YAKIMA, Wash. — “Three feet,” said West Valley sophomore Molly Rubidoux, “is more than you think.” When tacked onto 40 feet and factored into the middle of a fastpitch diamond, it is indeed. Which was, for all aspects of the game, exactly the point.
Getting a year’s jump on a National Federation rule change that becomes mandatory in 2011, Washington high schools and middle schools increased the pitcher’s distance from home plate from 40 to 43 feet this season.
The intent was not meant to be subtle — less dominant pitching, more contact at the plate and, as a result, a more active defense. For Rubidoux, the adjustment has been double as the Rams’ full-time pitcher and one of their best hitters.
“At first it was difficult because I had to put a lot of effort into changing my breaking ball,” she explained. “There’s more distance so there’s more break. That takes time to work on.
“But for hitting, it’s definitely a little easier,” she countered. “There’s more time to react. Three feet doesn’t sound like much, but for hitters it is.”
Try to find such a far-reaching rule change — in any sport — getting as much support and you won’t. Everybody, it seems, is enthusiastically onboard, and halfway through this season there is strong evidence that the desired effect is being achieved.
Here’s a sampling of how it breaks down:
PITCHING — Straight fastball gas will be, for the most part, less effective with the additional three feet. Which, as Rubidoux points out, is more than you think.
It’s been calculated that the additional distance is worth 4 mph on a pitch, so a 55 mph heater is now down to 51 or so — ask any grateful batter what that means.
The strikeouts that once came a bit quicker now require a greater variety of pitches and adjustments in speed. Pitchers who relied on overpowering batters must now fine-tune their ability to locate.
What three feet takes away from fastballs, however, enhances breaking pitches. And that’s why top-quality pitchers — like CWAC standouts Monica Stout of Selah and Jessica Harris of Ellensburg — can still dominate a game.
“Monica has had to make adjustments and learn to pitch a little more,” said Selah coach Bill Harris. “She’s not going to have the strikeouts like before, but she’s found ways to use that extra distance to her advantage, especially with the way the ball breaks.”
“It’s still tough to get the hits off a tough pitcher — there’s no change there,” noted East Valley’s Scott Kokenge. “But against average pitching there’s definitely a difference.”
Added Eisenhower’s Harry Pratt, who sees plenty of skilled hurlers in the CBBN, “The pitchers who are more throwers than pitchers face the biggest challenge. They may not get the strikeouts they have in the past, but they still are able to pitch to contact and give their defense opportunities.”
Which takes us to …
HITTING — Batting averages are up. And according to Kokenge, they are “across the board.”
“We’re hitting better and it’s noticeable,” he added. “We’re not striking out as much and we’re not popping out as much. We’re simply putting the bat on the ball more.”
Ellensburg’s state-runnerup team last year batted .436. Through 11 games this season the Bulldogs are hitting .490. Coach Dave Kopczynski’s ‘09 crew, the best of his career, struck out an average of 3.5 times a game. This season that number has plunged to 2.0.
“Our belief is, the bubble hitters are doing much better,” Kopczynski said. “They do have a bit more time to see the ball, but the more aggressive hitters are having to sit and adjust to it.”
Pratt’s numbers at Ike are similar — a .278 team batting average last year spiking to .320 this season. The Cadets’ strikeouts per game, however, remain the same at four.
Selah’s hitting coach, Ben Graf, has the Vikings’ batters making specific adjustments.
“We’ve worked really hard on looking middle right,” Harris explained. “It’s all to help the timing. It doesn’t sound like much, three feet, but it’s quite a bit and there’s some patience involved.”
When considering the rule change, the National Federation was impressed with results from Florida and Oregon, states that had already moved back to 43 feet — the college distance. Coaches from both states overwhelmingly favored the change, siting a more even balance between offense and defense with considerably more balls put in play.
Taking us to the most popular result of the change …
DEFENSE — As the NFHS notes in its rule-change assessment, ‘the main thrust is getting the defense more involved, thus enhancing skill development.”
There’s no arguing that.
And plenty of support for it.
“It’s a more complete game now,” insisted West Valley coach Brad Cramer. “It’s opened up the game with more hitting and that’s put more emphasis on better defense.”
“It’s required everybody to sharpen up their defense,” Kokenge said. “For my team, we’re young with a lot of first-year varsity kids so it didn’t come overnight for us. There’s a lot more defense going on and we’re getting progressively better at it each week.”
Pitchers developing diversity, hitters getting more balls in play and defenders on their toes — it’s all good.
Or, as Harris put it, “It’s made a great game better.”
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