GOING 4 THIRD
Member
Sounds like thr old bridge - staten island connection
Does Anybody Care Anymore?
- Thread starter Coachb12
- Start date
Sounds like thr old bridge - staten island connection
Dome ball!
blakcherry329
Well-Known Member
That's not going to work on good hitters. Good hitters will take a walk and just wait for the meatball. Well, I guess they're all meatballs. lol
It's just a different game, pitchingwise.
Why are you pitching them balls?
Most good hitters I see go into the box waiting for the inside pitch to crush or pull, or the outside to push...
If they are camped at the back of the box you pitch short, if they are way up in the box make it come in high and sink.
There's more to slo pitch pitching than chucking the same pattern over and over simply trying to throw middle pipe strikes...
You can play them high/low, inside/outside and pitch against the body language telling you what they wanna hit for.
Takes experience I guess. I never walk anyone. But I will ride a count to where a guy has to hit a single instead of dropping him a meatball to crush out of the park. At that point my team and myself would call that a job done with some of the dudes we play against.
Most good hitters I see go into the box waiting for the inside pitch to crush or pull, or the outside to push...
If they are camped at the back of the box you pitch short, if they are way up in the box make it come in high and sink.
There's more to slo pitch pitching than chucking the same pattern over and over simply trying to throw middle pipe strikes...
You can play them high/low, inside/outside and pitch against the body language telling you what they wanna hit for.
Takes experience I guess. I never walk anyone. But I will ride a count to where a guy has to hit a single instead of dropping him a meatball to crush out of the park. At that point my team and myself would call that a job done with some of the dudes we play against.
It's not as strong here in Michigan as you'd think...I play in a local league, and other than us there is just 2 other cities on the east side of the state that have it. I'm not sure how long our league will survive. I can't remember how many A had, but B States only had 5 teams last year. A had 6, so only 14 total. That is for 9-man. There is 10 man, which had 9 and 9, for 18 total at States. But all in all, I wish it was a lot bigger. Hard to get in the Fastpitch scene around here as only one place has leagues, and Slowpitch I play just because it's so available.
blakcherry329
Well-Known Member
Experienced or not it's still slow pitch. The pitcher is at the mercy of the hitter, no matter what.
If a pitcher can control so much of what the batter does in slow pitch, then why are the USA vs Canada games, or any other upper level games, so high scoring?
I'm not saying you can't move the ball in out up down, but in the end it's a hitter's game.
Modified lets the pitcher control the game much more, imo.
Exactly
You don't walk anyone cause you play REC ball and the hitters want to hit!
You try that nonsense in anything above C ball and you'll be getting middle shots all day and walking a ton of batters!
An above average hitter can take any pitch: high, low, long, short, inside, outside and do what they want with it.
E and REC players just swing and hope for the best!
You don't walk anyone cause you play REC ball and the hitters want to hit!
You try that nonsense in anything above C ball and you'll be getting middle shots all day and walking a ton of batters!
An above average hitter can take any pitch: high, low, long, short, inside, outside and do what they want with it.
E and REC players just swing and hope for the best!
But Slo Pitch is HIGH scoring.
If you want anything else, you're playing the wrong game.
Modified the pitcher might think he is in control of a game, but it's still modified. And a dumbed down version of real fastpitch.
I understand what you mean, but at the same time, you can then argue the pitcher is less in control than a fastpitch game, because he can't 100% wail it in or windmill and crow hop.
Modified around here ends up being slow pitch with base stealing allowed at the end of the day. If anything, a little easier to clobber a deep ball because the pitch has momentum to use, connect, and rebound. Where as a soft toss is 100% on the batter to work to hit deep. Modified there's more inertia to use when you connect. Sure, some guys can make a batter work. But there'll be more walks from not hitting a strike zone from what I've seen.
To each their own flavour I guess. I play where the tournaments and such go down at my level here, which is either hardball or slo pitch. Modified is only a handful of leagues and I barely know anyone who plays besides Kvander and a few friends. From the games I've watched, the only real difference is the hits are a little more random and you can steal.
If you want anything else, you're playing the wrong game.
Modified the pitcher might think he is in control of a game, but it's still modified. And a dumbed down version of real fastpitch.
I understand what you mean, but at the same time, you can then argue the pitcher is less in control than a fastpitch game, because he can't 100% wail it in or windmill and crow hop.
Modified around here ends up being slow pitch with base stealing allowed at the end of the day. If anything, a little easier to clobber a deep ball because the pitch has momentum to use, connect, and rebound. Where as a soft toss is 100% on the batter to work to hit deep. Modified there's more inertia to use when you connect. Sure, some guys can make a batter work. But there'll be more walks from not hitting a strike zone from what I've seen.
To each their own flavour I guess. I play where the tournaments and such go down at my level here, which is either hardball or slo pitch. Modified is only a handful of leagues and I barely know anyone who plays besides Kvander and a few friends. From the games I've watched, the only real difference is the hits are a little more random and you can steal.
My league/division is definitely nothing like slow pitch. The skill and velocity varies greatly, but the better pitchers have enough velocity to throw hitters off with changes in speed, inside/outside and upstairs pitches. I'd guess a few throw over 50mph, which is an equivalent reaction time to over 70 mph baseball pitches. Noone should be unable to catch up to the fastest pitch, but it is not slow pitch with stealing. Mix in knuckles, changes, and some curve and you can't just tee it up.
There are definitely leagues that intentionally limit pitchers to throw slower, but that's usually for 40yrs+ players.
I need to get out and watch your games.
Anything I've seen my friend ump at Ward or Hendon, there is not that kinda heat being thrown.
Not even teenage girls fast pitch speeds happening.
The modded league at Muirhead we've already established is glorified slo pitch. Lots of friends there who like to brag about playing modified. It's really only different because of the stealing, defensively it's weaker than where we play.
Anything I've seen my friend ump at Ward or Hendon, there is not that kinda heat being thrown.
Not even teenage girls fast pitch speeds happening.
The modded league at Muirhead we've already established is glorified slo pitch. Lots of friends there who like to brag about playing modified. It's really only different because of the stealing, defensively it's weaker than where we play.
GOING 4 THIRD
Member
To be fair across the board, 12 mph slowpitch is slower than 7-8 yr old coach-pitch little league speeds
blakcherry329
Well-Known Member
Fast pitch is all about the pitcher
Modified, the pitcher has a lot less control over the game than in Fastpitch. However, you CAN work the corners, change speeds, and vary the pitches to where the batter can't just tee off.
Slow pitch, you can do a little, very little.
Not sure why this is even a discussion. Softball hitting is all timing. Hard to disrupt timing when you're throwing 15mph, even with juking.
Modified, the pitcher has a lot less control over the game than in Fastpitch. However, you CAN work the corners, change speeds, and vary the pitches to where the batter can't just tee off.
Slow pitch, you can do a little, very little.
Not sure why this is even a discussion. Softball hitting is all timing. Hard to disrupt timing when you're throwing 15mph, even with juking.
I wish we had a modified option here in Virginia, so far I haven't found one close enough so I'm stuck working on my slow pitch game. I've played a bit of modified up in New England and I really like the tempo, defense, pitching, and bunting/stealing options. Just seems like much more of a "complete" game.
Still Playing
Extra Hitter
I have played both competitive slow pitch and modified pitch softball for 40 years. Either one is better than not playing at all, but I personally prefer modified over slow pitch. From my experience, the better athletes that I have observed played modified softball. Not that there are not good athletes who play slow pitch softball, but anyone can hit slow pitch. Not everyone can hit a good modified pitcher. I get tired of seeing some 275 lb. dude jacking home runs over the fence every time he bats. But that same dude gets out of breath when they run to first base or they need a pinch runner.
Still Playing
Extra Hitter
Kodiak17, you are absolutely correct. I have personally seen it happen.
Where I live in Manitoba, people definitely still care. My city has 1 ultra-casual slow pitch league, but 4 modified leagues (2 co-ed, 1 mens, 1 ladies), and an old timers (35+) 9-man league. There may be more in the area that I don't know about as well, we always get teams from around the province when tournaments are hosted.
To me, slow pitch is fun, but as noted above, it's still dominated by hitting. Guys can put the ball wherever they want, for the most part, and as a pitcher, you're at the mercy of the batter. The two modified leagues I play in (one co-ed, the other the old timers league), are both much more pitching dependent. Some teams don't have strong pitchers, and they tend to get batted around on regularly, but there are quite a few very good pitchers in the leagues as well - put a few of them in a game against each other and you wind up with 7-6 type games; a score that would be absolutely unheard of in any of the local slow pitch leagues.
I prefer modified by a long shot.
To me, slow pitch is fun, but as noted above, it's still dominated by hitting. Guys can put the ball wherever they want, for the most part, and as a pitcher, you're at the mercy of the batter. The two modified leagues I play in (one co-ed, the other the old timers league), are both much more pitching dependent. Some teams don't have strong pitchers, and they tend to get batted around on regularly, but there are quite a few very good pitchers in the leagues as well - put a few of them in a game against each other and you wind up with 7-6 type games; a score that would be absolutely unheard of in any of the local slow pitch leagues.
I prefer modified by a long shot.
blakcherry329
Well-Known Member
Slow pitch would be more enjoyable if the batter's box was enforced.
sportingimage11
Manager
We are still playing it here in Keene, N.H. We are slowly losing some steam but still over 40 league teams strong. Watch for the postings on the 3 tournaments we will be running this spring and summer. Our thing has become 9 Man wood bat with option to bat 10. It definitely tightens up the competition a bit and makes it more about good defense like modified once was.
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rocker85675
Part Time Player
I care till it hurts. Sadly, Im not the majority. I play in a little 8 team league in Alberta, Canada. We bring Slow-Pitch people out to our games all the time and everyone agrees it's SOOOO much more fun than Slow-Pitch yet we struggle to find players and teams. We play mixed 7 & 3 and whoever has the best girls usually compete for the trophy. Hard to find girls that wanna play fast pitch, most just wanna get out of the house a few times a week and could care less if they even play or not, they are just happy to get out. We have had as many as 9 teams and as few as 6, we are at 8 this year. We are the Little Leage that could, and just won't die. After playing Modified it's tough to play in Slow-Pitch tourneys as it's just not that fun with no stealing. Some of our pitchers can really whip it in there. It saddens me to hear we are not the only ones struggling as I think Modified is superior to Slow-Pitch in every way (Just my opinion)
Bow Commander
Well-Known Member
A member for 9 years, with TWO posts, and one of them is on this old ass thread. Nice.
blakcherry329
Well-Known Member
Not enough Modified players to post on the regular, I guess. lol.
So my pinched nerve from 2 years ago corrected itself. I'm giving Modified another go this year. My fast ball is spotty, still working on the release point to be consistent. But I'm pitching pretty well with junk.
I like the control of the game a pitcher has in Modified. You can actually work corners. Very refreshing. lol I have to stay out of the middle of the plate, anyway. I don't throw too hard. 50mph, on a good day. lol But I have a good knuckleball, so I change speeds and work the corners. Plus we use the F12 Clinchers, so the ball isn't traveling at LightSpeed off the bat. Don't have to wear a suit of armor to pitch, which is also nice. One thing that is frustrating is EVERYBODY uses shaved bats. Never seen Clinchers hit so far. Not off of me, of course. lol.
So my pinched nerve from 2 years ago corrected itself. I'm giving Modified another go this year. My fast ball is spotty, still working on the release point to be consistent. But I'm pitching pretty well with junk.
I like the control of the game a pitcher has in Modified. You can actually work corners. Very refreshing. lol I have to stay out of the middle of the plate, anyway. I don't throw too hard. 50mph, on a good day. lol But I have a good knuckleball, so I change speeds and work the corners. Plus we use the F12 Clinchers, so the ball isn't traveling at LightSpeed off the bat. Don't have to wear a suit of armor to pitch, which is also nice. One thing that is frustrating is EVERYBODY uses shaved bats. Never seen Clinchers hit so far. Not off of me, of course. lol.
bboystregs
Extra Hitter
Yeah there's a couple leagues in Jersey and New York that I play in and it's all sling and modify but most of the tournaments for modified are out in Lancaster Pennsylvania I was just at a tournament last weekend and we have another tournament in July and they're always playing strict modified out there and they do the compression testing and sticker the bats so a lot of the shaved bats don't make it in but of course some people still need to cheat to get a little extra
GAM
CML
bboystregs
Extra Hitter
I shouldn't even have pitched lol I can'tthrow modified, I throw super illegal lol I slowed it down but still was super bad