Softball

[Sandman42]

Re: Softball

I play random pick-up games in the summer with some of my friends. I usually end up playing center field, since that's what I played through Little League and High School and I'm good at covering ground in center. I still use my old baseball glove that is 12" and I play fine with it.

[SlimKibbles]

Re: Softball

Is there a solution for learning to swing later? I just can't seem to do it this year. I basically have the weight on my front foot when ball contact is made.

I've become really good at hitting opposite field. I was always a pull hitter but started working on hitting to right a few years ago when this team we played had a guy set up in short left-center and I hit it to him 4 out of 5 times. I had to change. Usually I'll decide when I get into the box whether I'm going to try for rightfield. It depends on how their defense is set and then if the pitch works for me or not. I basically set up a little further from the plate and then close my stance up when I'm ready to swing. Really concentrate on keeping control of the bat and swinging level towards the opposite field for you. The one problem I have is hitting for a little power to opposite field. I'm mostly arms right now. Still a work in progress with me. I tell you though, if you can learn to hit to all fields, it really helps your game. Makes the defense worry about you a little every time you come up because when I come up, I'm always thinking I'm getting a hit somewhere and more often than not, I do.

[Millennium]

Re: Softball

Playing in the same 4 leagues I have been playing in since I was 18 - Coed rec ball on Sunday mornings, men's rec league on mon/wed/or fri night each week, work league Wednesdays at 6 PM, and USSSA league on Sunday nights.

I'm a shortstop, and use an 11 1/2" glove. I also have an outfielders' glove which is 14". It is a real preference thing, but if you are a middle infielder and have a glove over 13" you are going to have issues turning double plays.

[Shaver]

Re: Softball

Is there a solution for learning to swing later? I just can't seem to do it this year. I basically have the weight on my front foot when ball contact is made.

Try stepping higher. Take a true step versus a slide step. Even if it's exagerrated and looks stupid... it will slow you down a beat.

[Shaver]

Re: Softball

I'm a shortstop, and use an 11 1/2" glove. I also have an outfielders' glove which is 14". It is a real preference thing, but if you are a middle infielder and have a glove over 13" you are going to have issues turning double plays.

I don't know if your league is anything like mine, but with the short basepaths... 75% of double play balls to Short are turned Short to 1st. It's just easier to run the ball over and make the throw with forward momentum then asking the 2nd baseman (usually a girl in co-ed leagues) to catch, turn and fire and get a guy running the super short sprint to first.

[Sandman42]

Re: Softball

I've become really good at hitting opposite field. I was always a pull hitter but started working on hitting to right a few years ago when this team we played had a guy set up in short left-center and I hit it to him 4 out of 5 times. I had to change. Usually I'll decide when I get into the box whether I'm going to try for rightfield. It depends on how their defense is set and then if the pitch works for me or not. I basically set up a little further from the plate and then close my stance up when I'm ready to swing. Really concentrate on keeping control of the bat and swinging level towards the opposite field for you. The one problem I have is hitting for a little power to opposite field. I'm mostly arms right now. Still a work in progress with me. I tell you though, if you can learn to hit to all fields, it really helps your game. Makes the defense worry about you a little every time you come up because when I come up, I'm always thinking I'm getting a hit somewhere and more often than not, I do.

I did a similar thing also. I would also pull the ball to right since I am a lefty. Eventually people started setting up in a Giambi/Bonds shift against me so I started to take it the the opposite field. I don't have much power to the other side though i just usually line it right past where the 3rd baseman would usually be. When I try and hit it to the opposite field a take and Ichiro-like slap swing and usually hit lots of singles.

[RockyTop1]

Re: Softball

Bump.

Well the first season ended about a week or so ago and it went surprisingly well for me. Not near as bad as I thought it would be. I played a lot of OF sprinkled in with some time at 3B. But now that I'm finishing up and a new co-ed league is starting up, I'm starting to have some pain in my elbow from throwing. In the beginning of the season, when I was throwing the ball in from deep in the field, my arm would never bother me, but as the season wore on, after about 2 or 3 long throws, my elbow would start hurting. Now basically after a long throw from the OF or a hard throw from 3B to first, it starts aching.

As I'm tying this, my elbow is throbbing. I played two games last night at 3rd and it acted up again. Any ideas what I've done? I'm thinking maybe just the tendons are swollen aka tendonitis, but I'm not really sure and to be honest, it's pretty painful. Ok would be doctors, what's your prognosis? Have any of you all experienced this? And now, most importantly, it's screwing up my golf swing.

[fsquid]

Re: Softball

i think you are a wus, but you are a Vol fan.

My Spring team wound up 1-6 and then bounced from the first round of the playoffs. Summer team is 2-2, I had to pitch on Sunday and walked in 6 runs. I was lifted pretty shortly thereafter.

[Shaver]

Re: Softball

We got swept by the first place team in a double-header last night dropping us to 9-7 on the season. I think we're in 3rd and can jump into second with a split next week (the final week of the season).

Brutal last night. All the hot weather and lack of rain has killed the outfield grass and made it as fast as concrete. Lots and lots of running. Poor outfielders.

[sbmnky]

Re: Softball

A few things:

Glove is absolutely a preference. I am a middle INF and I play both baseball and softball with an 11" mitt - I'm really not even catching the ball in softball, more like cradling it (if that makes sense). That allows me to get rid of it quicker. I hate big gloves, so this works for me.

When batting, I would suggest trying to hit the ball up the middle or as someone else suggested, take it the other way. This will force you to wait on the ball - I think it's hard to hit a slow pitch because there is so much more time to think about what you're doing, whereas in baseball, it's more seeing and reacting.

On a side note: has anyone played fast pitch softball before? It's a completely different beast. Many may say it's for girls, but it will make you a better line drive hitter because of how close the pitchers are and how short of a swing you must have in order to make good contact.

Is anyone on this site playing in a baseball tourney (25 and over) in <st1:state><st1>Arizona</st1></st1:state> during the last week in October? I'll be representing a team from <st1:city><st1>Santa Barbara</st1></st1:city>...

[Money99]

Re: Softball

A few things:

Glove is absolutely a preference. I am a middle INF and I play both baseball and softball with an 11" mitt - I'm really not even catching the ball in softball, more like cradling it (if that makes sense). That allows me to get rid of it quicker. I hate big gloves, so this works for me.

When batting, I would suggest trying to hit the ball up the middle or as someone else suggested, take it the other way. This will force you to wait on the ball - I think it's hard to hit a slow pitch because there is so much more time to think about what you're doing, whereas in baseball, it's more seeing and reacting.

On a side note: has anyone played fast pitch softball before? It's a completely different beast. Many may say it's for girls, but it will make you a better line drive hitter because of how close the pitchers are and how short of a swing you must have in order to make good contact.

Is anyone on this site playing in a baseball tourney (25 and over) in <st1:state><st1>Arizona</st1></st1:state> during the last week in October? I'll be representing a team from <st1:city><st1>Santa Barbara</st1></st1:city>...

Fastball is crazy. I found that when hitting you had to be in mid swing as the pitcher is winding up. Because if you're standing still when he's in his windup, you'll always be late on the ball.
It's also weird to face 'junk' that moves up instead of down like in hardball.
I liked playing both sports, but I'd still prefer hardball over fastball.

[mgoblue]

Re: Softball

Fastball is crazy. I found that when hitting you had to be in mid swing as the pitcher is winding up. Because if you're standing still when he's in his windup, you'll always be late on the ball.
It's also weird to face 'junk' that moves up instead of down like in hardball.
I liked playing both sports, but I'd still prefer hardball over fastball.

make fun of me all you want for having watched some women's softball this summer (saw some WCWS and a game with the USA women)...that stuff just looks flat out fast and filthy...all the movement they get, with a natural arm motion, wow.

[RustedWalleye]

Re: Softball

I played softball for 14 years before I moved to Iowa, even drove back to Illinois for weekend tournaments for 2 years after I moved to Iowa. Played an industrial league in Northern Illinois for 8 years, managed the team for 4 of them. Played on one of the "elite" leagues as they called it in the area twice a week the last 10 years I played. Both teams overlapped each other. Also played 1st base for a fast pitch softball team as a fill in when they needed a player.

I played tournaments almost every weekend during Northern Illinois softball season from late spring til the end of the fall leagues. Wife was the stat keeper for the team and was there at almost every game. Even had Gary Matthews and Sandy Alomar watch a fall league game once, as we played next door to where the Cubs had their Minor League A team located. They both were scouts for the team at the time.

I had one weekend where I was playing two tournaments in three different locations two of the locations were slo-pitch and the other was fast pitch.

Never liked playing the mixed leagues. Did it one season and will never do it again. While you try not to hurt anyone in those leagues its bound to happen.

As far as gloves go, I still have the same glove I used when I started at 18. Was the same glove I used when I tried out for the Pirates. Its definitely seen better days, but it fits my hand, and I used it for every position I play. You learn how to adjust to the less padding when playing 1st base, but it was never a problem for any of the other positions.

Those that are still playing, do they still allow double and triple wall bats? We outlawed those in Illinois for the longest time, but I do not know if it has changed since I last played. It was very scary as a pitcher. I had my wrist broken twice due to a line drive from a double wall bat. I still have the 38oz. bat I used towards the end of my playing days.

Talking about this makes me miss the playing days. Might have to start searching for a team!

[Sully]

Re: Softball

We finished our regular season 13-5, second place in our league, 1 game behind 1st place. We then swept the 7 seed 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs, and play the 3 seed starting Thursday night. We've already beaten them twice this season.

[ndeezlo]

Re: Softball

The team I filled in for ended up going 1-19, they played in a division that they shouldn't have played in as it was most peoples first time playing softball. I hadn't swung a bat in 9 years so that adjustment sucked. I am officially on the team full time for the second season and we are playing in a division where we will be competitive.

Clay where do you play at? I'm playing at the Softball Center in Canton.