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Softball Knocked Out By One Vote
by Dave
Friday, August 26, 2005
According to the Los Angeles Times, softball was removed from the Olympics in a vote which was decided by a margin of one vote. One single vote! Actually it isn't that simple. The voters numbered 105 and in order to remain as an Olympic sport, softball needed to get 53 votes>. One delegate abstained and the actual vote was 52-52. Because it did not get the required 53 votes, the sport was ousted.
Please take a moment and follow our link to sign the petition to have softball restored. It has become increasingly obvious that when voters contemplated their votes, they thought softball was the same sport as baseball. If you disagree and feel softball should be restored, you must sign the petition.
You can also aid the cause by joining Michele Smith by learning how to make your voice heard at InternationalSoftball.com.
Follow Up Posting
Sign Up San Diego reports the one delegate who abstained is none other than American Jim Easton, chairman of Easton Sports. Easton is huge in softball bats. He abstained because he had a financial stake in the outcome of the vote.
Permanent Link: Softball Knocked Out By One Vote
 
Let's Get Two!
by Dave
Thursday, August 25, 2005
For some reason we do not place as much emphasis on the standard double play in girls fastpitch softball as our counterparts in boys baseball do. You see some double plays made by a few very good high school teams and slightly more college teams but rarely at younger ages. Even at high levels of play from age 15 up, girls do not routinely make double plays even when the batter is an exceptionally slow runner. Boys as young as 12 do routinely make double plays (and that's with 60 foot bases) because they put a lot of effort into practicing it. Presumably most girls' teams do not see it as sufficiently important. But the double play can be the most demoralizing one to the offense. In the most recent World Cup the Japanese team used a double play to break up a rally by the USA team. It was a blow from which they never recovered.
Learning and practicing double plays teaches not only how to get two outs but also some of the most important skills a middle infielder can develop - quick movement of ball from glove to throwing hand, good footwork, gaining proper balance before making a throw, coordination between middle infielders, and leading the throw to a fielder running to cover a base. It also teaches infielders to work together as a team. The standard double play should be practiced often by those wanting to improve their middle infield game and teams wishing to improve teamwork.
By standard double play I am referring to a runner on first with one or no outs and a groundball hit to one middle infielder. The shortstop or second baseman gathers the grounder, simultaneously removing the ball from her glove and positioning herself to make a good throw to the other fielder covering second. She then leads that fielder so she can catch the ball while in motion away from the approaching runner and make a good strong throw to first.
The first part of the standard double play is positioning of the fielders. With no or one out and a runner on first, the two middle infielders can "cheat" a little towards the bag in expectation of trying to get two. There is no real need of this if you have very quick players but frequently middle infielders choose to position themselves a little closer to the bag in double play conditions. Basically "cheating" or positioning at "double play depth" means taking a step from your normal position towards home and then one towards the bag. This shortens the distance by about a step and a half.
When the ball is hit to one middle infielder, the other dashes quickly to cover second. The fielder starting the play fields the ball and makes an accurate throw to the bag, leading the fielder as she arrives there. Accuracy of the first throw is the most important element of the double play. Let's not forget that getting that out is absolutely necessary. Everything else takes a back seat. Accuracy is more important than strength. As fielders become more accustomed to each other's ability to cover the bag, the speed of the throw can be increased but to start off practicing this exercise, just getting the ball in the right place to the covering fielder is what you are after. It should be about belly-button to shoulder high, directly over the bag. The covering fielder should be able to catch the ball right as she steps on the base so she can continue her motion to the throwing position as fluidly as possible.
The throw from fielder to covering fielder can be overhand or underhand. Generally speaking, underhand throws should be reserved for balls which are hit to the bag side of the fielder. tghe underhand throw is not a "lolly-pop" toss but rather a hard underhand throw as if pitching - it is a snap. If you cannot make a throw from your position at short or second right over the bag at the correct height, you should practice until you can do it well and avoid using underhand motion until you have it down.
The covering fielder (whether shortstop or second baseman) has a responsibility to arrive at the bag just as the throw gets there. If the play is slow to develop, she must hang back of the bag not simply get there and wait for the throw. If the fielding player is slow to gather the grounder or to remove the ball from her glove, she can end up pulling the covering fielder off by her slowness. The covering fielder needs to guard against this by watching the other fielder so she gets to the bag at the right moment. Again, before all other considerations, you must get the out at second. If the covering fielder senses that the play is so slow to develop that two can't be made, she simply covers the bag and gets the first out without even trying for two.
The covering fielder should touch second base with her left foot. This is true whether she is the second baseman or shortstop. Both positions touch the bag with the left foot. If the second baseman is covering, her step with the left foot is followed by a strong forward step with the right foot off of which she then makes the throw to first. This pivoting is a little difficult initially but becomes easy with repetition. If the shortstop is the covering fielder, she touches the bag with her left foot while already having her right foot planted, then removes her left foot from the bag and steps towards first with it and makes the throw also off her right foot. Her right foot should be aligned to make the throw to first - her instep should point to first. This too becomes easy with practice.
There is an alternative method for shortstops looking to turn a double play. That is to drag the right foot across the bag while in a fluid motion then planting it to make the throw. But this is a much more difficult maneuver to learn. Part of the problem is timing. It is difficult to get this down and umpires are not nearly as forgiving in softball as they are in baseball when they make the "neighborhood call." Umps need to see the covering fielder very clearly on the bag in softball. Also, a shortstop running through second base then setting up to throw on to first has all her physical momentum moving off to her right. This can result in throws to first trailing off towards right field which can lead to the runner on first ending up at second anyways! At least intitially I suggest shortstops use very similar body position to the second baseman as both result in the fielder being out of the way of the sliding runner at second and provide for good balance in making the throw to first.
That's actually all there is to turning a double play. Like everything else, it needs to be practiced a lot before it seems quite that simple. To begin with, drill the throw to the covering middle infielder. Put your infielders into position then walk through the steps necessary for each to end up with the left foot on the bag then stepping to make the throw.
There is no need to have a live grounder just yet. The fielder beginning the play should have a ball in her glove and shoulders square to home just like she was waiting for a ball to be hit to her. On "go" the covering fielder runs to the base, the fielder turns to make a throw and then leads the covering fielder to the bag. Now vary this by making the player starting the play move away from the bag to field a pretend grounder to her other side. She turns and throws a good leading throw. When she can do this without looking for the covering fielder, things are going well. Next have the fielder move as if to field a ball hit towards her bag side. Work on the underhand snap I discussed briefly before. It is very easy to do many repetitions of this sort of drilling within a very short period of time.
Once you have perfected this walk through and drill, it is time to work this play with live grounders. I suggest having a first baseman cover her bag and a group of runners of varying speeds start from home. This will allow your middle infielders to gain a sense of how much time is needed to turn two. It is unimportant to have the runner coming from first and this is a good way to avoid sliding injuries in practice. The object of the drill is timing and there is no reason to be totally live.
Hit a variety of grounders to your middle infielders so they can gain confidence in their sense of time. Hit some slow ones on which there is no way to turn two. Hit to both sides of both infielders. Don't work one side than the other. Hit the ball randomly without either fielder knowing who is going to initiate the play and from where. Hit the ball from homeplate in order to be as "real" as possible. This sort of drilling should be worked into your normal infield practice.
Non-Standard Double PlaysOnce you feel comfortable with your middle infielders' ability to turn two, you can bring your third baseman into the mix. It is relatively easy to bring in third but the throw to second is much more difficult because it is longer and because the third baseman is usually in front of the bag, sometimes as much as 2o feet in front. The second baseman approaching the bag on a grounder to third should approach the bag by running parallel to the base line and then cutting in towards the bag rather than running straight at it the way she does on a ball hit to short. The route to the bag is a little more circuitous or rounded. This avoids balls being thrown into the outfield due to the angle from which a third baseman is throwing.
It is far more difficult to incorporate the first baseman into the double play because of the question of who covers the returning throw to first. Generally speaking, you should only attempt this if your second baseman or pitcher can cover the bag. Typically most girls softball teams do not work their pitchers on covering first because the distance from the pitcher's finished motion leaves her too far from the bag. Only a fast running pitcher can get to the bag before the base runner. So if your second baseman can cover the bag, you can run a double play where the first baseman initiates. The shortstop, just like the second baseman, makes a more rounded approach to the bag because of the angle of the throw. Once the throw has been made by the first baseman, she must get out of the way so there is no confusion. One of the things you want to avoid is the first baseman making the throw while her body's momentum is moving towards home or the pitcher's position. This generally results in a throw which ends up off-line. The first baseman must be taught to stop her motion on pivot and make a strong, straight throw directly over the bag. Remember, we need to get one before we get two. And many double plays beginning with a grounder to first end up with errant throws to second.
You should drill first and third basemen in the same fashion that your middle infielders are drilled when beginning work on the double play. Start by focusing on the throws the play initiator will make. Then move on to live hit balls. Double plays commencing with grounders to first or third should similarly be worked into your normal infield practice.
Other ConsiderationsWe often teach boys learning the double play that if the runner comes at you in an attempt to break up the play, you should throw the ball to first side arm right at the runner face in order to teach him a lesson to never do that again. I've seen major league baseball players' noses broken in this fashion. We don't teach that in girls softball because we are more refined. Well, that's not entirely true. We don't teach that in girls softball because frequently runners are wearing helmets with face masks. Hitting a runner in the face will not teach her anything and because of the nature of face masks, the ball usually ends up in right field thereby defeating the purpose of the play.
Also, we often teach baserunners to go hard into second in order to break up the play. I tell middle infielders who are baserunners at first, never to try to do this. There is an unwritten rule which says middle infielders who go hard into second to break up a double play will have that favor returned to them as soon as possible and preferably on plays which are slow to develop. It is a common courtesy for middle infielders at first to get out of the way of a developing double play. It is for your own protection and this unwritten rule should be observed by all who try to turn two.
ConclusionPracticing double plays is a great way to teach your infielders to work together. We do not do enough drilling of double plays with girls. Boys routinely work double plays beginning at young ages. Work on the footwork, then throws, then bring the whole thing together with live grounders. Work double plays into your routine infield practice and even if you never actually turn one, your fielders' confidence in throwing to each other will improve drastically.
Permanent Link: Let's Get Two!
Florida High Schools To Pitch From 43 Feet
by Dave
Thursday, August 25, 2005
According to the Naples Daily News (registration required), the Florida High School Athletic Association will move the softball pitcher's circle back to 43 feet for the 2006 season in the interest of increasing player (presumably pitcher) safety. Florida will be the first state to change the pitching distance to the college distance. This rule change will apply to all varsity and jv games.
I don't know exactly what to make of this change. I'm not convinced that just doing this can prevent a high percentage of injuries which occur to pitchers on balls hit back to the box. When I read this, I wanted to gain a better understanding of what this 3 feet will mean. So I did a little mathematical exercise I will share with you.
First off, you need to have a starting point for hit ball speed. I always thought a hit ball was about twice as fast as a pitched ball but I am unable to find anything even close to that online. I did see that, at least with respect to baseball, the NCAA restricts the speed of a hit ball. This manifests itself in testing of bats which can be certified for use. I honestly do not know if the NCAA does the same for softball but I'll assume they do. I'll also assume high schools follow whatever the NCAA does. I saw some baseball bat studies which indicate a speed of around 100 mph is probably close to reality. That equates to around 111% of the pitched speed. Given that good high school softball pitchers throw anywhere from 58 - 66, I used a batted ball speed of 70 mph. This may not be 100% accurate but this is what I used.
70 mph converts to 77 feet per second. At 40 feet, that means the pitcher has .519 seconds in which to react to a batted ball. At 43 feet, the time is .558 seconds. The difference is .04 seconds. That is not a lot of additional time. The only way I can think of to get a sense the length of time .04 seconds takes, is to watch a digital clock or use a stop watch. I don;t have a stopwatch handy and the only digital clock I have handy reads out seconds. If you watch a one second readout and see how long one second is, consider that within that one second, there were 25 periods of time equal to the additional time a pitcher will have to react when the pitcher's plate is moved back 3 feet.
So if going back to 43 feet doesn't do it, what else can we consider? I suppose we could require that bats hit balls at no greater speed than say 50 or 60 mph. Every 10 mph reduction would add about another tenth of a second to the reaction time. That's a considerable improvement. But on the other hand, we really do not want women's softball to be reduced to some gentile sport where women can wear frilly dresses and big sun bonnets like some sort of throw back to the roaring twenties. Fastpitch softball is a tough game where players can get hurt just as baseball is a tough game where players can get hurt. It is an exciting game mostly because it is so very fast.
I don't want to sound as if I am taking a "who cares" attitude about players. I have a couple daughters who are in the line of fire or, if you will, the circle of fire. But I wonder what exactly the right thing to do is without hurting the sport. The original move to 43 feet was to provide greater reaction time to batters in order to remove the overwhelming percentage of strike outs which were ruining the game as pitchers became faster and faster. I think that was the right move. The game needed more hitting. But it also need greater safety, not because it is girls playing it but because the dangers are a little over the top.
I watched my 10 year old daughter nearly break a pitcher's shoulder with a simple line drive. When I told her coach about this, he told me a story of how his daughter at the age of 15 broke a pitcher's jaw. There just should not be so many readily available instances of such injuries to pitchers such that everyone knows one off the top of their head. Anecdotally speaking, there just must be too much danger.
But if the pitching distance and bats alone cannot do the job without wrecking the game, I think the best alternative is to change the protective gear which pitchers wear. We put helmets on even professional hockey players. We require catchers to wear face masks and helmets. We even make the batter wear a helmet and, more and more frequently, those helmets come with a face mask. It seems a simple, logical step to adjust pitcher's protective gear in order to improve their safety.
Perhaps the equipment currently available is not up to the job. There are fielder's face masks and other devices out there. But at least partly because there has not been a call from the softball "industry," there is currently not a huge selection of protective pitching gear. If the highest level of the sport would conduct studies and work with the manufacturers, we might have a workable solution which would become the norm as the highest levels would model such gear for us. It would be a trivial matter to convince a girl to wear what Jennie Finch is wearing on TV! I think that's the best answer to this very real problem.
In conclusion, I applaud Florida for at least trying to address the safety concerns for pitchers. I don't think it does the complete job, however. I suspect the way to address this is via newly developed equipment. I sincerely hope the softball establishment partners with industry to develop protective gear for pitchers and then champions it in a manner which will make every girl want to wear it.
Permanent Link: Florida High Schools To Pitch From 43 Feet
Common Softball Questions
by Dave
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
I receive a number of questions regarding a myriad of softball rules some of which are generic in nature and should be known by every player. Here are soime of the most common ones:
What is the infield fly rule, how is it invoked, what does it mean?The infield fly rule is often discussed in the media as the most complex rule in sports. There is no reason to feel confused about it. It is actually quite simple.
The infield fly rule applies whenever there are runners on first and second (or all three bases) with less than two outs and the batter hits a fly ball (not a line drive or bunt) into fair territory which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort. The umpire must invoke the rule - if no umpire calls "infield fly," the rule is not invoked. It is a judgment call.
The rule is on the books in order to prevent an infielder from creating an artificial double or triple play. With bases loaded, a pitcher might allow an infield fly to drop in front of her then quickly throw the ball to the catcher who throws to third and then to second to nail the runners who stayed close to their bases in order to not be doubled up on a caught ball.
When the infield fly rule is invoked and the ball remains fair, the batter is automatically out thereby removing the force for the runners on base. Runners may advance at their own risk. There is no need for a runner on base to advance. If an infield fly is caught, runners may tag up and advance if they choose. But note that they must still tag up if the ball is caught. If a called infield fly is dropped, runners may advance without needing to return to base to tag up. Really the only thing which occurs outside the normal play is the batter is out - there is no force.
If the ball becomes foul, the rule no longer applies. For example, if the infield fly rule is invoked, a ball drifts foul, and the infielder drops the fly, the batter has merely hit a foul ball and continues with her at bat.
The best way to explain the infield fly rule, especially to younger players, is to tell your team that if the infield fly rule is called, simply return to base and wait to see if the ball is caught. If it is dropped and it rolls away from the fielders, advance to the next base if your coach tells you to go. Aside from this, very little time needs to be spent understanding this "most complex" of all sports rules.
What is the pitcher's circle, what is it for, is there anything a pitcher must do or not do when she is inside the circle?The pitcher's circle is a a circular area with an 8 foot radius measured from the center of the front edge of the pitcher's plate (rubber).
Generally the line will be chalked on the field at the beginning of the game but even if it is not, an umpire can use his or her judgment to gauge whether or not a pitcher is standing within the circle. As a general matter with respect to all lines on the field, a player's foot is said to be inside a line when any part of it is on the line. A pitcher is inside the pitcher's circle when both feet are inside the line. For this reason a pitcher standing with both her feet on the line is standing inside the circle.
The pitcher's circle as far as I can tell exists exclusively as a basis for the look-back rule. The look-back rule refers to the requirement that a runner on base not "dance around" while the pitcher is inside the circle. For example, when a batter gets a hit and rounds first base, if the pitcher is in possession of the ball within the circle, the runner must either advance towards second base or immediately return to first. She cannot juke back and forth in order to draw a throw. If the runner continues to change direction towards first, then second, the umpire may call her out. Likewise if she stops between bases waiting for the pitcher to throw to a fielder, as sometimes happens between pitches, and the pitcher is in possession of the ball within the circle, the runner may be called out by the umpire.
There are no additional rules with respect to anything a pitcher may or may not do while she is inside the circle. There is no reason for any such rule because other rules control the pitcher's behavior. For example, regardless of where the pitcher is standing, she is required to pitch within a specified period of time after receiving the throw back from the catcher or after the umpire declares "play ball." Rules governing use of a rosin bag make no mention of the pitcher's circle. Rules governing going to one's mouth or wiping one's hands with infield dirt likewise make no mention of the pitcher's circle.
The pitcher is not prohibited from throwing the ball to any fielder from within the circle the way she is if her foot is in contact with the pitcher's plate. There are no rules which prohibit a pitcher delivering a pitch to not step outside the circle but there are prohibitions against her crow-hopping during a pitch which I will cover shortly. If a pitcher has a long stride which exceeds 8 feet and she ends up stepping outside the circle, the pitch is not illegal due to her stepping outside the circle.
As with any line on the field, no player may purposely kick dirt on the chalk in order to obscure the line. And as I said a few moments ago, even if no line is visible, the circle still theoretically exists - the umpire uses his or her judgment of where the line is.
What is "crow hopping" and why is it prohibited?There are really two meanings for the term "crow hopping." A fielder is said to be "crow hopping" when she picks up the ball and takes that little hop while preparing to throw. The second meaning of crow hopping is rather like the first and involves a similar move by the pitcher making a pitch. Crow hopping by fielders is not prohibited. "Crow hopping" by a pitcher making a pitch is illegal.
There is a general requirement that a pitcher not hop (noth feet off the ground) while engaged in the pitching motion. Generally a pitcher is required to keep her pivot foot (the foot she pushes off with) on the ground, dragging it forward as she strides toward homeplate. In practice this is seldom enforced. But when a pitcher actually leaps forward, replants her pivot foot and pushes off with it as she releases the ball, this is clearly an illegal "crow hop." The reason this is prohibited is it effectively gives the pitcher an opportunity to pitch from a much closer range than she would otherwise. For example, in NCAA play where the pitcher's plate is 43 feet from the back of home plate, if a pitcher "crow hops" towards home where her front foot lands about at the line of the pitcher's circle and her back foot lands a normal distance in back of that, she is effectively pitching from a distance of 38 feet. It is hard enough to hit a legally pitched ball thrown from 43 feet. Hitting a 65 mph pitch from 38 feet is near impossible as it roughly equates to a 103 mph fastball at major league baseball distance!
Why do I hear people saying "never make the first or third out at third base?" What do coaches mean when they say "never advance from second (with no force) when the ball is hit in front of you, always advance if it is hit in back of you?"Base running is as much art as it is science but you often hear coaches refer to "golden rules" such as never make the first or third out at third base. If you are at second base with no outs, it should be a simple matter for the next batter to sacrifice you over to third from which you can score on a sacrifice fly with one out. Also, there is little advantage to taking a gamble and make third with two outs since you cannot score on that same sacrifice fly. These are "golden rules" taken from baseball. The first is an absolute whether in baseball or softball. The second one is less applicable in softball since, arguably, second base is not quite the same "scoring position" it is in baseball. Girls often have difficulty scoring from second on base hits straight at outfielders. In baseball, I judge that 75% of runners on second score on the typical base hit but in softball that percentage is probably more like 40% or less depending on what level you play. So the golden rule in softball is never make the first out at third and try to not make the third out there unless your base coach is egging you on!
With respect to base running with grounders while you are on second when there is no force, it is best to pre-program yourself to freeze if the ball is hit in front of you. There is no need to get a jump from second when the ball is hit into leftfield - chances are pretty good you will not be scoring unless the ball gets past the fielder. And you should be able to make third if the ball gets through unless the leftfielder is playing very close in which case a jump is probably not going to help you much. The best approach is to leave second when the ball is released by the pitcher, freeze if it is hit in front of you, and make for third if the fielder throws on to first. You have a perfect view of the fielder when the ball is hit in front of you. Chances are pretty good that nobody has had time to cover second so the fielder is unlikely to throw back at your base and risk not getting any out on the play. You wait to see the fielder make the throw and then take off for third.
It is also a pretty fair idea to pre-program yourself to always run when the ball is hit in back of you (but don't forget to never make the first or third out at third!). And there are different rules for very slow runners like me - never run unless you are forced to or one of the coaches is screaming at you to go. The throw from a second baseman or first baseman to third is very hard when a runner from second is sliding into the bag. If there is one out, you are on second and a grounder is hit behind you, the worst case scenario is you will be thrown out trying to advance to a position from which you can score on a sac fly - that's aggressive softball and nobody should crucify you for being aggressive.
Why should a batter always be told to take a pitch when the count is 3-0 and told to be prepared to swing when it is 0-2?You often hear somebody grumbling in the stands because a batter facing 3-0 takes a strike down the middle of the plate. That's the best pitch she's gonna get. Why should she just automatically take it? The theory is that the pitcher has immense pressure to throw a good pitch and the batter is likely to smash the ball out of the park on a perfect pitch. Actually the truth is that if the pitcher is having trouble getting the ball over, chances are pretty good that she will not groove one even if she tries to pitch it down the middle. The batter also has far too much pressure to smash it if she expects the pitch to be perfect. She is better off just letting the pitcher get the ball over once and then looking to the next pitch to be a strike she can drive.
But when the count is 3-0, please do not school your girls to pretend to be bunting. For one thing it is very much "bush league" to do this. Boys usually only engage in this kind of behavior until the age of 10. After that, chances become greater that the pitcher will figure he's gonna walk a batter anyway so there's no harm in hitting him in the head with the next pitch. But that's not the only reason to not pretend you are going to bunt. When you get a free chance to examine the pitcher's motion and watch a free pitch come into the strike zone, this is a chance for learning. The batter gets a free pass to learn the strike zone while also gauging the pitcher. Assume your normal hitting position and imagine yourself taking a swing even though you know you are not going to so much as flinch. Focus on the pitcher's release and the movement of the ball. Don't be bush league and miss an opportunity to study a pitcher.
When the count is 0-2, a batter must assume the next pitch will be a strike. She must learn to "protect the plate." The reason is that most pitchers are not good at "wasting one" by throwing outside the strike zone and thereby making the batter swing at a bad pitch. Even top level pitchers who waste one usually throw it obviously outside the zone which is easy to hold up on. You want to be aware of this and not swing at a ball a foot outside and over your head but you must expect a strike. Typically when a pitcher tries to waste one on 0-2 and she misses badly, this will throw her off her rhythm. The pitch following a bad waste pitch is usually a mistake that is too good. So by being prepared to swing on 0-2 and letting a really bad one good by, you really improve your position even though you are still down in the count.
If the pitch is in or even near the zone on 0-2, you must be prepared to swing because umpires typically cut the pitcher more slack on 0-2. Umpires are, after all, people too and they don't often sympathize much with batters who take too many close pitches. This becomes more true depending on game situations. The umpire who just wants the inning to end so they can get a drink of water is more apt to call a strike on 0-2 with two outs. If the pitcher has been owning the batters all day, the umpire is generally going to give a few her way because he or she subliminally thinks she deserves it. If one team has not hit a ball the whole game and been taking a ton of called third strikes, you gotta figure the ump is going to give the pitcher the edge when it comes to calls.
ConclusionSoftball is a thinking girl's game. You need to know the important rules of the game whether those are actual rules from the rule book or "golden rules" which other players seem to know. If you want to be a big time player, you need to know the answers to these few questions we have addresses above.
Permanent Link: Common Softball Questions
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