Stealing in SP

greymule · #1 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 22, 2004, 02:14pm

Here in central NJ, I know of no SP league that has adopted stealing. Every league stuck with the old way and didn't even consider going to stealing. What are other leagues around the country doing?

IRISHMAFIA · #2 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 22, 2004, 02:36pm

Quote:

Originally posted by greymule
Here in central NJ, I know of no SP league that has adopted stealing. Every league stuck with the old way and didn't even consider going to stealing. What are other leagues around the country doing?

In spite of our (Delaware ASA) urging to allow the upper leagues to use is when there were two umpires available. I called the P&R folks within minutes of the rule coming out of committee and again after it passed on the floor in Orlando last November. They basically laughed me off.

Meanwhile, as part of championship play all men's state tournaments will allow stealing.

Too many people think the world is going to come to an end. It's not. It will keep the catcher more active, but once a runner or two are taken off the base because of being thrown out on a steal or picked-off after a pitch, the game will calm down and actually move along at a faster pace. Eventually, the only steal attempts will be when the catcher outright misses the ball.

blueskysblue · #3 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 22, 2004, 02:53pm

Actually, adding this to Men's Slow Pitch in our league has made the games more exciting and has required defensive players to pay more attention, all the time. Umpires, also. No longer can a team put a player that doesn't catch well and doesn't throw well at catcher! We've had very few problems, thus far. I agree regarding two umpires: we usually have two per game; but, on some occasions have to work alone.

It's funny. A lot of our players in Women's Slow Pitch are unhappy that the new rule only applies to the Men's league. They would like to "spice" up their games a little, too.

Dukat · #4 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 22, 2004, 03:04pm

It has worked well here. It is adopted for all mens leagues here, Open and CHurch and everyone seems to like the fact it is there.

chuck chopper · #5 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 22, 2004, 03:20pm

On the eastern side of Baltimore..NONE have wanted to go with it, and I know of none in surrounding county areas that went with it. I don't think these 35-45 year old men feel like stealing..and they all have ho-hum catchers.

#6 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 23, 2004, 08:57am

Here in Omaha, it's only used for the Men's Metro Open league, which includes a team that won the ASA Class A national championship a couple of years back. It's being used in that league only just to see what the feedback is, but teams in all men's leagues have been told to be ready to use it at Nebraska state tournaments, etc.

There is SOME talk that next year the rule might be expanded to the Men's Church league, which is another good league in this city. If that happens, and the results are good, I can forsee in a couple of years or so that all the men's leagues will be using it.

And yes, the Women's Open league teams here in Omaha are *****ing too. They want the same stuff as the Men's Open. Of course, the women's want a 1-1 count like the men's league. It never ends here too.

IRISHMAFIA · #7 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 23, 2004, 03:34pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Ref Ump Welsch

And yes, the Women's Open league teams here in Omaha are *****ing too. They want the same stuff as the Men's Open. Of course, the women's want a 1-1 count like the men's league. It never ends here too.

I may take some heat for this sexist statement, but in DE, it's barely enough just to get the women to through a strike with a height of at least 6', let alone get a catcher to grab the ball throw out a runner.

Around here, the nose-to-toes, dugout-to-dugout strike zone gets a lot of use in the women's games.

#8 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 23, 2004, 04:38pm

I would normally agree with you about the women's game, however this Women's Open league here in Omaha is nothing to laugh at. These ladies can hit some over the fence and are good enough to go to national tournaments (either USSSA or ASA). There's talk of maybe allowing that league to go to the 1-1 count next year, but nothing else.

FUBLUE · #9 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 23, 2004, 09:06pm

I only know of a few leagues around here...one uses it, and the other does not. The one that does use it likes it, and has always had two umpires per game. The one that doesn't use it has only ever used one umpire per game, and didn't want to pay for a second umpire for each game.

One league my sister plays in (she plays on a men's team during league play...at third, no less..northern part of this state) allows stealing. They love it.

Ed Maeder · #10 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 23, 2004, 10:02pm

Here in Alaska all State Tournaments will have stealing, but in some of the cities they have not allowed it in the lower leagues. Also the rule interpretation about all move or no go really has caused some controversy. We are very fortunate and have two umpires on all games. I'm interested in seeing how some of these teams who haven't used it all year handle it when they play in the State Tourney.

[Edited by Ed Maeder on Jun 23rd, 2004 at 11:15 PM]

greymule · #11 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 24, 2004, 07:58am

An additional problem in this area is that, while all township leagues used 2 umpires until 6 or 8 years ago, they use only 1 now, except for playoffs. I have done only 2 or 3 two-man games out of 87 so far this year.

So not only are the players hesitant to change, the leagues don't want to pay for two officials.

Also the rule interpretation about all move or no go really has caused some controversy.

What is that interpretation?

Ed Maeder · #12 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 24, 2004, 08:44am

We had a couple of threads earlier this year about that. Last one has a date of May 3. It seems that in ASA rule 8-4-G it states "If a runner stops or is clearly not advancing, when the catcher releases the ball to the pitcher (who is in the vicinity of the pitcher's plate), and the pitcher catches the ball, the play is ruled dead and all runner(s) are returned to the last base legally touched." This has been interpreted to mean if all runners are not advancing on the catchers release and the ball is caught by the pitcher in the vicinity of the pitchers plate all runners go back. Kind of a tough call when runners are on the corners and the runner on third having to go towards home where the ball is just to get their runner on first to second. Probably a change next year.

[Edited by Ed Maeder on Jun 24th, 2004 at 10:09 AM]

Bluefoot · #13 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 24, 2004, 08:53am

About half of the leagues that I work here in Connecticut use it, and it does not have much of an effect at all. If anything, it speeds up the game, as the pitcher/catcher mechanics are much sharper/quicker in these games. I work 98% of my games alone, which in no way is a hindrance for calling any stealing plays. I wish all of the leagues would use it.

buddha69 · #14 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 24, 2004, 11:42am

We had use it in the spring season, the Guys like it. It makes the game go by faster, they started to use someone that can catch and throw at catcher. I like it alot..

Like someone said earlier, The girls and also the co-ed teams would like to use it as while.

ChampaignBlue · #15 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 24, 2004, 03:17pm

All our mens leagues use it. I've yet to call a guy out for stealing. I have gotten to call outs for leaving the base too soon. I don't see it doing much for the game but it does make it easier to get the parks to maintain the field better. Bad hops you see are never the players fault.