Software pitching machines do this as well, but they replicate a different motion-specifically, the underhand delivery. Most have seen a conventional baseball pitching machine, which uses a mechanical arm to replicate the pitcher’s delivery. Many fans and players don’t realize that pitching machines are used in baseball and softball. The machines that make them are very specialized, and once they’re made pitching rubbers are anchored by a combination of metal and concrete. The rubber has a very specific hardness and tensile strength, and pitching rubbers are typically made using injection molding. Pitching rubbers are made of solid rubber with a hollow core, and that core typically has a width or diameter that is approximately 50 percent of that of the block as a whole. It’s a completely different process than maintaining a grass infield, and at the highest levels softball groundskeepers are just as specialized as their baseball counterparts. That means raking the field with special mats, and applying conditioners to soften the dirt. The ball bounces differently on dirt, and as a result it has to be carefully maintained. Softball is typically played on an all-dirt infield, which changes the game itself in many ways.
The Softball Field: Why Keeping it in Top Condition Matters
That means pitchers have to use a completely different delivery to get power and speed. Softball pitching circles have an overall diameter of 16 feet, and these circles are flat. It’s often known as the pitching circle, and it’s flat. The pitching mound in softball is definitely different. Pitching Mounds and the Pitching Rubber in Softball It takes a lot of time and effort to master baseball or softball pitching, and there are no shortcuts. Softball pitchers derive a lot of their power from their hips, while baseball pitchers use their legs and arm strength to generate speed. The Physical Difference Between Baseball Pitchers and Softball Pitchersīecause of the differences in softball and baseball pitching, the pitchers work on different strengths and skills. The idea in softball is to generate what’s called “the whip,” which is a fast underhand motion that makes the best softball pitchers capable of surprising speeds. There are differences, however, due to the fact that softball pitchers are throwing underhand. The main idea is to drive with the push off leg to generate speed and power. Pitchers use the pitching rubber in similar ways in baseball and softball. It’s a lot different than slow pitch softball, which stars with a soft, underhanded lob.Īs a result softball pitchers need strong hips and shoulders to create the necessary whip motion while maintaining the accuracy necessary to get hitters out. Pitching in softball is different from simple throwing because of the motion, which is underhand. Softball Pitching Isn’t as Simple As People Think The biggest difference between softball bases and those used in regular baseball is the size of first base, which is made larger for safety reasons. In regular baseball, they’re 90 feet, but in softball the base baths are only 60 feet. The base paths are also shorter in softball. First base is the exception, however-it’s double the size of the other bases, with an overall width of 30 inches. Home Plate and Bases for the FieldĪs a general rule, softball bases have the same width as baseball bases, which is a length and width of 15 inches. Pitchers can turn or slide as they deliver the ball, but their foot must always be in contact. Softball pitchers must start with their pivot foot in contact with the rubber, and that contact must be maintained throughout their delivery. The rules related to the rubber are the same as well. It’s still 24 x 6 inches, and softball pitching rubbers are made of the same hard rubber compound.
Softball pitching is very different from baseball pitching, but the size of the rubber remains the same. Outfitting a team and getting the equipment right is serious business that demands serious gear, so let’s take a look at what you need to win and play the game the right way. To do that, though, they need the right equipment. They pick up their love in baseball later on by joining a softball league, which is great fun and a way to make even more memories. Many of those who truly love the game can’t and won’t stop, as we all know. They have some fun, win some games, and make a lot of great memories. For some people, their involvement with the game of baseball ends somewhere between the end of Little League and high school.
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