Baseball or softball

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I’m only familiar with baseball, and ask this with no ill intent- what makes softball more fun and faster-paced?

No lead offs and stupid throw backs to bases that drag baseball games on for eternity. In softball, you only have 20sec between each pitch and it averages around 10-12 seconds. You can only leave the base on the release of the pitch. The base paths are smaller so small ball is more intense. Bunts, drag bunts, slapping can all get you on base if you place it right and speed it out. More steals and attempted pick offs. And I personally love the types of pitches you can throw windmill than overhand. Not only do you have the fast, screw, curve, and change, but you also have the drop ball and a the riseball and a combination of various spins.

It's a fun sport to watch. Every year the woman's college softball world series has higher ratings/viewers on ESPN than men's college baseball world series.

The WCWS is the second most exciting college sport to watch after March Madness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you want her to play with mostly girls or mostly boys? Either is fine - but do what she wants, I think.

Baseball is now co-Ed.

Most softball leagues around here are girls-only.

Right, but my son has played baseball for 7 years and has never had more than one girl on his team. And we have never seen a team with more than two girls, and that was just one team, one season.

Then they really need to enforce Title IX on these leagues.

Not sure if you’re kidding about Title IX, but in case you’re not, it has to do with education programs receiving federal financial assistance.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, this is a very late reply to a three year old post but I feel compelled to add to it. We live in Australia -my daughter has played baseball since she was eight years old. Juniors was always ‘mixed’ teams, though in reality they were mostly boys with a small number of girls playing. Much like in the USA. The difference was that she was always welcomed by the clubs and teams and received the same coaching and development and game opportunities as the boys. No bias or discrimination and no one ever dared point her to a softball diamond. From the age of 13 she also started playing women’s and from the age of 15, as soon as she was eligible, she started playing ‘men’s’ as well - it must be an Australian thing for grown men to welcome a 15 year old girl onto their team. As one coach said recently, any women who can hit like that and throw like that is welcome onto our team. She is in her twenties now and plays in the premier women’s league here (yes, we have one and it is a high standard) and also high level open league with men. She has proudly represented her State and her country in baseball and played in Japan and the USA. None of this would have been if achieved if it wasn’t for the many open minded coaches, officials and players who not only welcomed but encouraged her to play. Unless you get a huge cultural shift in the US, the ‘baseball is for men, softball is for girls’ nonsense will go on forever. And that goes for all the mothers, softball coaches and other women who perpetuate the myth that girls and women can’t play baseball. I hear that another attempt to start up a US women’s baseball league will be made in 2026. Good luck to all the women and men behind this venture. We will be watching and hoping that you will lead the way and turn the tide at last. We believe you can because baseball is the world’s greatest game for girls and women as well as boys and men. Can’t wait!

[Anonymous]

Both great games. There is a legitimate chance your daughter could play softball in college. There is almost zero percent chance she could play baseball at any level in college. Most boys can’t play in college. Choose accordingly.

[Anonymous]

See Her Be Her

[Anonymous]

There was a girl who played softball for Visitation and received a D1 scholarship, and also played DC Dynasty travel baseball during high school.

Obviously, going to an all-girls HS, there was no baseball team...but she also knew there was 0% chance she would receive a scholarship for baseball and she was dominant in softball.

She actually was happy to not have high school baseball as an option, since she enjoyed the game more through 14...but then realized that softball at the high school level was much more competitive than youth softball and was great for friendship/bonding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, this is a very late reply to a three year old post but I feel compelled to add to it. We live in Australia -my daughter has played baseball since she was eight years old. Juniors was always ‘mixed’ teams, though in reality they were mostly boys with a small number of girls playing. Much like in the USA. The difference was that she was always welcomed by the clubs and teams and received the same coaching and development and game opportunities as the boys. No bias or discrimination and no one ever dared point her to a softball diamond. From the age of 13 she also started playing women’s and from the age of 15, as soon as she was eligible, she started playing ‘men’s’ as well - it must be an Australian thing for grown men to welcome a 15 year old girl onto their team. As one coach said recently, any women who can hit like that and throw like that is welcome onto our team. She is in her twenties now and plays in the premier women’s league here (yes, we have one and it is a high standard) and also high level open league with men. She has proudly represented her State and her country in baseball and played in Japan and the USA. None of this would have been if achieved if it wasn’t for the many open minded coaches, officials and players who not only welcomed but encouraged her to play. Unless you get a huge cultural shift in the US, the ‘baseball is for men, softball is for girls’ nonsense will go on forever. And that goes for all the mothers, softball coaches and other women who perpetuate the myth that girls and women can’t play baseball. I hear that another attempt to start up a US women’s baseball league will be made in 2026. Good luck to all the women and men behind this venture. We will be watching and hoping that you will lead the way and turn the tide at last. We believe you can because baseball is the world’s greatest game for girls and women as well as boys and men. Can’t wait!

I love this story. I also love Australia for reasons just like this.

As I recall there was also a professional televised fastpitch softball league Down Under — called “Fastball” as I recall. But that might only have been in New Zealand.

Also, men’s fastpitch softball is a thing in this and other parts of the world, including Japan. That’s wild to see — male pitchers crow-hopping to deliver an 85-mph pitch windmill style from 46’.

[Anonymous]

I think there is a *lot* of variation, in terms of how many girls start with baseball vs. going directly to softball, if softball is even an option.

In general, baseball tends to be a little more intense. Kids are more likely to be there because they really like baseball. There will be more girls at t-ball level, even if there is a softball t-ball equivalent, and numbers gradually decline as girls shift over to softball (or drop sports altogether). My impression is that most leagues tend to cluster girls early on, though that stops when drafting starts.

Girls can do well at baseball, as long as they are willing to be on teams that are ... very boy and like to put in the effort. Baseball is one of the extremely rare sports where girls can legit be on a boys' team at the college level, though the numbers are small.

Transitioning from baseball to softball (or vice-versa) is not that difficult - the sports are closely related.

If you are sitting watching 10-12 year olds play, baseball is better because that's when pitching starts, and the boys' overhand throws are a lot more likely to make it over the plate than girls' underhand. So many walks. But the girls seem to have more fun in the stands than the boys, making up cheers, doing each other's braids, & etc, so that balances out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you want her to play with mostly girls or mostly boys? Either is fine - but do what she wants, I think.

If more girls played baseball than it would change. If no girls continue to join than it won't. I think we should have professional women's baseball leagues. Or even mixed. Women did it during WWII and it is one of a few sports than women and men can play together.

Ha! No. Women would never cut it in today's MLB.

-- signed, a mom of two baseball players

[Anonymous]

Predicting that a women's baseball league will have all the financial appeal and stamina of the WNBA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a *lot* of variation, in terms of how many girls start with baseball vs. going directly to softball, if softball is even an option.

In general, baseball tends to be a little more intense. Kids are more likely to be there because they really like baseball. There will be more girls at t-ball level, even if there is a softball t-ball equivalent, and numbers gradually decline as girls shift over to softball (or drop sports altogether). My impression is that most leagues tend to cluster girls early on, though that stops when drafting starts.

Girls can do well at baseball, as long as they are willing to be on teams that are ... very boy and like to put in the effort. Baseball is one of the extremely rare sports where girls can legit be on a boys' team at the college level, though the numbers are small.

Transitioning from baseball to softball (or vice-versa) is not that difficult - the sports are closely related.

If you are sitting watching 10-12 year olds play, baseball is better because that's when pitching starts, and the boys' overhand throws are a lot more likely to make it over the plate than girls' underhand. So many walks. But the girls seem to have more fun in the stands than the boys, making up cheers, doing each other's braids, & etc, so that balances out.

Except for pitching. If girls don't transition to softball relatively early and aren't amazing athletes (because some high level pitchers really didn't start until 14, but they're rare), you're going to have a hard time catching up as a pitcher. The windmill pitch is an incredibly hard motion to master, as your follow-on paragraph demonstrates. It takes some girls who eventually become pitchers a solid year to master hitting the strike zone consistently, and that's not for lack of trying or coaching. Not everyone, mind you, but some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a *lot* of variation, in terms of how many girls start with baseball vs. going directly to softball, if softball is even an option.

In general, baseball tends to be a little more intense. Kids are more likely to be there because they really like baseball. There will be more girls at t-ball level, even if there is a softball t-ball equivalent, and numbers gradually decline as girls shift over to softball (or drop sports altogether). My impression is that most leagues tend to cluster girls early on, though that stops when drafting starts.

Girls can do well at baseball, as long as they are willing to be on teams that are ... very boy and like to put in the effort. Baseball is one of the extremely rare sports where girls can legit be on a boys' team at the college level, though the numbers are small.

Transitioning from baseball to softball (or vice-versa) is not that difficult - the sports are closely related.

If you are sitting watching 10-12 year olds play, baseball is better because that's when pitching starts, and the boys' overhand throws are a lot more likely to make it over the plate than girls' underhand. So many walks. But the girls seem to have more fun in the stands than the boys, making up cheers, doing each other's braids, & etc, so that balances out.

Pitching starts for girls at the same age. By 11, at least at the travel level you have legit pitchers on every team. By 12 they throw multiple pitches.

I have a DD who has done both. Wish we’d have started in softball. There’s definitely a leaning curve when you switch.

The other thing to keep in mind is the size difference. At 10, it doesn’t matter much. But would I want my 15-year-old catcher blocking home plate against an almost full grown guy 2x her weight? Someone will point out there are size differences in softball too but you get the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both great games. There is a legitimate chance your daughter could play softball in college. There is almost zero percent chance she could play baseball at any level in college. Most boys can’t play in college. Choose accordingly.

Around here? It’s very hard to play baseball even in the big public
High schools.