- Oct 28, 2009
- 52
- 6
ASA announced its rule changes more than a week ago. I was interested to read the discussion in this forum, but haven't seen anything. I started to doubt the information.
The pitching distance moves from 40 feet to 43 feet at 16U "A", 16U "B" and 18U "B".
I am in favor of this change. I remember when the distance was moved from 37' to 40' at the 12U levels (2001?) and it made a more significant difference than I would have predicted. Originally, I thought the added reaction time would not be large enough to be significant - but it was.
Still, I wonder if it might have the opposite effect at 16U, since it will make spin pitches more effective. There are many more 16U pitchers with movement than there are at 12U.
Nevertheless, I like the change because pitchers will have more time to react to line drives.
The other notable change is that metal spikes are allowed at 16U and 18U. Recently, this change was made at the high school level and there hasn't been a problem. But in a risk/benefit analysis at the 16U "B" level and to a lesser extent at the 16U "A" level, I fall on a side opposite to that of the ASA decision makers.
The pitching distance moves from 40 feet to 43 feet at 16U "A", 16U "B" and 18U "B".
I am in favor of this change. I remember when the distance was moved from 37' to 40' at the 12U levels (2001?) and it made a more significant difference than I would have predicted. Originally, I thought the added reaction time would not be large enough to be significant - but it was.
Still, I wonder if it might have the opposite effect at 16U, since it will make spin pitches more effective. There are many more 16U pitchers with movement than there are at 12U.
Nevertheless, I like the change because pitchers will have more time to react to line drives.
The other notable change is that metal spikes are allowed at 16U and 18U. Recently, this change was made at the high school level and there hasn't been a problem. But in a risk/benefit analysis at the 16U "B" level and to a lesser extent at the 16U "A" level, I fall on a side opposite to that of the ASA decision makers.
