Slow Pitch Softball ******-*******s

[royalfan5]

So it looks like I will be playing in a league this summer. I'm just curious if it would be worth it to go get some sport specific shoes for the endevaour. Any input is appreciated.

[Ash]

Is it a beer league or actually competitive?

If the answer to the above was yes to the beer league part, are you or those you play with the guy(s) that takes it way too seriously? Is this part of working out those resentments you still harbor from some perceived slight during your high school/college career?

If the answer to the second question was yes (either way). Then yes, you'll also probably want to try and squeeze the beer gut into the old high school/college baseball uni, too.

I'd go with cowboy boots, but that's just me.

[Blue]

You need cleats. Even if you play in shorts.

[royalfan5]

Is it a beer league or actually competitive?

If the answer to the above was yes to the beer league part, are you or those you play with the guy(s) that takes it way too seriously? Is this part of working out those resentments you still harbor from some perceived slight during your high school/college career?

If the answer to the second question was yes (either way). Then yes, you'll also probably want to try and squeeze the beer gut into the old high school/college baseball uni, too.

I'd go with cowboy boots, but that's just me.
I'm on the Presbyterian team, but we mostly play bar teams. I'm playing cause I like playing softball, mostly.

[royalfan5]

You need cleats. Even if you play in shorts.

What is a good brand? There is a sporting goods mega store across from my office, I 'll swing by after work to look.

[soonerinabilene]

Just get some plain jane cleats. No need for a $100 pair, the cheap eastons from academy will do fine. You just need them for running on the dirt. Slow pitch is all about the bat. Dont go dirt cheap on it. Anything below $75 is that cheap for a reason. If you have a Big 5 Sports anywhere close, they usually have Demarini's about half price from what Academy is. Break it in before the season starts, it will really come to life after about 100 hits or so.

[Ash]

You don't need cleats, IMHO, but if you feel more comfortable playing in them go for it.

Unless this is a highly competitive league, you're not going to be doing anything on the field that a good pair of cross-trainers can't handle. At least, that was my experience in rec leagues.

[Blue]

Well if everyone on the team is wearing cleats. You don't want to be the guy in jorts and white tennies.

OTOH, if everyone is in tennis shoes, you don't want to be the ultra serious dude reliving the glory days.

I've never played without cleats. They help for grip.

[royalfan5]

Well if everyone on the team is wearing cleats. You don't want to be the guy in jorts and white tennies.

OTOH, if everyone is in tennis shoes, you don't want to be the ultra serious dude reliving the glory days.

I've never played without cleats. They help for grip.

Maybe I should split the difference and go for jorts and cleats.

[Blue]

Shiny red cleats with bike shorts underneath the short jorts.

[StoopTroup]

If you have to ask this question...

Wait until your a couple of games into it to make sure they don't try to run you off or not play you. ;) :D

[Ash]

Maybe I should split the difference and go for jorts and cleats.

Jogging shorts and your ****kickers. :texan:

[royalfan5]

If you have to ask this question...

Wait until your a couple of games into it to make sure they don't try to run you off or not play you. ;) :D

I've played in the past, and I know I can rake. So I'm pretty sure they will play me, and have the pastor/coach pray the ball isn't hit to me cause I can't field for ****.

[kbsooner21]

I bought the cheapest pair at Academy and keep them in the bed of my truck during the offseason and they are going on their 3rd year :D

[yermom]

yeah, i was slipping and sliding around fielding balls the one time i didn't wear them. i have a cheap pair of Eastons that i wear with two pairs of kinda think socks

[bluedogok]

I did about the same, I bought some Easton cleats at Academy on sale for around $20, they worked fine. The pair that I had before lasted through 4 years, playing from April to November in two leagues (and nights) and two games each night.

I won't play without cleats anymore, some of those fields can get slick in the night humidity.

[yermom]

oh yeah, and we got romped by Rhino and 04's team tonight :O

[Jimminy Crimson]

I've got a pair of turf/training shoes (Puma) that I wear for softball and kickball. They've got nubs (heh!) on them.

[yermom]

i meant to play kickball last summer but it never happened. if the group i know plays again, i'll probably play this summer

[Ash]

i meant to play kickball last summer but it never happened. if the group i know plays again, i'll probably play this summer

In!

[Mixer!]

Church League, Softball, Fistfight
Gettin washed in the blood on a Tuesday night
What would Jesus do? Lord he wouldn't do that
Knock the hell outta the preacher with a softball bat

Well the Swinging Shepherds from the Sheep of the Savoir
were tied with the Sourwood Church of Christ
An example of some highly unholy behavior
in a game that had already been protested twice
Something unbiblical must have been said
for them to be aiming heat at the minister's head
Clockin' the clergy ain't the thing to do
But neither's the high hard one on the 0-2

Church League, Softball, Fistfight
A bloody layin' on the hands 'neath the left field lights
Knockin out four teeth, gettin a busted lip
Ain't exactly my idea of Christian Fellowship

Church League, Softball, Fistfight
Rollin' round the pitchers mound it just don't look right
For the nice people from the church and the Sunday school class
To trade a cup of brotherhood for a can of whoop-azz

[GottaHavePride]

I've got a pair of soccer boots. ;)

[olevetonahill]

So it looks like I will be playing in a league this summer. I'm just curious if it would be worth it to go get some sport specific shoes for the endevaour. Any input is appreciated.

Just MHO
If you ain't a athlete Become an athletic Supporter
Hold them Balls up proud!

[sooner_born_1960]

Cleats, sliding shorts, and a mouth piece.

[sooner_born_1960]

Oh yeah. Get some batting gloves.

[OU4LIFE]

yeah, i was slipping and sliding around fielding balls the one time i didn't wear them. i have a cheap pair of Eastons that i wear with two pairs of kinda think socks

smart socks kick A S S! ;)

[SoonerBorn68]

If you don't wear cleat don't be surprised if you pull a groin slipping around on those dirt infields.

[SoonerJack]

you're getting bad advice, Royalfan. All this "cleats" and "bats" talk.

You need a camaro, a mullet, and some jorts, my man!

[soonermix]

you will need a pair of el cheapo cleats and a glove
also batting gloves, wrist bands, your own bat and a bag but that stuff is just to look cool

[sooner_born_1960]

I only mentioned batting gloves because someone else suggested a new bat. The gloves are for the 100 hit break-in period.

[Mjcpr]

I would ask Dean, he awed our lady Sooners.

:D

[C&CDean]

I would ask Dean, he awed our lady Sooners.

:D

Flip-flops bitches.

Actually, I did play some fairly serious slowpitch in my day. Played on a couple of A league teams in Arizona, and have played against the likes of The Silver Bullets, Berg Roofing, and others. Spent lots of year playing B-C ball too later on.

I wouldn't even think about going out to play without cleats. And a batting glove. And sliding shorts. And depending on the position you play, and how serious you are about your game, knee pads.

I've got permanent scars from all the strawberries I've gotten over the years on both *** cheeks, legs, and knees. I had 7 pins put in a wrist playing softball. Broken collar bones (both of them) and numerous broken fingers, smashed rollies, and bruises/dings. And most of the injuries were playing C ball.

Softball's a tough game man...

[OU4LIFE]

Don't do it. It'll ruin your golf swing.

[kbsooner21]

Are the batting gloves really necessary for slow pitch? :D

[sooner_born_1960]

Why would batting gloves be any more or less necessary for slow pitch?

[Blue]

I grew up on Oklahoma softball. My dad was huge into it. He played for the Oklahoma Oilers, the Tunas, and others. Some of my best memories with my dad were going all over the state and country to watch him play in tourneys.

[Mixer!]

ZLK-Cvwkgqs

[royalfan5]

Well, I got me spikes, a glove, sliding shorts, and socks tonight. Now if I can just get the mechanics of my swing right again, I'll be ready to go.

[Turd_Ferguson]

Don't worry about the big hit's, place it in the holes. Like I tell my Son in baseball....base hit, base hit, base hit.

[royalfan5]

Don't worry about the big hit's, place it in the holes. Like I tell my Son in baseball....base hit, base hit, base hit.
My stroke is modeled after Tony Gwynn. I hit a lot of opposite field line drives. The nice thing about being left handed is that it is easier to get to low pitches. It's the fielding that will be an adventure.

[shaun4411]

slow pitch softball has great changeups.

[goingoneight]

Boots and spurs with bluejeans and a button up shirt... :D

Seriously... just go in what you might jog/work out in, get some cheap cleats from teh WalMarts or Target and lots of Advil. I've played on a few different teams and it's always fun... especially if you've played baseball before and you're a little ahead of the rest.

[OU-HSV]

I didn't read the rest of this thread, but wanted to give my 2 cents. I never played on a baseball (or softball) team in my life until about 4 or 5 years ago. Joined a medium league, but I was on a "beer" team. No one on my team had played in a league before either.
It was really fun, even though we got smoked every game.
I wore shorts, a t-shirt and I squeezed into my old high school football cleats. I thought about a beer helmet, but decided that would be a distraction from my athletic skillz. :) I for sure think cleats are a good idea, especially if you are like me and have a tendency to roll your ankles in regular running shoes.
Anyways have a blast.

As a side note, is anyone on here ever involved in softball leagues in Broken Arrow or Tulsa? Some buddies and I are wanting to get back into it. PM me if so.
TIA

[OU4LIFE]

ok srsly, I know it's only a softball pitch, and it's lobbed in there at the same height every time, but if you can mix in a knuckleball pitch in there, it looks freaky as hell to the batter. worked for me.

[Mixer!]

ok srsly, I know it's only a softball pitch, and it's lobbed in there at the same height every time, but if you can mix in a knuckleball pitch in there, it looks freaky as hell to the batter. worked for me.
I invite you to put that to the test tonight. ;)

[OU4LIFE]

I invite you to put that to the test tonight. ;)

man, I really DO miss softball, if I could just show up to pitch, and not have to bat...I'd probably do it. But I'm not kidding, that bat swing will FUBAR a golf swing in a hurry.

Plus the United Way golf classic is this weekend, I needs to practice up. ;)

[OklahomaRed]

Have to have some traction. Batting glove is nice if you got girlie hands. The bat is what makes the difference, that and some baseball experience on hitting the cutoff guy, covering your base, and catching the frickin' ball when it's hit to you. Deppends on how serious your teammates are? Even in beer leagues, no one likes to get their arses kicked. Most decent slowpitch hitters will find your weakness and go for the juggler vein if you try to hide someone out in right field or at catcher.

Hardest slow pitch for me to hit as far as getting good bat on the ball and hitting to the field I want is the really high pitch with a lot of backspin on it. I love good flat knuckle balls you can drive. :D

[Mixer!]

man, I really DO miss softball, if I could just show up to pitch, and not have to bat...I'd probably do it. But I'm not kidding, that bat swing will FUBAR a golf swing in a hurry.

Plus the United Way golf classic is this weekend, I needs to practice up. ;)
The RCF on my team uses his golf stroke in our games, with either satisfactory or frustrating results.

I'm playing in Sand Springs this Sunday. I will channel you as I grip it & rip it.
:D

[OU4LIFE]

make a HIO! Just don't come back here and bore everyone to death with your stories about it.

[C&CDean]

ok srsly, I know it's only a softball pitch, and it's lobbed in there at the same height every time, but if you can mix in a knuckleball pitch in there, it looks freaky as hell to the batter. worked for me.

People think that pitching slow pitch ball is all the same. Trust me, it ain't. It's not as critical as in baseball or fastpitch where pitching is pretty much 90-95% of the game, but it's damned important. I've seen some pitchers in my day who could throw knuckles, curves, swerves, and paint corners, knees, and shoulders like an artist. Never groove a pitch, but never throw a ball either. A really good slowpitch pitcher is worth his weight.

And you're right, golf ****s up my slow pitch swing. Bad.

[frankensooner]

Golf swings and softball bat swings really throw off my polo mallet swings

[Blue]

and polo mallet swings really F up my croquet swing.

[bluedogok]

ok srsly, I know it's only a softball pitch, and it's lobbed in there at the same height every time, but if you can mix in a knuckleball pitch in there, it looks freaky as hell to the batter. worked for me.
You must have played in a higher level league, because in the leagues that I played in (Edmond) I don't think anyone could throw the same pitch twice, let alone be consistent.

[Taxman71]

First rule is to tell your teammates up front that you refuse to slide....ever. Second rule is to never, never slide in a softball game.....ever. At best, you will have a permanent cheese grater on your leg. At worst, you will snap a fibia/tibia. Remember, you ain't 16 anymore and you ain't playing for the world series.

Seriously, leave the sliding to the serious "softball guy" trying to live his unfulfilled dreams from high school.

[r5TPsooner]

To prevent injury especially rounding the bases and at the plate, get some cleats specific for the type of surface that you'll be playing on. Your knees will also thank you.

[C&CDean]

First rule is to tell your teammates up front that you refuse to slide....ever. Second rule is to never, never slide in a softball game.....ever. At best, you will have a permanent cheese grater on your leg. At worst, you will snap a fibia/tibia. Remember, you ain't 16 anymore and you ain't playing for the world series.

Seriously, leave the sliding to the serious "softball guy" trying to live his unfulfilled dreams from high school.

This is exactly why I quit playing. And it has nothing to do with "unfulfilled dreams from high school" because I never finished 9th grade. It has to do with years of ball being ingrained in you. You practice/play a certain way for years. Then, you get older, and you go out and play, and the same instincts kick in. The last couple years I played I told my teammates the exact thing you're saying. "I. Ain't. Sliding. Or. Diving. For. Another. Ball."

Problem is, you hit a gapper and you're rounding first and heading for second and here come the throw and sonofa****ingbitch you find yourself diving head first into second. Same thing with a linedrive or fly ball or grounder coming your way. I couldn't stop myself. It's pure instinct. So, I quit.

[frankensooner]

I quit because of the a-holes. Everyone was a bad sport. They would bitch and cuss and throw their gear around and that was when we were winning.

[C&CDean]

I quit because of the a-holes. Everyone was a bad sport. They would bitch and cuss and throw their gear around and that was when we were winning.

Those are the frustrated jocks from high school he was talking about.

[Taxman71]

Actually, those are the guys from the church league and the primary reason why I quit playing. That and I didn't want to bring my 2 year old to a 9:00 pm game where people cuss like a construction site.

Oh yeah, we also had a few cops on our team....guess who threw the most fits?

[OklahomaRed]

I agree. I don't slide. I also don't try to turn a double into a triple. I agree with frankensooner, too. I have to stop myself from yelling and what dumb mutha' who still tries to stretch a hit into extra bases and he gets thrown out every frickin' time. We also have a dude on our team who has a rocket arm, but he keeps trying to throw the runner out at 3rd or home and he hasn't done it yet all year. Winning at softball is making the outs that you are supposed to, controlling the game by keeping the runner to the minimum number of bases on a hit, having a "decent" player at each spot so you don't get burned, and HITTING the ball. Everyone has to bat at least .500 and they definitely have to hit with runners on.

The team needs to decide before the season even starts if you are out there to have fun? Or, if you are out there to win? In my opinion, I don't have any fun going less than .500. I am too darn competitive and it no fun getting beat. That's why I stay away from mixed league. Don't get me wrong, I've played with women that are better than the guys at softball, but as a general rule mixed league is frustrating (to me) and it's a good way to get a divorce. :D

[OklahomaRed]

Oh, and we are 8 and 1 right now; however, we play the team tonight that beat us. Hope we have a better outing? :D

[frankensooner]

The last league I played had a 10 homerun rule. Once your team hit 10, any after that was considered an out. I always played to get on base, load them then hit the homer. These jackazzes would hit ten single homers and then we would lose because they would continue to hit homers and get outs. I mean really, do you really need to show that you can hit out of a small softball field big guy?

[OklahomaRed]

They went to a 3 homerun limit here. It used to be unlimited, and the fences here are actually like 330 or so, but the new bats and balls allow a lot of people who used to NOT be able to hit homers, hit them. So, the 4th homer is an out and ends the inning, and every time the dude comes up to be is an out. You also have a 1 and 1 count when you come to bat to speed the game up. Tournament time, it's a 3:2 count.

I'm with you. Dudes hit solo homers early in the game just to "feel good" can get you beat in late innings. We've also hit the homerun rule a couple of times and pulled those games out by the skin of our teeth.

[C&CDean]

I mean really, do you really need to show that you can hit out of a small softball field big guy?

Well, yeah?

[skycat]

I pulled my hamstring in a tournament last weekend. Just running to first base.

Getting old sucks.

But the thing is, because a couple of our guys weren't there for that game, I ended up having to keep playing. The league allows an 11th guy to be an extra batter, but once you start a game hitting with 11, then you have to keep doing it or you get an automatic out.

And in the last inning down by a run, I hit a line drive that plated the go ahead runs. Had to hop to first base on one leg. That was ridiculously thrilling in an embarrasingly, hobbled, getting older kind of way.

[Taxman71]

And in the last inning down by a run, I hit a line drive that plated the go ahead runs. Had to hop to first base on one leg. That was ridiculously thrilling in an embarrasingly, hobbled, getting older kind of way.

Nothing wrong with a Kirk Gibson-esque finish....embrace it.

[royalfan5]

The first game was mixed. My fielding kind of sucked but I made some nice throws from the outfield. I hit the ball hard the first time, right at someone, second time, I legged out an infield single the second time, but got caught at second of a dropped pop-up in shallow right. The third AB the go ahead run was at second, but since we had a girl short and there were already two outs they walked me to get the automatic out and finish the game. I can tell the people who take it a little too serious based on their reaction to the walk. My hamstring is a little sore, and I might play that for sympathy on my date tomorrow.

[Mjcpr]

How many beers did you drink? Really, this is the only stat that matters.

[royalfan5]

How many beers did you drink? Really, this is the only stat that matters. Not enough. That's the downside of playing on the Presbyterian team.

[Newbomb Turk]

Not enough. That's the downside of playing on the Presbyterian team.

join a Catholic team next time.

[royalfan5]

join a Catholic team next time.

Those are the tavern teams in this league. I'm playing in a league in one the big Czech areas in Nebraska. They are big drinkers and church goers. I'm stuck with the non-drinking interlopers.

[bluedogok]

I played in Edmond for a men's team from my office for many years until I moved down here and a co-ed church team a couple of seasons. We only lost two games on the co-ed team and came in second place to another team from our church, we also gave them their only loss, they beat us once and we lost another because we were short on players. The next season we were bumped up but also lost two of the girls, one moved to Denver and the other was pregnant and there were a few of us doing a bunch of traveling for work so we didn't have the same success as before.

Our men's team, well...let's just say that we joked that our team name should have been WOHFTB - We're Only Here For The Beer, we would be lucky to have a .500 season but it was still a fun time. I guess that's what a bunch of architects, engineers and surveyors play like. The "losing" shook most of the "bad sports" out and left the ones who were there for fun. We started at Wheeler Park, played there for a couple of seasons then moved to the Edmond park around Danforth & Midwest Blvd. We tried the place on 122nd & Western right after it opened, great fields but it was no fun there. They didn't have enough teams to do multiple leagues, so they threw everyone into the same league. There was one church team that had no business being there, it was just "practice" for them. They had about 6 guys who could hit it out anytime they wanted to, the second best team in the league was another church team (that had two guys from work who played our team at times) and the closest game was 11 runs, that was the only team that they lost to. There were 3 other teams that came of from Edmond, ALL of them went back to Edmond after that fall season.

I have that "instinct" problem as well, I shredded my right shin at the 122nd & Western fields, I have a shin pad that I wear when I play after that incident. I broke my collarbone the first night of the season in 2001. In the second game (which started about 10:00pm) I was rounding third and stumbled in the soft third base line and landed on my left shoulder. I heard something "pop" but I still got up and slid into home and beat the throw home, then laid down on the plate and wondered "WHAT THE **** DID I JUST DO". I missed the next week and was "coaching" after that until the 4th week when we were short players, so I played right field and swung the lightest bat with pretty much one hand. One thing that playing the rest of that season out and focusing on contact instead of power made me a better hitter when the next year came around as I was able to do both....a new bat helped also.

I miss it, I've tried to get started playing again a couple of times down here, once I played one week and then started working in Dallas the next week. The other time I hurt my back right before the season started and only played a few weeks.

[soonerinabilene]

The first game was mixed. My fielding kind of sucked but I made some nice throws from the outfield. I hit the ball hard the first time, right at someone, second time, I legged out an infield single the second time, but got caught at second of a dropped pop-up in shallow right. The third AB the go ahead run was at second, but since we had a girl short and there were already two outs they walked me to get the automatic out and finish the game. I can tell the people who take it a little too serious based on their reaction to the walk. My hamstring is a little sore, and I might play that for sympathy on my date tomorrow.

Did they just point at first and tell the ump to walk you, or did they just throw crappy pitches. Cuz if they pitched, after the first two of em let you know what they were doing, you should have just swung at anything.

[royalfan5]

Did they just point at first and tell the ump to walk you, or did they just throw crappy pitches. Cuz if they pitched, after the first two of em let you know what they were doing, you should have just swung at anything.

They just told the ref they were walking me. If they would have thrown any sort of pitch I would have done what ever it took to make contact.

[royalfan5]

My last standing belief in not ****ing with Czechs in athletic contests that can be abetted by booze was reinforced as we lost 31-3 in 3 innings. I didn't get an a bat(but fielded well) since I split time in the outfield for now. However, it looks like I will be pitching next week, so the guy who thinks he is hot **** at short stop but lets every ****ing ball go by him(and doesn't even bother to run to first on groundballs when batting) can be moved and replaced by the guy who usually pitches. So I will have to learn me how to slow pitch this week.

[Mixer!]

Remember to bend your knees, it'll save your arm.

[royalfan5]

I ended up not pitching and fielded well. We lost but at least it was a lot closer than last week, mostly due to the fact that their pitcher was pretty decent and with one exception me and the only other left were the only people who hit the ball hard all night. But I got me some Grain Belt beer and things will be better in the near future.