ASA Tournament ASA Tournament thoughts and question!

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Standard ASA rules allow for a DP/Flex, and does not allow EP's.
I assume that each ASA tournament director has the right to implement or change rules per there own tournament.
(Not sure about State & Nat'l Qualifiers)
This weekend @ the ASA Capitol City Showdown, each team was allowed to use up to 3 extra hitters / bat twelve.
I personally think this was a great idea on behalf of the tournament directors. I never batted 12 batters, however
I did at times bat 10 or 11. I must say that with the cost of gas this summer, sitting the bench isn't as forgiving as
it was in years past. This added rule was of great benefit to me, and allowed me to get more girls in the game. or
perhaps gave me "more options" however still left the decision up to me.
My question is how many other ASA tournaments are going to allow extra hitters this summer? Even if the rule to
allow extra hitters in pool play only was used, it would be of great benefit. If your playing 2 pool play games and
then going into double elimination by blind draw. why not add the rule for at least the 2 pool games?
After this weekend, I would like to see extra hitters allowed, and let the coaches make the decisions on whether or not
to use them. Any thoughts?

 

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Why bother sanction it ASA! Just sanction the tournament in the sanctioning body that already has those rules! mho

 

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My point is ASA, NSA, Pony, USSSA, etc......... It is still summer ball, and the cost to play
this year is higher. If a team is paying to play in a tournament, paying to travel, and using
vacation time to get to these "early" Friday games, why not give something back and allow
an opportunity to get more players playing time?

 

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Blaze 25, I guess I'm a little confused. Were you allowed to bat 10 to 12 girls and skip over the ones that struggle at the plate, similar to the concept behind the DP/Flex or are you stating they just allowed you to bat them all and the DP/FLex (number 9 & 10 idea) went away, you simply batted them all?

 

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The DP/Flex was still in effect.
The rule change for the tournament was that a team could bat up to 3 extra hitters.
We went about our line up as normal, accept we put an extra girl or two in the
batting order as extra hitters.
I understand that batting extra girls is not always the best idea, however in pool play
at least, why not have a choice. If a girl isn't getting much playing time in pool play,
she most likely isn't getting any in elimination play.

 

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I believe that it is all going to boil down to sanction standards and what you are wanting for your team.

The ASA has always, at least in my lifetime, been the standard bearer for establishing a competitive environment. The other sanctions were formed because someone didn't like what the ASA (or whatever association) was doing. From what I see, they haven't come up with tougher standards, but they have lessened the standards. But the ASA has allowed TDs the opportunity to modify the ASA rules for non-qualifying tournaments. ASA Qualifiers are not for teams that are still in the development stage.

Why the other sanctions have lessened their standards can be debated for days. I think it has been done so that developmental teams can have a chance at making a World Series. They are trying to get more girls involved, which will get more teams involved, which will bring in more money$$$$.

If a team is a developmental team, then they should probably stick to tournaments that allow them to develop. This would be NSA, USSSA, ISA, Pony, EIEIO, and ASA non-qualifiers with modified rules.

 

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Not sure I understand how allowing extra hitters = lesser standards?

 

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We were just in an ASA tournament that did the same thing. It did make me and I'm sure the players and parents happier playing all the girls. It was more fun, but less competitive.

 

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I feel ASA does offer more competitive tournaments, and we are only playing ASA tournaments as well as 2 qualifiers this summer.
My point in general was that with the cost of gas this summer, added to the fact that we seem to be playing early Friday games often, girls not
getting enough playing time isn't going to go over as well this season. The opportunity to let a girl bat as opposed to sitting the bench was a nice option to have.
sfarley, was the tournament you were in less competitive just because it was, or was it due to the fact of batting extra hitters... If so, how does using extra hitters make the game less competitive? I am not being a you know what here, I am curious!