Should the game be modified in today's age?

[PEPPERS]

The only thing I would change would be to ajust the bats where it was more about the swing than the $$$$$$ in the bat.

 

[nanotech14]

Restrict the bats/balls if too many hot hits or home runs but the field dimensions seem perfect to me, as many have said, EXCEPT for the way in which balls leave the park sometimes (not in all levels of games, though).

Making the bat or ball less hot would also force girls to improve their swings to be more efficient, which wouldn't be a bad thing. To me we always point to major league baseball player swings to emulate, but they play on different sized field with different equipment and face different pitching, it DOES make a difference in how you *optimize* the swing --ie, get the last few bits of efficiency out of it that separate superstar from average player.

For instance, in high school baseball BBCOR bats make a huge difference for kids and really challenge them to work on their swings.

We live in this sport now,where you are forced to buy these $300 bats to keep up.My dd has been going to a bc for almost 3 years now,not lately but she will be able to start again soon,but thats another story.Like so many other girls,that want to take their game to the next level.They spend countless hours training to get better ,sometimes I think it would be nice to have a tournament with a bunch of wal-mart $20 bats and see what would happen.

 

[Coach JV]

SERIOUSLY????? The reason Baseball is so boring is the
speed of the game. I am in the camp that speed is the draw
to fastpitch. Lengthen the base-paths? never? Move in the fences?
why? If a female athlete can consistently punch the ball over the fence,
then good for her, pitchers will learn to pitch around her to keep the
ball in the park. If we move the fences back, it lessens the effectiveness of the
pitcher vs hitter battle.

Let's Play Ball and leave this nonsense alone

 

[PA SB Dad]

I guess you have to ask yourself how does changing the game make it better? I can't think how making the infield larger or the fences further back would improve the game.

 

[Sweet Lou]

IMO, 65' bases would be quite appropriate for the FP game of the 21st century and it really doesn't change the game as much as the reactionaries believe it would.

I could be wrong as I'm not really up on mens fast pitch but I think the 60' bases has been pretty standard in both FP and SP for many, many, many years. Just like the 90' bases in baseball (though I do know some leagues gradually go from 60' to 90' at the youth BB levels) so I do ask, why would you want to change something that has been fundamental to the game since almost its inception?

To me is ain't broke, don't fix it. And I really don't see the 60' bases as broken.

Sure I think most if not all of the girls wouldn't have a problem with 65' bases above the U12 level but I still don't see a real good argument to lenghten the base paths.

I do like the idea someone posted of a tourney with cheap or even wooden bats. That would be interesting to see.

 

[DOG310]

I too like the speed of the game, but what are thoughts on making it incremental? i.e. stay like it is through H.S. College move the bases to 65 and the pitching plate to 45?

As some have said, the issue with moving the fences back brings up available space and $$ which most folks don't have an excess of right now.

 

[Sweet Lou]

I too like the speed of the game, but what are thoughts on making it incremental? i.e. stay like it is through H.S. College move the bases to 65 and the pitching plate to 45?

As some have said, the issue with moving the fences back brings up available space and $$ which most folks don't have an excess of right now.

They still have a lot of low scoring games with 43/65 but sure colligate and international if they wanted to go 45/65 would probably be fine I just don't think it in necessary.

As for fences, I'd assume that would be phased in over time, that is granfather existing diamonds but move fences back as new feilds are constructed or old fields renovated. I'm sure most folks are sensitive to the cost issues with moving fences that are already in place.

 

[Jillsdad]

In baseball if a batter hits a medium grounder to short and the shortstop fields the ball cleanly and makes a good throw to first the runner is out by a step, as he should be when hitting a grounder to short. In softball in the same scenario the runner is safe at first by two steps. This is why the bases should be moved to 70'. (IMHO)

 

[obbay]

Baseball carries farther than the larger, heavier softball. leave the field size the same and reduce the bats. do not change more than 1variable (aspect of the game) at a time.

I like the speed of the game too-even when you're talking little kids who aren't moving that fast yet.
reducing the exit speed of the bats will change a lot. you may not need to increase basepaths and you definitely won't need to increase size of fields. and the game will still be fast.

 

[starsnuffer]

Didn't we just have this conversation 2 weeks ago?

The only thing that should change is to take away the $300 magic composite bats that let wimpy little kids drive the ball 200'. Bring the game back to where the hitters hit, and everyone else has to figure out another way to get on base, and you'll be on to something.

-W