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Online now: 1 member: berger; 6 anonymousDetails for The Screamer5
Real name:
Lawrence Sherrell
Location:
San Antonio, TX
Division:
Men's 60
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| June 23, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Pool games....??? ALL great points...! I now have a better understanding of the pool games. As a player, I just want to compete. Before, I didn't understand the purpose of playing so many meaningless games before the tournament actually began. In my mind, the games needed to mean something. Anything! Tell me the pool games winner gets a first round bye when bracket play begins; or that the higher seed from the pool games gets to choose whether to be home or away in bracket play instead of a coin flip (as JT25 suggested above); or something else, however small the reward. How do your teams mentally approach pool games? What is your individual mindset? Are you playing them at full capacity or taking it easy? Do you care if you win or lose them? |
| June 22, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Pool games....??? I'm not suggesting going directly into bracket play for senior tournaments. I'm only questioning the need for 3, sometimes 4 pool games beforehand at our advanced ages. Crusher, I definitely agree with you about the sportsmanship, respect for the game and each other, and the overall camaraderie in Senior ball. (I've established some great friendships all over the country.) And maybe that's the main point I'm missing here. Maybe its not meant to be so competitive. Kman, I too play outfield and I also do a lot of running for my teammates when needed. Definitely takes its toll on the body during a long, hot tournament day... but I love it. I know I should probably take it easy more often than not (especially in the pool games), but I only have one speed between the lines... and that's ALL OUT, ALL the TIME! |
| June 22, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Pool games....??? Good points Dbax and K man. I hadn't thought about all the expenses incurred (travel, hotel, food, entry fee, etc.,) or that the extra games gives more players a chance to play. Again, I'm not complaining, just curious. I guess I'm coming from more a competitive perspective. I realize how much of a blessing it is to be playing ball at this point in my life. I get that. But as a competitor, I'm giving my ALL to win. I'm going to give 100 percent all the time and I will not settle for anything less from my teammates. I hate losing, even if its a pool game. With all due respect, don't teams travel to these tournaments with their best, expecting to win...? Kman, I play and umpire in Texas. I've seen way too many times in tournaments where key players got hurt or wore themselves down playing pool games and weren't available to their teams when bracket play commenced (especially in the older senior age groups.) |
| June 22, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Pool games....??? I’m relatively new to playing senior ball, so I certainly don’t want to sound as if I’m complaining or being disrespectful to anyone. My question is why are there so many pool/seed games scheduled in most senior tournaments? I’ve asked several long time senior players but I haven’t gotten a solid answer. My point is that I’ve already mentally and physically properly prepared myself the weeks and days leading into a big tournament. I’ve taken plenty of BP, practiced a lot with my tournament team, modified my diet for peak performance, gotten plenty of rest, started getting plenty of water in me, etc., etc.,. Now I’m just speaking for myself but when I show up for a tournament I feel I’m at my best right then and I’m ready to roll. I don’t necessarily need to play 3 or 4 pool games before the actual bracket play starts. As a matter of fact, I believe (at our age) it does a lot of us a disservice because many players are not at their peak when bracket play finally begins because they have gotten nicked up or have tweaked something playing so many pool games. At the lower (age) levels of competition, they guarantee you 3 games. If my team isn’t ready or prepared to play ball from the jump…what’s the old saying…”two (losses) and a barbeque.” SMILE! Can someone please explain to me why Senior tournaments are set up the way they are? |
| June 18, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: ARC OF THE PITCHED BALL Capt Kirk: That's only because as an umpire, I have a little more time to judge the higher than 12' pitch and call it "illegal" than I do the flat, less than 6' pitch and call it "illegal." I try my best to call both "illegal" so the batter has time to decide to swing or not. Again, the key for the umpire is to call it consistently for both teams (right or wrong.) As a caveat, just because the umpire doesn't timely and properly call a pitch "illegal" as he or she should attempt to do all the time, automatically make the pitch "legal" and therefore a strike if it hits the mat. Its probably not covered in the rule book and definitely not a good practice, but I've called pitches (that have hit the mat) "illegal" after the fact several times. (This happens mostly on flat pitches.) Of course I take a little friction from the pitcher but I just don't feel I should penalize the batter because of my error. |
| June 4, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: Bats Discussion: Bat weight Dudley Lightning balanced 28 or 29 oz. It's all personal preference but I tend to like a little more "meat" or mass coming thru the zone with my bat. (I want the bat to do most of the work.) Of course, I can create more bat speed with a lower ounce bat but for me, I can never seem to wait on the pitch long enough with them. I usually end up way out in front of the incoming pitch. The heavier bat slows me down that fraction of second longer needed to make consistent, solid contact with the ball (even if its only in my mind). As Tri18 stated though, be careful using the heavier bats in tournaments...as they will wear you down a little the longer you play and your bat will become lazy through the zone. |
| June 3, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Foot placement in batter's box before pitch Good question Mango. Common sense would suggest that the box be moved up slightly in Senior ball to compensate for the plate being called a strike. I can say as a hitter who stands way up in the box, prefers the ball shoulder height and has a very healthy stride...I would love any extra room I can get in the batter's box. I've come very close to being called out several times because of where my front foot landed after striding. (Been warned many times.) I think the problem is the inconsistent way the rule is enforced. My experience is most players want the rules enforced the same (game, league, tournament wide) right or wrong. The scenario that Tim mentioned in his post about the batter's box rule in Reno is unacceptable. Umpires discuss these types of things in their meetings before tournaments to make sure they are all on the same page. I wasn't there in Reno so I can't speak to that specific situation. I just know it shouldn't happen. |
| May 30, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Foot placement in batter's box before pitch Agree...the box rule is inconsistently enforced just about everywhere I've been. The box is there for a reason. As an umpire (ASA and USSSA) for over 20 years, my opinion is that you should have to stay in the box during the entire stride/swing and the rule enforced, especially if there is an outright blatant offense (which we see all the time). I always thought it was funny to watch some hitters come up to bat early in a game and wipe out the batter box lines with their feet for whatever reasons. A good umpire will still enforce the box rule when its violated, even if the lines are completely gone. |
| May 21, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: 5 runs or 11 fielders All good points indeed. I'm relatively new to playing senior ball, but based on what I've seen, most of the games end up being very close (by design)...and taking the extra 5 runs would appear to be more beneficial than having an extra player in the field. With time limits rarely do senior games go the full regulation amount of innings. (I've yet to play in one that did.) I'd estimate we get an average of 5 full innings in each game in the 50s age group. Those extra 5 runs would be big in a shortened game like that. |
