I'm glad there's College World Series of Chicks Softball and everything...

[BigDaddyFin]

But I'm a little aggravated with what I see sometimes.

1.  What's with the fucked up looking catchers mitts?  It looks like a first basemen's glove on steroids what's that about?
2.  Why is the girl running 4 steps out of the box with a bunt and usually before the ball ever even gets there?  They never get a hit with it and they seem to do it when a sacrifice isn't needed.
3.  What's with the yellow softballs?  When did this shit start?
4.  Why the hell do the outfielders come sprinting in with the ball in their hand instead of throwing it?  Do they not have an arm?  The field isn't that big, so if their arm sucks why are they in the outfield?
5.  Why don't they all wear hats?  Some of them wear hats, some of them have visors, some of them just seem to tie it in knots.  What the fuck?  You can't play baseball without a hat. 
6.  Why are they singing?  There's no crying in baseball and either get cheerleaders or don't.  You can't have both.
7.  How come none of the managers ever go Billy Martin on somebody's ass?  Even if they're chicks it would be great.
8.  Why don't they steal?  The speed seems to top out between 60 and 70 miles an hour and the bases don't look like they're as far a part.  Even if they are, the throw might as well be Fedexed because the ball's huge and you can't throw it as fast. 
9.  What's with these windmill windups?  Why don't they throw submarine?  Some of them rock. 
10.  Nobody chews?  Even in high school the chicks chewed. 
11.  What's with the silly colors on the bats?  I know they're aluminum and cost a fortune but do they need to be red and purple?  What's wrong with silver or black?
12. How come they can come back into the game after they get pulled?

[masterfins]

I watched a little the other day myself.  Had to turn the channel because both teams had every other player bunting for no reason at all.

[BigDaddyFin]

yeah it's prevalent and half the time they're 4 steps out of the box and the ball isn't even at the plate yet.  I want to know who teaches that shit because essentially all you're doing is giving the pitcher an easy strike.  I could see if they square around and pull it back but they never do they just start running down the line with the bat sticking out.  What the fuck?

[SportsChick]

Yellow softballs have been around forever. I played with them in City Rec when I was 12 - that was 20 years ago. Chanting is a way of softball. It stats when you're young and never leaves. Sorry dude, it's a chick thing.

Hats - they're a bitch when you have long hair. If you're like me and have a small head, they're a bitch to find one that fits. Not all girls like hats, and with braids and ponytails, it doesn't always work out so well.

Windmill pitching has been a part of softball since the dawn of time.

Reading your rant it's like you just want women to play baseball, not the sport they actually play

[Brian Fein]

Softball fundamentals is to run the ball in from the outfield.  The bases are closer together so the smallest throwing error can give up a base.  Its ALWAYS better to run the ball in than risk a bad throw or catch.

Sounds like you just don't know the differences between softball and baseball.

[Sunstroke]

On tobacco: The NCAA doesn't allow it for women's softball, just like they don't allow it for men's baseball and all other NCAA sports. It's been that way since 1994.

On base stealing...I "believe" that a baserunner in women's softball has to keep one foot in contact with the base until the pitch crosses home plate, which basically means no getting a lead.

[Brian Fein]

On base stealing...I "believe" that a baserunner in women's softball has to keep one foot in contact with the base until the pitch crosses home plate, which basically means no getting a lead.

I believe this is correct, sir.

[Sunstroke]

^^^ I'm thinking that if MLB players were required to keep one foot on the bag until the ball crosses home plate, there would never be another steal in the big leagues.

I like the original "why don't they throw submarine?" comment as well. It might have something to do with softball being an "underhand" pitching game, while submariners, despite the funky release point, are actually throwing overhand.

[BigDaddyFin]

Reading your rant it's like you just want women to play baseball, not the sport they actually play

You're both correct and not.  Here's the underlying reason I get so pissed off.  I played baseball and I've played in a couple of rec softball leagues I have a blast and it's something I love doing. 

I look at old school guys like Ty Cobb, Joe Jackson, Joe Dimaggio, Pete Rose, Hank Aaron Koufax, Jackie Robinson, Bob Gibson and I say to myself ok that's how the game should be played.   MLB doesn't even really play baseball like that anymore which I get pissed off watching that too. 

If I were coaching a bunch of girls I would say look this is the way the ball and bat game is played.  In your case the balls are bigger and the field's a little smaller but so what?  You've got the other 21 hours of the day to be a lady.  Go out and kick somebody's ass and then when we win the beer's on me. 

It's confusing to me at times and mildly frustrating.

Modified to respond to the NCAA rule Stroke mentioned.  It never stopped any of us.  I chewed during baseball and football games, and in college I used to even chew tobacco on the sidelines.  My way of saying fuck you to the NCAA.

[SportsChick]

Really dude - similar to baseball but softball isn't baseball. Deal with it. Not all girls want to play boys sports.

[Phishfan]

One of the worst rants I've seen.

[Pappy13]

I'm a little late to the party, but I'd like to add my 2 cents as I played Baseball up through my freshman year in College, I played mens slow pitch softball for years and I also helped coach a high school fast pitch softball team that won state.

1 ) The ball is much bigger and would make a softball catcher's mitt huge if it was built the same as a baseball catcher's mitt.
2 ) Actually bunting is a very effective play in fast pitch softball especially at the lower levels. In high school I've seen players that were better at bunting their way on base than trying to hit their way on base. The bases are fairly short and a fast player bunting from the right side of the plate has a step and a half down 1st base line when they bunt the ball. The reason it doesn't always work is that pitchers are crafty and will throw the ball to the outside part of the plate and it makes it difficult to bunt it. The players will often not even try to bunt if it's thrown outside and hence the strike calls where they are half way down the line. It may not look pretty, but when executed well it can be effective. The higher up you go and the more talented the pitchers and fielders, it gets much harder to bunt for a hit and that's why it looks pretty stupid when you watch college players from the best teams attempting it. In High School and below it's a weapon.
4 ) Much smaller field makes a huge difference. In baseball there's no way to run into the infield and accomplish anything, it HAS to be thrown in, not true in Softball. Running the ball in is actually an effective way to prevent runners from moving up as they can easily throw it to any base without a relay and without the ball ever bouncing. Throws are quick and accurate.
6 ) Singing or chanting is really just the same thing that we used to do in baseball, but we called it chatter. You don't hear it in the major leagues, but it's still prevelant in High School and even college ball. Chanting is just the way the women do it, pretty much has the same purpose.
8 ) Like has been mentioned, you can't leave the base till the ball crosses the plate and it's a short base path. There is stealing in the lower levels and a good catcher that can throw out base runners is highly valued, by the time you get to college all the catchers have such strong arms and are so accurate, a base stealer doesn't stand a chance.
9 ) Throwing the ball underhanded is actually MUCH easier on your arm than throwing overhand or even submarine style. Softball pitchers have been known to throw complete tournaments. Every pitch of every inning their team plays. I don't believe there are any rules as to how many innings you can pitch and if you got 1 really good pitcher, that may be all you need. That may change in college, I'm not sure, but it's common in High School. Do that throwing overhand and you'll shred your shoulder. That High School team that won state had 1 pitcher on the team. She pitched every pitch for her team for 2 years. Could throw the ball in the mid 70's I think it was and since the mound is closer than in baseball, this was the equivalent of about a 90 mph fastball in baseball. You ever go up against a 90 mph high school pitcher? Probably not. Oh and she had a changeup that would come in at about 50 too. She would usually strike out about 75% of the batters she faced.
10) Sure they do. Bubble gum usually.
11) They are women. What's wrong with a purple bat?
12) Not sure about that. Some sports have free substitutions and some don't. Don't know why fast pitch softball does and baseball doesn't.

[StL FinFan]

When I played softball in HS, you could leave the base when the pitch left the pitcher's hand.  Still pretty much impossible to steal a base that way.

[Pappy13]

When I played softball in HS, you could leave the base when the pitch left the pitcher's hand.  Still pretty much impossible to steal a base that way.

With a 70 mph pitch and a 40 to 43 foot mound, the time it leaves the hand to the time it crosses the plate is a fraction of a second. Makes little difference either way.

[StL FinFan]

^ That was the way rule was written.