Team USA!

[AdamTheSoftballDad]

For those who haven’t heard yet (I’m sure there’s very few of you) team USA just beat team Italy 2-0 in the 2nd round robin game of the Olympics. Japan won the first game of the Olympics over Australia 8-1.

Do you guys have any opinions on team USA after seeing their first Olympic game.

my personal opinion is that team USA is a very fast team with speedy players all throughout the lineup. Team USA also has one of the best pitching rosters in the world. However, they seem to a struggle with hitting the ball with runners in scoring position and tend to leave a lot of people stranded on the bases.

one other thing I noticed is that they seemed very dry this game. You would be expecting them to be super excited but I just didn’t feel that energy from them.

I’m rooting for USA to take back the gold from Japan. Both teams are very good so it should be a good game. I feel like team USA is definitely going to have to get their bats turned on when they play against Japan though.

what are your thoughts? Who do you think will take home the gold?

Edit: I’m looking over some compilations of the games hits and I gotta say that 1st base umpire made a lot of not so great calls. Like the Italian player who hit a ball to shortstop was most likely safe (it’s hard to see her foot in the broadcast replay but she looked safe) and Janie reed was called out on a bunt she was obviously safe on. Janie beat out the throw by a full step and was still called out? I really expected these umpires to be the best of the best but so far the first base umpire specifically hasn't impressed me.

 

[_MIA_]

I agree about the bats not looking great but it is only one game. With regards to excitement, one thing you have to remember is that for the most part these are grown women. I think they are excited but if you are expecting the same type of excitement you see from 20 YO college kids it probably isn’t going to happen

 

[Westwind]

Team was built to beat Ueno. Nothing else really matters….

 

[The Man In Blue]

@AdamTheSoftballDad ...

Lest we miss an opportunity to take a dig at an umpire ... The least relevant part of your post about USA Olympic Softball is made into the glaring headline. I'm sorry, but this crap has to stop. Maybe I am being overly sensitive after the posting about the umpire being beat up in the parking lot, or some of the crap I saw on another forum where that information was attributed to, or the plethora of similar garbage on Youtube lately.

If you have a question about plays, ask them. The rest of this hate-trash has to END. The first step to ending it is calling it out. It can no longer be acceptable in the culture of the game.

I watched both games, but I can't say I was riveted to the games. I didn't see (or don't remember) either of those plays. If you have a link to those highlights, I'd be glad to take a look. I will say umpires miss calls, but more often than not they got them right when you actually see the play. Look at that fair ball in the Pirates-Mets game the other night. Everybody was losing their minds on how awful the call was ... until the replay showed it was correct.

(Edit: We also already have an Olympic thread going. I invite you to join us over there https://www.discussfastpitch.com/threads/olympics-2021.41919)

 

[AdamTheSoftballDad]

@AdamTheSoftballDad ...

Lest we miss an opportunity to take a dig at an umpire ... The least relevant part of your post about USA Olympic Softball is made into the glaring headline. I'm sorry, but this crap has to stop. Maybe I am being overly sensitive after the posting about the umpire being beat up in the parking lot, or some of the crap I saw on another forum where that information was attributed to, or the plethora of similar garbage on Youtube lately.

If you have a question about plays, ask them. The rest of this hate-trash has to END. The first step to ending it is calling it out. It can no longer be acceptable in the culture of the game.

I watched both games, but I can't say I was riveted to the games. I didn't see (or don't remember) either of those plays. If you have a link to those highlights, I'd be glad to take a look. I will say umpires miss calls, but more often than not they got them right when you actually see the play. Look at that fair ball in the Pirates-Mets game the other night. Everybody was losing their minds on how awful the call was ... until the replay showed it was correct.

(Edit: We also already have an Olympic thread going. I invite you to join us over there https://www.discussfastpitch.com/threads/olympics-2021.41919)

Oh I’m so sorry I didn’t know anything about those events that had happened with the umpire being attacked. I didn’t mean to seem like I was hating on the umpire I was just mentioning some of the things I noticed. I’m truly sorry if it seemed like I was trying to attack this umpire. I was just surprised to see 2 questionable calls in one game. Usually the umpires at these events are amazing and rarely ever even make a questionable call.



The hits I was talking about can be found in this video at the times of 4:14 and 5:24

they were both close especially the first hit

 

[erniekru]

softball on baseball fields is terrible..

 

[Long Baller]

I think that there are going to be some upset people if team USA doesn't start hitting the ball more. Italy is arguably the weakest team in there, and we only beat them 2-0.

 

[marriard]

I do expect it to be USA/Japan in the end but it only takes one blip for it to go badly in the format they are playing. All 6 teams have pitchers who are very capable of having a very good day and surprising any team.

It is a major concern long term that Team USA is STILL relying on Cat and Abbott and while I like the other pitchers on the team, it is a REAL concern that they don't have obvious replacements or even a pool of players to pull from that makes sense. If Cat hadn't un-retired I probably would have had Japan as the favorite.

 

[whiporee]

I do expect it to be USA/Japan in the end but it only takes one blip for it to go badly in the format they are playing. All 6 teams have pitchers who are very capable of having a very good day and surprising any team.

It is a major concern long term that Team USA is STILL relying on Cat and Abbott and while I like the other pitchers on the team, it is a REAL concern that they don't have obvious replacements or even a pool of players to pull from that makes sense. If Cat hadn't un-retired I probably would have had Japan as the favorite.

I think there are plenty of pitchers out there; i don't know that Cat at 38 is nearly as dominant as her reputation. I would have loved to see what Juarez, Garcia or Fouts (or even my beloved Kelli Barhnill) would have done on this stage. Likewise, I would have liked to see some of those Oklahoma power hitters go against this kind of competition.

I appreciate the careers Cat and Monica have had, but if we're treading out 35+-year-olds as the best we have to offer, then I can understand why some might doubt the athleticism of those who play. right now it looks like we've put together a daddy-coached team, with USA softball being the daddy -- bring along their favorites (and I say this as a Florida fan with three Gators on the team, despite Beth constantly giving us credit for Ali). The Olympics should be a place where stars are born and made, or at least recognized.

 

[Traps71]

Cat all but dominated many of the younger, recent college graduate talents during Athletes Unlimited in summer 2020. Even at 38, her stuff still works. Nostalgia may be a factor, but Cat is on Team USA because she is still one of the best pitchers in the world.