What the heck now?

[Amy in AZ.]

Yes, I was told that jr. high is 43 feet next year. (AZ.)

 

[sluggers]

GOINGDEEP, that is simply ludicrous. There aren't 10 people in this country who know any ASA or HS girl's fast pitch records.

Everyone does know that boys have been killed by getting hit with a baseball?

Boy killed after getting hit in throat with baseball./

No child should die from playing baseball or softball.

There are many of scientific studies proving that softer balls cause fewer injuries. It is absolutely a no-brainer to regulate the hardness of softballs.

Finally, it doesn't matter to the playability of the game if the balls have a uniform hardness--if everyone is using the same ball, so what? Ken's players will still hit the ball farther than the other side's players, because Ken is a better coach.

 

[alexander58]

Supposedly , only A.D.Starr softballs will be used in Illinois ASA tournaments this year. I don't know if this is money or safety related.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

GOINGDEEP, that is simply ludicrous. There aren't 10 people in this country who know any ASA or HS girl's fast pitch records.

Everyone does know that boys have been killed by getting hit with a baseball?

Boy killed after getting hit in throat with baseball./

No child should die from playing baseball or softball.

There are many of scientific studies proving that softer balls cause fewer injuries. It is absolutely a no-brainer to regulate the hardness of softballs.

Finally, it doesn't matter to the playability of the game if the balls have a uniform hardness--if everyone is using the same ball, so what? Ken's players will still hit the ball farther than the other side's players, because Ken is a better coach.

Let's respectfully question a few of these decisions.

We will start with 43'. If we are concerned with return ball injuries it makes NO SENSE at all to move the pitcher back to 43'. The study done by NFHS has proved increased hits over the 4 year study. This meaning we are increasing the chances of injuries due to the multiplication of hits per game. And we are increasing those hits at earlier ages where their defensive reactions are not fully developed. Real smart?

Spiked cleats. So now it is legal to wear spiked cleats. That's great as long as nobody 'hangs' a cleat on the base while sliding. ( and very few fields have break away bags ) Then the chance of injuring the defense during a slide. Real smart?

I'll finish up to say you will NEVER see a change in the hardness of a baseball. You will NEVER see a change in the 60' 6" pitching. So why in the world are we changing 'our' game?

Mr. Ray, lets do something interesting. I have seen other forums do 'polls' on their site. And they use the same software as yours. Can you set up a poll to see who agrees and disagrees with the 43' change. You could even break it down into age groups.

Example 43' for 14u, middle school ball, high school. I think the results would be very interesting.

Thank you GD.

 

[alexander58]

I believe the changes you see every year to rules are made by a group of people that are no longer involved in the game on any real level. I don't know how else to explain these rule changes. Maybe they can't think of anythng else to change, but feel they have to justify getting together.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I am all for changing the ball, both in softball and baseball. But, I don't think that is going to happen. The last time I was buying Dream Seams they were $6.00 a piece and the clerk said something about it was because of the cost of petroleum.

Metal cleats are OK and were all we had up until about 1980, when we were forced to go to crummy rubber cleats.

But, good changes come, too. Helmets are good. Face masks are good. (LL still doesn't require masks on the batting helmets.)

Moving back the pitching distance isn't going to protect the pitchers. Slow pitch has moved the rubber back to 50 feet and they are still getting beaned. Many men and women are just "armoring up" with helmets and shin protectors.

We (slow pitch) played with a pitching screen last summer and I thought it was awful. (But, I wasn't pitching.)

I think the safest position on the field is catcher.

 

[obbay]

Not to get off the subject or anything, but usually the serious injuries you hear about involve a batted ball coming back at the pitcher. The story Ray linked to was a ball thrown at the victim by the kid's brother. If a kid can be killed by a thrown ball... (talk about a guilt trip!).

This issue is particularly sensitive to me because my 15 yo DD caught a sharply hit one-hopper in the throat when she was 10 playing U14. In a pre-game warm-up, one of the Dad's stepped in to help the coach by hitting balls to the infielders and BAM! The subject is sensitive to me because a) I didn't know how hurt she was and b) I had no idea how hurt she could've been! She was lucky, I guess, but has had an unshakeable fear of balls hit on the ground (or bouncing) ever since.

A year ago she discovered catching and that's becoming her preferred position.

 

[StacieM]

I do understand safety and maybe the bats and the balls have gotten a bit out of hand with the whole movement toward making the game more "offensive."

But 6th grade at 43'? That's a bit much.

I think I'd rather see deader bats (like the kind you actually have to hit the ball correctly with) and balls that are not so jacked up to fly. Then we wouldn't be moving in the direction of asking 10 year olds to pitch rom 43' feet. Pitchers have enough overuse injuries as it is - can you imagine if we start demanding more of them at a younger age level. Like Ken said - then only the strong/physically gifted ones will be able to do it.

sluggers: your post about Ken's team made me laugh

btw: I am also becoming a big fan of those ugly facemasks - they may be ugly, but I think at this post with all the pop in the bats and balls that are made to fly - they are becoming a necessity

 

[JC heir]

Let's respectfully question a few of these decisions.

We will start with 43'. If we are concerned with return ball injuries it makes NO SENSE at all to move the pitcher back to 43'. The study done by NFHS has proved increased hits over the 4 year study. This meaning we are increasing the chances of injuries due to the multiplication of hits per game. And we are increasing those hits at earlier ages where their defensive reactions are not fully developed. Real smart?

Spiked cleats. So now it is legal to wear spiked cleats. That's great as long as nobody 'hangs' a cleat on the base while sliding. ( and very few fields have break away bags ) Then the chance of injuring the defense during a slide. Real smart?

I'll finish up to say you will NEVER see a change in the hardness of a baseball. You will NEVER see a change in the 60' 6" pitching. So why in the world are we changing 'our' game?

Mr. Ray, lets do something interesting. I have seen other forums do 'polls' on their site. And they use the same software as yours. Can you set up a poll to see who agrees and disagrees with the 43' change. You could even break it down into age groups.

Example 43' for 14u, middle school ball, high school. I think the results would be very interesting.

Thank you GD.

GD- actually moving the pitcher back enhances her safety (wether you like the rule or not) you can spout all the theories about more fair balls that you want, but the fact is, the farther she is from home plate she is, the safer she is. If your DD was physically capable of pitching from center field, even though every pitch might get creamed, she would be obscenly safe. conversly , if she pitched from 30 feet, there might be few hits, but in the event someone did catch hold of one , that pitcher is gonna get hurt.

 

[SBFAMILY]

J C Heir I hate to disagree with you, but I will find the study and post it. The extra 3 feet in terms of reaction time with a ball taveling at that speed is beyond the human mind to react fast enough. Howard - hitter likes to post that you have less than two blinks of an eye when the pitcher is in the K position to decide to swing a bat before it is called a Strike. . Now a line drive back at you is less than a blink of eye, do you think 3 feet makes you safer. This is a great game, I just wish they would just leave it alone. I have seen the polls on other sites. Ohio is wating till 2011, but this summer all the kids from 16U up pitch from 43. Nothing like confusing everyone. 11 inch balls at 35 feet, now 11 inch balls at 40 feet, 12 inch balls at 40 or 43 depending where you are playing.