Softball World Cup - random thoughts.

I enjoyed watching the World Cup. Couple of random thoughts:

Team USA is obviously composed off good players, but is it the best of the best? I have this impression that the best college teams could have held their own in the World Cup competition. I look forward to the day when NPF players are paid enough to live on so that they can really focus on their game. From what I have seen, when the best women are playing softball, the intensity and quality of play is as good as baseball.

I like the fact that the catchers call the game. I really don't much care for the college game where the coaches call in the code and the players then look up the code on their armbands.

I grew tired of hearing the announcers talking about how the pressure on Team USA is so much more than in college ball. I find that hard to believe. The CWS at Oklahoma City is intense.

My takeaway:

- Japan has some good pitching;
- Yukiko Ueno is still one of the top pitchers in fastpitch;
- Some pitchers leaped, others didn't but it really didn't make much of a difference. Those with great command and could really spin it, were the difference makers;
- The USA is very good but not the best players that we could possibly field (several players are playing in the NPF);
- USA coaches had an interesting game plan in the championship game, using a new pitcher almost every inning;
- I disagree that any top college team would be better than Team USA or Japan. USA's defense is excellent and they have great power hitters all up and down the line-up.

Once Team USA gets an opportunity to play together for awhile, they will be the #1 team in the world.

My 14U DD was pissed that the grandstand was virtually empty for the Championship game...

Michelle Smith needs to pick up a few new ways to say a pitcher is behind in the count. One could make a drinking game out of every time she says "pitching backwards"...

who says softball players are tall? Aubree Munro looked like the jolly green giant out there and she is only 5'10"...

I always find it interesting to see which NCAA star pitchers get smacked around at the next level and those that enjoy continued success. Gourley is of the former category, O'Toole of the latter, Barnhill somewhere in the middle...

Japan's batting lineup strategy seems to be shifting? 3,4,5,6 hitters were RH in Champ game. In the past, almost the entire lineup would be lefty. And I don't recall a single textbook "slap" approach by a Japanese batter? Some drag bunts, but no slap hitters like you see in the college game...

Rocketech1 said:

My takeaway:


- Some pitchers leaped, others didn't but it really didn't make much of a difference. Those with great command and could really spin it, were the difference makers.

Click to expand...

Leaping is allowed in international ball. I also noticed the lack of a marked pitching lane in OKC. So maybe stepping wide is allowed too. I noticed Ally Carda was stepping wide with her lead foot when she was trying to get her screw to bite on the inside.

mj1569 said:

Leaping is allowed in international ball. I also noticed the lack of a marked pitching lane in OKC. So maybe stepping wide is allowed too. I noticed Ally Carda was stepping wide with her lead foot when she was trying to get her screw to bite on the inside.

Click to expand...

My point about leaping is it didn't seem to matter much or effect the game, at least at the international level. On a personal note, DD's hitting coach's daughter is playing for the Phillipines national team this summer and had some nice wins last weekend and only lost to Team USA 4-0.