Quote:
Originally Posted by NCASAUmp
I have no doubt this is the direction in which we'll eventually be going: softballs having less and less "pop" until they're almost mush. Unfortunately, the bat manufacturers are simply going to make bats hotter and hotter until we're right back where we started.
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When I fist started playing slowpitch softball ~10 years ago, in the middle of the summer 5 pitchers had been killed nation wide from line drives either in the head or chest, so our league, which was an ASA league, went to softer mid summer for safety reasons. (I didnt pay attention to the #s back then but the balls were noticeably softer). But it seems like the balls used today (44/375) are still "juiced"
This is for slowpitch softball...Ive always said that with the bat technology the way it is its not only becoming too dangerous for pitchers, but also for CI. You figure a 3B will play 5-10' behind the bag, thats only 70-75' from home. You'd call a baseball 3B playing 15-20' in from 3B suicidal for playing that close, yet the balls come down the line with almost the same speeds (for big softball hitters), yet in softball this is acceptable.
It will never happen bc the bat manufacturers pour a ton of $$ into softball and everyone wants to be barry bonds, and not placido polanco, but the game IMO would be better if it were played with wood bats.
just my .02