The Torrington Softball Forums

It seems that every year a few players bring these altered bats into the league.  The danger of using these altered bats speaks for itself, let alone giving the team using the altered bat an advantage.  

The Recreation Department received several complaints again this year.
Now I read here that Norm has gotten seriously injured in Winsted from a batted ball and the player refused to give up the bat.  It sure sounds like this Player has something to hide.    

This is a problem all over the country and not just Torrington.  Lots of leagues are banning Composite bats because of issues like this.  Torrington has tried to maintain and follow the ASA guidelines for equipment, like the bats and balls, but honestly, the city and Rec department are taking a hard look at the current state of the game here in Torrington.  

If no one bought these altered bats into the league, we would not have to go through this crap and try to figure out what’s best from a safety standpoint. But because a few teams feel the need to cheat and try and be “Big Men on Campus” we may now be facing a major change to equipment allowed in Torrington.

The city, first and foremost is concerned about Safety!  The city doesn’t care if your HR and batting average go down. Believe me about this. I have talked with a couple commissioners about this and they are preaching Safety!

That old saying about a few bad apples sure applies here.

The possibilities that are on the table for 2009 and are being discussed are:
Composite bats banned.
Single Wall League Only.
Changing the ball to a very restricted flight ball (To help save teams money having to go out and buy all new bats)
Going to the New Trump ball that, if you want to believe the data, negates the effects of altering a bat.
  
My feeling is that the city will not want to make all the teams spend money for all new bats, so instead they might go in this direction:




If anyone has any real feasible ideas that would work for our league, put them in writing and get them to me so I can pass them along to the Recreation Commission.


Also here is a Post from Bobby Buggs from the Softball Fans website about the Softballs that will be used in USSSA and the ASA for 2009:

2009 Balls, ready to be disappointed

"Well this time you cant just blame ASA. For 2009 ball changes in both ASA and Utrip will be reducing game scores by a big percentage. Utrip will introduce the .40-300 at all levels and ASA has a new Dynamic stiffness test that will cause multi layer balls like the Thunder Advance and the Microcell to re-due designs to comply with the new testing standards. Truthfully I dont see the current Multi layer balls making it through these new standards. What does this mean, well I cant speak for Dudley but I can say the New 09 version of these balls will no longer be as heat resistant as the current Microcell ball.

Some people dont realize but with every hit the temp of a ball goes up and stays up for a period of time. Combine that with an ambient air temp above 80 degrees and you can have significant core decompression along with reduced distance. So a ball starting at 375lbs of compression can fall into the 200s.

I can hear it now on, a 85+ degree day "This ball is a Pillow", but most of that will be coming from the people I call the "Power Posers" or "Composite Heroes". Yeah guys just like me that hit about 8-10 HRs a season during the Metal bat era and today with the current composite bat and ball combination could hit that many in 2 weeks. The Real Hr hitters may see a 20% drop in their HR output but this will show even more they are the true studs in the line up.

Reality is this will bring the Defensive component back to a game that has been sorely missing."

In Bristol I will be providing bats. I don't want to change the game, just take the decisions or options out of the players hands.

Unfortunately Norm does not have insurance and hopefully the softball community will figure a way out to help him if they can.

Im not sure if ASA has a similar program, Ken and someone at the town or one of your managers should check, but any USSSA registered team can get insurance (Medical and Liability) for their players for around $300. This would cover you in the event you are injured at the softball field. Currently most towns only have liability insurance which covers the fields and umpires and protects the league(s) from lawsuits. But DO NOT provide for an injury situation.

One thing is Winsted is using a very HOT ball and the cold fall temps make it even nastier.....you jsut dont see balls hit like that in our summer league....as for ASA I believe but could be wrong that 2009 will be the last year for the current bats allowed.... I think it was after June 08 the Bat Companies had to produce bats that meet the new 93mph or under...Typer would know more about that

I would love to see Torrington go with 70ft bases and move the pitchers mound back 5ft...that would bring some defense back by making double plays easier to turn and take a lot of infield hits away...............worst case senario if composites ever did get banned I think just going to any aluminum (including double walls) with a good ball is drastic enough measures

i honestly have to say i would much rather see them dumb the ball down then change the bats
if the balls are the same many of these altered bats could be used and labled as an aluminum bat ie dimarini's vexxum (which happens to be what i use) has an alumium sheath over the composite core.
one of these juiced bat makers could easily cover up the fact that it is indeed a composite bat inside and aluminum on the outside

if u slow the ball down any bat can be safe
this is what the highscools have done and it works

Disguising a Composite bat as an Aluminum bat wont work.....2 different sounds when the ball hits the bat plus you can just do the scratch test by taking a key to the bat and you will have your answer

I HAVE SAID FOR YEARS TO MOVE THE BASES BACK AND MOVE THE MOUND BACK. NOW SOMEONE MOST OF US KNOW GETS HURT AND WE THINK ABOUT IT? NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT BEFORE THE NEXT PERSON GETS HURT!

We have 70 foot bases in Bristol and its a big difference. We also have in USSSA a floating mound which allows the pitcher to pitch from 6 ft in back of the mound. Thats a big advantage. One of the reasons I stopped playing ASA is because I didn't find it challenging having the ball come in with a 6 to 12 arc and the pitcher basically lobbing it in there...... OOOH AHHHHH...........Unfortunately for an ASA pitcher there isn't anything you can do to throw the batter off balance. And for those of you who don't believe you can be thrown off balance in underhand softball, let me tell u that you have NO IDEA what upper level pitching can do. Either way, I hope that the league of Torrington will uphold this persons suspension in USSSA.

Jeff, there is a ton of things I could say on the ASA bat testing program. Bottom line is every town/ league needs to make the decisions for themselves. Safety is the first concern? Then take the decisions/options out of the players hands, and PROVIDE the bats. With 35 teams, etc in the league and one of the smallest fees and the best fields in the state. Noone should say SHIT......You could provide a better bat than what half the teams are generally swinging and still walk away feeling good......


JW

I agree with moving the bases back and what not. I have never been afraid of the ball, but i have to say i would NEVER pitch to a C or above team. There has been some hits to me at SS where i couldnt even react , let alone make a play. With more range between you and the batter, i feel you can react better the situation. Regaurdlessof what you do, people will get injured year after year. Can anyone in the Torrington league tell me how many serious injuries we had this year due to the bats or balls?

i agree but people already say how expensive the league is. i think we might be the cheapest around