Thoughts on metal-only leagues

[Cavpitch]

For those of you who have gone through the conversion process, how effective has it been to limit HR's and generally reduce the batted ball speed?

I didn't see this discussed when I searched. I'm basically wondering how preferable it is (from a fun standpoint) as opposed to to using composites and a mush ball.

Thanks.

 

[oilslick58]

pass, dont like'em

 

[AveregeJay]

It's a great place to swing your Anderson's and PST's

 

[guyinpink]

My work league switched from full ASA to metal only this season and, honestly, I don't notice much of a difference. Granted, I play a VERY low level of ball, but I feel like people are still hitting balls just as far. In fact, most of the guys on my team are hitting my White Steel better than they hit my Freak 98!

 

[Cavpitch]

It's a recreational league on a very small field, so we have to do something to limit home runs and not have missals being shot through the infield at marginally-skilled (or worse) players.

I'm afraid going single-wall-only will chase off the decent or better players and make for an endless steam of weak outs.

 

[AveregeJay]

My work league switched from full ASA to metal only this season and, honestly, I don't notice much of a difference. Granted, I play a VERY low level of ball, but I feel like people are still hitting balls just as far. In fact, most of the guys on my team are hitting my White Steel better than they hit my Freak 98!

OG white Steel is a helluva a bat.

 

[Cavpitch]

My work league switched from full ASA to metal only this season and, honestly, I don't notice much of a difference. Granted, I play a VERY low level of ball, but I feel like people are still hitting balls just as far. In fact, most of the guys on my team are hitting my White Steel better than they hit my Freak 98!

Depending on what ball you use, that's entirely believable. We hit Gold Dots for an ASA league last year, and I ended up getting rid of my composites.

 

[frigginnuttz]

I wish we could go with wood bats & back to 50 or 47 core balls it would thin out the homerun hitters to who has a better swing or is more powerful then the average guys hitting em out. Let those average guys hit the doubles my fat azz can't & save me the rbi's

 

[DSNuts48]

I love them, to me they usually bring in less douchebags and it shows who is really man.

 

[corsmr50]

here in Utica, NY. ALL the leagues have gone to all metal. We use a .44 375 Trump Stote, and play on fields that range from 285 to 310. We are allowed to use any metal bat, barring banzai aluminum and titanium (but they allow PST's). We have a 3HR limit and on the good teams its an issue to not use up all the HR's too soon. Metal bats have definitely come a very long way, and alot of them hit every bit as good as top of the line composites. There are still hot shots up the middle and balls that clear the fence by a considerable amount.

So has it been for the best? I surely think so, cuz it takes nearly all the bitching about shaved up sticks out of the game, and other than shaving a PST shell, its just dumb to thin out a metal wall unless you want the bat to crumple immediately. Good hitters are gonna hit it hard regardless of what is in there hands, its the indian, not the arrow. And if other leagues start doing this, it will certainly weed out the boys among the children. Now there are also wood bat leagues around here too, and they use the same ball, and that weeds out the men among the boys and children. VERY few guys can smash a .44 375 out of 300' field.

 

[frigginnuttz]

I totally agree with the last part of your statement a few guys on my team& I hit the 44/375s & wood bats just for fun during warm ups& its funny as shyt watching some of the other teams faces while doing so

 

[SevenBizzos]

For those of you who have gone through the conversion process, how effective has it been to limit HR's and generally reduce the batted ball speed?

I didn't see this discussed when I searched. I'm basically wondering how preferable it is (from a fun standpoint) as opposed to to using composites and a mush ball.

Thanks.

Played in "no composite" leagues for years and they were really fun. The balls still get hit at nearly the same speeds and you honestly don't notice that much difference - other than the plastic bat heros hit more fly outs. There were still plenty of home runs. The cheating definately declined, which was the point of it, so I'd recommend anyone considering bat shaving an issue to move to a metal only type league.

 

[tlordi]

Love them.....People that can hit still hit, and No shaved bat bs......The search and destroy kills the sb12.

 

[BIGPAPA33]

It's a great place to swing your Anderson's and PST's

Yes and still able to hit bombs. If you have a good quailty ball you will have fun. In my reg league we hit 44/375 stotes and I'm one of the few guys that swing metal. I have no problem hitting the ball hard with either my RT, PST, 04 F-2, or EST85.

 

[coolluvr4u1976]

I do this in april/may when i'm doing a bunch of BP, I'll bring out my old SC888 Connexion and use it for some bp, and still can hit some nice line shots with mush balls.....

I did this once b4 league in 2008 and was just doing it to prove a point to some of the guys on the team... took a handful of bp swings and hit a bunch of lineshots to the fence on the field... we do play on short fields ( 280ft ASA ) but another guy was like let me see this bat.... and he could barely muster hit past the co-ed line.......


I did play against a guy in 09, who in the NSA league i played in, used a Demar DWD and belted plenty of homeruns when hitting the 44-400s

 

[krunchyfrogg]

If you want to limit performance, go to a strict singlewall or wood bat league.

A good metal can hit just as well as any good post-ABI bat, no matter what it's made of. The sweetspot will be smaller, that's the only difference.

 

[Cavpitch]

Played in "no composite" leagues for years and they were really fun. The balls still get hit at nearly the same speeds and you honestly don't notice that much difference - other than the plastic bat heros hit more fly outs. There were still plenty of home runs. The cheating definately declined, which was the point of it, so I'd recommend anyone considering bat shaving an issue to move to a metal only type league.

That's good to know.

I realize we won't eliminate hard shots entirely; it's a big part of why a lot of us play the game.

That said, we simply see too many mis-hits off or over the fence for home runs and too many hard shots on the rocky infield for us to want to keep things the way they are now.

Personally, I'd rather hit with metal and have a HR or two available rather than swing plastic and have a good shot be an out. you folks are a good cross-section of experienced players, and it's worth listening to whether you'd find somewhere else to play or roll with a metal league.

 

[Cavpitch]

If you want to limit performance, go to a strict singlewall or wood bat league.

A good metal can hit just as well as any good post-ABI bat, no matter what it's made of. The sweetspot will be smaller, that's the only difference.

I thought about that, and it's still there as an option.

Given the recreational nature of the league (it's 6/4 coed), I'm afraid that the weak hitters and most girls will be facing 9 infielders if we get too restrictive. We'd have to go to a coed line, which we haven't had in the past.

 

[ilyk2win]

It's a recreational league on a very small field, so we have to do something to limit home runs and not have missals being shot through the infield at marginally-skilled (or worse) players.

I'm afraid going single-wall-only will chase off the decent or better players and make for an endless steam of weak outs.

The exact opposite should result.....going to single-wall only would make the better players standout even more from the weaker players as technology will no longer be bridging the gap.

I play in a restricted-list single-wall only league on occasion and I still have a good time as do the other players in the league. I'd highly recommend it since you said the fielders are rec-level and there are 4 women on the field. Won't be any 100+ mph rockets to worry about.

 

[BigShep]

If you want to limit performance, go to a strict singlewall ... league.

A good metal can hit just as well as any good post-ABI bat, no matter what it's made of. The sweetspot will be smaller, that's the only difference.

There's truth here. Our 60+ singlewall team has a couple of guys who can go yard at 285'. Even more on the 50+ team.

 

[LightsoutLions]

i still hit HR's in my all-metal league. all you need is a nice DDW and you're set

 

[kdog3b55]

My opinion is if you do not plan to drop it to a strict single wall 1 pc.bat league, you will not see the results you want. If the White Steels, Raw Steels, PST's and all the double walls are still available to use, they still have plenty of pop to do damage. If you are serious about the safety, restrict it to the strict singlewall rules. My 35+ league uses these and there are still plenty of HR's by the guys who should hit them, and the singles/doubles hitters are where they belong. It will be a fight at first to get the rules passed, but in the end it sounds like the right thing to do.

 

[HillbillyHitter]

Metal only leagues are fun if they use the right ball

 

[krunchyfrogg]

I play in a coed rec league where it`s metal only for the guys, but the ladies can use any ASA bat. Food for thought...

 

[Cavpitch]

I play in a coed rec league where it`s metal only for the guys, but the ladies can use any ASA bat. Food for thought...

The umpires are earnest, but neither they nor most of the players are up on bats or associations. Tracking ASA bats would be asking them to check bats that guys use, and they aren't up to speed on doing that. For their sake, we'll need to keep whatever bats end up being illegal off the bench as much as possible.

Maybe we should revisit the idea of using an 11" ball for the girls and a coed line.

Single wall is still on the table, and would be a safer option.

 

[MarlSrSoftball]

I totally agree with the last part of your statement a few guys on my team& I hit the 44/375s & wood bats just for fun during warm ups& its funny as shyt watching some of the other teams faces while doing so

You should try the Leather cover 52/275's. I found that they outdistance the 44/375 with wooden bats.

 

[jbo911]

You should try the Leather cover 52/275's. I found that they outdistance the 44/375 with wooden bats.

I would love to play in a metal only league or tourney, but if it was my choice we'd hit this ball.

 

[Gamble]

No shaved bat bs......

You'd be surprised...

 

[stickin2j]

The umpires are earnest, but neither they nor most of the players are up on bats or associations. Tracking ASA bats would be asking them to check bats that guys use, and they aren't up to speed on doing that. For their sake, we'll need to keep whatever bats end up being illegal off the bench as much as possible.

Maybe we should revisit the idea of using an 11" ball for the girls and a coed line.

Single wall is still on the table, and would be a safer option.

Could do singlewall men's, all metal ladies. This would keep the comps off the field, and reduce amount of memorization by umps.
Switching the ball can be a pain in the butt, unless it is understood that occasionally the wrong ball will be thrown. First time or two is warning, not out or dead ball. If it is repetitive, then bump the penalties.

 

[Cavpitch]

The teams are just so disorganized to be of much help with 11" softballs. If we could depend on base coaches to take care of the softball between batters, it would be far easier. Half the teams don't bother to regularly send out base coaches.

Whatever we do for bats, it'll be all or none. It's just too easy for a guy to accidentally or purposely pick up the wrong bat with two types of bats on the rack.

Thanks for the input.