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Online now: 0 members ; 6 anonymousDetails for Bruce M
Real name:
Bruce MacLaren
Location:
North Bend, WA
Division:
Men's 55
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| 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…. |
| July 2, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Dont blame SSUSA for the ball problem. Thank you, Dave - while I of course accept the decision of SSUSA...I still haven't seen a valid argument against bring your own softballs. SSUSA allows bring your own bats. Above, I stated pretty clearly there is a difference between the STOTE and the ROCK. Both are SSUSA approved. There is also a difference in performance between some SSUSA stamped bats, yet we can use any SSUSA bat we want. Stating that bring your own balls (SSUSA stamped) is unfair isn't a rationale or a valid argument. I see, however, that changes will not be made regardless of the feedback. While regrettable, it is understandable. Thanks for listening. |
| July 2, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Dont blame SSUSA for the ball problem. With respect....the argument doesn't hold. Again, I'm only talking about SSUSA stamped balls here. Yes, there is a difference between the Stote and the Rock. Yes, 44/375 is only a "rating"...and it doesn't mean that every ball is tested at those parameters. However, by your argument above...we should only have ONE single bat. Everybody knows there is a difference between SSUSA bats...even though they have the the same parameter limitations. If that wasn't the case, people would all purchase the cheapest SSUSA stamped bats on the market. So, if SSUSA is allowing bring your own bats (SSUSA approved)....AND SSUSA has SSUSA stamped balls....you will need a better argument as to why bringing your own balls is not fair. If I bring at SSUSA approved 2010 bat to a tournament....and someone else brings a 2021 Suncoast Once Piece or a 2021 JB ultra to a tourney...I can't go out and cry, "unfair!" So, if I bring a SSUSA stamped Rock to a tournament...and the opposing team brings something else that is approved by SSUSA....it's the same situation. Just because someone says you "can't do it because it is unfair" isn't an argument for WHY it's unfair. I'm not saying I'm right. I'm saying I'd like to hear a good argument against brining your own SSUSA approved softballs. |
| June 29, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Dont blame SSUSA for the ball problem. Bob - you make the best softballs. You know I am a fan. I'm not blaming SSUSA for anything. However, in this circumstance....BSN has ROCKS (SSUSA Stamped) in stock for $.01 more expensive than the Stotes. So, while normally Rocks are only allowed in Vegas....an exception should be made... https://www.bsnsports.com/ssusa-softball-12-44-375 $59.99 per dozen... before any discounts. Not sure how many dozens they have...but plenty of us out there could be brining our own SSUSA Stamped balls to the tournaments... Let's innovate and adapt to supply issues.... |
| June 28, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Any Update on The Stote? With respect, we have BYOB (bats) as long as it has a SSUSA stamp on it. There are rules for altered bats. So, why not BYOB softballs that have a SSUSA stamp on them? I don't see how that is any different. If folks wish to bring 10 year old SSUSA water logged softballs for their own team to hit at a tournament, they are free to do so. For me, if I am going to pay over $1,000 to play a tournament, it is worth bringing the best and most fresh SSUSA stamped balls I can buy. I trust the umpires to know if a ball has been in the freezer or not. If you are going to argue that only the same exact balls level the playing field...then why not mandate only a single bat from a single manufacturer with an SSUSA stamp on it? BYOB has many advantages...it releases SSUSA from having to maintain, procure, store, and sometimes ship the balls. It lowers cost. So, the argument about leveling the playing field remains. Exactly how would it be unfair for teams to bring their own SSUSA stamped balls marked with their names on them....knowing the penalties for altered equipment? |
| June 2, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Pitchers. A bit insane? I mean this with the utmost respect: Pitchers are a bit crazy. Anybody over 40, who is willing to put on full body armor, to stand in front of softballs that are coming straight at them at speeds 65-95 MPH have to be a bit nuts. A friend of mine came up to me yesterday to show me his dislocated and fractured finger....another friend had his the bones in his glove hand fractured. Pitchers stand 50 ft from the batter, whilst their teammates stand usually 70 ft or more. Those 20 plus feet make a big difference. Most pitchers I know don't make a big deal out of it. They just love to pitch. Bless them. So yes, some pitchers can be a bit "touched"...but can you blame them? I say, anyone who criticizes them should be condemned to pitch an entire game. Even if you don't get hit...having those balls fly past you at those speeds should cure any future thoughts of criticism. Just my opinion... |
| June 1, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Which Ball travels further: ASA or SSUSA Note on Pricing: ASA https://www.bsnsports.com/trump-174-ak-ez-asa $58.99 per dozen for the balls mandated in Reno. $4.92 per ball. SSUSA ROCK https://www.bsnsports.com/ssusa-softball-12-44-375 $59.99 per dozen $5.00 per ball. In stock. That's before any discounts that teams or large organizations receive. |
| June 1, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Which Ball travels further: ASA or SSUSA Thank you, James, for your answer. I do appreciate you reading my question carefully. Thank you. Now, since this wasn't part of the original question, but was brought up....folks are allowed to use ANY bat that has a SSUSA stamp on it and is in proper condition. They can also use any bat that that has lower compressions such as BPF 1.20. So, why shouldn't teams be able to play with ANY ball stamped SSUSA on it? Why the double standard? I mean, if everyone has to use the same exact manufacturer of SSUSA ball in a tournament, why shouldn't everyone, for example, have to swing the Miken JB 2021 SSUSA bat? |
| May 28, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Which Ball travels further: ASA or SSUSA SSUSA could not source the standard STOTE or ROCKs which are rated at 44/375 for Reno. Instead, they are mandating ASA 44/375. So, it's the same COR and same PSI compression. However, they are different balls. I've been told that the ASA balls will not fly nearly as far (in the exact same weather conditions) as the STOTE or ROCK. True? False? |
| March 19, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: Teams looking for players Discussion: 55+ (no upper age limit) League in Lynwood Washington (near Seattle) Men, looking for a weekly league? Raffles has 2-3 spots open for this season. It's Tuesday and Thursday mornings at Meadowdale Park in Lynwood starting in May. Some are double headers. If you are interested, please contact the manager, Bob Applebaum at r.applebaum@comcast.net Turf infields! |
| Feb. 8, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: When to go backside So, given that the left-handed batter has the ability to hit to all parts of the field, and the defense is playing you straight up, here are my thoughts: If there are no runners on base, you could plan to hit the 5-6, 1-6 gaps. However, if there are runners on base, your primary goal is to advance them. So, you want to hit behind them. That means the 1-4 or 3-4 holes. If the defense closes the 3-4 hole with people on base, likely the pitcher is going to try to throw inside. Given that scenario, you would take that pitch if there are less than two strikes. You are looking for an outside pitch or a pitch down the middle, You could then take the 5-6, 1-6, or 1-4 gaps. If you miss and hit to 2B or SS, you are hitting into a double play. I'd be interested in your thoughts... |
| Jan. 22, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: When to go backside Granted, I agree with Alan Tanner. You need to hit to the quadrant that the pitcher gives you. I would not try to push a ball backside if the ball is coming on the inside of the plate. I would be looking for a ball down the center or ideally on the outside of the plate. A great pitcher will shift their people over to cover the 3-4 hole, pitch inside, and move over to cover the 1-4. Respectfully, not all pitchers can do that unless you are playing at the most elite levels. |
| Jan. 22, 2021 Bruce M | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: When to go backside We all need to go backside from time to time. If we don't, the defense will figure you out and make the proper shift. So, when should you go backside if you are a left-handed hitter? Realize that when you do, you are hitting into the strongest part of the defense. Typically, we say you should hit "behind" the runner. So, if you have a runner on 1st with 1 out, you would go to the 3-4 hole to advance that runner and prevent a double play. Same thing with a runner on first and second. So, assuming you are being defended straight up with a 4 person outfield and less than two outs, when should a left handed batter go for the 1-6 or 5-6 hole? Thoughts? |
| Dec. 31, 2020 Bruce M | Topic: Players looking to join a team Discussion: Solid 62 yr. old center from Western Washington (left or right) fielder seeking an equally solid tournament team Bobby is a great pick up. I hit with him regularly. He will be a fantastic addition to a great bunch of guys who love to win. Solid bat. Solid outfielder. Fantastic personality. Team player. |
| Dec. 9, 2020 Bruce M | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: May I use a Jimmerstick as a warm-up bat? @SSUSA Staff. Could you please advise? Thx. |
| Dec. 8, 2020 Bruce M | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: May I use a Jimmerstick as a warm-up bat? No, Jimmers are not stamped with anything. They are solid metal. The barrel is 1 inch. I've of course seen many people using them in Conference Tournaments. I've also head that seniors use them with no problem. I'm would just like confirmation from SSUSA. |
| Dec. 8, 2020 Bruce M | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: May I use a Jimmerstick as a warm-up bat? For sanctioned SSUSA tournaments, Rule 3.4 lists the requirements for a WB. Am I permitted to use a Jimmerstick? It obviously can't be confused with an official bat. It seems to meet all the requirements. |
