Message board | Senior Softball-USA

SSUSA Message Board

Sign-in or register to get started

Details for Donna McGuire

Real name:

Undeclared

Location:

Undeclared

Division:

Undeclared

Messages posted by Donna McGuire

Feb. 20, 2025 Donna McGuire	Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Throwing of a bat USA Softball rules, which SSUSA follows when a rule is not spelled out in the SSUSA rule book, states: “When a player throws the bat intentionally in anger, the player should be ejected. Should the bat slip from the batter’s hands, there is no penalty unless the discarded bat prevents the defense from making a play on the ball, and then interference should be ruled. There is no penalty when a player carries a bat to first base or any other base. Should the player use the bat to prevent a defensive player from making a play, then interference should be ruled.” So in terms of calling an out, the batter would be out if the thrown bat interfered with the defense making a play. Also, if the batter is ejected for throwing the bat in anger, and the offense does not have a replacement for the batter’s place in the batting order, the batter would be out. For example, I can think of a few time while umpiring when the batter threw his bat between the catcher and batted ball to block or slow the catcher’s path to the ball. That would be interference, an immediate dead ball, the batter called out and all other runners sent back to the base last occupied.
Jan. 27, 2025 Donna McGuire	Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Foul tip - catch or not John028: USA (ASA) changed its foul tip rule in 2008, I believe. My earlier post said that in SSUSA play, a foul tip is a dead ball. If the batter has used his/her waste foul, or courtesy foul, the batter is out whether the foul tip is caught or not. If the fouled ball goes higher than the batter’s head in SSUSA PLAY, then it can be caught for an out.
Jan. 27, 2025 Donna McGuire	Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Foul tip - catch or not Wardo; The answer depends on what sport/association you are playing. MLB changed its rule in 2020. In the situation you described, it would not have been a legal catch prior to 2020. Now, it is a legal catch in the big leagues. I am not sure whether youth baseball rules changed after MLB changed its rule. In USA Softball play, the older rule remains in place. Your play would not be considered a catch. In SSUSA play, a foul tip is a dead ball. (If the batter has used his/her waste foul, or courtesy foul, the batter is out whether the foul tip is caught or not. If the fouled ball goes higher than the batter’s head, it can be caught for an out.)
Jan. 15, 2025 Donna McGuire	Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Clarification for pop-up caught by catcher rule JohnO28: SSUSA did not change its rule. The wording change was made to make the rule clearer, but it does NOT change the rule that has been in place for decades. SSUSA still requires the ball to go over the batter’s head to become a foul ball and be caught for an out. ASA (now USA) Softball changed its rule in 2006 (removing the requirement for the ball to go over the batter’s head) to allow more opportunity for the catcher to obtain outs… Mistersoftball12: If the batter has used his courtesy foul (or waste foul), it doesn’t matter if the foul tip ball is caught; the batter already is out. Once the batter has two strikes, he gets one “free” foul — which can be a foul tip. And yes, a foul ball caught by the catcher after it has gone over the batter’s head is a live ball. Runners can advance at their own risk.B.J.: The changes will make more sense when you see them written in the 2025-26 book.
Jan. 15, 2025 Donna McGuire	Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Clarification for pop-up caught by catcher rule In conjunction with the Rules Committee minutes, it is best to pull out the Rulebook and note the two areas being tweaked. Here is a summary: A FOUL BALL (including balls fouled backward that DO go higher than the batter’s head) can be caught for an out. The ball remains live. Meanwhile, a FOUL TIP (balls fouled backward that do NOT go over the batter’s head) cannot be caught for an out. The ball is dead on a foul tip even if caught.
Dec. 14, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: Website comments Discussion: Definition Please 9 ball: There are two steps to this. The first was happened when USA did away with the 1.21 BPF requirement for its bats. At that time, USA Softball switched to a “hotter” bat to be used with a “softer” ball (52/300). As a result, SSUSA banned the use of all USA/ASA bats that did not carry the 1.21 or 1.2 BPF marking. The second change happened more recently (within the last couple of years), after USSSA kept changing its bat standards, and after Dr. Brandt (who did the BPF testing) retired, and after the NTS began certifying bats. At this point, the different associations’ bat standards became even more varied. It became difficult to determine which bats met the SSUSA standard unless they bore the SSUSA logo or stamp.
Dec. 11, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: Website comments Discussion: Bat Warmers Yes, there are actual tests that show that a bat’s compression changes when the bat is heated, and that heating the bat will make it perform better. Testing is why ASA Softball (now USA) reinstated its bat warmer ban after letting warmers be used for two years. Their 2012 rule book had a sentence that said “science has proven” it….. (I am moving on, as I prefer to read the message board rather than become a part of it. Besides, Dave Dowell is much better that this than I am!)
Dec. 11, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: Website comments Discussion: Bat Warmers NYGNYY: From the SSUSA rule book: “Replacing a grip with another legal grip is not considered altering the bat.” You can change the tape as long as you use two or fewer layers. You can add a manufactured cone grip (those types specifically allowed in the rule book) but cannot use tape alone to construct a cone grip. Hope that clears up the confusion on those topics. Meanwhile, as Scott Harder says, there is solid evidence that heating a bat changes its performance. It gives the batter more velocity and distance when he hits the ball. That is why USA Softball and NFHS do not allow bat warmers.
Dec. 8, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: Website comments Discussion: Bat Warmers John028, please read page 40 of the online 2024 USA Rule Book, which states (SEE LAST SENTENCE): ….USA Softball reserves the right to withhold or withdraw approval of any equipment which, in USA Softball’s sole determination, significantly changes the character of the game, affects the safety of participants or spectators, or renders a player’s performance more a product of the player’s equipment rather than the player’s individual skill. Note: The characteristics of any approved equipment cannot be unnaturally changed. Examples include icing, cooling, or heating of any equipment. In addition, approved bats shall not be rolled, shaved or modified to change their characteristics from that produced by the manufacturer. Warming devices for bats are not approved.
Dec. 2, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: You make the call B.J. Most likely, the SSUSA rule was picked up from ASA (now USA Softball)before ASA added the sentence saying that any outs made on the play stand. The USA rule book is much, much larger than the SSUSA book and has many extra details that have been added over the years. Thanks for suggesting that we enhance our rule. Good idea!
Dec. 2, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: You make the call B.J. Love these discussions! First, I would say that our (SSUSA) rule does not negate the entire at-bat but only the advance and scoring of runners. (Outs are not listed as nullified.) Therefore the out at 2B stands. If need be, I could also pull out the USA rule, and I could point to where the SSUSA book says “For any rule or interpretation not covered in this rulebook, default to the USA Softball rule book for guidance.” So let me ask, if SSUSA wanted the outs negated, too, why doesn’t our rule book say that? (It’s not there because the outs stand.)
Dec. 2, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: You make the call Hey B.J. Read our (SSUSA) rule closely on pages 39 and 40. You will note that it says “any advance or score made ….shall be nullified.” It does NOT nullify any outs made on the pay. (Yes, the ASA/USA rule language spells it out more clearly, but the rules are the same.)
Dec. 1, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: You make the call You have an out at second base, plus an out on the batter who failed to bat. All other runners return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch. (Only the advancement of runners is nullified; any outs made by the defense stand.) So runners on second and third with two outs.
June 19, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Underhanded pitch USA Softball defines an underhand pitching motion as the pitcher having the hand below the hip and the wrist no farther from the body than the elbow. (That full wording is found in the fastpitch section of the rule book. The slowpitch section does not give the full sentence.)
June 13, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Mercy rules in official rule book? It is rule 5.5(3) on page 30 of the rule book. Go to the tournament tab and click on the rules tab in the drop down menu. You will be able to open a pdf of the rule book once you are on that page.
June 6, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: 2 INTERESTING CALLS/ACTIONS OF UMPIRES @ ROCK 'N' RENO CHALLENGE CUP It is the umpire’s job to prevent a CR from entering the game during an at-bat (after a pitch has been thrown). The rule disallowing a CR during the at-bat was added to the rule book to speed the game (by encouraging offenses to have CRs ready), not to give defenses the opportunity for a cheap out. The rule book language saying “the umpire is to prevent entry” was added to the book to make this perfectly clear.
May 15, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Answers about Bat Testing John028, please click on the “news” link on the website and look at the “latest news” stories. Many of your questions are answered there — and were posted there two weeks ago. Also, please note that Dr. Richard Brandt, who did the BPF (bat performance factor) testing, retired a few years ago. The new standard is the NTS standard. And yes, the SSUSA NTS standard was developed specifically for senior bats. Not sure where you got the false idea that the new compression rules “are in direct conflict in how senior bats were made.”
May 2, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Texas State Championship rained out Thursday We are rained out today at the Texas State Championships. Managers of first, second and third-place teams will need to pick up awards at the park.
March 16, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: Bats Discussion: Question SMOKE707, you may have missed the rule change, which is highlighted in bold on the bat policy page: “Bats must be made by the manufacturers listed here marked with the SSUSA/NTS logo, or marked SSUSA approved (or have SSUSA logo), with 1.21 BPF or less.” Therefore, if bigjim’s bat does NOT have the SSUSA logo or say SSUSA approved, it is NOT legal to use in SSUSA play. There are some Miken Ultra 2s from the 2000-2004 time period that bore an ASA stamp (and no SSUSA logo) that NO LONGER can be used in SSUSA play. If you get in the batter’s box with one of those bats, you are ejected from the game for using an illegal bat.
March 15, 2024 Donna McGuire	Topic: Bats Discussion: Question I have not seen one of those in some time, but if I remember correctly, it has a 2000 ASA stamp on it but no SSUSA stamp or “SSUSA approved” language on it. If that is the case, the bat no longer is legal to use in SSUSA play. Under the new bat rule that took effect on Nov. 1, 2023, only bats with the SSUSA logo or that say “SSUSA approved” on them can be used in SSUSA tournaments.

Older messages »