Ho-hum Olympic softball ?

Rise Ball

So your saying Cat didn't execute it properly? The "rise ball" works great in HS and lower level college competition as few girls can lay off it. As you move up the 'food chain' you see fewer and fewer successful rise ball pitchers. The problem with it is that you have to have a "great" rise ball to be consistently because one miss often results in a real bad outcome (it rises quickly in the opposite direction). You can go a long way with a 'good' drop. Miss and the worst that happens is it goes to the backstop not over the CF fence like the rise. My guess is fewer than 20% of all D1 pitchers would say the rise was their primary pitch. Ueno IS the best pitcher in the world. Didn't throw one rise today.

 

this may ruffle a few feathers as well but I never recall Cat winning the big game at TX or in international competition but I may be wrong.

 

Probably right but . . .

But at ut Cat really had no help. How many national championships did the other ut win with Monica? That's correct "0".

 

Believe Lisa Fernandez should have made the trip." Big game" experience, but don't know if she still has it or not. Also believe Angela Tincher should have been on team. This may ruffle some feathers, but IMO AT better pitcher than MA. Much more legal also.

As far as rise ball, good pitch, but if you miss bye bye. I always here if your gonna miss, miss low !!!

 

well I wasnt in any way suggesting that Abbott should have gotten the ball.. to me the loss is a great example of a dominant pitcher dominating FP competition. I have seen many lesser schools talent wise win games because they had a dominant gal playing 1.

If I was writing the lineup card (and needless to say I am not) Lisa would have gotten the ball in that game. Hindsight is always 20/20.

 

I don't mean to argue...

No I am not neccessarily saying she didn't exacute the rise ball correctly, she is facing the best hitters in the WORLD, everybody makes mistakes and every pitcher misses a pitch or two.
I do not mean to argue this point with you, I just respectly disagree that the rise ball is not a great pitch to have in your repertoire!
Some pitchers throw a rise ball better than they throw a drop ball. Some pitchers have more success with a drop ball than a rise ball. If I'm not mistaken Cat did not throw a rise ball in college, it is a pitch she has recently added to her repertoire. Not defending Cat just the rise ball!
A lot of pitchers never throw a rise ball.
I personally think Crystal Bustos could put any pitch, anywhere she wanted to, rise or drop! The best hitters in the world have seen it all and swung at it all! JMO

 

If USA is going to...

If the USA softball team is going to continue to dominate in fastpitch, then the new pups on the porch have to learn how to make it work! The older players are great, but everyone graduates and/or retires! We can't keep going back to Lisa forever! Jennie, Cat and Monica have to step up and get it done!
I agree totally that Angela Tincher should be there also! If she could beat the best once then she earned her spot!

 

I just wanted to say...

I loved this commercial that Nike put on for the Olympics! Click on the link and it will take you to the commercial! Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AY0noNVBM8

 

.. part of my thought process in giving the ball to Lisa, outside of her experience, would be that she earned the right (after all she has done) to get the ball in what, at this point, is the last chance for USA softball to compete for a gold medal. And I know she is in great shape.. we saw her in Boulder and got her autograph. She had really slimmed up after having her child.

I honestly was not aware she wasn't on the team if I read that correctly.

 

Oh I agree...

Don't get me wrong Lisa is the QUEEN of the circle and always will be in my opinion! I actually was shocked she wasn't there!
I'm just saying the new kids on the block have to do their job!