43' and the playoffs

Expanding the fields will never happen.... fence dimensions create character for the field and the players that play on it. It forces different defensive thoughts, depending on the team that comes in....

A short fence might give up an additional HR every now and then, but also takes away some gap doubles, when the runner doesn't hustle. Like Dukedog said, " low, hard and in the yard."

If I moved mine, Blount Street would be in right field............

 

We agree again!

While size does matter in hitting also . . . look at C Bustos the greatest hitter of all time . . . the wonderful thing about our game is you don't have to be a genetic freak to be a great player. There are lots of very good 5'5" (the average HT of the American female) pitchers and hitters. Great hitter in softball is truly phenomenal as the geometry of the game favors the pitcher.

Softball (and for that matter baseball) are sports where players are made (by hard work) and not necessarily born. I like that!

 

Speaking as an "outsider" this is a very interesting thread with good replies...thank you.

 

how tall was the kid who pitched for arizona v. tennessee...

...a few years back?

 

I think u r talking about Karne Mowatt. I think she was like 5'2" or something. Taller pitchers (sb & bb) do have an advantage because of leverage, but only if their mechanics are strong. That's the great thing about softball. Size won't preclude you from being the 'best'. Work ethic and attitude will.

 

Taryn Mowatt

Mowatt is actually 5'6"; still 1" taller than the average American woman. Yes, it's possible to a very good pitcher at average size. However, all other things being equal the advantage goes to the bigger kid. Again, turn on the TV and look at the pitchers in the WCWS. The smallest one I've seen so far was the pitcher from Cal and she was 5'8" (and they were run-ruled today). D. Lawrie is listed @ 5'8" but may not be that tall. However, I wouldn't want to guess her weight . . . let's just say she's not size 2.

 

just finished watching a complete weekednd of super regionals. how about going to a lower core ball? home runs everywhere!!

 

....why not teach the pitchers to pitch well enough to keep those homeruns from clearing the fence at 200 ft, 225, or 250?

Next thing will be the NCAA raising the rim in basketball to 12 ft.


Being first to adjust to the landscape in sports is what makes you a winner.

Don't expect the field to come back to you, get out front of your adversaries and adjust to stay there.

Fishman

Happy Memorial Day....and God bless our soldiers

 

Agree: 80% of the HR's . . . .

that have been hit in regionals and supers have been on bad pitches (those I have seen on TV). Primarily, rise balls. Most of these HR's have been hit so far that 220' fence would not have mattered. The pitchers need to adjust to the quality of batters they are facing and keep the ball down. The rise ball that worked in conference play versus 'Whats-a-Matta-U' won't cut it versus UGA or UCLA. Far better to surrender singles than HR's . You're not likely to K 10+ batters that way or throw a shutout but you're not going to get run-ruled either.

 

A lot of the HRs I saw were low pitches. The better hitters have learned to lift them out of the park. The swing is more like a baseball swing than ever; not just a few batters, many.

The most effective pitching I saw was the outside pitch and that was mostly because the umps were calling strikes in the batters box. The rise ball was the next most effective.

Slappers were having a field day overall.