Thread: Interesting opinion?

Met a guy yesterday at a baseball game. He was talking softball so I joined in the conversation. He was very mad and so I asked what was on his mind. He said his daughter had taken a very hard shot to the face ( pitching ) and knocked out a tooth.

He was cussing up one side and down the other about the 43' move in school ball. He admitted that his DD is just an average pitcher and she is getting hammered. He said he is taking pics and sending a long letter to NFHS about all these potential injuries that may come as a result of the 43 move.

I went to our HS pre-season tourney last weekend. And did see more hits all day than I am use to from the old 40'. From all levels of pitching.

The guy did have an interesting opinion so I thought I'd share. He said, " if the batters put in the same hours per week that most of our daughters put in pitching there would be no reason for 43' at any level."

I do agree the high level pitchers will do very well. But, I do feel they make up only 10% of the pitchers nationwide.

I also heard and researched the NFHS ruling. Yes that's what they wanted. But also had pressure from the college level. The college coaches wanted an easier way to evaluate potential pitchers. I have heard a few college coaches within our state say that some great 40' pitchers were struggling at 43. Colleges don't want to spend the first 2 years training a pitcher at 43. That's just what I've heard.

Back to this guys problem, I've stated before you will see many more injuries to all infielders with 43. Some will say "wear a mask", ok that's fine, but what about the other 90% of the body. A good hard shot to a collar bone, knee, shin, finger, or arm will break it or even shatter the bone.

Bottom line is there is no way to make all of us happy. I just hope it doesn't take a tragedy to open peoples eyes one way or another.

Definitely torn about the move that they've made. However, with this pitching injury her tooth could still be in her mouth today if she had on a mask. Sure, other injuries occur, but that is one that could have been easily prevented.

Regardless of where you stand on the move, the decision has been made. There is no use beating a dead horse. It is over and done with, you are going to have to learn to deal with the 43 feet rule now.

I agree totally with your figures. I have a pitcher and a third baseman (both of which wear masks) so I am aware of the dangers. For us my DD's are aware of what can happen and they make their own decision to play. It is a sport. All sports have inherent risk's. I do agree that safety needs to be vital but hopefully done so by not detracting from the sport if at all possible.

I do not want to see the game get overran by sanctioning bodies making changes to the game every year. That will take the game away from the kids and that is not the answer. If they keep playing with the bats as ASA does what is next a ball mandate? Then what mandating the gap between basemen and home for protection? Who knows. I sure hope not. We have to let our kids play the game. I really hope that there are not more injuries due to the 43 foot pitching rule. This would be a step in the wrong direction for sure! But again, they wanted more offense and that may be what they are going to get.

I do believe third base will be a hotter corner then ever now, good or bad.

Originally Posted by amanda_cake

Definitely torn about the move that they've made. However, with this pitching injury her tooth could still be in her mouth today if she had on a mask. Sure, other injuries occur, but that is one that could have been easily prevented.

Regardless of where you stand on the move, the decision has been made. There is no use beating a dead horse. It is over and done with, you are going to have to learn to deal with the 43 feet rule now.

I told this poor guy the only way it will ever change back is after a 10 year study that would have to prove a significant increase in injuries. I don't think he appreciated my opinion. But I'm sure I'd been the same way if it was my daughter.

Originally Posted by mkral

I like what he is saying about the hitters spending time. However there are some teams and players that do spend that much time on hitting. I am not saying isolated time but overall time spent hitting.

I think he was probably referring to individual time. ( pitching vs batting ) I know mine will do close to 5 hours a week pitching. Never seen an individual batter put in that much time. This guy was on fire, so I agreed with most of what he said and tried not to push any buttons.

Originally Posted by GOINGDEEP

Met a guy yesterday at a baseball game. He was talking softball so I joined in the conversation. He was very mad and so I asked what was on his mind. He said his daughter had taken a very hard shot to the face ( pitching ) and knocked out a tooth.

He was cussing up one side and down the other about the 43' move in school ball. He admitted that his DD is just an average pitcher and she is getting hammered. He said he is taking pics and sending a long letter to NFHS about all these potential injuries that may come as a result of the 43 move.

I went to our HS pre-season tourney last weekend. And did see more hits all day than I am use to from the old 40'. From all levels of pitching.

The guy did have an interesting opinion so I thought I'd share. He said, " if the batters put in the same hours per week that most of our daughters put in pitching there would be no reason for 43' at any level."

Next time you see the guy, ask him how much time was devoted to teaching his daughter pitcher self-defense drills. There is a big difference in those and the basic defense drills coaches put pitchers through. Too bad for the young lady.

Hal, I got the feeling this young lady was a school pitcher and that's it. Probably no formal training. But I do understand what you mean.

This situation is what concerns me. We all know HS ball has a wide variety of talent, up and down. It is the less talented pitchers going against mid to advanced hitters that has the higher % of producing injuries. Where before maybe only the pitcher worried about the advanced hitters. JMO.

But I'll probably never see this guy again, he was from a visiting school playing a school that I have no ties to. I was just bored and wanted to see some action.