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Notes from the pitcher safety chat on SoftballCenterMembers.com

 

  • Here is the Pitcher Safety chat notes from Wednesday, October 25th

    Posted by DW on October 26, 2017, 10:38 am
     

    The pitcher safety chat lasted an hour. There were only about 20 people involved from the Conference. Sponsors, players, past players, and at least one Conference pitcher. And a few non conference people. 

    Thank you to all that took the time to participate. 

    Where it says DW@SBC, that is me DW speaking. 

    Any line with a '-' dash is a response from someone. 

    DW@SBC: I am for lesser bats, lesser balls, safety bag, no yellow bats, no reflective helmets, and I am for enforcing the batters box regardless if it is chalked the right size. 

    DW@SBC: If it were up to me I would say in 2021 we will use aluminum bats, saftey bag, etc. 

    Rumors: 
    – MAJ is going to be a team, just a new look. Younger guys, rebuilding. Nino, Commacho, T Mart, and few others are leaving. 

    DW@SBC Suggestion #1) Only allow A and below teams 8 hr's when they play A or below teams. It makes no sense to play all year with 12 and then go to your biggest tournament of the year and only get 8. Is there any support for this? 
    – Keep the HR rules how they were the previous 2 years 

    Should pitchers have to wear a mask? 
    – Way too much legal actions to do that.. If you require someone to wear a mask.. then they get hurt wearing a mask that usssa doesn't give a stamp of approval for.. they could be liable 
    – I agree with you about legal actions. I’ve always believed it should be up to the individual pitcher. I’ve pitched for 15-20 years, now I wear a mask. Like Purcell, Vitcak and my dad (who pitched for 30 plus years) have told me, you pitch long enough, you’re going to get drilled 

    DW@SBC: suggestion #2) Continue to expand the strike zone (allow that 10' high strike that lands directly behind the plate). Any support for this? 
    – I am for #2… I don't see many people supporting this though as 90% of players don't pitch and 100% of players bat. 
    – Yeah DW I agree about the Home run rule. And the 10 foot strike should’ve always been called. If you’re going to have a minimum and maximum height, allow pitchers to make total use of the arc limits 
    – Definitely give the 10' pitch, and it solves the batter box issue 
    – Problem with the 10' pitch is every umpire has a different zone even though they say they don't 
    – Agree.. umpires don't have to worry about front foot out of the box if they call the high arc. batters will be forced to move back a little 
    – DW@SBC: So we have some support here for the 10 foot arc enforced and may be worth bringing up A and above only for conference. 
    – bring back the foul ball after a strike. 
    – UIC (Doc) has posted on the old scout the rules regarding pitching, batter’s box size. How come these rules are never enforced! It certainly would help pitcher safety IMO 
    – DW@SBC: I believe you left out the part where Doc posted that they call strikes and the batters box exactly as the rules state. You and I may disagree but you left that part out. 
    – Enforce a 10' pitch, forces guys to stand back a little further. Show umpires what 10' looks like and they can adjust 

    DW@SBC Yesterday at 12:07 PM – DW@SBC: Any support for #3) Make the conference only for A and above teams. Keep the B and below teams as true regional/local teams. 
    – Very Much so support 3.. 
    – I agree on #3 
    – DW I have to disagree with #3. Regardless of classification, I think that any team that is a USSSA classified team should be able to play in the conference. You only get better by playing better competition 
    – DW@SBC: any team could still play conference events, just not join. 
    – DW@SBC: The problem with B teams and lower joining is, they quickly see they can't compete without picking up A and higher players. Or they build an A team and try to play B. SIS/RAC, MAJ, TG Brand, Premier are examples. 

    DW@SBC: Any support for Suggestion #4) I would recommend having a separate tournament on Sunday for the B and below teams. You can cap this at 12-16 teams and this will give the conference bigger crowds for the final 4 teams that return on Sunday for the finale of the actual conference tournament. 
    – There were no comments on this suggestion. 
    – DW with regards to #4, that I can agree with you on. Though I think they should be allowed to join the conference 

    DW@SBC: Any support for #6) Change the USSSA 'A' world's to the month of September so it's not the same month as Canadian championship. 
    – There were no comments on this. 

    DW@SBC: Any support for #9) Name the 2nd team All Conference Manager the "Fred Budnarowski Manager of the Year Award"? 
    – I'm not a fan of naming awards after people 
    – Yes to #9 
    – yes on #9. Recognize a guy that gave a lot to the game and the conference. 
    – I support #9 
    – YES on #9 – Talked to Freddie a lot his last year and enjoyed talking softball with him. His two best friends were coaches/sponsors on my team. We had discussed him coaching our team before he got sick. 

    DW@SBC Suggestion #10 leads into the pitcher safety conversation #10) Pitching helmets cannot be painted with reflective paint and bats cannot be same color as the ball. Any support for this? 
    – Yes on that dw no reflective paint 
    – yellow mikens should not be allowed 
    – DW@SBC: I don't know that anything can be done about the bats being yellow in 2018 but maybe for the future. It looks like worth has a new yellow one and of course miken has one. 
    – DW@SBC: The yellow bats are a concern if you ask me and I know some pitchers have the shiny helmet that doesn't make sense either 
    – In regards to #10, I do agree about no reflective helmets for pitchers 

    DW are you advocating making all World tournaments the same week as the major? 
    – DW@SBC: No. All worlds will be spread out. 

    Dw will they schedule all world's later in the year? 
    – DW@SBC: I haven't seen the world schedule, i just know they will be spread out to maximize use of the new facility in Viera, FL 

    I'd like to see the mound at 53', makes for a little more time and gives the ball a chance to get to that 10' height? 
    – DW@SBC: I like the 53 foot. DId anyone here play in Indiana this year when they accidently removed the wrong pitching rubber and we played from 53 feet? There weren't many pitchers getting hit and it didn't change the game in my opinion. 
    – We played in Indiana twice, so yes it didn't affect the game 
    – 53' makes sense – more so than the floating rubber 
    – No pitcher wants the floating rubber, just put it at 53 feet. 
    – DW@SBC: I really like the 53 foot idea as I said, I have seen it in action and it is very good for pitcher safety. 
    – No on the floating rubber and yes to the 53 feet 
    – At 53-56 feet, the height of the pitch becomes an issue … the game turns into ASA 
    – Floating rubber in Nor Cal was introduced roughly 2003/2004 by a defunct association called WWSA/WSA …. pitchers made a mockery of the box cuz umpires had no clue how to call a 3 foot or 10 foot strike… 53 feet is a good choice 

    Slightly Off Topic if allowed, I heard the cali major might go away… So that would mean the cali major, az major, and colorado major, (and last year Portland) would all be gone within two years. 
    – Dw heard the Colorado major is back.. and we have been trying to get the major back in ct for couple years now 
    – CT has a field 5 all turf infield complex and would be one of the nicest complex that a major is held in.. problem is director is to cheap to spend the money 
    – DW@SBC: Definitely have to have a director willing to lose money or break even. 
    – I heard Cali Major might not happen 

    DW@SBC: Is there any support in this chat room for a change from the conference classic M ball? 
    – I like the 44/375 ball. But I also like the way the Classic M flys. 
    – Why does it seem that the ASA ZN bounces more true than the classic plus? and the USA ZN is a dudley ball so it wouldn't take much.. i used a 52/300 evil ball that played true as well. Overall the cheaper 52's do take terrible hops making the game more dangerous. but it seems the more quality 52's could be an option. (i never thought i would ever say that ) 
    – DW@SBC: The dudley hycon that usa softball was rock hard and flew like the conference ball. And it didn't bounce bad either. Anyone agree? 
    – DW@SBC: I did let Andy and Jr know that the Dudley Hycon ZN 52 ball they should test out in the offseason for conference play. 
    – I liked the ball that USA used, that would be a good choice. 
    – It usually comes down to the cover. The "slick" covered balls are crazy bouncy. The better the cover, the less the bad hop. 
    – I totally agree with you. 
    – DW@SBC: And Sr said he talked to dudley before the 2017 about developing a new ball. 
    – DW@SBC: So just to get this straight. There is or is not anyone in this chat room that is for changing the ball in conference at this time? 
    – If someone decides to change the ball to a .52 for a season, then the manufacturer's will make their bats like the ASA bats and it's a wash] 

    DW@SBC: There wasn't much if any support for a GSL AA World in March in Myrtle Beach either. Unfortunately. 
    – There'd be more support in October in my opinion 

    When is the bump list and/or conference schedule being released? 
    – DW@SBC: Bump list is usually december. Conference schedule will be the week of the convention most likely around Nov 16th 

    DW@SBC: Ok, it looks like we have exhausted the chat. Look for a conversation at the major around calling the 10 foot strike, outlawing yellow bats and reflective helmets, a beginning discussion on moving the rubber to 53 feet and a few of those other suggestions that had some support today. 

    In conclusion, there does appear to be support for the following: 
    – Allowing the 10 foot strike which would push batters back in the box and fix the out of the batters box issue. 

    – There was mixed support for making Conference 'A' and above only for joining. B and below could still play in Conference events. 

    – There was majority support for making the 2nd team All Conference Manager award the "Fred Budnarowski Manager of the Year Award". 

    – There was full support for outlawing yellow bats and reflective pitcher helmets. 

    – There was a lot of support for making the pitchers mound 53 feet and zero support for the floating rubber. 

    – There was no support from Conference people including pitchers for changing the ball from the Classic M. 

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