DD's high school field was built 3 years ago with 225' fences. While I - as pitcher DD's former bucket dad - appreciate the longer fences, it has cost batter DD three taters this season...oh well...
Time to adjust the offense/defense balance in college ball
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DD's high school field was built 3 years ago with 225' fences. While I - as pitcher DD's former bucket dad - appreciate the longer fences, it has cost batter DD three taters this season...oh well...
For the sake of discussion, could a similar argument be made that the batters box should be made smaller so that slappers couldn't get on base so easily without hitting the ball hard?
Just as a strong girl can get a cheap homer w/ a 210-foot fly ball, a fast girl can get a cheap single off a slow roller.
Just as a strong girl can get a cheap homer w/ a 210-foot fly ball, a fast girl can get a cheap single off a slow roller.
Why not make the bases 70' instead of 60' since the fields will be bigger? Then you might get more plays out of RF also.
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Why not make the bases 70' instead of 60' since the fields will be bigger? Then you might get more plays out of RF also.
Wouldn't that also result in the elimination of slapping?
Let's have them all play baseball
I don't know about eliminate, but I think it might definitely change it. Assuming your corners are going to play in the same spot relative to the bags, its gonna give a slapper significantly more infield area to work with. Might even benefit a skilled drag bunter.
I'm not sure that I'd even be in favor of a change, but its kind of fun to speculate on the dynamics of it
- Apr 17, 2014
- 8
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Many are talking about altering the basic premise of the game; that is wrong! Slappers/Bunters have been around since the inception and have been adapted to; that’s part of the game. Overall collegiately, the players from team to team are a lot more skillful than from 30 to 40 years ago and are continuously improving. There are only two changes that would be proper to allow the game to be played as we believe it should.
Ideally, the best would be to increase the fence distance to accommodate the advances in bats and balls. A lot outfielders are not properly taught to turn and go to the ball and instead do the backing up, I had too much to drink, stagger. There is not enough outfield to work with in a ball playing sense. Unfortunately, because of the logistics and cost, I do not see this happening.
Regulating the bats, which has already been done with the titanium ones, I see as the change that will be made, if any. I see more pitchers, even collegiately, wearing masks now for protection.
The NCAA men’s baseball made the change by making the bats meet the BBCOR standard they set. That is a lot easier than for softball, as they had a measurable result to work with as wooden bats are still used in play. Maybe we can go to the “Bottle Bat” standard.
I want to cry, every time I see an off-balance pop-up clear the fence. I believe that to be the greatest travesty of the game.
In the middle to later 70’s, I saw and I believe it was Sue Enquist for UCLA, hit a blast over a 260’ fence in a collegiate tournament; that was a thing of beauty.
Ideally, the best would be to increase the fence distance to accommodate the advances in bats and balls. A lot outfielders are not properly taught to turn and go to the ball and instead do the backing up, I had too much to drink, stagger. There is not enough outfield to work with in a ball playing sense. Unfortunately, because of the logistics and cost, I do not see this happening.
Regulating the bats, which has already been done with the titanium ones, I see as the change that will be made, if any. I see more pitchers, even collegiately, wearing masks now for protection.
The NCAA men’s baseball made the change by making the bats meet the BBCOR standard they set. That is a lot easier than for softball, as they had a measurable result to work with as wooden bats are still used in play. Maybe we can go to the “Bottle Bat” standard.
I want to cry, every time I see an off-balance pop-up clear the fence. I believe that to be the greatest travesty of the game.
In the middle to later 70’s, I saw and I believe it was Sue Enquist for UCLA, hit a blast over a 260’ fence in a collegiate tournament; that was a thing of beauty.
How so? It might change the circumstances under which they might bunt/slap/drag/ hit away but I don't see any possibility of it disappearing. The game will adapt as it always has in the past.
Edit to add: Many say that the bunt is dead since it almost always results in an out. However, almost always is not the same as always. Defensive errors will result in the occasional success. Certain circumstances and strategies will require a bunt. ITB is almost always a small ball necessity. Against great pitching their may not be a choice until the batters catch up. So how is it dead?
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Wouldn't moving the bases back 10 feet add 2 steps? I would expect that the plays where a speedy slapper beats out a ground ball would now be easy outs. And I imagine a stolen base would be rare. However, there would be lots of double plays.
