Umpires really play a huge role in pitching struggles. There's nothing worse than having one with an agenda. Call the strike zone. It should never be tighter because of travel or an elite level. If the letters are in the rule book then that's what should be called at all levels
Crazy ideas, but why not?
- Thread starter justanotherguy
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Absolute crazy rambling, but really curious about these ideas and maybe will spark a good discussion.
Allow pitchers to throw overhand. As I was reading the comments in the other thread about such a large pitcher shortage, why not allow girls to throw overhand? Throwing underhand takes such a massive time invest that gets zero benefit with any other position or sport. It's also the most efficient way for the body to actually "throw" something. There would be very few, if any, that could actually throw the ball harder overhand. Maybe make some new rules or stipulations for it, but why not give it a go?
Enact a new bat standard for 14u and above. Almost any fully grown girl can hit the ball over a 200ft fence. At 15u most all baseball goes to the BBCOR standard. That's -3 bats with a .50 BPF. The game flat out changes. Suddenly that 325ft corner becomes a massive challenge. There are very few HR's in HS now. Most teams have zero HRs after a season. Even now in LL they have a whole new standard that just started this year. So why can't softball have something similar? Let's say mandate a 1.0 BPF, -8 standard at 14u+. Baseball has gone through 2 new standards in just 7 years, so no matter how much parents complain, it's still VERY doable. For softball, bats are hotter than hell. Baseball massively deadens their bats though at the same time the field size massively increases. You can argue the differences between boys and girls, but the field is always the same for girls from 8u to college. Go to the baseball boards and you'll still see regular posts about, "How does my son go from -10 to -3 in one season?" You'd see that here too, but the true hitters will still hit.
Discuss.
There isn't a pitcher shortage, there is a travel ball team team surplus.
You do realize that a number of rules have changed in the past 20 years with the focus on giving hitters a fair chance. 43 feet, optic yellow ball... My dd was a good HS pitcher who played for a good B+ A- type team. From the age of 15 to 20 she probably pitched 200ish games and gave up 25 or so homeruns. Looking at the scores of games the average (tossing out blowout games where one team was probably playing in the wrong tourney) was probably in the neighborhood of 4-3, The game doesn't need changing for offenses sake.
Making softball pitchers throw overhand will take the uniqueness of the game..
1. Umpires need to expand the zone and start giving corners.
2. Move the fence at least to 225 foot, want to see more doubles and triples.
3. At younger level like rec introduce pitch count. This will encourage the coaches to use more pitchers and not ride the stud.
4. Make leaping and replant legal.
1. Umpires need to expand the zone and start giving corners.
2. Move the fence at least to 225 foot, want to see more doubles and triples.
3. At younger level like rec introduce pitch count. This will encourage the coaches to use more pitchers and not ride the stud.
4. Make leaping and replant legal.
Corners are already in the rule book so is a high strike.
- Apr 16, 2013
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Just an FYI, I just wanted to spark some discussion. My DD, at now just turning 15, plays both baseball and softball. I enjoy thinking and hearing responses as I see both sides of the fence. (Pun intended.)
I do, 100% believe, that bats are too hot. When you can hit a ball over the fence, EASILY, off a tee, that's an issue, IMO. The reasons bats are 1.20BPF with a 200ft fence, to me, screams sexism. "Girls simply are too week to need a stronger standard." If you want to keep the 1.20 standard, then the standard field size, at 14u+, should be 240. It's a lot easier to make a new 1.0 standard for bats though.
Back to the discussion.
I do, 100% believe, that bats are too hot. When you can hit a ball over the fence, EASILY, off a tee, that's an issue, IMO. The reasons bats are 1.20BPF with a 200ft fence, to me, screams sexism. "Girls simply are too week to need a stronger standard." If you want to keep the 1.20 standard, then the standard field size, at 14u+, should be 240. It's a lot easier to make a new 1.0 standard for bats though.
Back to the discussion.
Just an FYI, I just wanted to spark some discussion. My DD, at now just turning 15, plays both baseball and softball. I enjoy thinking and hearing responses as I see both sides of the fence. (Pun intended.)
I do, 100% believe, that bats are too hot. When you can hit a ball over the fence, EASILY, off a tee, that's an issue, IMO. The reasons bats are 1.20BPF with a 200ft fence, to me, screams sexism. "Girls simply are too week to need a stronger standard." If you want to keep the 1.20 standard, then the standard field size, at 14u+, should be 240. It's a lot easier to make a new 1.0 standard for bats though.
Back to the discussion.
Offense provides excitement to the majority of people watching softball. In a time when we want the sport to grow we do not need to diminish one of it's top selling points.
The OP mentioned allowing girls to throw overhand. It would totally change the game. My DD is 5'2" and 120lbs. Her OHV was clocked at 63mph at an SEC camp and I promise she couldn't hit 45 if she tried to pitch.
Can you imagine how many pitchers each team would need if they pitched overhand? We would regularly see teams with 18-20 players just to have enough pitching for a tourney.
Core is all over that!!!
No money in that. That's why you don't see them in college baseball and never will even though it makes perfectly good sense. That said if you use a wood bat properly you can crush the ball. It's just not forgiving at all
