Morales 1

Victoria Morales
English 114A
Professor Jackie
December 7, 2014
Play Ball!!
The line You play ball like a girl! from the movie The Sandlot, has been heard and
quoted often in the baseball community. Even those who might not be into baseball have heard
that famous line. However, playing ball like a girl isnt as much of an insult now as it was
then. Since softball came around, it has been compared to baseball, asking the question: which
game is tougher to play baseball or softball? In the past, softball hasnt been given enough credit
for being a difficult sport to play. Softball is tougher to play than baseball because of the
differences in the game: field sizes, base distances, pitching, and pitches. Most people tend to
think the changes made to softball are to accommodate girls ability to play baseball, however
those accommodations only made the game harder.
The first aspect that makes softball harder than baseball is the fact that softball is played
on a smaller field than baseball. A softball infield is less than half the size of a baseball infield;
this makes the game move at a quicker pace. There are players that can reach first base from
home in 3 seconds or less; that gives the infield only 1 to 2 seconds to react to the hit and get the
ball to first base. Not to mention, if there are runners on, those runners have to be checked or a
base has to be tagged before getting the ball to first. Thats a lot to do in a short amount of time.
The reaction times for the infield are shortened because of remove the infielders are playing
closer to the batter. According to ESPNs Sports Science, the speed of a softball flying off a bat
can be up to one hundred miles per hour (Brenkus). Then take into account when a batter slap

Morales 2
hits, they are moving toward the ball and have a head start on running to first base. The
increased movement from the batter can increase the speed at which the ball comes off the bat,
giving infield even less time to react to the hit. Aside from having more ground to cover when
playing baseball, the infield has time to ground a baseball. Due to the increased distance from
the batter to the fielder, it allows the ball time to slow down, especially if its a ground hit.
Although the baseball players would be throwing the ball across a longer distance, they have
more time to field the ball and get it to first base. Compared to softball, baseball has 1 to 2 more
seconds to get the ball to first before the runner gets there; a second might not seem like a lot,
but in baseball and softball a second can mean everything in a tight game. In accordance to the
fields being different sizes the base distances are different as well.
The change in base distance also adds to the pressure of getting the ball to first base
quickly. In baseball the distance from home to first is ninety feet; it is the same distance all
around the bases. Now look at softballs base distance, it is shortened form ninety feet all the
way down to sixty feet. ESPNs Sports Science stated that statistically speaking a Major League
Baseball player has 4.3 seconds to make it to first base, but the NCAA documents that the
average college division one softball player has to be able to reach first in 3 seconds or less.
(Brenkus, ESPN) Both distances encourage the ability to run quickly down the line, but a
softball batter has to beat out a throw that must leave from an infielder that is releasing a ball
within 1-2 seconds. Then take in to account that in softball a runner cannot lead off until the ball
is completely out the pitchers hand. This gives a runner less time to steal a base because they are
moving to get off the base before the ball is hit. Having to lead in this manner makes speed a top
priority. While in baseball, the runners are allowed to lead off the base before the ball is even
moving. This allows the runners to have one to two feet head start. Some may argue that this

Morales 3
style of leading off might add pressure to the pitcher as well as the catcher because the runner
has a lead off advantage. However, the pitchers always check the runners over their shoulders
and are able to throw down to first if they suspect the runner might steal or to warn them.
Softball pitchers arent able to throw to first, but even if the rules allowed it, a pitcher would not
be able to trick the runner because of the underhand pitching. Throwing overhand towards first
would be way too obvious to see, the runner could easily get back to first base safely. Not only
does the distance of the bases change, the pitching mound also known as pitching rubber,
changes.
In baseball the pitching rubber is sixty feet and six inches away from home plate, whereas
the pitching rubber in softball is placed at forty-three feet away from home. The baseball pitcher
would have to throw harder in order to reach home. An average MLB pitcher throws a fastball at
ninety miles per hour or faster (Brenkus, ESPN). A softball pitcher doesnt have to generate as
much speed to reach home at forty-three feet. However, the further pitching distance, and
baseball mounds, gives a batter more time to see the ball coming at them and the balls
movement. The closer pitching rubber, like in softball, decreases the time in which a batter has
to see the ball and its movement as it is coming in. ESPNs Sports Science stated that a baseball
thrown a hundred miles per hour and the sixty feet and six inches allows the batter .398 seconds
to track the ball out of the pitchers hand, decide to swing and then start their swing (Brenkus,
ESPN). In comparison, a softball pitch that is moving at sixty-five miles per hour allows the
batter about .350 seconds to see the ball coming toward them, then they have to decide to swing
then start their swing (Brenkus, ESPN). This proves a softball batter has less time to see a pitch
than a baseball player, and then think about the pitches that can be thrown and the difficulty to
hit the ball.

Morales 4
The toughest part about hitting a baseball is its movement. Because of its size, a baseball
is able to dart, dip, and cut through the air easier and faster. The size and seems are a big factor
as to why it can dart, dip, and break dramatically. Some baseball pitchers have a curveball that
starts at the eyes and ends up in the strike zone. A good example of the balls ability to dip is
when a pitcher throws a slider or a drop ball. The slider will come in on a certain level then drop
down (break) quickly at home plate, forcing the batter to adjust to the pitch later. Movement is
one of the great keys to an effective pitch. Since a softball is bigger, it won't dip or dart as much
on its way to the plate. However, because of the release point of a softball pitcher in below the
hip, it causes the ball to move upward rather than downward as it does from a baseballs over
hand pitch. A target that is inclining is harder to adjust to because when a ball is traveling down
a batter can easily drop their hands to meet the ball, but trying to hit a target that is inclining is
harder to adjust to, making a softball pitcher's best weapon her rise ball. A rise ball is a unique
pitch that is thrown often in the division one college softball. A hard-throwing softball pitcher
can throw a rise ball that will start coming in on a flat level and can either gradually or rapidly
continue to move upward through the strike zone. If the pitch is thrown correctly and has
enough speed, the ball will break right before the batter or as the batter has already started her
swing. This will make her have to adjust at the last possible second. But if a batter continues to
swing with her dropped hands in order to try to hit the ball well shell never get it. Making a
softball harder to hit.
While both baseball and softball take great skill in hand-eye coordination, softball is a
tougher game to play. Theres nothing soft about it, softball is a tougher game than baseball.
The smaller size of the softball diamond increases the speed at which the game is played. This
also adds to the difficulty a batter has as she must be able to get to first base under 3 seconds in

Morales 5
order to beat out a throw from the infield. The pitching plate is closer, causing a decrease in time
for a batter to see the ball, making it tougher to put the ball in to play, especially when different
pitches are thrown that can break just before it reaches a player at bat. Playing ball like a girl
isnt so easy, perhaps maybe boys should try softball because its a lot tougher than it looks.

Morales 6

Work Cited
Dee Abrahamson, Secretary-Rules Editor, NCAA Softball Rules Committee. "NCAA Softball
Rules and Regulations."NCAA. Ed. Assistant Director of Playing Rules and Officiating.
Teresa Smith. NCAA Publications. 2014
Jim Paronto, Secretary-Rules Editor, NCAA Baseball Rules Committee. "NCAA Baseball
Rules and Regulations." NCCA.Ed. Coordinator of Playing Rules and Officiating Brad
Woodward. Associate Director of Printing and Publishing Marcia Stubbeman.2013.
John Brenkus."Sports Science : MLB Vision." ESPN. Video. 21 June 2010.
John Brenkus."Sports Science: Myths." ESPN. Video. 2012.
John Brenkus."Sports Science: Softball Pitching. " ESPN. Video. 16 May 2013.
John Brenkus."Sports Science: The Speed of Softball." ESPN. Video. 16 May 2013.