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Online now: 2 members: Ajs288, TABLE SETTER 11; 110 anonymousDiscussion: Why stop with a screen?
| Posted | Discussion |
| Dec. 16, 2009 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | Why stop with a screen? Let's add a spinning windmill and a giant Buddha bobbing up and down. |
| Dec. 16, 2009 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Here you go again totally irrelevant stuff. As for a screen, most teams use one in BP any way. And it's not over 6 foot tall one of your requirements mentioned to einstein... Still takes from the pitchers job, however. But would protect if that be their goal. We will get what we get... not much more but perhaps a lot less. |
| Dec. 16, 2009 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | Sorry for the attempt at humor over a very bad idea. And my 6' was referring to the arc, not the height of the screen. We need NO screen at all. BP is NOT game conditions, and should never be confused. Hardball BP pitchers use screens, and for that repetitious purpose they are just fine. But NEVER in game conditions. Let pitchers field. Do NOT put obstacles on the field for other guys to have to throw over or around, or for pitchers to have to run around to field balls or backup home. |
| Dec. 16, 2009 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Maybe not SSUSA but you don't play there anyway... However for league (primarily) games in IL & in CA. the do use them. Do a search here those two are mentioned. Might well be others too, but Never used, your wrong. Some will like it others will not just like the bats and balls. On the arc, it's hard not to reach 6 foot given that an average guy is about 5'10" and average release height is about 5'5", any way. We will end up with what ever the 7 decide for 12 k or more. I agree on letting us field. |
| Dec. 16, 2009 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | I am not saying they are never used, but they never should be. It just ruins the game. The average release height is nowhere near that high. That would be like relasing the ball at about your nose, in which case the ball would go basically straight up if not actually behind you. I would guess the average release point is about waist-high, if even that much. |
| Dec. 16, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | You're right, Gary. And our game should never have been changed at all from the jump. Lively bats and balls and let's play. However, when there's a drive to dumb down our bat/ball combo below an acceptable and necessary level of hitter efficiency and joy then we've been countering with screens to insure that we won't end up somewhere we really don't want to be. |
| Dec. 16, 2009 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Dirty, Read your 3rd line ending: But NEVER in game conditions." I'd agree in the possibility of ruining a game but rarely has happened i know of. Mute point though. Ever evolving & changing game some for good some not. But we have choices don't we? Like some say it will get worse before it gets better. I feel we haven't reached the bottom yet, so we can start the climb back up. Joe, Your right on the what we (most of us) want, but be prepared for a different game especially on the balls before long... I'd guess when the stock pile is supposedly depleted. It's another cash cow. You trade one product for another, and say we are out. If Worth, Wilson, Dudley, Ad Star and the other 3-4 makers follow suit, it's going to hurt. |
| Dec. 16, 2009 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | If the hot bat advocates win out (although purists like me prefer the more balanced game played for 70 years), and they might, since millions have been invested by players in their expensive ego-boosting hot bats, then I see two trends in the future for pitcher safety—a screen or a softer ball. Since the screen only protects the pitcher, and infielders are still at risk of the hot bat/ball combo (and yes, traditional infielders miss the days when they had a chance to field a ball hit to the side of them), then it looks like the "sock" ball will be coming. Can't have both hot bat and ball or it will eventually evolve to titanium bats hitting blue dots (and yes, I know the composites hit even faster than the titaniums—I'm thinking of longevity by the bat against a rock ball). |
| Dec. 16, 2009 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | I don't see how it wouldn't affect the game. It has to be in the way of throws across the infield. It has to be in the way of a pitcher coming to field a dribbler or a very short popup. I know I don't want to have to dodge an obstacle just to make a routine play. |
| Dec. 16, 2009 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | Dirty, you would be amazed how soon you adapt. I had never played with a screen until 2000 when I started playing senior ball leagues. I worried about the screen and used to lug it off the field every half-inning I pitched. Then the league stopped me "for safety reasons" Now I play almost without thinking of it—field my position, run in for dribblers and pop-ups, back-up home, etc. In the last few years of playing 120+ games a year with a screen, not once has it been hit by an infield throw and maybe once or twice a year by an outfield throw! Not as much an impediment as you would think. |
| Dec. 16, 2009 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | Okay, but maybe that is because everyone around you has "adapted" too. And some of that adaptation might be to throw over the screen, or move to throw around it. Certainly both better choices than hitting it, but still an unnecessary obstacle caused by guy's needs to do in their 50s and 60s what many weren't in their 20s and 30s. I just think it all goes back to the bats. I am fine with senior bats, but I am also fine without screns, PPRs, mats, and two home plates. |
| Dec. 16, 2009 stick8 1991 posts | Dirty, I wouldn't be suprised if someone proposes hitting to right field an out (or left field for a lefty). |
| Dec. 16, 2009 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | You do wonder where it will all end. |
| Dec. 16, 2009 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | Dirty, we agree that it is the super bats that are the problem. |
| Dec. 16, 2009 butch17 Men's 55 412 posts | Dirty, I dont care what people say humor is good. The Buddha thing got me thinking about a t-shirt the front had printed: I have a body of a god. The back had a picture of Buddha. Keep smiling |
| Dec. 16, 2009 Norq44 59 posts | I am in agreement with Dirty on this one. I am opposed to any rules having to do with hitting the middle. I am opposed to any obstructions on the field. It is only a matter of time until a ball is deflected off the side of the screen that is going to hit a pitcher that otherwise would not have been hit. Also there will be some unlucky guy that runs into the screen during a play. There is not supposed to be an obstacle on the field like that. I had the opportunity to play in an SSUSA Qualifier last spring, consequently I had the opportunity to see the PPR in action. the word "obtuse" comes to mind. I have made up my mind about these middle issues, I am NOT going to play in another SSUSA function with any PPR rules and or a screen on the field. (By the way, I am a pitcher, been pitching for the last 38 years). I don't care what balls or bats we use. I would play with wood bats and cork center balls. Let's just play the game the way it was meant to be played. |
| Dec. 16, 2009 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | Norq44, I agree with you on the useless PPR and the return to wood bats and cork center balls. As to the screen, your fears are probably not founded. I have pitched more than 1000 games with a screen (a safety requirement of my day league) and never once ran into it. I have had one deflect off of it (a great fear of mine at first) and hit me. Compare that to the 30 or so times I have been hit in tournament ball (a third of them on bad hops or bad conditions) over the same ten years, and the screen seems to have proved its worth as a safety device. I'm OK with or without a screen (mandatory in my opinion when a low sun is in the pitcher's eyes), but that is conditional upon the parameters you describe as just "playing the game the way it was meant to be played" which is without the recent hot bat/ball combo and a return to balanced softball with defense, base running, and strategy as important as offense. |
| Dec. 17, 2009 Norq44 59 posts | Omar, let me clarify something. I don't have any fears about the screen or the PPR rule. As I said, I have been pitching for 38 years. I have not been hit very often. (except in the glove). Truth be known, I get a rush out of the prospect of having a batter try me up the middle. All I am saying here is that I refuse to play with screens and PPR rules. Here in Florida we have the Florida Half Century, we play the game the way it was meant to be played. No PPR, no screen, unlimited home runs, unlimited runs per inning. Softball the way it was meant to be played. This will be my last post again for a while so I will give you my opinion on bats and balls. I went from being an occasional home run hitter with wood bats (1968), to a prolific home run hitter with the first magnesium/aluminum alloy bats, then things cooled a bit and I was again, an occasional home run hitter. ( had to do with getting older etc. I suppose). Then I picked up the Miken Ultra. Oh my God! These bats have ruined this game. You see guys hitting home runs now that never did as younger men. I could go on and on here, but we have all seen enough of this retoric. I am all for taking this game back to the time where you hit the hard because you worked at it. Get rid of the majic bats, or dummy down the balls, or do nothing. Just don't change the game. |
| Dec. 17, 2009 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | Norq's post almost brought a tear to my eye. He is soooo correct on this one. :) |
| Dec. 17, 2009 Player25 Men's 55 50 posts | Amen. Norq44 gets what many players have been stating. Lets go back to playing softball and take the bat/ball combo a few notches. |
| Dec. 17, 2009 barrym 158 posts | You might as well play racketball then. |
| Dec. 17, 2009 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | 5,4,3,2,1 here comes the whine,we seniors need to hit a lively bat/ball combo. |
| Dec. 18, 2009 Player25 Men's 55 50 posts | I have played racketball. It is a great game. Good for conditioning and eye/hand coordination. The difference is when getting hit by a racketball, while hurting like H--- and leaving a nice donut bruise, it does not break bones, lead to sever trauma, or potentially death. I am guessing someone, somewhere has died by being hit by a racketball but would also guess not as many as with a softball. Have also heard of racketball players having an eye put out.(did not wear goggles) IMO the risk factor for racketball is near zero. The risk factor in softball with todays equipment is much greater. |
| Dec. 18, 2009 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | player25 yep,ya got that right on all accounts.i used play all the time,its the player drilling you from behind that used to get me,arrrrggghh. |
