Player Safety

default · Apr 1, 2008

We, in Western PA, have had 2 HS pitchers hit in the head with balls recently. ?One, broken nose, 3 broken teeth. ?The other fractured temporal bone. ? Everybody differs in their opinions on what can/should be/must be done. ?Interested in peoples honest opinions. ?You can vote for more than one option. ?Hoping that somebody does something though. ?Gameface style facemasks help, but still. ? My dd doesn't pitch but if she did I think I'd have a heart attack with every pitch. ?And I'm really not the worrying type normally. ?I think I'd be less worried about her trying skydiving than to pitch. ?Only half joking. ?She actually hit a line drive this past winter season, at the 12u level, that hit the pitcher in her facemask. ?Thank god the girl was wearing one. ?

default · Apr 1, 2008

My DD is a pitcher, and she does wear a facemask everytime she takes the rubber. Last year at one tournament, 4 pitchers were hit in the face/head with batted balls. One was sent to the hospital, this is all it took for her to want to wear one. I do thank her pitching coach everytime a line drive is hit back to her, the style she pitches has her ready to field at the end of the pitch. I think requiring a mask would be the best solution with out more drastic measures.

default · Apr 1, 2008

It's not like we are going to have a say about the bats as the toning down is supposedly coming....

default · Apr 1, 2008

why would any pitcher at any age NOT pitch with protective gear?
hockey goalies at one time all used their faces to stop pucks, but now all use helmet for protection

default · Apr 1, 2008

Talked to a guy last night who was testing out his new fangled super-duper 105+ MPH composite slo-pitch bat in the cage. He was all giddy about the "bombs" that can be launched off of it. I said I would hate to play 3rd against bats like this. He said he pitches because nobody else wants to. I told him he is nuts. He said, "Yep, but I got me a mask for this year." This guy looked like he could have just got out of prison too.

default · Apr 1, 2008

I think alot of girls don't want to wear the gameface style masks because they think they look silly. And technically, they do sort of. But they should wear them. And even though these girls are athletes and all, and maybe even some are still "tomboyish" a little, we are talking girls here. I'm sure some don't like them simply because it takes getting used to. Though the number of times a batted ball comes back at a pitcher per game compared to a puck going at a goalie in hockey isn't apples to apples, I do get your point. And you're right. My own vote was to move the mound back to 43 and require pitchers/corners to wear the face guards.

default · Apr 1, 2008

people just hate change. We don't evolve quickly. The 3rd baseman playing 20 ft from home is what scares me. One blow to the temple/forehead and it's gonna be worse than a broken nose or lost teeth. I fully understand we can't place players in a security bubble, but why not use the technology available to greatly increase the safety of the pitcher and 3rd baseman. Bigger , stronger girls are changing the game.

Seriuosly I'v got 3 7th grade players (none held back , we don't do that while paying 3-6 K a year for private school

) that each go close to 6 ft , 140-160 lbs. These girls were playing 12u ball last year. I remember 3 years ago seeing a 10u kid from Huntington WV that was every bit 6'1 160 at 10u. You just have to protect your kid ! MD

default · Apr 1, 2008

I LOVE the game of softball. So I really don't want to see the game changed, at the same time I don't want to see anyone seriously hurt playing a game. My DD pitches and I made her wear her gameface starting last year. Now that she is in high school she still chooses to wear it. The batter has to have a mask, for a ball that MAY be thrown at 60 mph. Yet we don't make the infielders that are the same distance away, and in some cases closer, wear a mask for a ball that can be hit up to 100 mph? :-? Just makes sense to make sure they have the same protection as the batter. The gameface should accomplish this without changing the game. JMHO

default · Apr 1, 2008

ManitouDan said:
people just hate change. We don't evolve quickly. The 3rd baseman playing 20 ft from home is what scares me. ? One blow to the temple/forehead and it's gonna be worse than a broken nose or lost teeth. ? I fully understand we can't place players in a security bubble, but why not use the technology available ?to greatly increase the safety of the pitcher and 3rd baseman. ? Bigger , stronger girls are changing the game. ?

Seriuosly I'v got 3 7th grade players (none held back , we don't do that while paying 3-6 K a year ?for private school ?) that each go close to 6 ft , 140-160 lbs. These girls were playing 12u ball last year. I remember 3 years ago seeing a 10u kid from Huntington WV that was every bit 6'1 160 at 10u. You just have to protect your kid ! ? MD

MD, you touched on a point - YOU have to protect your kids. Gamefaces have been around for a while and everyone can wear one if the parents wants them to. Same thing with Heart Protectors.

Changing rules, equipment, etc. is, in my opinion, the wrong way to go about safety. This is best left up to the parents when it comes to using safety equipment. ASA is enforcing the bat rules that are already in place with new pre-testing requirements that will prevent bats from "ramping up" after use. They did not change the rule - they just told the mfgs that the bats to be tested would have to be "pre-rolled" before being subjected to the MPH test.

We do not need to change the game or the rules to the game anymore than it already has. I am afraid of the softball's equivalent of the "Citizens for Common Decency" getting involved with the rules and changing the game in the name of "safety". Heck, if you want safety - don't use softballs - use nerf balls and plastic bats. Why stop there - let's not keep score.

Please, leave the rules and compression alone. Do you ever wonder why is it always softball that is subjected to rule changes rather than baseball?

default · Apr 1, 2008

Make the plate bigger. Upires don't make pitchers throw it down the middle . You can leave it like it is.

default · Apr 1, 2008

even though this may sound like I'm trying to convince someone to agree with my view, I'm really not. I know we all have different views and mine is no more correct than anyone elses.... but as for not changing the rules, the "real" version of this game (College, Olympic, Pro League) pitch from 43 feet. Like in golf, the real rules are the ones the pros are held to. We all bend them a little here and there but to go by the rules, then we should play as they do. In softball, 43 feet is the rule. Other than ASA 18u, everyone else is not playing by the rules. Just my opinion.

default · Apr 1, 2008

Johnnies said:
MD, you touched on a point - YOU have to protect your kids. Gamefaces have been around for a while and everyone can wear one if the parents wants them to. Same thing with Heart Protectors.

Changing rules, equipment, etc. is, in my opinion, the wrong way to go about safety. This is best left up to the parents when it comes to using safety equipment. ASA is enforcing the bat rules that are already in place with new pre-testing requirements that will prevent bats from "ramping up" after use. They did not change the rule - they just told the mfgs that the bats to be tested would have to be "pre-rolled" before being subjected to the MPH test.

We do not need to change the game or the rules to the game anymore than it already has. I am afraid of the softball's equivalent of the "Citizens for Common Decency" getting involved with the rules and changing the game in the name of "safety". Heck, if you want safety - don't use softballs - use nerf balls and plastic bats. Why stop there - let's not keep score.

Please, leave the rules and compression alone. Do you ever wonder why is it always softball that is subjected to rule changes rather than baseball?

Johnnies, you have a point about parental responsibility regarding safety, but comparing baseball and softball is like comparing apples and oranges. They are, of course, similar, but are also very different. The bases are closer which lends itself more to small ball and speed tactics. This forces the corners to play closer and when that happens you're more in danger of getting hit with a sharply hit ball.

I won't be writing my congressman to change any laws, but I wouldn't be opposed to requiring pitchers/corners to wear face masks either. My daughter has a Gameface.

default · Apr 1, 2008

I vote for leave it up to individual -- If anything go to wooden bats and move the mound to 43' bases 65'

default · Apr 1, 2008

Johnnies said:
...ASA is enforcing the bat rules that are already in place with new pre-testing requirements that will prevent bats from "ramping up" after use. ?They did not change the rule - they just told the mfgs that the bats to be tested would have to be "pre-rolled" before being subjected to the MPH test....

Will manufacturers be allowed to sell "Pre-rolled" bats if they meet the ASA requirements. Will bat rolling still be considered "cheating" or just getting a bat "game ready."

default · Apr 1, 2008

Look at the silver lining. If we move the rubber to 43 feet, every single pitcher up to 14u will have a great drop ball!!!

default · Apr 1, 2008

Since we are back on this subject: move the ruubber back to 43 feet, will not improve safety. If you go back and read the posts on this subject in detail from last year,, moving the rubber back 3 feet only gives the batter more time to hit it harder at your pitcher, or other player. The ball moving at the speed it does now off the bat, is qucker than a human can react to. So if you are a pitcher 3 feet further away it means nothing. Moving the rubber back KRM0503 actually makes it worse for your third baseman. If you move the bases back, you still have slappers and bunters and have to play up. If you read the legal posts coming out of NY and NJ they are wanting to change the compression of the balls or change the bats. Those are the only changes you can make to effect safety. We played a tournament in NJ last year and they had already changed the balls. So I started reading all the research on this subject. Moving the rubber back and changing the bases was discussed. If I can find it I will post the reseach they did.

default · Apr 1, 2008

If you read Sammy's post back on 7-18-07, we discussed the safety isssue in depth. It also has the web sites that researched this topic. ? NJ went to a 275 compression ball last year. ?We use ?a 375. ?That is a big difference. ? ?They have a thud sound when when we ?hit them. ? If we let the lawyers decide this issue , you may not like the results. ?Sorry Joe A. ! ?

default · Apr 1, 2008

No need to apologize to me, I say leave the rules as is.

The question is what risk is acceptable when weighed against the damage that could occur. I am comfortable that we're fine as is, while allowing parents to take whatever extra measures they deem necessary. My JV pitcher and third baseman are wearing the Game Face, which is great as far as I'm concerned. In addition to the protection, they'll also be less likely to be afraid of a hard grounder. I just wouldn't force them upon anyone who didn't want to wear one.

default · Apr 1, 2008

3 feet back means nothing? No way. I mean maybe it doesn't mean everything either but the further back a pitcher is, the more time she has to react to a ball. I don't need to read research to already have learned that many years ago. No research will state the opposite. Additionally , right after the pitch leaves her hand it starts to slow down and continues to slow down the further it advances towards the plate. That cannot be argued either. A pitch is its fastest right when it leaves the hand. It may only drop 1 or 2 MPH by the time it reaches the plate but it will drop MPH. So, the further she is back from the plate, the slower her fastball is when the bat meets it. Now, if you think that the batter having more time to hit a ball means it will be hit harder I'm not sure where that would come from. The faster the pitch comes in the faster it will go out if hit on the same sweet spot of a bat that is swung at the same speed by the batter. Its why MLB players don't have someone soft tossing pitches to them during the Home Run Derby. Sorry, and all are entitled to their opinions of course, but moving the mound back will absolutely have an effect on safety. Again, whether thats the best answer for the safety issue, I'm not sure, but it is definitely one of the possible answers.

Lastly, why is the college level, Olympic level, pro level game at 43 feet then?

default · Apr 1, 2008

Can we have the picture of the guy beating the dead horse inserted here? If you can't take the responsibility... stay out of the diamond. :

Player Safety

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