Member/Players average age.

Paulypal

Paulypal

Addicted to Softballfans
chrometip78 said:
Those balls you're using would kill any performance a fancy bat may have, just nothing there with a clincher other than bat weight vs ball weight, rather use a woody and 52cor ball.
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Despite what you hear people say there is a difference in bat performance. For instance I believe that the newer ASA bats perform better because they are made for .52. Now the SB12 and Clincher Gold are not .52's but they come off the bat faster with the newer bats.

Also another thing to consider is the pitch speed when you talking about bat durability. You dont have to worry much with the Clinchers but I have seen the SB12 destroy many bats in the cooler weather due to faster pitch speed.

Also - if you think shaving bats is only a slo-pitch issue....it isnt. The problem with modified is that your pitching from 46 feet away and you have no time and no where to go. Makes it a little scary.

Another facet of the game is that we USE TO play 9 man modified with bunting and stealing. That was much more like baseball. Playing third and playing in for the bunt - you had to have some serious trust that your pitcher wasnt going to lay over a cookie for the batter. You also needed an excellent catcher.
 
chrometip78

chrometip78

The Hungarian Barbarian
blakcherry329 said:
In NJ it was Windmill(like Women's Softball) or Modified/Sling(everything you can get without going all the way around with your arm). Windmill can get crazy fast coming from 46'.

Modified is a little slower, but some guys can still bring it. Between 60-70mph is not uncommon for an A level pitcher. League pitchers usually top out at about 55-60, for the best. I'm more like Wakefield. I throw about 45-50, when I throw a fastball(80% knuckleballs).

Hitting is a whole animal than slow pitch. It's more like baseball, short compact swing. You can't use that big leg kick, like in slow pitch, or the ball will be by you. A decent pitcher will change speeds on you so your timing will be all screwed up, with a big kick.
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Paulypal said:
Despite what you hear people say there is a difference in bat performance. For instance I believe that the newer ASA bats perform better because they are made for .52. Now the SB12 and Clincher Gold are not .52's but they come off the bat faster with the newer bats.

Also another thing to consider is the pitch speed when you talking about bat durability. You dont have to worry much with the Clinchers but I have seen the SB12 destroy many bats in the cooler weather due to faster pitch speed.

Also - if you think shaving bats is only a slo-pitch issue....it isnt. The problem with modified is that your pitching from 46 feet away and you have no time and no where to go. Makes it a little scary.

Another facet of the game is that we USE TO play 9 man modified with bunting and stealing. That was much more like baseball. Playing third and playing in for the bunt - you had to have some serious trust that your pitcher wasnt going to lay over a cookie for the batter. You also needed an excellent catcher.
Click to expand...

Clinchers & SB12's are far far away on the other side of the spectrum from a 52cor ball. Cor is how bouncy a ball is, higher the number, the higher a dropped ball will bounce. Very different design in balls. SB12's vary a lot in performance with temp, age, & quality of build. Clincher starts off ok for the first swacks but quickly turns to a sock. I've never used either in a game situation or as new for very long. But I have used them for BP cause they were leftovers from the parents fast pitch days or on a local clearance sale & I snatched them up for cheap not understanding any difference in softballs. Bat performance isn't anything I'd worry about with these balls but as always, if the guy believes he has something special in his hands, he'll likely perform better himself. Looking back now, all my hard work trying to break in a Freak98 with those balls is comical.

Far as pitching speed goes, sounds like it's subject to the same slanted perspective as hitting distances. Even the modified website notes the fastest pitchers are hitting 50-55mph while the average fastball is 45mph. We still hit a few baseballs to end our BP rounds just for fun & throw around the 50ish MPH mark. That speed alone is meat cookie city with a baseball swing & not hard to track or put a bat on. I'm not saying that makes it easy to hit, the amount of action you can put on an underhand softball moving that speed is nasty & that's where I think the skill comes in, not the speed of the pitch. Arguing about skillset between modified & slow pitch is kinda like arguing who's the smartest retard, not a meaningful difference & nothing to brag about.

Fast pitch/windmill pitches are a whole different story & more appropriate to compare skill level with baseball. BP'd with guys who coach/teach girl's fast pitch or used to play fast pitch themselves. There's no way I'd just pick up on a fast pitch game & expect to get on base. Would take a commitment of practice to hit that ball well.
 
Militia#25

Militia#25

Coach
24 yrs old, threw my should out in town ball, but if your not pitching in baseball, I think softball is more fun. Hitters game and a lot more action in the OF
 
blakcherry329

blakcherry329

Well-Known Member
chrometip78 said:
Clinchers & SB12's are far far away on the other side of the spectrum from a 52cor ball. Cor is how bouncy a ball is, higher the number, the higher a dropped ball will bounce. Very different design in balls. SB12's vary a lot in performance with temp, age, & quality of build. Clincher starts off ok for the first swacks but quickly turns to a sock. I've never used either in a game situation or as new for very long. But I have used them for BP cause they were leftovers from the parents fast pitch days or on a local clearance sale & I snatched them up for cheap not understanding any difference in softballs. Bat performance isn't anything I'd worry about with these balls but as always, if the guy believes he has something special in his hands, he'll likely perform better himself. Looking back now, all my hard work trying to break in a Freak98 with those balls is comical.

Far as pitching speed goes, sounds like it's subject to the same slanted perspective as hitting distances. Even the modified website notes the fastest pitchers are hitting 50-55mph while the average fastball is 45mph. We still hit a few baseballs to end our BP rounds just for fun & throw around the 50ish MPH mark. That speed alone is meat cookie city with a baseball swing & not hard to track or put a bat on. I'm not saying that makes it easy to hit, the amount of action you can put on an underhand softball moving that speed is nasty & that's where I think the skill comes in, not the speed of the pitch. Arguing about skillset between modified & slow pitch is kinda like arguing who's the smartest retard, not a meaningful difference & nothing to brag about.

Fast pitch/windmill pitches are a whole different story & more appropriate to compare skill level with baseball. BP'd with guys who coach/teach girl's fast pitch or used to play fast pitch themselves. There's no way I'd just pick up on a fast pitch game & expect to get on base. Would take a commitment of practice to hit that ball well.
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Not sure what kind of modified softball you played, but there's a big difference between that and slow pitch. I didn't say it was unhittable, but there is a difference. One pitch is coming in, on a 3-10' arc, at about 25-30mph, from 50'. The other is coming in, on a line, at 45-60mph, from 46'.
A guy that plays only modified will struggle in slow pitch, and vice-versa. That was my point. I'm pretty sure you're not going to hit .500 in modified, but you won't get struck out, either.
 
Mr. G

Mr. G

(213) L.A. Confidential
I turn 40 in March; mostly play co-ed nowadays though. My competitive years are behind me now, so I play for fun more than anything. Plus I coach my sons baseball team, so that takes up a lot of my time, but I don't mind.

-G
 
smarkley3

smarkley3

Certified Trap Hoe
blakcherry329 said:
Not sure what kind of modified softball you played, but there's a big difference between that and slow pitch. I didn't say it was unhittable, but there is a difference. One pitch is coming in, on a 3-10' arc, at about 25-30mph, from 50'. The other is coming in, on a line, at 45-60mph, from 46'.
A guy that plays only modified will struggle in slow pitch, and vice-versa. That was my point. I'm pretty sure you're not going to hit .500 in modified, but you won't get struck out, either.
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Not sure where you play but ASA mat ball here is about three feet to 20 arc, if it hits the plate its a strike. Most leagues start one and one, one foul to give, yea just a sissy game :rolleyes:

Oh and I get to play 55+ with a single wall bat.......
 
cmsoftballcpl

cmsoftballcpl

Coach
35 and just starting to play comparative. Plan on playing till I get new knees, then getting serious. Actually, I plan on playing as long as I still have fun.
 
russmcd

russmcd

Addicted to Softballfans
48 here, been playing for 34 years with no plans of retiring in sight. Quit roaming the outfield in my mid 20's, put 10-12 years at 2nd and/or 1st, and have been pitching the last 12 or so.

34 games a year (3 seasons) plus weekend tourneys scattered throughout the year.
 
blakcherry329

blakcherry329

Well-Known Member
smarkley3 said:
Not sure where you play but ASA mat ball here is about three feet to 20 arc, if it hits the plate its a strike. Most leagues start one and one, one foul to give, yea just a sissy game :rolleyes:

Oh and I get to play 55+ with a single wall bat.......
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Not sure what your point is. I just said that there's big differences between slow pitch and modified. Didn't say either was better.


How do you allow 3' arc and hitting the plate/mat is a strike??? That's pretty much an unhittable pitch
 
Devo23

Devo23

SOFTBALL--23
50yrs old. This was the first year I didn't play since tee ball way back when. 2 surgeries kept me out.
 
ryanclink

ryanclink

goes hard your way catch
32 years old and only play once a week right now. Funny how women don't like you leaving them to play softball. Maybe I need to be a bigger Jackass?... as if that were possible.
 
K

KEN3EXPRESS

Addicted to Softballfans
43, played in 18 tournaments so far this year and have 4-5 more still.....played 100+ tournament games this summer. 2-3 league games week also.
 
D

Dirtball

Starting Player
63 years young, play 2 days a week, one day is a double header. Play 4/5 tournaments per year. Have played for 35 years.
 
country7

country7

Addicted to Softballfans
42. 2nights a week and full tourney schedule. Will be playing full ASA/USSSA schedule in C next year
 
Calli4120

Calli4120

ASA Free Since 05
For those that are surprised that most of the guys are in their 30's and 40's, you need to remember that these boards are 11-12 years old.

Most of us old guys started reading and posting on SBF's in our 20's and 30's.

As for me, I am 36 and I love to play but my time has been cut down due to other commitments, work, and family life. Last year I played close to 70 games, but this year I am going to end up a little more then 30.

The biggest thing to cut down my games was head coaching my sons baseball team. That took up a ton of time and while I really missed playing the time with my son is irreplaceable.

If I was single and didn't have kids I would probably still be on the field 4 nights a week.
 
MarlSrSoftball

MarlSrSoftball

Into Semi-Retirement Still activebut not League
Calli4120 said:
For those that are surprised that most of the guys are in their 30's and 40's, you need to remember that these boards are 11-12 years old.

Most of us old guys started reading and posting on SBF's in our 20's and 30's.

As for me, I am 36 and I love to play but my time has been cut down due to other commitments, work, and family life. Last year I played close to 70 games, but this year I am going to end up a little more then 30.

The biggest thing to cut down my games was head coaching my sons baseball team. That took up a ton of time and while I really missed playing the time with my son is irreplaceable.

If I was single and didn't have kids I would probably still be on the field 4 nights a week.
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OLD GUYS - Most of you are still kids. It has been a long time since I cosidered 35 old. LOL When I was 75 I was play 225 games a year. Down to about 75 this year.
 
smarkley3

smarkley3

Certified Trap Hoe
Marl, you do have me on age and number of games. My major ***** is I have to play on weekends(only) and drive to Long Beach when I have one of the best fields ten minutes from my house. I was told they are going to put a real Mens Rec league together on Thursday nights, hope to play in it. Ball go Far wont pick me up so stuck playing Saturday mornings 55+.
 
MarlSrSoftball

MarlSrSoftball

Into Semi-Retirement Still activebut not League
smarkley3 said:
Marl, you do have me on age and number of games. My major ***** is I have to play on weekends(only) and drive to Long Beach when I have one of the best fields ten minutes from my house. I was told they are going to put a real Mens Rec league together on Thursday nights, hope to play in it. Ball go Far wont pick me up so stuck playing Saturday mornings 55+.
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We have a lot of players in your situation so we have two Sat divisions an A and B division. We also have three divisions during the week A, B and C. The A division we started this year for the top players who are either retired or have jobs that they can take Monday mornings off.
 
hitsone

hitsone

Well-Known Member
Well, just turned 70. 65+ team average age 69.
Just won gold at Huntsman World senior games.
Hoping for at least 1 more year to get my 15 year ring there
 
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