a pitcher, and most other pitchers I know over 65, will welcome it as a safer, more balanced (no home run derby mentality) game. My corner infielders would welcome it, too. Let's just return to the game we loved when we first started. |
| Dec. 5, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | You don't have to protect the pitcher when using a lively bat/ball combo because we do it. We enforce it, ourselves. It's not listening to us and making them outs which is not congruent with the true spirit of competitive baseball/softball that leads to the problems. Bill Ruth getting smooshed is more likely when HR's are outs and this is a majority opinion. What SSUSA and anyone else that is interested in our business doesn't get is what happens to the relationship to us when they don't get us or see us the way we see ourselves. It produces extra tension and pain which disaffects the relationship going forward. We want to hit with lively bats and balls and nothing that has been said, manufactured, postulated, decreed or suggested provides enough evidence to keep us from hitting and playing with lively bats and balls. This tendency, this direction goes against the grain of OUR sport and it's members and the real damage to the relationships will ensue whether people care or not. That's not smart business or relationship-building or positive branding however you wanna slice it. Perhaps the reason SSUSA is staying with HR's as outs is to pave the way for Kevin's ball of the future that will dramatically change the game I love to play to something else. I don't know right now and it hasn't all sunk in for me, yet. I'm just grateful as hell we have NorCal and LVSSA to look forward to at this juncture to know for sure we're gonna have a good time. |
| Dec. 5, 2009 JdL Men's 55 2 posts | The new pitching rule creates a virtual rectangular box that is the width of the rubber and the height of the pitcher. If the batted ball enters this box it is a dead ball out. Guess what? They make pitching screens in just about that size. To make almost everyone happy, put a screen out there that sits on the pitching rubber and if a batted ball strikes the screen it is a dead ball. If the pitcher elects not to get behind the screen - he is fair game. An alternative rule to a mandatory screen, is to leave the decision up to the opposing managers before each game. If both agree to a screen a screen is used. The rule changes for the last two years are moving in the direction of more protection for the pitcher. Let's stop screwing with rules that do not or will not work, put the screen out there and play ball. |
| Dec. 6, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | JDL, That's a solution I would favor because we could use our legal bats and lively balls, open up our swing dynamics to include the middle without reservation and have a blast. I'm with Gary that we never should have changed one rule in the beginning but given all that's down and operating, with all the changes and investments, screens is a better way to go than using altered and restricted equipment, that is, bats and balls. And check me if I'm wrong on this 275 by 52 ball is not Kevin's ball. Kevin's just bringing it back. So when I talk about the ball I can separate Kevin the person from the ball. Kevin has a right to do whatever he wants or try to popularize whatever he wants. That doesn't make him right or objective or anything els but going to a restricted flight ball which functionally for me is what it is, is absolutely going in the wrong direction for us and will kill our game no matter how efficient it is at delivering to others and other concerns than ours, the players of senior ball. Now, a livelier ball than that which is safer too, is a good idea and a possibility for my/our endorsement but it's gotta be a hotter than a 275x52 sock. |
| Dec. 6, 2009 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | you been checked,it is kevin's ball,he put the work in to get it done,his company that he works for sells it.and hey they are the ones that sell the MCT ball that you all like "NOW". if you would really like to help the pitcher,get rid of the senior bats if we use the present ball.if you don't wanna give up your senior bat,guess what the ball will keep going down,as it should to to put a little safety back in the game.we don't need to put the pitcher in as danger as we do with this present bat/ball combo(and no to the damn screen).it is written no where that we as senior have to be able to hit hrs at a whim,like we do now with this bat/ball combo. |
| Dec. 6, 2009 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | Why do we want to take away from good pitchers doing what they enjoy, playing defense? NO "protection" rules whatsoever. Let's just play the game the way it was intended. Let's stop trying to turn the infield into a miniture golf hole. |
| Dec. 6, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Check me again and you might have to ask Kevin about this but I do believe any company can make and a 275 by 52 ball. Does Kevin have a patent on his ball? I really don't know but I bet you do. I'm asking but either way the ball restricts flight too much for me and most of the guys I play senior softball with and has other problems, too. This is a fact you or anyone you're working with or supporting will not ever get around. There are many ways to make the game safer without taking away the intrinsic joy of hitting a ball well, fast and far. Screens, raising the pitching arch, lowering the pitching arch, widening the rubber, making the plate bigger, 1-1 count, keeping HR's as singles, mandatory masks are just a couple of the more obvious and easy ways to keep the ball off the pitcher. A restricted flight ball or a ball that is not fun to hit will kill us and our game, the game we all love to play, regardless of the campaign, the movement and some of the side benefits of going to a "safer" ball. Just like in football with all the talk of concussions, players still have to go out and play regardless of getting their "bells rung" because it's part of the game we recognize, love and expect to play and see played. It's very similar. A code of manhood is in and around are game and I think, it's the best part of our game. And real men play with risk and do their best not to exploit or take advantage of their opponents. That's the essence of manly competition. I feel a restricted flight ball will neuter both us and our game and this will born out if we proceed in the direction of "safety first" above all else. |
| Dec. 6, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Check me again and you might have to ask Kevin about this but I do believe any company can make and a 275 by 52 ball. Does Kevin have a patent on his ball? I really don't know but I bet you do. I'm asking but either way the ball restricts flight too much for me and most of the guys I play senior softball with and has other problems, too. This is a fact you or anyone you're working with or supporting will not ever get around. There are many ways to make the game safer without taking away the intrinsic joy of hitting a ball well, fast and far. Screens, raising the pitching arch, lowering the pitching arch, widening the rubber, making the plate bigger, 1-1 count, keeping HR's as singles, mandatory masks are just a couple of the more obvious and easy ways to keep the ball off the pitcher. A restricted flight ball or a ball that is not fun to hit will kill us and our game, the game we all love to play, regardless of the campaign, the movement and some of the side benefits of going to a "safer" ball. Just like in football with all the talk of concussions, players still have to go out and play regardless of getting their "bells rung" because it's part of the game we recognize, love and expect to play and see played. It's very similar. A code of manhood is in and around are game and I think, it's the best part of our game. And real men play with risk and do their best not to exploit or take advantage of their opponents. That's the essence of manly competition. I feel a restricted flight ball will neuter both us and our game and this will born out if we proceed in the direction of "safety first" above all else. |
| Dec. 6, 2009 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | Joe, there are plenty of pitchers who want the ball "on them". Who want to field the ball. Take that away and watch how many good pitchers find another position, or another hobby. |
| Dec. 6, 2009 damaged goods 13 posts | no arc is the way to fix problem. for those against it try pitching one full game with no protection. i dont even pitch but no size cup would get me in there. |
