SOFTBALL

I'm watching my first women's softball game this year, my wife is a Auburn Alum. Lot of action, but I'm still not very interested, just not my focus. But one thing I noticed was that ESPN shows a box for the strike zone and shows where the pitch goes respective to that box. I know that the pitches in softball are a lot slower than baseball, but I:)'m sure the technology is there to do the same thing in college baseball. Now the question is does the NCAA not allow this because they know the umpiring is so bad (something we have all seen through the regular and post-season)? I really wish they would implement this strike-zone box in our games, because the strike/ball calls have been horrible!

Yeah college umpires tend to have a strike zone as big as the Grand Canyon or the size of a stove pipe. No consistency at all. Had an NCAA umpire tell me one time he liked calling balls and strikes against the home team just to piss fans off lol

You know, to each his own. However, to answer your question on the strike zone:

There is no way in softball or baseball to see actuately the overhead view of the plate at the same time of what you see as a box on TV. (Keep in mind the dept of the catcher and umpire). What really looks like a bad pitch in softball has actually crossed the strike zone way ahead of the catcher, so their glove moves dramatically; and is harder to frame for a strike. Softball has 3 mainpitches at this level; Rise ball, drop ball and fastball. (yes there are curves, change ups and screw balls). Only the fastball and possibly the change up will look like a recognizable pitch as a strike like baseball. The other two pitches will have moved so much as it passes the plate that it will look like a bad call.

As for the question on pitch speed:

The mound for BB is 90 feet and for SB is 60 feet. The speed and thread spin of a 90 mph fastball in BB can be picked up easier at that dististance (not saying all can do it), and the reactionary time for batter is longer. As for softball, a 65 mph pitch at 60 feet has a far short reactionary time for a batter. The extra 30 feet compensates for the 30 extra mph in BB. Plus, the pitcher has jumped almost 10 feet before releasing the ball, so it is actually 50' for a batter to pick up the pitch and decide what to do. BB the pitcher's stride is about 6', so the distance is 84'.

It is very difficult for anyone to hit a softball as compare to a baseball. This fact has been proven many times over by high school, college, and pro BB players. In fact, there has not been a pro player to hit Kat O, when she pitches to them in exhibition,,,,fouls the ball to the right.

The swings are different too,,,,,(Dads that are coaching your young girls, please pay attention to this). It is not a baseball swing,,,,,quick and compact, with plenty of power. This enables the batter to hit and pull the ball.

Ask yourself this question, why is the infield dirt and not grass? The game was designed to be played in the dirt; however, in recent years the long ball has come into play. For myself, fastpitch softball is a great sport, and a deeper appreciation is gained when one tries to take a few cuts. It is very difficult.

Hope this helps.

Good Explanation.

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Originally Posted by Howboutdemdogs

You know, to each his own. However, to answer your question on the strike zone:

There is no way in softball or baseball to see actuately the overhead view of the plate at the same time of what you see as a box on TV. (Keep in mind the dept of the catcher and umpire). What really looks like a bad pitch in softball has actually crossed the strike zone way ahead of the catcher, so their glove moves dramatically; and is harder to frame for a strike. Softball has 3 mainpitches at this level; Rise ball, drop ball and fastball. (yes there are curves, change ups and screw balls). Only the fastball and possibly the change up will look like a recognizable pitch as a strike like baseball. The other two pitches will have moved so much as it passes the plate that it will look like a bad call.

As for the question on pitch speed:

The mound for BB is 90 feet and for SB is 60 feet. The speed and thread spin of a 90 mph fastball in BB can be picked up easier at that dististance (not saying all can do it), and the reactionary time for batter is longer. As for softball, a 65 mph pitch at 60 feet has a far short reactionary time for a batter. The extra 30 feet compensates for the 30 extra mph in BB. Plus, the pitcher has jumped almost 10 feet before releasing the ball, so it is actually 50' for a batter to pick up the pitch and decide what to do. BB the pitcher's stride is about 6', so the distance is 84'.

It is very difficult for anyone to hit a softball as compare to a baseball. This fact has been proven many times over by high school, college, and pro BB players. In fact, there has not been a pro player to hit Kat O, when she pitches to them in exhibition,,,,fouls the ball to the right.

The swings are different too,,,,,(Dads that are coaching your young girls, please pay attention to this). It is not a baseball swing,,,,,quick and compact, with plenty of power. This enables the batter to hit and pull the ball.

Ask yourself this question, why is the infield dirt and not grass? The game was designed to be played in the dirt; however, in recent years the long ball has come into play. For myself, fastpitch softball is a great sport, and a deeper appreciation is gained when one tries to take a few cuts. It is very difficult.

Hope this helps.

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You are talking about the distance between the bases at 90' and 60' not the pitching mound to home plate. It's 43 feet for softball. And I disagree completely (with the exception of slap hitting and punch hitting in the softball game) the high level swing is almost identical with softball and baseball. I posted this earlier in the other thread but with more and more high level baseball men getting into softball you see the swings morph into proper mechanics for a full swing. Part of why you have seen the numbers go up. (Although the trampoline effect with bats is an issue as well).

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Originally Posted by msbulldog

Good Explanation.

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However, I still can't see why this is not possible to do in college baseball. Surely adjustments could be made to make this accurate.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Howboutdemdogs

You know, to each his own. However, to answer your question on the strike zone:

There is no way in softball or baseball to see actuately the overhead view of the plate at the same time of what you see as a box on TV. (Keep in mind the dept of the catcher and umpire). What really looks like a bad pitch in softball has actually crossed the strike zone way ahead of the catcher, so their glove moves dramatically; and is harder to frame for a strike. Softball has 3 mainpitches at this level; Rise ball, drop ball and fastball. (yes there are curves, change ups and screw balls). Only the fastball and possibly the change up will look like a recognizable pitch as a strike like baseball. The other two pitches will have moved so much as it passes the plate that it will look like a bad call.

As for the question on pitch speed:

The mound for BB is 90 feet and for SB is 60 feet. The speed and thread spin of a 90 mph fastball in BB can be picked up easier at that dististance (not saying all can do it), and the reactionary time for batter is longer. As for softball, a 65 mph pitch at 60 feet has a far short reactionary time for a batter. The extra 30 feet compensates for the 30 extra mph in BB. Plus, the pitcher has jumped almost 10 feet before releasing the ball, so it is actually 50' for a batter to pick up the pitch and decide what to do. BB the pitcher's stride is about 6', so the distance is 84'.

It is very difficult for anyone to hit a softball as compare to a baseball. This fact has been proven many times over by high school, college, and pro BB players. In fact, there has not been a pro player to hit Kat O, when she pitches to them in exhibition,,,,fouls the ball to the right.

The swings are different too,,,,,(Dads that are coaching your young girls, please pay attention to this). It is not a baseball swing,,,,,quick and compact, with plenty of power. This enables the batter to hit and pull the ball.

Ask yourself this question, why is the infield dirt and not grass? The game was designed to be played in the dirt; however, in recent years the long ball has come into play. For myself, fastpitch softball is a great sport, and a deeper appreciation is gained when one tries to take a few cuts. It is very difficult.

Hope this helps.

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Disagree with a lot of this.

The main issue higher level baseball players have is release point. It is a much difference point of reference and movement on a softball vs baseball. If miggy Cabrera had been hitting a fastpitched softball for 15 years then I'm 100% he would mash it as well, if not better than he does a baseball...it is much larger.

This is not meant to take anything away from these ladies...I've coached fastpitched and enjoy the game for what it is. But let's not make asinine comments that's aren't reality.

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Originally Posted by shoeless joe

Disagree with a lot of this.

The main issue higher level baseball players have is release point. It is a much difference point of reference and movement on a softball vs baseball. If miggy Cabrera had been hitting a fastpitched softball for 15 years then I'm 100% he would mash it as well, if not better than he does a baseball...it is much larger.

This is not meant to take anything away from these ladies...I've coached fastpitched and enjoy the game for what it is. But let's not make asinine comments that's aren't reality.

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Great point. And it also has to do with reaction time and the precognitive recognition from thousands of repetitions. Human reaction time is generally similar, within a small percentage of difference, among most everyone. Athletes don't really have faster reaction time than other humans and when out of their respected sport appear very average, even foolish at times. But their brain can recognize and react much faster because similar pathways have already been created to engage their muscle memory. That is why a MLB hitter has trouble with a fast fastpitch pitcher, along with your statement. It's a foreign release point that their brain is calculating at the same rate as any other human. Normal reaction time without precognitive recognition.

All points taken....as I said to each his own.... Also stand corrected on the 43'.