Is three feet that big of a deal?

[Clean_up]

I heard we are staying at 40' 2010 and moving to 43' 2011... In So Cal Empire League.. But, things may have changed, I heard that a couple months ago...

[callegacy]

your right just found it on the cifss website 2010 -11 season.

[itsnotsoft]

16U girls are bigger & stronger than 14U yet there are always exceptions, I gotta believe it's not going to be pretty when 14U teams try to play up I don't care how fast you throw it 3' for 14U girls will make a big difference that's why it's staying 40' for 14 & 12U, it turns it into a different game for them a Hitters game with more walks & hit batters.

The #2 & #3 pitchers on the 16U teams will have trouble, to get a preview of the spring attend a JV or Freshman HS game this year the pitching is going to be ugly at 43' for that matter the Varsity level may turn into a hitters game ecept for those teams that have Gold pitchers who have been pitching at 43' that's why they are GOLD players.

Is AZ going to go 43' for the 09-10 high school season? Do you think Freshmen will be left at 40 since most are not old enough to be considered 16U? I realize that most that read this board do not care since their DD will be playing Varsity freshman year. (unless the HS varsity coach is against freshman in varsity.)

[DsrtScorpion]

Movement pitchers will make the adjustment.... fastballers will be batting practice

[DaMann]

Ask the high school club players who've been batting against gold pitchers all summer/fall at 43 feet. Most will tell you that the gold pitchers have a huge advantage the first few games, then it becomes business as usual.

[etx bd]

I would think if you are fast ball pitcher, it would not hurt as much as if you rely on movement and off speed to get the job done. If you live and die by how fast you can throw the ball then it would be a simple transition. Other pitchers would adjust but I think their off days would come up more often then you have seen in the past. I think their compass migh get a little off. curve breaking too soon, drop hitting the floor, rise in the fence, screw in a rib cage, ouch!

You've got it backwards - the transistion for a breaking ball pitcher is not only easier but it makes them harder to hit. The ball has more time to break so you get more movement. Flame throwers just give up 3 ft to the batter who has more time to read the pitch now.

[Killer Rabbit]

A great screwball at 40' will bean the batter at 43'. Practice at the right distance the week prior and DDs should not have a problem. DD had more of a problem moving from 43' back to 40'.

[Sftbll4ever]

A great screwball at 40' will bean the batter at 43'. Practice at the right distance the week prior and DDs should not have a problem. DD had more of a problem moving from 43' back to 40'.

HAHAHAHA that is so true. DD's first screw at 43' was a perfect pitch to the batters belly button.

[deticatedtosoftball]

They say they want to make it a hitters game. Sure at first they are going to have trouble but the good pitchers will find a way to adjust to the difference, and it will just go back to the way it was before.