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Online now: 5 members: Deeee, Glock, JCColorado, MrsB34, leslie; 80 anonymousDetails for Bruce M
Real name:
Bruce MacLaren
Location:
North Bend, WA
Division:
Men's 55
Messages posted by Bruce M »Message board home »Start a new discussion
| April 4, 2022 Bruce M | Topic: Bats Discussion: Cold weather My POV: Don't swing a senior bat in those temperatures. Instead, look for a "sibling" bat in USSSA (or another sanction...where you can get a warrantee). For example, if your gamer is a Suncoast Senior bat, go for the USSSA Suncoast Ruckus. It swings the same as its "sibling". The USSSA bat also comes with a one year warrantee...so if you crack it...you can get it replaced. Senior bats normally come with no warrantee. Why find a sibling? Well, if you have a choice...I would choose something similar to your gamer. Why swing a 25 ounce balanced bat to practice...if your gamer is a 27 ounce half ounce end load? Obviously if you don't have a choice...swing anything...even a broom handle. That's what Ted Williams did when he was in off season and didn't have a bat. No, USSSA/ASA/NSA bats typically are not as hot as senior bats. However, you still get excellent performance from them. If we can get past our own egos, we can swing the USSSA bats in all temperatures. Learn to hit homers with a USSSA/ASA/NSA bat...and hitting homers with a senior bat will be a walk in the park! Yes, the DeMarini Flipper (ASA) is a great bat to swing. BTW...you can also use that bat in any SSUSA tournament as well. It may actually perform better than a senior bat if the ball being used is an ASA ball. As you probably know, there have been supply issues with the SSUSA Stote. Occasionally have seen an ASA ball used as an alternative. (44/375) An ASA bat and an ASA ball sound like a good strategy to me. |
| March 22, 2022 Bruce M | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Balls in St George Dave - The rationale of an unfair advantage is not particularly strong when the one piece of equipment is treated differently than all others. By that argument, a team should not be permitted to bring their own bats either. For, by that argument, a team that can afford the best carbon fiber bats would have an unfair advantage of those who cannot afford top tier bats. If the ball doesn't matter, why is SSUSA so interested in controlling what ball may be used at any particular event? Why does SSUSA put their stamp on some balls but not on others? Obviously SSUSA cares about it. It matters to SSUSA. It matters to players. We know that SSUSA has to consider fairness and safety of the players. SSUSA has demonstrated that commitment in many different ways. That is true with all equipment, hence the regulations. But, WHY does SSUSA treat the ball differently than they do with all other equipment? Yes, we are aware that a ball rating does not mean that is the actually COR/COMP of any particular ball. A lot of factors are at play in the actual COR/COMP. The same goes for bats, but the way. Not all SSUSA approved bats have the exact same performance. But that is beside the point. Whilst I appreciate the view that nothing is likely going to change, I continue to have hope and trust that SSUSA will embrace a growth mindset when it comes to such things. |
| March 21, 2022 Bruce M | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Balls in St George Thx Dave! - I think it should be discussed in November. by the above argument, why doesn't SSUSA mandate that everyone use the exact same bat model? Why does it have to be the exact same ball if it has a SSUSA stamp on it? If a team decides to bring 30 year old ASA alloy bats stamped ASA (in good condition) to a tournament...the other team brings all carbon fiber composite bats 2022 stamped SSUSA...and the former team cries that it isn't fair? Enforcement could be simplified. Either the ball has a SSUSA stamp on it...or it does not. If it doesn't have the stamp, you can't use it. Regardless of what some critics believe, I personally think umpires and directors have good vision. :=) Yes, there are heat factors and cold factors one could consider...but the same goes for bats...which are not generally controlled or bucketed. And to those who think the ball doesn't matter... Why then, does SSUSA control which ball is used if it supposedly doesn't matter. Of course it matters. It usually isn't the bat which hits the roofs over at the Fields at Little Valley. It's the Trump Stotes that end up getting banned there....because the houses get bombed. Funny that, by the way. You build a house right next to a softball park...then complain because balls end up on your roof. If I build a house on a golf course...I had better expect to get some golf balls hitting my house... The groundskeeper in St. George told me that the houses came after the ball park. I guess the community there can't figure out how to put up higher mesh fences... but I'm not privy to their community meetings. And the last thing SSUSA needs is more community complaints. I get it. So, SSUSA could use the same rule they use on bats....the ball may be used if it has a SSUSA stamp on it and is not altered. With exceptions like the fields at Little Valley...where either you need low flight balls...that could be an option. It would relieve some of the pressure of SSSUSA having to procure as much stock and keep inventory (which isn't easy...because the balls need to be stored in the right conditions) How do we know it isn't altered? Is it possible to juice a SSUSA stamped ball? Maybe...I don't know... but each of the current balls are not tested either. SSUSA doesn't generally test all the bats at tournaments either...unless one is truly suspected of being altered...which would be an exception. |
| March 21, 2022 Bruce M | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Balls in St George I like Scott's suggestion of BYOB. SSUSA differentiates between the way they think about softballs and the way they think about bats (or any other equipment). SSUSA does not mandate the use of one specific bat manufacturer per tournament. It's BYO Bat, BYO Glove,....but you can't bring your own SSUSA stamped balls. As long as the bat has the proper stamps on it and is in good condition, it is legal to use. However, if one brings a ball that has a SSUSA stamp on it and is in good condition, that ball may not be used. Why exactly? The explanation is that "out of fairness of competition, we will not accept that." Well, that's an answer, but not really a rationale. By the current rationale, I could argue that a team swinging Suncoast SSUSA approved bats has an unfair advantage over those who swing Onyx, Mike, or Worth SSUSA approved bats. (or vice versa) It's great that we can bring our own equipment. Let's keep doing that. We should also be able to bring our own SSUSA approved softballs. If that becomes the rule, teams could prepare. If I had to swing with a 52/300 rated ball (because that's all we had) and the other team had the Stote 44/375....I'd say, "Hat's off to the other team for being better prepared). So, maybe SSUSA could revisit this. Maybe they could think about certifying more than one 44/375 ball and allow people the same principle we enjoy with bats and gloves. |
| March 10, 2022 Bruce M | Topic: Product review Discussion: COR/COMP rating on A.D. STARR SPINNER TATTOO Softball (12" Urethane) Anyone really know the COR/COMP rating on the yellow/green balls? A.D. Start does not seem to list the ratings. "Specifically designed BP ball with a unique COR/COMP combination for bat break in and minimal bat damage" I'd like to know what "unique" means in terms of their ratings. Of course, since the common player doesn't have any way to test the COR/COMP of a particular ball, we sort of have to take their word for it. |
| Jan. 29, 2022 Bruce M | Topic: Players looking to join a team Discussion: Looking to join a 50+ AAA team in the Washington State area close to the border Also, Wayne - I would recommend, if you haven't already done so, joining the group "Senior Softball for Washington/British Columbia/Oregon/Idaho/Montana" on Facebook. There are 1.1K members in that group. It started out as a Washington group. It has now expanded to other regions. Most of the tournaments in Washington are in the Lacey, Olympia area...with an added tournament in Moses Lake. Other than that, teams travel out of state...so proximity to the city of team origin isn't necessarily critical: meaning...it need not be a team near you...it could be a team out of Bellingham, Vancouver WA, or anywhere in between. Below is a list of 50s AAA teams in Washington as presented on this site. It does not mean that all these teams are active. Calhoun/Michael's Toyota Mountlake Terrace Coastline Bellingham Dead Sailors Olympia Emerald City Redmond Express Athletic's 50's Vancouver HCD 50's Vancouver Log Cabin Tavern Olympia Michaels Toyota Kent NW Jokers Kennewick NW SeaDogs Softball Club Enumclaw Pro Vision/Cafe Elite Tacoma Silverbacks 50 Maple Valley Smash It Sports Northwest Seattle Vancouver Connection 50s Ridgefield Hope this helps. |
| Jan. 29, 2022 Bruce M | Topic: Players looking to join a team Discussion: Looking to join a 50+ AAA team in the Washington State area close to the border Have you spoken to the manager at Coastline out of Bellingham? They are 50s AAA |
| Jan. 13, 2022 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Learning the Perfect Snap can add 40-60 Feet of Distance & Consistency #202 This is absolute gold. It makes a huge difference. It's a perfect way to explain it. It presents fantastic practical ways to drill it. Likely it comes naturally to the pros, but to use mere mortals, we can still learn it. |
| Dec. 3, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Rock no longer to be used in SSUSA tournaments Thank you for your clarification. Much appreciated. |
| Dec. 3, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Rock no longer to be used in SSUSA tournaments SSUSA: I was told that the Trump Stote Rock 44/375 rated ball will no longer be used in any SSSUSA tournaments. I believe it was used mainly at Worlds. If they can no longer be used, could you please explain the rationale behind this decision? Supply issue? Other? Thank you. |
| Dec. 1, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Stop Swinging UP! Handpath DOWN to the Point of Contact creates a more level cutting ProStyle Swing 192 Thank you, Bogie! Super important for me to drill and put into muscle memory. |
| Nov. 26, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Hall Of Fame form Hoping some umpires get nominated. I didn't see any inducted in the last couple of years. There are for sure some great ones who have been at multiple World's tournaments.. |
| Nov. 26, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: SSUSA and Bell Bank Park? Hey, Thanks, Dave. I hope they don't price themselves out of SSUSA's budget. New facilities don't always understand market pricing. Anyway, thanks for trying. As I said, they don't have enough to field an entire tournament, but fitting into Winter Worlds or the Tournament this February in Phoenix could be a possibility. |
| Nov. 24, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: SSUSA and Bell Bank Park? I might have missed this. Any chance of SSUSA playing some tournaments at Bell Bank Park in Mesa, AZ near Phoenix? https://bellbankpark.com/ The park is scheduled to open in January 2022. 8 ball fields. All turf. I heard the turf is supposed to be designed so that it doesn't reflect heat as much as standard turf. Looks like it would be a great park to play at. 8 fields won't accommodate an entire tournament...but it could be part of a tournament. Looks like it is about 20 minutes from the Sky Harbor Interational Airport. Of course, being brand new and state of the art...I have no idea how much they would charge. Just a thought. |
| Oct. 29, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: Bats Discussion: Suncoast Melee Diamond 2021 End load-opinions I was that guy. I needed to know 1/2, 3/4 ounce, full ounce end load or not. Wow, THIS bat must be the GOAT because of its HUGE endload!? Right? Then I thought...yeah...but what does that really, truly mean?...and how can you verify it for yourself. Dave Valasquez's video helped me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLQSQTZaGh0 He explains that even within the same bat, different weights can change the ratio of handle weight to end weight. I don't know how the manufacturers actually plan the weights of their endloads through their line of 26,27,28,29,30 ounce version. It's not just as easy as weighting the end cap. If you kept every other part of the bat the same and simply added weight to the end cap, the higher weight versions would be literal sledge hammers. Once you add or subtract weight from any version, you would have to pay close attention to the ratios from the handle weight to the end weight. If anyone has a way to measure just the end load accurately, please let me know. DV's way of weighing bats makes sense to me. |
| Oct. 29, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: How does your team keep statistics, the book, and team communication? My tournament team has the luxury of an amazing and experienced statistician who keeps the book and calculates statistics for every game of our season. She is the spouse of our manager. Therefore, I can see at any moment in the season where I am in terms of games, at bats, 1b, 2b, 3b, BB, HR, or strike outs. My OBP is calculated for me. I can see my statistics as well as my entire team's statistics within hours after a game ends. This is all housed electronically online using an app called TeamSnap. Through her amazing labor, the team is able to concentrate on the game at hand without having to "pass the book". Most of the SSUSA umpires know her and rely on her when they are comparing what they see. Because she is so experienced, there are very, very few disagreements about the numbers. Most of us (I'm guilty of it sometimes) know not to engage her in conversation when she is working. How does your team manage the book and keep statistics? Do you use any sort of app like TeamSnap to keep the schedules, numbers and team communication all in one place? I'll tell you, it certainly beats email or sms! No more (I didn't get the email! I didn't know the location of the field! The schedule changed and I didn't know! Where are we in the bracket?! What field was that again?! Where are we meeting for dinner?!) Nope. It's all in one place in real time...on your phone, tablet, PC, etc. (Disclosure: I don't work for TeamSnap and am NOT trying to sell any particular app! I do believe that these types of apps make things more efficient and fun) |
| Oct. 20, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Perspectives: Laughing at yourself Can you relate? I'm working off the Tee at a ballpark. I spin one out and into the skate park. The kids are furious. They scream at me, "Hey, aren't you a bit old to be playing T-ball??!" After apologizing for the ball intruding upon their skating, I laughed. From their perspective, I WAS practicing T-ball! Second scenario: I'm at a tournament between games. My teammate and I go to the local coffee shop. The barista looks at our uniforms and says, "Hey, I wasn't aware the kids were playing today. What team do you guys manage? I explained that we were players, not managers. She looked at me with a blank look on her face. I had to laugh. I love this game. |
| Oct. 4, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Session 4 World Champs results Thank you, Steph for posting the results. Great to see them so quick as the session just ended yesterday! Much appreciated. |
| July 12, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Which Ball travels further: ASA or SSUSA Bkb555 thank you. That is my experience as well. I hear you. Clearly, the ASA balls are not as hot as the SSUSA balls. The ASA balls also lose compression in heat, which results in the ball not flying as far. It changes the game...just like a 20 mile an hour head wind blowing in from the outfield. As Dave Dowell pointed out on other conversations on this board, the problem is supply. BSN doesn't have sufficient inventory of either SSUSA ball. Currently, they expect 191 dozen of the Rocks to come in September 15, with another 190 dozen in October. However, most of the shipments have been delayed this year. September 15 is only an estimate. Could come sooner....could come in well after Worlds. Given the issue the supply, I think SSUSA has done a remarkable job at trying to come up with the best alternative on the market. |
| July 11, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: In appreciation to Bogie van Bogaert It is said, “When the student is ready, the teacher will arise.” Like many boys my age, I played little league. My performance was slightly above average. One day my Dad came to me and said, “Well, son, you just aren’t that good of a hitter.” No batting cages. No practice. Just a judgement from someone who meant a lot to me. That was it…no baseball or softball for the next three decades. I just wasn’t “good enough.” 40 years later I took a vulnerable step to get serious about softball. I found myself at your farm in Wisconsin. An opera singer trying to learn how to swing. I was standing on Truman Stadium, which I had seen for years on YouTube. You told me you were going to, “work my ass off”. You didn’t spend hours giving me generalizations about a good swing. You didn’t try to impress me with your elite background in softball. You didn’t waste time talking about how famous you are…how many people subscribe to your show. In fact, you didn’t even lift a bat. You just watched me swing. Then, slowly and methodically, you “worked my ass off” for a good two hours. Drills. Drills. More drills. All of them tailored to improve my personal flaws. After the two hours, I was exhausted. I will never forget what you said to me that day, “Great hitters are not born. They are made.” I left your farm that day more inspired than ever. Not only did I want to improve, but I had the tools and the inspiration to do so. No, I am not an elite player. No, I’m not a hall of famer. And no, I don’t hit 75 400-foot home runs per season and “wow” people. That’s ok. What I am is enough. You taught me to always compete…to always improve…to always work hard. Clearly, I am a better hitter today than I have ever been in my life…and that in my fifties. You inspired me not to be better than anyone else, but to be the best athlete that I can be. It’s a journey…not a destination. In deep appreciation…. |
