Why 43' if you're leap'n'drag?

[redhawkridge]

First: I don't like the change of high school pitching distance to 43'. I think it is directed toward the caliber of pitchers who are 5% max of those playing high school; the other 95% depend on throwing strikes, an occasional change, and some locational control.
Second: If all those arguments justifying the increased distance were based on giving the pitcher additional distance for her movement pitches to break, then why didn't she just stop the LnD technique and go with the Step at the 40' distance? Doing so would add back the distance to the plate that the LnD subtracted.
If you're a pitcher with an aggressive LnD style, aren't you simply moving your release point back close to where Step pitcher would release from 40'?
And if you went with the Step method, you wouldn't have to contend with all the stupid arguments about contacting the ground with the pivot foot -- are you illegal/are you legal.
Just wondering....
jim
(an old step pitcher)

 

[c3scott]

If college players pitch from 43' I dont have a problem with it.....yet.

 

[BoardMember]

First: I don't like the change of high school pitching distance to 43'. I think it is directed toward the caliber of pitchers who are 5% max of those playing high school; the other 95% depend on throwing strikes, an occasional change, and some locational control.
Second: If all those arguments justifying the increased distance were based on giving the pitcher additional distance for her movement pitches to break, then why didn't she just stop the LnD technique and go with the Step at the 40' distance? Doing so would add back the distance to the plate that the LnD subtracted.
If you're a pitcher with an aggressive LnD style, aren't you simply moving your release point back close to where Step pitcher would release from 40'?
And if you went with the Step method, you wouldn't have to contend with all the stupid arguments about contacting the ground with the pivot foot -- are you illegal/are you legal.
Just wondering....
jim
(an old step pitcher)

First of all, the reason for moving the plate back to 43' was to match the college distance......

Second, the reason they moved college back to 43ft was to give the HITTER more time to react/read pitches, to produce MORE runs to attract MORE fans.....

The game was SO pitching dominant that most games were 1-0 pitching battles and fans were completely BORED and the sport was falling off in attendence.........

Obviously to the fan.......Offense is WAY more fun to watch then 2 pitchers throwing no hitters.........

Where did you get the idea that the move to 43ft. was to give pitches move time to move?.........

Just curious......

 

[starsnuffer]

I think it would be silly to force every pitcher in softball to re-learn how to pitch just because someone thought that "stepping" might be a good idea over "leaping". Not only that, but it would really piss off every college organization who suddenly had no idea where to get their pitchers from.

I agree with the previous poster who said that the game was too pitching dominant, and that the rule changes made for a more exciting game. The pitching distance to 43', the pitching lanes enforce, ect. However, the biggest change in college ball that made the biggest impact on pitching vs. hitting was the lowering of the strike zone.

In college ball, the strike zone is from just under the knees to the bottom of the sternum. This is about 4" lower on average then ASA or HS rules. In effect, this killed the riseball as THE dominant pitch. A riseball coming at you armpit high and then coming up is very tricky to deal with when it's a strike. .. however, now it's just a ball. A riseball coming at you and catching the top corner is now a hittable pitch, and more often used as a setup pitch rather then an all-purpose batter-killer.

You still see a lot of travel ball and HS girls dominating with the rise, but it makes you wonder how many of them realize that college coaches are a lot more interested in their drop and offspeed pitches then they were 3 years ago when the change went into effect.

-W

 

[NuNu's Dad]

In SoCal ASA 18U Gold, the top of the zone is more like belly button height. When we see the occasional blue who calls the rule book bottom of the sternum strike, everyone is shocked.

From what I've watched on TV the past couple of years, that seems to go for college too.

The rise ball dominant pitcher is a dying breed as you get into the older age groups and college ball.

 

[redhawkridge]

Where to start...
1. Where did I get the idea that going to 43' was to benefit movement pitches -- right here on this forum.
2. To the comment about college ball needing to go to 43' to increase hitting offense, so that's a reason to move HS back to 43 (making them the same as college). Gee, did anyone notice most HS pitchers aren't as strong, experienced, or well-coached as college pitchers? I just don't see many HS scores of 1-0.
3. My point was to look at the change to 43' from a HS pitcher's perspective, not get them prepped for college, where 95% of them will never play the sport. Not every girl is a Cat Osterman.
4. To the comment that moving to 43' protects the pitcher from the superbats, then why does the writer advocate the LnD style to get the pitcher's release point closer? Ya give 'em the room then ya make 'em jump back into the fire.
5. I have no problem with LnD, but (I'll repeat my hypothetical) -- You wouldn't have to teach the LnD, which is an added dimension to the pitching delivery for young girls to learn -- including the tendency to go illegal. The step is simple, and, like one commentor said, can achieve as much speed as LnD. And, steppers at 40' release the ball approximately at the same point/distance from the plate as a LnD'er does from 43'.
This is fun.
Jim

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Where to start...
1. Where did I get the idea that going to 43' was to benefit movement pitches -- right here on this forum.
2. To the comment about college ball needing to go to 43' to increase hitting offense, so that's a reason to move HS back to 43 (making them the same as college). Gee, did anyone notice most HS pitchers aren't as strong, experienced, or well-coached as college pitchers? I just don't see many HS scores of 1-0.
3. My point was to look at the change to 43' from a HS pitcher's perspective, not get them prepped for college, where 95% of them will never play the sport. Not every girl is a Cat Osterman.
4. To the comment that moving to 43' protects the pitcher from the superbats, then why does the writer advocate the LnD style to get the pitcher's release point closer? Ya give 'em the room then ya make 'em jump back into the fire.
5. I have no problem with LnD, but (I'll repeat my hypothetical) -- You wouldn't have to teach the LnD, which is an added dimension to the pitching delivery for young girls to learn -- including the tendency to go illegal. The step is simple, and, like one commentor said, can achieve as much speed as LnD. And, steppers at 40' release the ball approximately at the same point/distance from the plate as a LnD'er does from 43'.
This is fun.
Jim

I hated the idea 43' until I saw it in action. My DD was a freshman this past year so it was an adjustment to the 43'. But it really helped her drop, curve and screw break more. The rise, well that's another story.

More hits, yes sir. Even the most dominate pitchers from 40' ( using past pitching records ) got hit pretty often this year.

Only thing I have a big problem with is middle schools around her went to 43 too. That's 11-14 year old throwing at college distance. Some do not have enough control and it turns into a walk fest.

 

[starsnuffer]

Here's my take:

Steppers rely on a lot of upper body strength, size, and weight to pitch the ball. This works great for men. Women tend to like to be lean and fit, and this body style doesn't work very well with stepping. The advent of LnD seems to have taken place to give the smaller, leaner girls more of a chance to pitch without needing the "big boned girl" in the circle.

Think of where the sport is now, and where it was, and think of where it would be if the pitching was a "boring to watch" stepping style done by large women. As shallow and trite as it may seem, appearance and style really do matter when you're trying to advance the sport internationally.

-W