Just when you thought you have seen it all.... covid related

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Mar 7, 2016
242
28
Unlike Slow pitch, the fastpitch ball specifications are identical between ASA and USSSA.

Size: 12"
COR: .47
Compression: 375 lbs.

Different manufacturers use different materials. Your Dudley Thunder heads are polyurethane center, where a Rawlings dream seam is high density cork. So, that might explain the different sounds.

Actually just like in Slow pitch a ball can state the exact same numbers as above and fly different. For example take an ASA ball and a UTRIP ball both Dudley thunder heats and bounce them and see how they fly. Same core same cover same specs 47/375. Let me know what you find out... When you start comparing different brands you can really see a difference.

There is also a distinct sound difference between Demarini and an Easton, and also on off hits. That being said I am still a firm believer that utrip balls fly farther than ASA balls, maybe just stuck in my head from SP days but from what I have seen in practices/ games mirrors that.

Now take a BP poly core vs a new poly core and check that out. should they all fly the same with same specs... in theory yes in real life never happens.

I guess my biggest gripe here is each team brings the ball the OPPOSING team hits with zero regulation in this case. Especially when you watch a player square up on one and it sounds like a TCB ball.
 
Jun 11, 2020
38
8
Unlike Slow pitch, the fastpitch ball specifications are identical between ASA and USSSA.

Size: 12"
COR: .47
Compression: 375 lbs.

Different manufacturers use different materials. Your Dudley Thunder heats are polyurethane center, where a Rawlings dream seam is high density cork. So, that might explain the different sounds.
12" Dudley USSSA Thunder Heat with blue laces -- 6.25 oz.

12" Dudley NFHS with red laces -- 6.30 oz.

12" Dudley ASA Thunder Heat with red laces -- 7.05 oz.

I have weighed several of each of these balls with a food scale and consistently get these weights.
 
Mar 7, 2016
242
28
12" Dudley USSSA Thunder Heat with blue laces -- 6.25 oz.

12" Dudley NFHS with red laces -- 6.30 oz.

12" Dudley ASA Thunder Heat with red laces -- 7.05 oz.

I have weighed several of each of these balls with a food scale and consistently get these weights.

i never went to that length, but def can see a difference in how far they fly. This makes sense though as the utrip vs. consistently had 20-30 ft on solid contact hits vs the asa balls.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
i never went to that length, but def can see a difference in how far they fly. This makes sense though as the utrip vs. consistently had 20-30 ft on solid contact hits vs the asa balls.
20-30 feet is definetly added flight.

( this is why i have brought up in other threads the change from the old white debeer/dudlys to the yellow rockets. Changed the batting averages by .100 points.
Went from rare home runs to expect home runs)
 
Mar 14, 2017
453
43
Michigan
20-30 feet is definetly added flight.

( this is why i have brought up in other threads the change from the old white debeer/dudlys to the yellow rockets. Changed the batting averages by .100 points.
Went from rare home runs to expect home runs)

Carol Hutchens was going over her list of 25 greatest players she coached. This isn't an exact quote, but it's close..."You can't compare player of the past based solely on stats. In the past the balls were dead by the 3rd inning. Someone led the team in home runs with two, and one of those was an inside the parker."
 

inumpire

Observer, but has an opinion
Oct 31, 2014
277
43
This past weekend we played in a decent sized tournament in Kansas. We played a nationally known org (ill leave the name out) first pool game. This was a utrip tourney that they entered with a 19-3 record IN USSSA. The tournament DID NOT provide balls of any kind. During the first couple innings it was brought to my attention the opposing team was throwing a red laced ball. One huge downside to these covid rules is that the teams can bring and throw any ball they please. We assumed that each team would follow utrip rules and throw utrip balls.... when I asked the ump about he actually went off on me telling me to mind my own team it was allowed because and i quote "the tournament didnt provide balls and the opposing team did not have any UTRIP balls"... i then offered them a few of ours and was denied, telling me to go back to my dugout.... now when you travel all over the US just getting back from a large Texas utrip tournament you expect me to believe they dont have any UTRIP balls with a 19-3 utrip record? Not only did this UTRIP tourney allow ASA balls of any kind, it allowed ASA bats (blue ghosts), NFHS softballs, and NSA balls. Pretty much if you had it you could use it. Now i am a ball junky from my slowpitch days and know ball types and associations matter in regards to how far a ball flies especially in certain weather types. I am pretty easy going coach in regards to adapting to the situation or umpire but this one baffled me.

Whats keeping a team from throwing a mush ball if they umps flat out didnt care or even want to touch a ball? There was a distinct sound different from what my girls were hitting compared to the UTRIP thunder heats we were pitching. The fact the ump reacted like that to me asking about allowed equipment really chaps me.

I brought it up to the tourney director who basically said anything was allowed and that there was no difference in bats or balls and to just play ball... So after that i made it a point to ask at each opening conference what was allowed on that field. Not one team from out of state (tournament was %80 out of state teams) brought a blue seam ball with them.... we were told due to covid that they could not find them in stock....

like to hear your opinions on this?
That is what happens when you play in tourneys, that the TD just wants your MONEY!!! Doesn’t care about the game or the kids, it’s all about the $$$$$$.
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
It is just hard to say....in my younger days I would have given the ump one last chance as I walked away are you sure that is your stance? OK and handed my pitcher the two most mushy balls in the bucket. My older wiser self, as long as their balls weren't' terrible, would just move on.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,468
Members
21,443
Latest member
sstop28
Top