Thread: New bats and "maybe" new pitching

Sluggers, wasn't sure where to put this thread.

I still run around the ole baseball fields when my DD doesn't have a game. The new regulations on the baseball bats ( what I've seen so far in HS ) are changing some approaches by pitchers in the area. The new bats have a very small sweet spot, and the pop is minimal to say the least.

I've been noticing over the few games I have watched that the strike outs are low ( multiple teams ) and the hits are increasing but little power. Batters are complaining, as well as parents ( of coarse ). The game does seem to be moving faster ( time wise ) because of the increase of balls in play. But again, the hits are bloopers and weak drives.

Asking two HS coaches, they say the strike zone has gotten smaller along with the sweet spot of the bat forcing more pitching across the plate. Defense seems to become a bigger factor just like when fastpitch moved to the 43'.

So............is this the intentions of baseball? To speed up the game and make it more appealing? I know that was a factor with NFHS with softball going 43'.

And how much is it going to change our game/pitching if we get the same bat regulations and diminishing strike zone?

I think 2 things are driving the bat regulations at the HS level at least

1 - safety. Purely anecdotal but I know in our area a kid was put in a coma for 3 month with a line drive back to forehead. That was last year or the year before.

2 - MLB. They want bats that play closer to wood for projection purposes in the draft. They don't want to be scouting a kid with 25 HRs where 20 of them are because of the hot bat and 5 are legit HRs. I've heard this through some friends who are close to some MLB scouts.

Not surehow that relates to softball. But just my $0.02.

In softball, fielding range in the infield has been diminished each year. It is getting to every player needs to be a 3rd baseperson, catch the ball and make a good throw.

I remember right before the 43' change our SS, and 3rd base could take a nap or finish their school work in the field soon as the pitcher stepped in the circle. A lot of average hitters couldn't get around enough to pull from 40'. 2nd base and RF had the most action. Now it's pretty equal all around.

But I will admit I enjoy the increase in action.