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To: sopo

Here’s a possible way to avoid these increasing arm injuries.

1. Move the mound back to the exact center of the infield.
2. Raise the height of the mound back to 1968 standards.

WHY??

1. The pitchers do throw harder as a whole compared to years past. They have developed a “6 innings is a complete game” mentality and throw as hard as possible all of the time. The extra distance they would have to throw will make them try to “pitch” more and not just throw as nearly all of them are doing now. It turns an at-bat back to a game of chess instead of the checkers it has become. The extra height of the mound will be a compensation to the pitchers. It will allow them to throw more breaking pitches and stresses control and finesse. They will have to rely on their fielders more.

2. Batters will have a fraction of a second more time to react BUT they will have to learn to put the ball in play due to the angle of the ball coming in from the higher mound. Too many are waiting to play T-Ball anymore. They want to Homer or walk. They usually whiff instead.

Fans are bored with strikeouts 33% of the time. Put the ball in play with fewer pitches per at-bat, make the fielders work, watch hitters go the other way for hits, bring some small ball back into the game.


65 posted on 04/24/2024 8:06:52 PM PDT by Gort_Klaatu
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To: Gort_Klaatu; sopo
Some references

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Basic Mound Specifications

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Pitcher's Mound and Dimensions - UmpireBible - EXCERPT:

The pitcher's mound

On a regulation baseball diamond, the pitcher's mound measures 18' in diameter. The flat area atop the diamond, called the table, measures 5 feet wide by 34 inches deep. Six inches from the front edge of the table is the pitcher's plate (also called the rubber), which measures six inches deep by 24 inches wide.

The distance from the front edge of the pitcher's plate to the rear point of home plate measures 60'-6". This distance was established in 1893 and has served baseball well for 125 years.

The height of the mound, however, has changed – most recently in 1969, when it was lowered to its present height of 10 inches. From the front of the table, the mound slopes down such that it loses one inch of height for every foot nearer to home plate.

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Pitching Rubbers: It’s Hip To Be Square - EXCERPT:

If your pitching rubber is twisted off square by a mere 1/4" on an adult baseball field (60' 6" pitching distance), the centerline at home plate will jump off by 14 1/2" to the left or right, depending which way the rubber is twisted. Increase the skew in the rubber to 1/2" off square and you move that center line off of the center of home plate by an astounding 2' 6 1/4"!

A misaligned rubber will affect a pitcher’s pitching mechanics. Ask any pitching coach or trainer. How can the pitcher square to the plate in his wind up when the front edge of the pitching rubber is not even square to the plate? Because of that, they must adjust . . .

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74 posted on 04/24/2024 8:29:45 PM PDT by linMcHlp
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