Softball Season

[PutMeInCoach]

Softball season is just around the corner. Saw there was a post on baseball so I figured I'd start one up on softball.

Anyone have any preseason assessments they'd like to share? Toughest region? Top teams? Signings? Players to watch?

I will miss watching Medina Valley in the 3A division...wish them great success in the 4A ranks...which they will have. Now the question is which team will be the favorite in Region IV? There are some pretty good teams coming over from Region III this year. Any thoughts?

[Looking4number8]

Glad somebody else loves softball! I don't have any predictions but I sure love the sport!

[Trashman]

Originally posted by Looking4number8
Glad somebody else loves softball! I don't have any predictions but I sure love the sport!

:clap: :ditto: :clap:

[BwdLion_80]

I will make a prediction. I predict that I will call over 40 varsity softball games this year!:D :D

[pirate4state]

Myself, Reds Fan, 3aSoftball4Mom, txkmom & Phil C are all softball fans.

I know there are probably more, but we usually post the most about the sport.

Region IV, with the addition of Giddings, Bellville, Sealy, Sweeny, Wharton & Needville will be tough. Robstown dropped down to 3A at the wrong time, they graduated heavily and may struggle for a playoff spot in our district (31-3A) but we (Sinton) beat them regularly while they were 4A. Sinton has a good core returning, but will miss their 4 year starting pitcher, SS & outfielder. Aransas Pass & Ingleside both return a good core of young players!

Marion, La Vernia, West Columbia, Yoakum, Cuero, Devine & Raymondville should all be in the mix as well.

Looking forward to the season! :2thumbsup

[ccmom]

I love me some softball, too.:inlove: Looking forward to it!:)

[3afan]

'09 rule changes:

1-3-3
Added to the softball specifications a requirement that the dynamic stiffness of softballs not exceed 7,500 lbs/inch when tested under current proposed ASTM test methods. Effective January 1, 2010.
-
Rationale: This standard will better control softballs and should bring more consistency to the softball marketplace without lowering the current static compression of 375 lbs/inch. Static compression and dynamic stiffness are completely different measurements, so these numbers should not be compared.The additional specification makes NFHS softball consistent with ASA.

2-8-2
Changed the definition of a bunt attempt to holding the bat in the strike zone and requiring the bat to be withdrawn in order to take a pitch.
-
Rationale: The new definition will make the bunt attempt easier for an umpire to determine and creates a better balance between offense and defense.

6-1-4d and Note
Changed the pitching windup requirement to a maximum of one and a half clockwise revolutions. Previous note was deleted.
-
Rationale: Pitchers are attempting to gain an advantage by deceiving the batter. The rules change will make an illegal pitch easier to identify and enforcement more consistent.

6-2-3 Penalty
Changed the penalty for a pitcher exceeding the required 20-second time limit to a ball awarded to the batter - not an illegal pitch.
-
Rationale: The rules change makes a violation of the time to pitch by the pitcher consistent with a batter failing to be ready within 10 seconds after the ball has been returned to the pitcher. An illegal pitch penalty is excessive as it also awards runners one additional base.

[Lion_Addict]

Softball fan here too :wave: :wave: :wave:

"Player to watch"...............Looking4number8's lil girl (Senior pitcher) :2thumbsup

[Looking4number8]

Originally posted by BwdLion_80
I will make a prediction. I predict that I will call over 40 varsity softball games this year!:D :D


I predict that I will complain in the stands about lots of your call but to your face I will say "nice game blue"..;)

Just kidding brother, you always do a good and consistant job

[SHSBulldog00]

For Region III I like Splendora and Lufkin Hudson

For Region IV idk.....They are all excellent teams

District 26 - Sweeny was extremely young last year (lost only one senior); West Columbia lost P Cami Newsome and other's but should still be a contender this year; Needville should be very strong again.

District 25 - Look out for Columbus - There pitcher is excellent.

[Looking4number8]

I am excited to see how our district comes out. It will be a different year for Brownwood as it will not have to face the power house Waco Midway in softball. Last year Midway held every team in our district scoreless and only had to play one complete game which was against us and they beat us then 5-0.

There were 2 other teams in our district that played pretty good ball (Waco High and Cove) but two teams that had very very little talent.

This year I expect it to be much different. We will have a chance to win district but also have to play very hard just to make the playoffs as every team will be playing some very good ball. Last year we saw Wylie, Breckenridge and Snyder early in the year and all played very solid ball. Softball will be a blast as always and I am looking forward to my daughters senior year. As always I am hoping for the best, but softball on it's worst day is still a great day!

[Lion_Addict]

Originally posted by Looking4number8
Just kidding brother, you always do a good and consistant job

:ditto: :iagree: :clap:

[Rabid Cougar]

Move the pitcher to 60'6" and the bases to 90 feet and the fences to 300 feet.

Outlaw select teams from playing during HS Softball season.

[Looking4number8]

Originally posted by Rabid Cougar
Move the pitcher to 60'6" and the bases to 90 feet and the fences to 300 feet.

Outlaw select teams from playing during HS Softball season.

I like the small field, it makes the game much faster. In Baseball the shortstop and 3rd baseman can field the ball, set their feet and look at the runner before making the throw. In softball they have to do it all in one motion or the runner will beat the throw.


As for moving the pitcher.. remember we throw underhanded. Before you go making fun of that, just give it a try. It is much harder to throw strike or a "junk" pitch underhanded than it is overhanded.

I DO AGREE on the no playing on select teams during High school season. There is plenty of time for that in the summer and fall when shcool is out.

[Looking4number8]

Originally posted by Rabid Cougar
Move the pitcher to 60'6"


http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo24/ivan1961/joke13.jpg

[Looking4number8]

Originally posted by BwdLion_80
I will make a prediction. I predict that I will call over 40 varsity softball games this year!:D :D


heres one for you buddy...


One day the Devil challenged the Lord to a future softball game. Smiling the Lord said, "You won't stand a chance. I'll have the whole USA Olympic team with Lisa, Dot, and all the greatest players up here."
"Yes", snickered the Devil, "but I'll have all the umpires."

[gobbler grad]

I luv alittle softball...can't wait for it to start...:clap:

[BwdLion_80]

Originally posted by Looking4number8
heres one for you buddy...


One day the Devil challenged the Lord to a future softball game. Smiling the Lord said, "You won't stand a chance. I'll have the whole USA Olympic team with Lisa, Dot, and all the greatest players up here."
"Yes", snickered the Devil, "but I'll have all the umpires."


That is very good!!!:devil: :devil: :eek:

[Rabid Cougar]

Originally posted by Looking4number8
I like the small field, it makes the game much faster. In Baseball the shortstop and 3rd baseman can field the ball, set their feet and look at the runner before making the throw. In softball they have to do it all in one motion or the runner will beat the throw.


As for moving the pitcher.. remember we throw underhanded. Before you go making fun of that, just give it a try. It is much harder to throw strike or a "junk" pitch underhanded than it is overhanded.

I DO AGREE on the no playing on select teams during High school season. There is plenty of time for that in the summer and fall when shcool is out.

Not making fun of girls throwing underhand. Its the 6 ft tall girls chunking a softball at 65 miles per hour from 35 feet the reason for moving it back,

Kind of rediculous for grown women running on 60 foot bases. move to 70 or 80 then.

[Looking4number8]

Originally posted by Rabid Cougar
Not making fun of girls throwing underhand. Its the 6 ft tall girls chunking a softball at 65 miles per hour from 35 feet the reason for moving it back,

Kind of rediculous for grown women running on 60 foot bases. move to 70 or 80 then.

I see you point, I thought you were just saying they should play softball like baseball.

As far as the pitching, i think they are moving the plate back to 43 feet. Not sure about that. I think 60 feet is too much but I could agree on moving it back some. By the time a pitcher stretches and a batter gets in the front of the box, those two are way to close. As the father of a pitcher, I am always afraid of a line drive back at my baby girl. One thing I wish softball would do is require the infield mask for fastpitch... My daughter hates the idea but I would feel much much better about life with one.

[3afan]

still 40' in Texas this year - thast still the NFHS standard

[Looking4number8]

Originally posted by 3afan
still 40' in Texas this year - thast still the NFHS standard

I thought I heard HS was going to 43' in 2010. I dont know it as fact, but I think they are.

[Phil C]

Originally posted by pirate4state
Myself, Reds Fan, 3aSoftball4Mom, txkmom & Phil C are all softball fans.

I know there are probably more, but we usually post the most about the sport.

Region IV, with the addition of Giddings, Bellville, Sealy, Sweeny, Wharton & Needville will be tough. Robstown dropped down to 3A at the wrong time, they graduated heavily and may struggle for a playoff spot in our district (31-3A) but we (Sinton) beat them regularly while they were 4A. Sinton has a good core returning, but will miss their 4 year starting pitcher, SS & outfielder. Aransas Pass & Ingleside both return a good core of young players!

Marion, La Vernia, West Columbia, Yoakum, Cuero, Devine & Raymondville should all be in the mix as well.

Looking forward to the season! :2thumbsup

Ingleside also has Riflearm coach them again. That increases the risk.

[txkmom]

We love softball at our house! (and baseball, and football and ...)

Liberty Eylau graduated all of last year's original starters (a soph replaced an OF late in the season after 1B suffered a compound fracture) except our pitcher, who is a senior recovering from acl surgery. I have absolutely no idea what we'll be like this year, but I'll be there for all of it!

[3afan]

Originally posted by Looking4number8
I thought I heard HS was going to 43' in 2010. I dont know it as fact, but I think they are.

as an ump - who cares about 2010

'09 still 40'


;)

[footballfan65]

I'm ready for some softball too. We are in a new district --10-3A. Anybody got any news for me on the district?

[Looking4number8]

Originally posted by 3afan
as an ump - who cares about 2010

'09 still 40'


;)


I was responding to his post that softball should pitch from 60'6"

http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo24/ivan1961/nj11.jpg

[PutMeInCoach]

Originally posted by pirate4state
Myself, Reds Fan, 3aSoftball4Mom, txkmom & Phil C are all softball fans.

I know there are probably more, but we usually post the most about the sport.

Region IV, with the addition of Giddings, Bellville, Sealy, Sweeny, Wharton & Needville will be tough. Robstown dropped down to 3A at the wrong time, they graduated heavily and may struggle for a playoff spot in our district (31-3A) but we (Sinton) beat them regularly while they were 4A. Sinton has a good core returning, but will miss their 4 year starting pitcher, SS & outfielder. Aransas Pass & Ingleside both return a good core of young players!

Marion, La Vernia, West Columbia, Yoakum, Cuero, Devine & Raymondville should all be in the mix as well.

Looking forward to the season! :2thumbsup

You'll have to add La Grange and Columbus to that Region IV mix. That district 35-3A is tough...lots of good teams. Bandera should make the playoffs in their district and Hondo might be able to mix in there as well. Out of the SA area, Devine is my favorite. Out of the Corpus area I'd like Sinton and toward the Houston Area...just to many to pick one...but I guess Needville due to the run they had last year.

[trojan37]

I'm hoping West can get back in the state tourney this year. Most of the girls that played on the team that made it to the semi's 2 years ago against Burkburnett were freshmen and sophomores and we only had 2 seniors and 3 juniors on the team that year. Our best hitter from that team is long gone, starting her 2nd year at Baylor, but we still have a lot of girls on this team that can play ball.

[Looking4number8]

I have a change of direction for this thread. I have wished for some time that there could be a rule change for the start of softball sesaon. I wish it could be like the major leagues where pitchers and catchers could work with the coach 2 weeks earlier than the first allowed day of practice. It takes so much to pitch and each pitcher is so different for the catchers that they need to work together some.

[Reds fan]

Just getting back into some reading on the downlow after a few weeks hiatus....Glad to see some softball talk coming up. I'll have to gather a little more info before making any prognostications.

Good luck to all the teams and have a great season.

[pirate4state]

Originally posted by PutMeInCoach
You'll have to add La Grange and Columbus to that Region IV mix. That district 35-3A is tough...lots of good teams. Bandera should make the playoffs in their district and Hondo might be able to mix in there as well. Out of the SA area, Devine is my favorite. Out of the Corpus area I'd like Sinton and toward the Houston Area...just to many to pick one...but I guess Needville due to the run they had last year. Has Bandera and/or Hondo been to the playoffs in the last few years? I honestly do not remember. :o I think if they did they usually run into La Vernia/Marion et al :thinking:

What about Pearsall, Crystal City & that district?? Who is the favorite?

[Looking4number8]

21 days and counting until the 1st day girls are allowed to practice with the coaches.... It will be here before we know it.

[NastySlot]

Originally posted by pirate4state
Has Bandera and/or Hondo been to the playoffs in the last few years? I honestly do not remember. :o I think if they did they usually run into La Vernia/Marion et al :thinking:

What about Pearsall, Crystal City & that district?? Who is the favorite?

bandera has made the playoffs the past two seasons..that i know of....they were in a four team district with llano, wimberley and ingram................they have fine group of young girls (freshmen) coming in with from what i hear is a very good pitcher.

they have a good coach who will be in his second season and from what i hear they are starting to invest into the program with some upgrades to the facilities....good luck to the lady dawgs.