43 feet of Softball

It was recently reported that beginning in the 2010 - 11 fastpitch softball season that the high school pitching rubber will be moved back to the college softball distance of 43 feet. Florida and Oregon have already implemented this rule. The premise for this move is to allow more offense into the high school game of fastpitch softball.

Personally I agree with this move, but not for the reason of creating offense. I for one feel that this move will develop better college fastpitch softball pitchers. To follow my train of thought let's compare boys high school baseball. Once a baseball player enters high school they begin playing on a regulation size baseball diamond, at least in regards to the dimensions of the infield. The bases are 90 feet and the pitching rubber is 60 feet 6 inches not 57 feet 6 inches. This builds a stronger player and I believe this will do the same for the female softball pitcher.

I truly feel that the offense in the women's game of fastpitch softball is rapidly catching up to the pitching and this in my opinion couldn't be more evident then by looking at the recent scores in the college softball world series. Where two to one, three to two and one zero use to be the norm we're now seeing six to five, eight to seven, with an occasional one nothing or three two thrown into the mix. Do you think these scores have ballooned because the softball pitchers have gotten weaker? Of course not, one could make the argument that in fact women fastpitch softball pitchers are improving. Every team in this years college softball world series, for example had a pitcher that could touch 65 on the radar gun, this use to be enough to stop most hitters, but not today. Clearly college softball Hitters are getting better and so is the equipment.

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