Competive softball with pitching screen video??

[ogilvie]

Well ya, you say you were using a Demarini DW, which with those hard balls was a pretty great stick. I was talking about the true single wall bats. Plus if you remember right the sweet spot on a metal bat was small compared to todays composite bats. You had to actually have some skill to square up a ball. The composite bats allow most anybody to go up and swing out of their shoes and hit a ball hard, metal bats were not as forgiving. Were middle shots part of the game years ago? yes, but they were usually unintentional and you didnt have some ass clown that plays outfield start yelling "middles open".

Ya, the single walls definitely had a small sweetspot. It seems the sweetspot on a composite is the entire bat. I did notice going middle not being a concern because the homeruns were unlimited and everyone was trying to hit it out.

 

[ProTow34]

Because it's ridiculous, like your grammar. I'm not scared, I have a glove. No one is making you pitch. Chuck and duck or GTFO. If people were that good at hitting, there wouldn't be so many teams in E/D.

If people were that good at hitting there wouldnt be a need for screens.. Most of the balls that go back up the middle are unintentionl.. Granted, there are guys who can do it on purpose, and when they do i just makes them asshats.. why wouldnt you want to protect the pitcher?

 

[Rd maul]

If people were that good at hitting there wouldnt be a need for screens.. Most of the balls that go back up the middle are unintentionl.. Granted, there are guys who can do it on purpose, and when they do i just makes them asshats.. why wouldnt you want to protect the pitcher?

So I am a Asshat for going up middle on purpose for a hit in a competitive USSSA tournament?

 

[JJF13]

What cracks me up is everyone thinks that up the middle is trying to hit the pitcher. What if it is a couple feet above or beside him. That isn't trying to injure the pitcher that is just getting a hit. Then you have the halo rule which I have seen anything up to 6ft on either side of the pitcher, up to 4ft over his head, and up to 6ft before the rubber. If that isn't bad enough it is the umpire's discretion. I have seen good hitters miss time a swing and accidently hit up the middle.

I hit up the middle. I'm not trying to injure anyone. It is just the biggest hole in the field, as most teams I have ever watched have a big gap in center. Of course playing against a 5 man just makes base hits a ton easier.

 

[fives55]

Lord7 -- On your vid--Is there another home plate back there? How far back is it? Have never seen this before. Of all the ideas for a safer game, that has to be one of the best. Completely takes away sliding into the catcher, or getting hit at home with a bad throw.

 

[Pitch Perfect]

We use screens for the Evil Ball tourney we have every year. But it's obnoxious. I get bored pitching behind a net. It has a BP feel to it.

 

[ProTow34]

So I am a Asshat for going up middle on purpose for a hit in a competitive USSSA tournament?

no.. BUT if you go up the middle with the intent to hit a pitcher than YES you are an asshat..

 

[tap2284]

Lord7 -- On your vid--Is there another home plate back there? How far back is it? Have never seen this before. Of all the ideas for a safer game, that has to be one of the best. Completely takes away sliding into the catcher, or getting hit at home with a bad throw.

This is what they do in non-competitive leagues so that the guys playing dont get hurt. Think you would ever see that in a competitive league? Come on..... Lord7 showing how big of an "all-star" he is again.

 

[Gamma Ray]

Well ya, you say you were using a Demarini DW, which with those hard balls was a pretty great stick. I was talking about the true single wall bats. Plus if you remember right the sweet spot on a metal bat was small compared to todays composite bats. You had to actually have some skill to square up a ball. The composite bats allow most anybody to go up and swing out of their shoes and hit a ball hard, metal bats were not as forgiving. Were middle shots part of the game years ago? yes, but they were usually unintentional and you didnt have some ass clown that plays outfield start yelling "middles open".

So I am a Asshat for going up middle on purpose for a hit in a competitive USSSA tournament?

I'm going to say no. The guy above in bold is the Asshat. I think that's the biggest difference between today and 10-20 years ago. Anything hit near the pitcher today instantly gets some jackoff yelling "The middle's open!!!" from RF.

 

[JJF13]

Lord7 -- On your vid--Is there another home plate back there? How far back is it? Have never seen this before. Of all the ideas for a safer game, that has to be one of the best. Completely takes away sliding into the catcher, or getting hit at home with a bad throw.

Yes, there is another home plate. They do it in Senior league also. Not so much sliding into the catcher as running him over. There is also a line there that once you get to that line or go past it you can't turn around and run back, you have to keep advancing. At least in all the ones I have seen that use that 2nd home plate. I personally think it is a good idea. Runner doesn't have to slide, runner doesn't have to worry much about getting hit with a ball (unless it is a bad throw), catcher doesn't have to worry about getting plowed over or someone sliding high.

 

[mfulcher]

The minute you put a screen up the competitive aspect goes out the window. So to answer your question NO there aren't any competitive softball videos with pitching screens being used. If you are that scared of being hit then pitch and run to 2nd or don't play it's that simple.

 

[jsam21238]

Well ya, you say you were using a Demarini DW, which with those hard balls was a pretty great stick. I was talking about the true single wall bats. Plus if you remember right the sweet spot on a metal bat was small compared to todays composite bats. You had to actually have some skill to square up a ball. The composite bats allow most anybody to go up and swing out of their shoes and hit a ball hard, metal bats were not as forgiving. Were middle shots part of the game years ago? yes, but they were usually unintentional and you didnt have some ass clown that plays outfield start yelling "middles open".

So then you're saying that it's other defenders that cause the issue? Look the pitcher is on the field so he has to play defense. I'm not cutting off 1/3 of the field just so I don't hurt someone's feelings. I'm not trying to hit the ball at anyone.

 

[MarlSrSoftball]

For the people saying the screen sucks because you can't hit the middle, I've seen the opposite. Everyone hits the middle since the pitcher can get behind the screen if he doesn't like it.

Your right. We went to a screen this year and now the big hitters don't mind shooting the middle as they know the pitcher is behind a screen, or should be.

 

[MarlSrSoftball]

W

One thing I will say is that the first time you come up with two strikes it will be annoying. Just keep it fair but don't hit the screen isn't hard, but it's not what you're used to. Just saying that it's annoying when you hit the lower right edge of the screen which wouldn't be anywhere near the pitcher, but you're out because you had two strikes already.

BTW, the screen is a strike in our leagues and tournies that use them, and if you hit it twice you're automatically out even if that isn't strike 3 where we start 0-0.

BTW, I pitch and don't like the screen, but it's not horrible in mixed leagues and tournies where the talent level is all over the place. It also allows me to feel somewhat comfortable drinking beers between games again. I don't want NITs adopting them but have no problems using them for charity tournies, etc.

We give the batter the first one which is a dead ball. The second is a strike.

 

[ImminentDanger]

Your right. We went to a screen this year and now the big hitters don't mind shooting the middle as they know the pitcher is behind a screen, or should be.

But as the video posted by Lord7 demonstrates, not even putting the screen there will prevent pitchers from being hurt because they are not forced to stand behind it... It's simply a rediculous solution for the problem... just put a pitching machine there and force the teams to play a 5-man infield...

Pretty soon we'll have fences all around the infield so no infielder is in jeopardy of being hit by a batted ball --- then we'll have virtual runners (a spotlight will be shown on the ground moving between bases) so that no collisions can possibly occur --- and finally it will all become electronic and you'll simply play your position using a touchscreen TV --- Everyone can stay at home and reduce the cost of travelling to the field...

%%%

 

[ATL Rookie]

I have no problems with a screen used for outlaw tournies or rec leagues for what I believe are obvious reasons. Your typical 1 or 2 day a week rec league player doesnt have a lot of bat control and the pitchers dont have Andy Purcell's reflexes. Outlaw tournies you are hitting rocks with glass. I cant think of a more dangerous situation on the field.

When you get to a competitive level, including league, its time to make the pitcher a part of the game again.

 

[MarlSrSoftball]

But as the video posted by Lord7 demonstrates, not even putting the screen there will prevent pitchers from being hurt because they are not forced to stand behind it... It's simply a rediculous solution for the problem... just put a pitching machine there and force the teams to play a 5-man infield...

Pretty soon we'll have fences all around the infield so no infielder is in jeopardy of being hit by a batted ball --- then we'll have virtual runners (a spotlight will be shown on the ground moving between bases) so that no collisions can possibly occur --- and finally it will all become electronic and you'll simply play your position using a touchscreen TV --- Everyone can stay at home and reduce the cost of travelling to the field...

%%%

What our powers to be did was make the rule that you have to get behind the screen after you release the ball or it is no pitch. For example if you catch a line drive or grounder back at you and you didn't get behind the screen first it doesn't count.

Ridicules yes. I won't pitch from with the screen even though my getting hit in the eye was the cause of them going to a screen so next year I won't be playing in that league.

 

[ImminentDanger]

What our powers to be did was make the rule that you have to get behind the screen after you release the ball or it is no pitch. For example if you catch a line drive or grounder back at you and you didn't get behind the screen first it doesn't count.

Ridicules yes. I won't pitch from with the screen even though my getting hit in the eye was the cause of them going to a screen so next year I won't be playing in that league.

But the RULE does not create the REALITY - No matter what the rule actually states, the Pitcher is physically able to step into harms way - therefore, the rule by itself DOES NOTHING TO CREATE A SAFE PITCHING ENVIRONMENT - Only if the Pitcher agrees with the rule, and follows it, is there any real change in the safety factor --- Which is just as true if you made a RULE that THE PITCHER MUST TAKE TWO STEP BACK AND BE IN A DEFENSIVE STANCE BEFORE THE BATTER HITS THE BALL....

This demonstrates another TRUTH that is always overlooked in these discussions --- the stupid changes in the rules are not coming from a demand of the Pitchers that the rules be changed ---- It's some do-gooder busybody who wants to inject themselves into the game framework --- they don't survey the Pitchers to find out what is wanted...

It's this attitude of 'we're doing this for your own good' that almost always preceeds some stupid ineffective nanny regulation (in whatever governing body produces it)...

%%%

 

[MarlSrSoftball]

But the RULE does not create the REALITY - No matter what the rule actually states, the Pitcher is physically able to step into harms way - therefore, the rule by itself DOES NOTHING TO CREATE A SAFE PITCHING ENVIRONMENT - Only if the Pitcher agrees with the rule, and follows it, is there any real change in the safety factor --- Which is just as true if you made a RULE that THE PITCHER MUST TAKE TWO STEP BACK AND BE IN A DEFENSIVE STANCE BEFORE THE BATTER HITS THE BALL....

This demonstrates another TRUTH that is always overlooked in these discussions --- the stupid changes in the rules are not coming from a demand of the Pitchers that the rules be changed ---- It's some do-gooder busybody who wants to inject themselves into the game framework --- they don't survey the Pitchers to find out what is wanted...

It's this attitude of 'we're doing this for your own good' that almost always preceeds some stupid ineffective nanny regulation (in whatever governing body produces it)...

%%%

You hit the nail on the head. We have other ridiculous rules along the same lines.

I think that was my biggest objection he never sat down with the pitchers to discuss what they were planning on doing. They just sent out the edict the next morning.