This comment~After Watching Boys Cal Ripken World Series

[The Man In Blue]

First thing with baseball, like softball, is you must know what code you are using. Unfortunately, unlike softball, baseball is not as beholden to being "brand specific" and people want to pick and choose (or, more likely, don't know there are different rule sets) rather than just use a rule set.

In OBR (Major League Baseball's rule set; also the basis for Little League and, I believe, Cal Ripken) a balk/illegal pitch is not called until playing action is over. (Think "delayed dead ball" in softball, but if you use that term baseball guys will get their knickers in a twist.)

In NFHS and NCAA a balk/illegal pitch is an immediate dead ball.

A balk can only occur when there are runners on base (penalty is advance the runners one base). If there are no runners on base, the illegal action results in an illegal pitch (penalty is a ball). An illegal action should result in one of these penalties.

If I'm calling some low-level game and the kids are still learning to pitch, you may get quite a few warnings from me. High school and above ... we're balking. It surprises me they would not enforce something if that was a "World Series" tournament.

I agree that baseball feels rather loosey-goosey when it comes to pitching infractions. Strictly my opinion here ... but I believe that comes from two things: (1) MLB's orders/desires for umpires to allow all kinds of monkey play that is then seen on TV and imitated by kids; and (2) the current culture pendulum has swung to the "letter of the law" crowd who allow more of the arsing around because it is not specifically spelled out in the rule book.

 

[radness]

With the quick pitch rule (a type of “balk” listed in the link I posted) - a batter would be credited a “ball” if there are no baserunners.

Apparently from what you posted
with no Runners on base
sometimes there can be a balk and other times it would be a nothing (like what I watched in the game.)
Appears to be some flexibility in those rules.

 

[radness]

If I'm calling some low-level game and the kids are still learning to pitch, you may get quite a few warnings from me. High school and above ... we're balking. It surprises me they would not enforce something if that was a "World Series" tournament.

This appears to be the same delicate dance umpires are dealt to tangle with in softball. The age and competency of the players and umpires making adjustments accordingly (warning, warning, warning). I'd imagine to keep the game moving along.

I agree that baseball feels rather loosey-goosey when it comes to pitching infractions. Strictly my opinion here ... but I believe that comes from two things: (1) MLB's orders/desires for umpires to allow all kinds of monkey play that is then seen on TV and imitated by kids; and (2) the current culture pendulum has swung to the "letter of the law" crowd who allow more of the arsing around because it is not specifically spelled out in the rule book.

Thank you for your feedback.

 

[sluggers]

Are there any reasonable reasons for the difference of restrictiveness in softball?

Softball was invented in Chicago, Illinois as an *indoor* sport for school gymnasiums. (The first balls were rolled up boxing gloves.)

Because of space limitations, the pitcher had to stand much closer to the batter than in baseball. To give the batter a chance to hit the ball, the rule was that the ball had to be thrown underhand.

Of course, some pitchers tried to throw the ball harder than others. The sport split into slow pitch and fastpitch.

As an FYI, Chicago proper as well as the surrounding burbs have more slow pitch softball than you can imagine. There are softball games up and down Lake Shore Drive.

 

[Gags]

Softball was invented in Chicago, Illinois as an *indoor* sport for school gymnasiums. (The first balls were rolled up boxing gloves.)

Because of space limitations, the pitcher had to stand much closer to the batter than in baseball. To give the batter a chance to hit the ball, the rule was that the ball had to be thrown underhand.

Of course, some pitchers tried to throw the ball harder than others. The sport split into slow pitch and fastpitch.

As an FYI, Chicago proper as well as the surrounding burbs have more slow pitch softball than you can imagine. There are softball games up and down Lake Shore Drive.

I also remember reading somewhere that the ER's there also see a much higher proportion of dislocated fingers from those 16" "bare knuckle" games.

 

[sluggers]

I also remember reading somewhere that the ER's there also see a much higher proportion of dislocated fingers from those 16" "bare knuckle" games.

The 16" balls are referred to as mush balls. They turn to mush after 2 or 3 games. A brand new mush ball is about as hard as a regular softball--so, yeah, they can hurt you.

 

[Cougars]

As an FYI, Chicago proper as well as the surrounding burbs have more slow pitch softball than you can imagine. There are softball games up and down Lake Shore Drive.

With a roster of 11 or 12 girls, we've had as many as 5 or 6 dads that played in a weeknight slowpitch league.
One of the players on our team had softball offered as a school sport in middle school, but they played slowpitch.

 

[Hillhouse]

Oklahoma has 2 different softball seasons for school: in the fall they play fastpitch. In the spring, they actually have school sanctioned slow pitch. That's the only state I'm aware of that still has slow pitch. Many others USED to have it.

In reference to the baseball/softball pitching discussion, I know of 3 MLB teams that gave tryouts to softball pitchers: Indians tried Hayden Smith, Royals tried Mike Piecknik and Brewers tried Peter Meredith. All 3 said with some time, they were able to adjust and throw undersand from the mound. There's actually no rule in baseball prohibiting an underhand delivery. Meredith said he could make the baseball go up, and the hitters really struggled with it (obviously). The Indians told Hayden they won't even consider him unless he can throw a minimum of 85. Ultimately the experiements failed with these guys because a softball pitcher can't hold runners on base and do pick off moves. As I said, Meredith said he could make it go up. I don't know how fast any of them threw a baseball.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Oklahoma has 2 different softball seasons for school: in the fall they play fastpitch. In the spring, they actually have school sanctioned slow pitch. That's the only state I'm aware of that still has slow pitch. Many others USED to have it.

Mississippi was the last state that still had NFHS slow pitch softball on the books. I was told it had been a few years since they had any teams, but the sport was still on the books. They eliminated it just before I moved down there a few years ago.

 

[_MIA_]

Mississippi was the last state that still had NFHS slow pitch softball on the books. I was told it had been a few years since they had any teams, but the sport was still on the books. They eliminated it just before I moved down there a few years ago.

Not sure if they use NHFS rules but (unfortunately) OK does have girls HS (and MS) slow pitch..