Maybe Fastpitch Doesn't Need a MLB swing?

[inthunder]

I think you have to be careful not to change the game too much,,,,its a wonderful game and its not baseball, dont want it to be baseball. I dont disagree with some things here but look what the college baseball game did when they killed bats there hasny been a home run hit in Omaha since,,,,well its been too long !! Who wants that to come to fastpitch?? A dominant even a great pitcher handles alot of big offensive lineups so again I would caution to much change

 

[guero_gordo]

A great number of college coaches at D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JUCO coud not identify a high level swing if their life depended on it.

It's the one you hit the riseball with, right?

 

[CoogansBluff]

I think you have to be careful not to change the game too much,,,,its a wonderful game and its not baseball, dont want it to be baseball. I dont disagree with some things here but look what the college baseball game did when they killed bats there hasny been a home run hit in Omaha since,,,,well its been too long !! Who wants that to come to fastpitch?? A dominant even a great pitcher handles alot of big offensive lineups so again I would caution to much change

I agree. ...

Yeah, there are some cheap home runs, but the college game is fun to watch. I love a 2-1 game when it's two really good pitchers, but I don't want that to be the norm. Dads dig the long ball.

 

[DrPipes]

It's the one you hit the riseball with, right?

That is funny stuff, right there.

 

[Cannonball]

I have to respectfully disagree with a couple of positions taken here. Coaching is MUCH better at every level. Sure there are still coaches in college that don't know a mountain from a mole hill. Still, there are others that are improving their knowledge base and are learning from the most recent research/practices. Factor in that this is also exponentially magnified by the young lady who learned better basics at, say age 10 and has received outstanding coaching all along the journey. Then, don't discount players teaching players. My dd called today and we talked hitting. I was absolutely amazed at her insights and knowledge.

There are other things in the works as well. Schools are being told that if the wish to host regional or sectional games, they have to make improvements to fields and some of which have been told about their distance. My dd's school which is 200 down the lines and 220 or 225 to center has had to put up higher fence. They did so.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Being a college coach is a very difficult challenge because of the wide range of skills required. It's more than just knowing softball, which is challenging enough. But they have to be good managers of people. They have to treat people well. They have to know the NCAA rule book, how to balance academics and athletics. Then there is art of recruiting, for which failure will get you fired very quickly. They have to be able to inspire high school kids to want to play for them, and then win for them when they get on campus. They have to keep them eligible. Then there's strength & conditioning & nutrition. Time management. They have to know how to recognize their shortcomings and delegate.

So, if I were to say (which I didn't) that many college coaches leave something to be desired in terms of their precise knowledge of, say, hitting, that wouldn't necessarily be an insult or show of disrespect. I will say that there are probably some college head coaches who know less about hitting than I do, and I don't consider myself one of the good hitting minds on this board. But I would be highly under-qualified and over-matched if I were handed the keys to a college softball program. If I were to criticize a coach for this or that, it doesn't mean I'm not highly impressed with them as a whole. It's a tough job.

 

[DrPipes]

I have to respectfully disagree with a couple of positions taken here. Coaching is MUCH better at every level. Sure there are still coaches in college that don't know a mountain from a mole hill. Still, there are others that are improving their knowledge base and are learning from the most recent research/practices. Factor in that this is also exponentially magnified by the young lady who learned better basics at, say age 10 and has received outstanding coaching all along the journey. Then, don't discount players teaching players. My dd called today and we talked hitting. I was absolutely amazed at her insights and knowledge.

There are other things in the works as well. Schools are being told that if the wish to host regional or sectional games, they have to make improvements to fields and some of which have been told about their distance. My dd's school which is 200 down the lines and 220 or 225 to center has had to put up higher fence. They did so.

I agree with some of this. I have seen some very well respected coaches who teach very out dated and "wrong" skills technique. A well respected coach with a lot of international experience is still teaching "throw your hands at the ball" and "field, set your feet, and throw" for infielders.

This guy gets by with some freak athletes and with players who have been properly coached to do exactly the opposite of his 'coaching'.

His best hitter may be his freshman infielder that has been coached to NOT field or hit like he instructs. His team will be a top 20 team in spite of his instruction. He may be a very good organizer and admnistrator but from a skills standpoint the guy is a pretender. Unbelievable because he is a former D1 college baseball player.

He is 1 example of many such cases.

Most of the coaches I see get by with recruiting and with dominant pitching.

Again just my observations based on 20+ years of following this game.

 

[Eric F]

Move the damn bases back at least 5 feet...take that slap and bunt garbage out of the game. At least some of it. You can't even play defense. No double plays. The bases are just way to close. I think moving the bases back will create a much better game.

I disagree. I like that the shorter bases of softball create a faster game, and the added dimension of slapping and bunting being an effective offensive weapon. In fact, those are the reasons that I like most about watching quality softball. DPs still happen, but they are much less "routine". Generally, they are a result of good players executing at a high level of speed and precision. I would agree with moving the fences back, but not the bases.

 

[obbay]

I love a 2-1 game when it's two really good pitchers, but I don't want that to be the norm.

I loved that 14-10 game last weekend!

the game aint broke, dont try to fix it!
If they want to change anything, I could go along with moving the fences back a little, but thats it. as long as the ball stays in the park they are making the plays now

 

[iMlearning]

bases

Move the damn bases back at least 5 feet...take that slap and bunt garbage out of the game. At least some of it. You can't even play defense. No double plays. The bases are just way to close. I think moving the bases back will create a much better game.

I disagree. I like that that shorter bases of softball create a faster game, and the added dimension of slapping and bunting being an effective offensive weapon. In fact, those are the reasons that I like most about watching quality softball. DPs still happen, but they are much less "routine". Generally, they are a result of good players executing at a high level of speed and precision. I would agree with moving the fences back, but not the bases.

I'm not sure if it was Mendoza or someone else but they said moving the bases back a few feet was "on the table" for future changes to make the game more exciting.