Monday, March 2, 2015

No Apologies

This blog isn’t for you; it’s for me, a true Softball lifer. 

I need this outlet to vent otherwise I’d be a savage goon beast with no other way to release. As the song by Eminem goes"Hard headed and hot headed, bull headed and pig headed, Dick headed, a prick, a big headache I’m sick. Quick witted, for every decision spitted there are 6 critics who wait for me to slip with it" – No Apologies

The last 2 weeks have sucked, been frustrating, and not fun.

Playing is Fun.

Winning is Fun.

On field success is fun.

Seeing my Friends Succeed is Fun.

Unfortunately, not everything in life or softball is fun and helping save the Big Apple Softball League definitely falls into the "not pleasant" category. During the last several months and specifically the last 2 weeks myself and others have sacrificed our valuable time. energy, and at times our very softball soul to make massive changes to ensure the league "Lives Long and Prospers".  

Here is the finally summary on how the League was Saved or at least Survived:

1) Five New teams have joined and two other may possibly join. As of now the league has 8 teams, up 2 from last year and possibly up 3 or 4 more.

2)The League has moved to modified. I will post the exact league rules on modified in a later blog. 

Right now the quick summary of the rules is as follows:

A) Pitcher must start with both feet on rubber and 1st movement is forward
B) No breaking or throwing outside the wrist, opening the hips, opening the shoulders
C) Pitcher arm cannot be wild on release. meaning parallel

3) A Pitcher's full ban list has been implemented.

 The full list will be posted on the Big Apple Website. but for now all the well-known pitchers top "non-modified" pitchers have been added i.e. Brown, Armando, Ramish, Rocker. 

This list is final and binding.
4) It has been decided that four pitchers who's motion, footwork, or release must be adjusted to continue pitching in the league. They will be given a tryout to comply with the pitching requirements and be instructed on proper modified technique to address their modified. flaw.  These pitcher's will then be allowed to pitch in a game and if they fail to comply will be warned and if they fail to comply again will banned. That's It.

The pitchers are Doc, Matty, Christian Goris, and Jimmy Myers. They were selected based on being very close  to the modified rules listed above, length of time in league 9whether long or short), and ability/willingness to adjust 

Was this political? Was this fair? Was this annoying? Yes. Yes. Yes. 

We all have our opinions, but the bottom line is that it fair. The pitchers most closely conform to this league's modified rules and will be given a chance. That's it.


5) Pitchers on new teams joining will have to be reviewed before the season.

6)If you pitcher on your team has not pitched by August 1st he must be declared and throw 5 innings and be reviewed. Otherwise he cannot pitch in post season.

7) Grandfathered designated players still cannot pitch in the post season.

Insider Analysis:

  1. Is this perfect? No. It never will be. 
  2. Who made the ban list and pitching rules? The 3 remaining managers, commissioner, and myself. 
  3. Who will now enforce these rules? Me. Judge, Jury, and Executioner. This job sucks, but I will do it to keep the league alive. Now I will be the most hated for sure. 
  4. What are the penalties if I see pitcher's not complying (other than the 4 listed above)? 1st a Warning by me, then a 2 week suspension by me, and then the ban list by me. Kind of long and wack, but whatever, It's on me,
  5. Will people complain?  Yes. Someone will blow this whole thing up, it’s stupid. I keep saying it, I can’t stress it enough, this was necessary. Just play now. Feel the love of the game. You feel me?


Whether willing or unwillingly, you still must agree, these changes are for the positive and proves as long as there’s still this softball hunger and fever inside of us we will find a way to created a longer softball life expectancy. I’m sick of talking about this anymore, time to Play Hard. Play to Win.The time for whining and complaining is over now; I've helped give the league a chance.  The rest us up to the players.


No Apologies

52 comments:

  1. Sounds like there gonna be a lil too much micromanaging the pitching. We know what illegal motions look like, if your saying that you have to be facing straight ahead with 2 feet on the rubber and all you can do is step forward without generating any power on the pitch from your hips by turning at all theres gonna be issues. there are perfectly modified guys that dont just go strait forward to the hitter .It just sounds like you want the pitcher to look like a robot or a hitting machine. Ang HK11

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  2. Mike Peckins is illegal.

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    Replies
    1. Peckins is only illegal if we start mandatory drug testing.

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    2. Y'all sweat me way to much.

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    3. Heard Mikey on that serious regimen this year. Third basemen gonna start having nightmares.

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  3. "means my team is gone and I didn't even know it yet!"..something tells me finding a new one ain't gonna be easy

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  4. Blame the managers that paid for pitchers and players. That was the beginning of the problem.

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  5. It will become know as "The Great Arms Race".

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  6. I will miss facing top pitchers

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  7. No more K's on Sunday

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  8. Meyers- Sling
    Doc-Slingy Sling
    Matty- Sling
    Christian- ?

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  9. Anyone who likes the challenge of facing sling pitching is welcome to checkout the Central Park Windmill League on saturdays at Hecksher fields.9 players,bunting and stealing after the pitch.Very competitive 7 team league.

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  10. To me slinging involves bending of the elbow and or turning the hips towards 3B. I don't think Meyers or Doc sling. But the ball is on the outside of the wrist. All the time. That is illegal.

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    Replies
    1. The hardest rule for pitchers to comply with will be "start with both feet on rubber and 1st movement is forward." I don't think any body in the Park pitches like this. BASL tried to implement this rule a couple years ago but overturned it a few games into the season. As always with BASL, it will come down to the question of - Who will enforce these rules on EVERY pitch? Umpires?-doubtful.

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  11. nice. i used to rush from my bronx or brooklyn games to watch some of the top pitchers in the city pitch. now its a tee ball league. but i get it. this is softball and its in central park so lets make sure everybody gets a chance to play and who cares if you win or lose because we will not keep score. once all players batted then we switch and let the other team bat. we will play 7 innings and fans are welcome to join. nobody is ever called out. so swing run and enjoy the sun.

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    Replies
    1. "...so swing run and enjoy the sun. And we can look forward to playing the SAME 4 teams in the league over and over and over and over and over and, ehm, over and over! Yaaaaaay!"

      Are we having fun yet?
      X.7

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  12. Ha ! i know one team thats gonna be desperate for players after one game playing behind theyre new manager! Guess who?



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  13. Sounds like the league has gone right past modified to a lob old man league! Ang HK 11. the morning league may be better !

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  14. League has flat out died. No point in this league even operating anymore. What does it matter if another team pays players and pitchers to come and play. Who cares its not the Majors your not facing a 95 mph fast ball coming at you. Its softball the ball is bigger for that reason so you could hit the shit out of it. Nobody on earth is going to a softball 95 mph at you. And one way or another everybody is some what illegal either you rock back before you pitch or have some sort of second motion before they deliver to the plate. So all this politics and cry baby bullshit about pitchers just shows that people either suck or are just sore losers. Cause I for one love facing top pitching and i know there are others out there who agree with me. Nothing better then hitting a shot off a pitcher who is " so great " / getting paid to play. Enough of the BS and bring back the old BASL

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  15. I liked the A/B pitching rules.

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  16. Yo Mr. "bring back the old BASL" - Explain How? Your babble contradicts itself. Don't pay guys but go back to the old way. Got news for you the old way is why we need the new way.

    Stop whining

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  17. Old School vs. New School

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  18. STOP with all of the BASL hate about what the league was or is or will be!
    The solution for you is simple.
    - JUST DON"T PLAY IN THIS LEAGUE!
    It's obviously not good enough for you. Leave it for the other 200 guys who want to play. You and your whining won't be missed.

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  19. want more teams? promote the league and give a pay out. red hook sundays B pitching only 10gs that league has like 14 teams. saturday gils league uptown you get one A pitcher the rest have to be B pitcher. also the great john brown was 0-7 i believe. 10gs also has around 14 teams. Boombhas league B pitching only has about 20 teams. promote the league teams will come.

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  20. Good idea - make it a money league so people can complain about more guys getting paid.

    Also, money leagues attracts thugs, assholes, and promotes corruption.

    All those league you mentioned have them.

    P.S. The Old Saturday league was a big money league - How did that turn out? FOLD

    More Money More Problems

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    Replies
    1. thugs? so big apple never had arguments? wait a minute i got a better one there is no drinking of beer or smoking pot in big apple right? p.s. say what you really mean. you don't want above 96St ball players in your league.

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    2. corruption? you have managers with teams in the league or even players in the league helping to run the league. i am sure they will not favor anybody.

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  21. oh yeah its that time! about time this blog gets hot! HK11

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  22. ANG HK11 is a true thug.

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  23. Is a bowling motion illegal

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    Replies
    1. Yes, but only if :
      -you start with both feet on the rubber.
      -you don't rock or step back.
      -your arm is does not swing back past you shoulder.
      -you hips stay perpendicular to home plate.
      -your team isn't disliked
      -your hat is on straight.
      -you had a proper breakfast.
      -and a whole bunch of other random rules that no one will consistently monitor until the opposing team complains and is called a bunch of little bitches.

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  24. It is when JB does it.

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  25. 10 man modify rule. as long as your arm is 90 degrees from your shoulder it is legal. so if you bend down 12 O'clock is legal. look it up.but i am pretty sure people will complain about that also.

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    Replies
    1. Restricting the height of the backswing HAS ALWAYS been the original intent of Medium pitch (10 Man Modified). By limiting the backswing to no more than 90 degrees, the speed is kept in check. Some pitchers learned to bend or twist at the waist (as in throwing a discus) in order to use their lower body to gain some additional speed. This has always been allowed. Pitchers then circumvented the rules by turning the palm out which caused the humereus to rotate in its socket allowing the arm to be brought past 90 degrees. Rules were written to restrict this motion “the ball cannot be outside the wrist”. However, pitchers have now found a way to get a full 180 degree arm swing without the ball being visibly outside the wrist. The challenge has been to write a rule that limits the height of the backswing but does not affect those pitchers that bend at the waist.

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    2. looks like cedworks is legal.

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    3. Ahhhhh. Music to my ears. The sounds of springtime.
      The season opener is still more than 4 weeks away but the BASL is in mid-season bitching form. Have FUN. hahahaha

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  26. Face it - It's a New League now. A New ERA. Choice Parts Monopoly of JB for years eventually burst, kinda like the dot.com era or sub-prime mortgage meltdown. This league is being bailed out now by modified - Man Up and play ball

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    Replies
    1. Last year jb didn't win the other team choked

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  27. We were maning up when we were facing the top pitchers. Now its child's play.

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  28. PLEASE STOP all the complaining about, arguing over and/or praising of the PITCHING !!
    99% OF CENTRAL PARK SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE DECIDED BY FIELDING OR THROWING ERRORS OR BAD HOPS.

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    Replies
    1. Yes I agree. My sister who plays division 1 comes with me to the games. And they lack of fundamental skills and bad fields plays a bigger part then. Pitching

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    2. Complain Complain Complain... Face it Not Enough A pitching to go around... This was the best most viable solution

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    3. YES! Not enough A pitching for BASL.
      -So all of you Manly Men that NEED to hit the slingers, I'm sure that JB, Rocca, Ced, etc. are not going to miss a pay day and are pitching somewhere on Sunday afternoons. -Go find them. The BASL is not for you and your scary talent.

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    4. Ced is considered 10 man modified legal.

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  29. I never strike out. It does not matter who is pitching. I bat over .500 always.
    Where is this league you all talk about?

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  30. Maybe the reason the BASL was down to 3 teams is because there is not enough "A" hitters and "A" fielders.?. hmmmmmm.

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