Kentucky HS equipment rule.

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May 4, 2016
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One of my problems (I have several but they have been mostly mentioned above) with the Kentucky rule is that it doesn't apply to baseball. One of the proudest moments I've had as a father is when my daughter told me she didn't want to wear a face mask because the boys don't and she's a better fielder than them. Heck yes!

There's an element of this rule that smells of sexism and I don't like it one little bit.

Or the fact that the distances are shorter and the girls are hitting just as hard.
 
Jan 28, 2017
1,662
83
12U tournament and a male coach warming up a pitcher had to wear a helmet, chest protector, and cup. If caught he would be ejected from the tournament. Pitcher didn't have to wear a mask. What?
 
Feb 12, 2014
648
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Or the fact that the distances are shorter and the girls are hitting just as hard.

Any actual facts that show that baseball and softball exit velocities are the same at the HS level? The limited research I've done shows HS exit velocities are at least 10+ MPH faster for baseball even with BBCOR bats. Yep, distances are longer but the ball is traveling much faster. High level HS softball players will have exit velocities around 65-70 MPH but a high level HS baseball player with a BBCOR bat will have exit velocities at and above 90 MPH. So, your argument that they both hit it just as hard is flat out wrong.
 
Last edited:
Sep 26, 2011
30
8
Any actual facts that show that baseball and softball exit velocities are the same at the HS level? The limited research I've done shows HS exit velocities are at least 10+ MPH faster for baseball even with BBCOR bats. Yep, distances are longer but the ball is traveling much faster. High level HS softball players will have exit velocities around 65-70 MPH but a high level HS baseball player with a BBCOR bat will have exit velocities at and above 90 MPH. So, your argument that they both hit it just as hard is flat out wrong.

So let's follow your logic. A third basemen playing even with the bag is 90 ft away from the batter. A ball leaving the bat at 90mph travels at ~132 fps. The ball gets to the fielder in 0.68 seconds.

Now let's look at the softball third basemen. She's playing in for the bunt standing at 40 feet from the batter. A ball hit at 65 mph travels 88 fps. The ball is at the player in 0.454 seconds.

He's got 50% more time to react.


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Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
It is not about having enough time to react. It is about failure to react. The times you mention are well within a humans ability to react. Facemasks are a last line of defense for those who fail in their eforts. Most would agree that those failures are more common in softball vs baseball.
 
Last edited:
Feb 12, 2014
648
43
So let's follow your logic. A third basemen playing even with the bag is 90 ft away from the batter. A ball leaving the bat at 90mph travels at ~132 fps. The ball gets to the fielder in 0.68 seconds.

Now let's look at the softball third basemen. She's playing in for the bunt standing at 40 feet from the batter. A ball hit at 65 mph travels 88 fps. The ball is at the player in 0.454 seconds.

He's got 50% more time to react.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is why I hate math! LOL That is an excellent point. I don't think most third basemen in baseball always play even and I don't think many third basemen in softball play 20 feet in front against a hitter who can hit 65 MPH.

But, I take your point.
 
Last edited:
Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
So let's follow your logic. A third basemen playing even with the bag is 90 ft away from the batter. A ball leaving the bat at 90mph travels at ~132 fps. The ball gets to the fielder in 0.68 seconds.

Now let's look at the softball third basemen. She's playing in for the bunt standing at 40 feet from the batter. A ball hit at 65 mph travels 88 fps. The ball is at the player in 0.454 seconds.

He's got 50% more time to react.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


If baseball player is playing in and the softball player is by the bag then the softball player has more time to react. You could put them both by the bag and reaction times are similar. The softball player has slightly less time to react, but that doesn’t support the argument. It’s much easier to just change the variables until it supports the theory.
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
Player-ball impact consequences are not just about potential for occurrence (i.e., speed-related reaction time), but also about potential severity due to mass (i.e., f=ma). Anyone recall the video (espn sport science maybe) of Jenny Finch shattering the force plate (with a softball) that had withstood 90+ mph baseballs?!
 

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