Text from a local article

[RKBUmp]

I cant find a bio on him either, but I did find his facebook page. Says he was a sports writer at the East Valley Tribune from 1985 to 2010. When he left the Tribune he went to the AIA/AIA365.

[bbsbvb83]

The author needs to make up his mind. Either the rule change was good because pitchers were too dominant OR the rule change was bad because hitters have worked their way back and pitchers are becomming frustrated.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by bbsbvb83

The author needs to make up his mind. Either the rule change was good because pitchers were too dominant OR the rule change was bad because hitters have worked their way back and pitchers are becomming frustrated.

I think his point is that the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction. In his mind, pitchers were too dominant, and the change from 40' to 43' that was supposed to even things out a little bit has actually (again, in his mind) given batters a significant advantage. So, widening the zone is his suggested solution to bring more balance to the game.

Frankly, I don't see what he's whining about. While it's true that those 1-0 or 2-1 pitching duels are less prevalent in HS ball than in the past (at least around here), I haven't really seen games where two decent teams are playing to scores of 9-7 or 15-10. Strikeouts are being replaced by batted balls going to fielders who are expected to make plays. What is wrong with that?

To me, the change has put more emphasis on teams mastering defensive fundamentals. Gone are the days where a mediocre high school team can do okay when it has a dominant pitcher. Now, more balls are being put into play, so more players have to learn what to do and how to do it. They need to understand where they should go with the ball under certain situations. They need to learn how to hit the cutoff player on throws from the outfield. And they need to practice on putting to good use that $250 piece of leather they were previously using to just warm up their hands while spectating.

I had a blowout game a couple of weeks ago, where the winning team should have scored less than half the runs they ended up scoring. The losing team just couldn't play defense. They had a shortstop that, bless her heart, had no idea what she was doing out there. She couldn't make throws to first base without bouncing the ball at least twice. And yet, there were more than a handful of times where she had force plays at third and at second, including a couple of runners who stopped to let her field the ball, where she would just throw to first. Their first baseman, meanwhile, fielded a bases-loaded ground ball with two outs, and rather than just trot over to step on the bag for the out, she threw it home, and sailed it over the catcher.

That's what I'm seeing more of in games with high run totals. And we're supposed to widen the strike zone to prevent that? Sorry, but that's not my job. I'm not picking up the coaches' slack.

[Andy]

Ok.....RKB spoiled it.....

AIA stands for the Arizona Interscholastic Association. AIA365.com is a site administered and run by the association.

The association is responsible for all member HS athletics in Arizona and also all of the HS officials.

My problem is that this site, that is run by the AIA, is allowing this article to be published that is critical (despite the author's statement otherwise) of the state HS officials.

The AIA has been known to take a very hard stance against a coach or school official that complains about HS officiating in the media, now they are allowing a media member on their own site to do it?

[RKBUmp]

I didnt know that was the secret you were keeping. LOL. You said in your original post it came from a website for HS sports, figured it was safe to say where from. Next time message me and tell me what you are keeping secret.

[KSRef]

It's an opinion piece and opinions are like a$$holes...everybody has one. New strike zone: Nose to toes, batters box to batters box.

[RadioBlue]

Originally Posted by KSRef

New strike zone: Nose to toes, batters box to batters box.

New?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Andy

Ok.....RKB spoiled it.....

AIA stands for the Arizona Interscholastic Association. AIA365.com is a site administered and run by the association.

And here I though it was a road in Florida

My problem is that this site, that is run by the AIA, is allowing this article to be published that is critical (despite the author's statement otherwise) of the state HS officials.

I didn't think it was critical of umpires. If anything, it shows just how dumb these people are when it comes to understanding not only the rules or the umpire's job, but the game itself.

The AIA has been known to take a very hard stance against a coach or school official that complains about HS officiating in the media, now they are allowing a media member on their own site to do it?

Let them talk! Who cares? Just have AIA365 provide a place for a counterpoint along with an invitation to the individual to the next clinic.

BTW, what does AIA365 do on a leap year?

[Altor]

Originally Posted by Andy

The AIA has been known to take a very hard stance against a coach or school official that complains about HS officiating in the media, now they are allowing a media member on their own site to do it?

Many associations, leagues, and conferences take hard stances against complaints about officiating. But, usually that's in regards to "Joe Official blew this call in this game and it cost us the championship."

Questioning officiating philosophies, or rules in general, without naming an umpire or umpires in specific is hardly the same.