Friendlies, Scrimmages

I usually watch HS and college games (real games, 7 innings) but this weekend I went to a TB tournament. The first game I watched the score was 5-4 I believe, with the losing team in the process of making a comeback. Batter in the box has one strike when suddenly the umpire yells "ball game". Time has expired.

The second game the score was 3-2, batter gets a single. Next batter steps in the box, the opposing coach asks for time (which stops the game, not the clock) with less than 45 seconds left. She stands in the circle talking to her pitcher until time expires. "Ball game."

The third game was pretty lopsided anyway, but with time running out a batter gets a hit and the umpire yells "ball game" before she even gets to first.

Later, as I'm driving the hour-long trip home, I'm thinking that's pretty stupid. But then it dawned on me, I paid $6 to get in. So I guess that makes me the stupid one.

For a fraction of the cost of entering a tournament like that teams could arrange full regulation games amongst themselves. And use the money they save to attend clinics, or buy equipment or rent winter facilities.

And at least save some of the sport's integrity.

Does anyone do friendlies (or whatever they're called), or know of teams that do, instead of those type of tournaments?

 

sounds like you were attending a showcase tournament. Those games are "drop dead" on time limit. They are about the young ladies gaining recognition from college scouts, not about winning a trophy. The schedules are firm on their time limits to accomadate the college coaches in attendance so that they can see as many girls as possible. If you want to see teams playing for the win, go to any "A" level ASA state or national tournament and you will not be disappointed.

 

$$$$$

It's all about the money, not the girls any more.

 

GA -

Softballphreak has been around these softball fields forever

As for "A" level ASA games? Sorry, but you are off the mark here. Nearly all the tournaments have a time limit. They will not drop dead in the middle of an at bat, but in the 5+ years we have been on the ASA playing fields, I don't believe we ever, once, played a true 7 inning game. Game tied after 4? International overtime.

Phreak - I absolutely agree with about a real game being played throughout the full 7 innings. I loved it when the high schools, year before last, cut out the time garbage at Varsity level and moved to "real" games.

 

I may be wrong but I don't know of any ASA, or any other TB sanction, tournament where the games are full regulation 7 innings.

To "accommodate the college coaches" is an excuse for the abuse of the sport. This would be the subject for another thread but I've heard the college coaches are more concerned with finding fundamentally solid players than they are about a little time inconvenience. College coaches will do whatever it takes to see a player that is interested in their school. Tournaments don't have to be and shouldn't be pot luck events.

When I leave a tournament like that I can imagine how a college coach might feel. If I'm a really good player I don't want a college coach remembering me from games like that. I want them to see me and my team PLAY TO WIN. If they want to see me practice, that can be arranged at far less expense.

Many "showcases" are really just "practices"! Like the one I mentioned; and a poor one.

 

I feel your pain!!!

I have been around travel ball and showcase ball for a long time. We played this past weekend in Spartanburg and did extremely well winning all games except one. Bottom of seven (yes we almost got in a full game), down 4-1, plated two runs and had runners on second and third no outs and our clean up batter steps into the box....game over....time had expired. I would have liked to play a full seven, especially in this game. It just goes to show you that in showcase ball you need to jump on them early.
Dad

 

Just a question not trying to start an arguement. But I have attended several clinics over the last several years with some very good college coaches. One thing most of these coaches complain about is the lack of "competition" in many TB tournaments. Well if the college coaches don't like them why is that format being used to "showcase" the players? The coaches say they want to see the girls have to really compete with something on the line, win or go home, to see how they respond to both success and failure in critical situations. Just a question so don't kill me.

 

That is an excellent question!

When someone finds a way to get back to full competition they are going to draw the best teams. When someone understands that college coaches are more concerned with recruiting the best players than they are with going home at 5 pm then their tournaments are going to be where the college recruiters will be.

Meanwhile, contact the best teams you can find, set up a tournament, let the college coaches know who and where you're playing. They'll be there. It doesn't have to be 50 teams.

How about a full regulation tournament consisting of the ten best teams in some particular area (East Coast or NC-SC-VA or something similar)? Heck, even name it the Top Ten. I'm sure there are models for accomplishing and maintaining this.

Something needs to change. It's not getting better.

 

As with anything, everyone has an opinion

There are venues to "showcase" talent.
There are also elimination type tournaments called nationals, worlds, qualifiers, ect.
I see more teams at showcases than at qualifiers.
We attend both.
There are many more college coaches at "showcases" than at qualifiers except maybe the occasional "gold" tournament.

Where our teams get the most bang for the buck, recruiting wise, is where we're going, and its at a showcase. And the many college coaches I speak with, like to have a set schedule including teams playing on a set field so they don't have to move around.

We play to win. Whether a time limit or not, we play to win. Whether showcase, elimination, Sunday church picnic softball, drop dead or finish the batter or finish the inning it doesn't matter. We are playing to win!
Does the occasional time limit catch us, sure, but it doesn't mean we didn't play to win. My kids are competitors. They compete regardless the format. I played men's ball for years. There was a 1 hour time limit on every game except the occasional championship game. They may not have been drop dead but still no new inning after an hour.
If you want a trophy, play an elimination tournament. They are plentiful. USFA, ASA, NSA, IFA, WFC, ISA, USAA, AFA, Triple Crown, and the list goes on and on, all on the same weekends.
I'll continue to spend my money on showcase with the occasional qualifier with a goal of nationals, because to me, it is still about helping kids realize a dream and we'll go where the college coaches are.

I do like the idea of 10-20 team friendly's.
We, along with the Wildcats are doing a little bit of that this year and hope to expand it next year.
But I have heard some negatives about that already because it has been by invitation only and you can't invite everybody.

 

I wish all teams had your attitude about winning.

Invite the best ten. That will make the tournament that much more valuable AND have time to play full games. The ones that weren't invited will work harder to get better.

Trophies are fine as long as they mean something! They'll be giving one to the World Series champion before the week's over.

There are so many "showcases" and overbooked tournaments that the level of competition is being diluted. And college coaches are noticing that, also.