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Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
There was a thread awhile back that talked about a ball that appeared to be doctored to allow the pitcher a better grip.

At an 18U showcase event this weekend...after jumping on top early in bracket, including a huge HR shot, DD's team looked like they were swinging wet noodles. DD got jammed in her first AB, but hit it solid down the LF line in her second. She thought the ball should have gone to the fence, but it just seemed to die and she ended up with a single. She told me after the game that it felt like contact with the worst of our old BP softballs. Later, a parent (who is also an umpire) sitting right behind home plate asked the umpire to check the ball after it sounded really thudish. Umpire looked at it, and made the coach switch it out, and we played on...no other consequence. Talked to the TD, who chuckled and said "I'm not surprised".

That told me everything I needed to know. This was a "pitching team supplies balls" tournament, and the umpires didn't touch them "because of Covid". This was especially ironic to me because this was an unsanctioned tournament in the heart of rural red-state America where Covid is barely acknowledged.

It's really easy to spot the difference between a new "gamer" and anything else. I was floored that this BS would happen at what otherwise appeared to be a well organized event. I personally hadn't seen this nonsense since 12U. Sad that this coach had so little confidence in his pitcher and team that he had to resort to cheating.

This facility was extensively covered and netted, so it was often hard to quickly retrieve fouls. Coaches, if you're at a tournament where the balls don't get put into play by the umpire, grab what your team fouls off and check them yourselves. Or, get a parent to hunt them down and check them for you.

Umpires on this board, what do YOU do, if anything, to prevent this? What action would YOU take in this situation?
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Tournament DD just played in the balls were provided by a third party (not sure who) and I never saw so many 1-0,0-0 (pool),2-1 games in my life...lol. Balls sounded like marshmallows when they were hit :LOL:
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Tournament DD just played in the balls were provided by a third party (not sure who) and I never saw so many 1-0,0-0 (pool),2-1 games in my life...lol. Balls sounded like marshmallows when they were hit :LOL:

At least both sides were playing with the same disadvantage!
 
Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
Tournament DD just played in the balls were provided by a third party (not sure who) and I never saw so many 1-0,0-0 (pool),2-1 games in my life...lol. Balls sounded like marshmallows when they were hit :LOL:
I will wager $1 it was bownet balls.

In a tournament like this, balls should be inspected and stamped at check in OR The tournament sponsors should buy a reputable ball in bulk and sell min 4 of them to the teams with no markup.

When we get back to normal, the umpires and td’s should start every game with four new balls, not frigging two and quit using the same balls all damn weekend. Especially exposure events.
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
I actually picked up an almost brand new Bownet ball that was left outside a fence at a tournament a few weeks ago (score!!) and have noticed it sounds weird when it is hit.

Interesting...DD has a Bownet ball on her shelf that she launched in to low-earth orbit.
 

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