Is there a benefit to changing balls in Slow Pitch?

[Whitney Hollis]

What really are the benefits of changing the ball for girls? With the 11 inch ball they can hit further but you can also field faster.....Is there any science around this?

 

[quincy]

In fastpitch the 11’ ball is not going to stay in the park with players about 14 YO and higher. The fielders would not have a chance to field the ball. I would assume the same would be true for slowpitch.

 

[CoreSoftball20]

Are you talking about Co-ed Slowpitch where they switch from big to little ball?

 

[Whitney Hollis]

Yeah I am talking about the switch. Coming from fastpitch I think the rule is ridiculous. I dont see the benefit. The ball is smaller which means it flies faster and can be thrown quicker so I dont think there is an advantage.

 

[Comocoach]

Higher exit speed on an 11" than a 12". Especially considering most coed slowpitch leagues and tournaments use a 44/375 or 47/375 ball for the girls and a 52/275 or 52/300 for the guys. I don't think the speed of a thrown ball negates the advantage to hitter.

 

[RetiredCoach]

There is a major advantage to an 11" ball over a 12" ball. It flies a lot further and faster and has less chance of being fielded than a 12" ball. Also, it expands the field because the outfielders have to stay back instead of moving in for the girl/women slow pitch hitters.

 

[CoreSoftball20]

How far can you hit a 12" 52/275 or 52/300 softball? I'm not talking the once in a while get ahold of one shot. I'm talking on average?
That right there is the main reason you switch balls. Defense has to play with more respect. With the little ball, the outfield
has to play 200-250 foot depending on the girl, some deeper. If you used the big ball, outfield plays 150...thats not far behind the infield. How annoying is it for a girl to hit a nice line drive to be caught just because its a big ball and people are playing shorter and the ball doesnt travel. OR worse yet, all the force plays at second. Line drive that falls right in front of the outfielder that is playing 150 and the person gets forced at second because he/she had to hold up because it could have been caught.

How hard you throw the ball doesnt mean much. Its all the other factors that make the game a little more fair and more fun for the girls when playing coed.

 

[Whitney Hollis]

That are the arguments most people say but I am not sure it has been scientifically measured. I hit worse with the 11 inch and many of my girls do as well. The smaller ball means more focus/more challenge. We tend to pop out more. I hit further with the 12 inch and had more homeruns. I thought it was more focused on ball compression. The higher the compression the better right. Everyone is switching to the 52 Corr change for the 12 so wouldnt that help the girls already?

the faster is comes off the bat, the faster it gets out to the field and the faster someone can throw (already found evidence for this bit). So I am thinking that even though the ball might go farther, it will get their faster with the same amount of time to get the ball in as a 12 inch....is it significantly different? Why are my girls struggling with the 11 inch. We all are amazing at bat with the 12 inch.

Anyone have statistical and physical evidence that it truly matters to play with it?

 

[CoreSoftball20]

The lack of focus is on you...not the ball. Not that hard to adjust and hit it. I mean really, you need data to tell you
an 11" higher comp ball will travel better than a 12" low comp ball? Cor is diff than compression. The bigger balls are
going to lower comp to travel less for the guys. So how would this help girls to use this same ball?

I really have no idea why you are so focused on how hard somebody can throw a ball against all the advantages the little ball
helps with as I already stated.

 

[Whitney Hollis]

I suppose I dont really understand the change of the ball. Coming from fastpitch to slowpitch I find it ridiculous. And I do agree that its the focus of the individual but when you are used to timing and playing with a 12 inch in slowpitch even--switiching to 11 is annoying. The smaller ball makes it hard to grip as I am used to the 12 inch. Sure I can throw it faster because it is smaller but what I am saying is that this whole switch is supposed to make it completely fair. I dont think its significantly making the game fair at all. If I can throw the ball faster than I will get the girl out for sure no matter where she hits even if its further out. My people will also stand where a typical girl can field so I assume it might be nice not to have an outfield move in and out but thats the only difference really. My girls hit way better with the 12 inch and further at that than the 11 inch so I am not sure why it really makes a difference. It slows the game down to switch the ball every time and is a pain for people in the field to throw with 2 different sized balls and even pitching is a bitch. I think with all the variables changing the balls really has no effect except for some girls who are not that great, can now hit a little farther (mayeb) but it still depends on compression of the ball and the swing of the bat....I am just wondering why there was a sudden switch and what documentation has actually been provided to prove that it is the best thing to do and comes out fairer overall. At the moment I dont see a significant difference.