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More Home Runs then ever

by Jackone » Sat Jul 25, 2015 12:22 am

Why are balls flying out of the park at record pace?

I have seen many 14U games this year and Home runs over fences are happening at a pace I have never seen before. Many girls having multiple HR's games and weekends.

In Colorado the ball wouldn't stay in the park!

Is it better trained batters? Is it more short fences(temp fences)? Is it hotter bats? Is it weakened pitching, due to so many teams diluting the pitching talent. Is it the 43 feet pitching distance giving batters more time to see the ball and slower pitching speeds?

Your thoughts and theories?????
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by CTCBAT » Mon Aug 03, 2015 1:54 pm

I'd look at the balls. Altitude helps ball flight. I don't think these new bats are hotter than the 1st composite bats. I also think that hitters are getting better instruction at a younger age.

But I'd point to the ball before anything else.
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by fastpitchdad05 » Mon Aug 03, 2015 3:59 pm

Jackone wrote:Why are balls flying out of the park at record pace?

I have seen many 14U games this year and Home runs over fences are happening at a pace I have never seen before. Many girls having multiple HR's games and weekends.

In Colorado the ball wouldn't stay in the park!

Is it better trained batters? Is it more short fences(temp fences)? Is it hotter bats? Is it weakened pitching, due to so many teams diluting the pitching talent. Is it the 43 feet pitching distance giving batters more time to see the ball and slower pitching speeds?

Your thoughts and theories?????


Better bats, more girls playing and starting at younger ages equals better hitting (at times), more players also equals watered-down pitching (at times), and last but not least...thin air in Colorado equals lots of bombs.
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by Hurricane » Mon Aug 03, 2015 10:51 pm

You're probably correct in your analysis, Spazdad.

While watching the regional boys Little League All-Stars games lately, it seems everyone has one of those orange Mako's and the balls are flying over the fence. So I rewind at bats and I notice that some of the hitting technique is just swing the bat at the ball. There is no quick turn on the ball either - it's just a fly ball that keeps going and going and going - not much of a swing nor hit - but it goes over the fence.

My wife and I both think they are shaved or rolled bats. So, same thing is probably happening with the girls' game.

It's the New England Cheatriots Syndrome: If you are not trying to skirt/bend the rules, then you ain't trying to win. :mrgreen:
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by fastpitchdad05 » Tue Aug 04, 2015 1:40 am

Spazsdad wrote:Psycho dads that play slow pitch that know about doctored bats and don't think twice about putting a rolled or shaved composite in little suzies hands to make her a star.


This one never occurs to me, but it probably should.
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by MC3sMom » Tue Aug 04, 2015 1:29 pm

Aren't the bats checked at these high profile tournaments? Just came from ASA Nationals where all bats had to be inspected and get a certification sticker.
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by CTCBAT » Wed Aug 05, 2015 10:01 am

Different leagues use different balls. Triple Crown, ASA, HS, all use different balls.
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by ~softballjunkie~ » Sun Aug 09, 2015 9:33 pm

IMO at the 12u level you can get away with a good fastball and a change up, when it comes to 14u and up a fastball gets recognized. Moving the pitching back to 43ft has a lot to do with it and some of the pitcher's are struggling with it. These girls are going to hitting instructors and being taught by people that have instruction from the college level. At 14u a pitcher needs spin, location and know how to change up speeds even if she is an average pitcher she will have a better pitching game than the girl who is throwing that fastball and starts to get lit up after the second inning. JS
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by hghlndr88 » Tue Aug 11, 2015 12:55 pm

Pitching distance and balls play into the equation, but If you don't think its the bats...take the composites out of their hands and replace it with ash. It would be a truly be humbling experience for not only the players, coaches and parents, but the fans watching as it would reveal that a lot of the mechanics that coaches/parents have been drilling into our kids heads since 6U are fundamentally flawed.
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