Men's Fastpitch

[Lozza]

As someone from a country with a fairly robust men’s fast pitch scene, I will make one point.

I’m I struggle getting taught by men with pitching. We pitch differently (personally I hate the giant lean that the men all do. It’s so uncomfortble) A lot of the men struggle to understand that women pitch differently. We have different rules and our bodies are different. Men who pitch don’t have to navigate around boobs.Smaller hands can’t hold some grips.
But when men recognise differences it’s brilliant and you get a different perspective.

 

[badmonkey]

I played Fastpitch in high school. I had no idea Missouri was the only state that offered the sport, though I have gotten funny looks when I’ve told people I was a FP pitcher in HS.

And I can proudly say I only threw it over the backstop twice (during actual games) in my career.

 

[Hillhouse]

I played Fastpitch in high school. I had no idea Missouri was the only state that offered the sport, though I have gotten funny looks when I’ve told people I was a FP pitcher in HS.

And I can proudly say I only threw it over the backstop twice (during actual games) in my career.

I think Missouri's boy's program has fallen apart. The guy who orchestrated and operated it was a former player who had 2 boys, so he developed it and worked on it for them. Now that his boys are older, I don't think he's doing it anymore. And I don't anyone else picked up the slack.

I too was a pitcher in HS. And I got a lot of dates by throwing BP to some girls softball players!! And if one broke up with me, she'd wear one in the ribs next BP session!!!! "Take that Sally... should've gone to the movies with me!!!!!!" lol

Bill

 

[Hillhouse]

As someone from a country with a fairly robust men’s fast pitch scene, I will make one point.

I’m I struggle getting taught by men with pitching. We pitch differently (personally I hate the giant lean that the men all do. It’s so uncomfortble) A lot of the men struggle to understand that women pitch differently. We have different rules and our bodies are different. Men who pitch don’t have to navigate around boobs.Smaller hands can’t hold some grips.
But when men recognise differences it’s brilliant and you get a different perspective.

I disagree with many points you've made here Lozza. I think a lot of women "pitch differently" because many are taught by people who've never pitched and are told they are different. Girls are taught to throw overhand the same exact way as boys, you field ground balls the same, run bases the same, and now you swing bats the same as males, it's only "softball pitching" that people talk about differences.

You can't confuse rules with mechanics. Saying "we pitch differently" because of rules is a 1/2 truth. Overall, you're right, men have larger hands for grips and spins but I do know plenty of guys with small hands who adjust. Grips for pitches are very subjective, and any coach worth his/her salt knows the grip is irrelevant the spin is what counts. There are lots of ways for every pitcher to throw any pitch, some grips have more advantages than others but that doesn't make them correct.

Bill

 

[Cannonball]

Fastpitch for men was big in my area as recently as 10-15 years ago. Heck, when I grew up, I started playing FP when I was 16 and still playing baseball. I played a few years and actually played with guys who played on the great ADM teams of the late 70s and 80s. Now, the league is down to one town and a few teams. It was once 4 towns and many teams. It seems that when the pitchers grew old and stopped playing, these teams fell apart.

 

[Orange Socks]

I disagree with many points you've made here Lozza. I think a lot of women "pitch differently" because many are taught by people who've never pitched and are told they are different. Girls are taught to throw overhand the same exact way as boys, you field ground balls the same, run bases the same, and now you swing bats the same as males, it's only "softball pitching" that people talk about differences.

You can't confuse rules with mechanics. Saying "we pitch differently" because of rules is a 1/2 truth. Overall, you're right, men have larger hands for grips and spins but I do know plenty of guys with small hands who adjust. Grips for pitches are very subjective, and any coach worth his/her salt knows the grip is irrelevant the spin is what counts. There are lots of ways for every pitcher to throw any pitch, some grips have more advantages than others but that doesn't make them correct.

Bill

This is not even on topic, but I ran into a old friend at a Houston Texans Tailgate recently. He played Men's fastpitch back in the day, and either played with and/or against you. He was surprised that I even name dropped you. He said that the last years of playing days, the team would fly him wherever they played. Small world!

 

[Hillhouse]

This is not even on topic, but I ran into a old friend at a Houston Texans Tailgate recently. He played Men's fastpitch back in the day, and either played with and/or against you. He was surprised that I even name dropped you. He said that the last years of playing days, the team would fly him wherever they played. Small world!

Well, name dropping me is your first mistake. Some one may hand you an open bar tab from somewhere and expect you to pay it. LOL I'd be curious who you talked to though.

At one point, I pitched for a Houston team for several weekends. But I have played in Texas a lot, quite a bit in San Antonio. I think they still have the remains of a men's FP league there. I'm not sure about Houston these days.

 

[Orange Socks]

Well, name dropping me is your first mistake. Some one may hand you an open bar tab from somewhere and expect you to pay it. LOL I'd be curious who you talked to though.

At one point, I pitched for a Houston team for several weekends. But I have played in Texas a lot, quite a bit in San Antonio. I think they still have the remains of a men's FP league there. I'm not sure about Houston these days.

Fred Gegen

 

[Hillhouse]

OMG, Freddy? Now that guy could hit. Somehow I had a feeling it was him, maybe I'm psychic. We played together with the Houston team for a bit, and against each other a bit. I have MAD respect for Fred.

 

[badmonkey]

I think Missouri's boy's program has fallen apart. The guy who orchestrated and operated it was a former player who had 2 boys, so he developed it and worked on it for them. Now that his boys are older, I don't think he's doing it anymore. And I don't anyone else picked up the slack.

I too was a pitcher in HS. And I got a lot of dates by throwing BP to some girls softball players!! And if one broke up with me, she'd wear one in the ribs next BP session!!!! "Take that Sally... should've gone to the movies with me!!!!!!" lol

Bill

Most schools did not have FP programs. Our conference was one of only a handful in the state. Many years ago my school switched to a conference that did not have FP, so my school doesn't have a program anymore, it's possible they don't anywhere in the state.