Friday, July 10, 2015

Is the SB Cure Worse than the Disease?

We are all familiar with the phrase "the Cure is Worse than the Disease"

When treating a sickness it refers to the hell, pain, and suffering a patient must go through to recover.


Figuratively it refers to a solution to a problem that produces a worse net result than the problem does, especially via unintended consequences.

This winter it was obvious that a softball patient, The Big Apple League was dying. It had only 1 team that wanted to return via the existing pitching rules. To save the SB patient, pitchers that consistently showed they could not conform to modified standards were banned. As a result, the league was saved. But was "the Cure Worse than the Disease"

The Cured SB Patient was exhibited the following modified cure symptoms:

  • Thinner Competition
  • New Teams adjusting and struggling. Understandable but still an after effect.
  • A New Team Dropping Out
  • Old Teams that left - The competitive talent, fire, and Challenge  of Contact, West, Highlander, Cardinals, and Ironbound is missed
  • Bad Luck - Rain Rain Rain
By far the worst thing I feel/sense in the league is Apathy. Do people care anymore?
Apathy is the worst possible thing: It exists now over

  • Players miss the Top Pitching
  • Players miss the Rivalries - Contact was great. I hated them, but they were great.
  • Players feel it's a forgone conclusion that Choice Parts will win

These serious side effects from the non modified pitching are real and unintended consequences of the Cure. So how do we get over these post cure symptoms?

Simple Play Good Softball. 

Good Softball is

  • Excitement
  • Intensity
  • Competition
  • Talent
  • Drama
  • Effort
  • Trust
  • Enthusiasm


This week will be the week that happens. As after 3 weeks off because of rain and holidays Commissioner Jeff Marcus has put together an excellent schedule:
  • Old School vs Choice Parts - The six time champion in the last seven years, will look to clinch 1st place in their division, while Old School opens it's summer session.
  • Rangers vs Kings - These teams played a competitive split earlier this year since then the Kings have been excellent in their 1st Big Apple Season and the Rangers have an eye on 1st place.
  • Freaks vs Braves - New Team Battle as they look to establish themselves.
  • bye 1st place Empire - they will be back strong in 2nd half.
  • and oh yeah, their is more potentially good softball on the menu as the Rangers and Braves will finish a continuation game from the earlier this year.
It's time to take the 1st step and begin to reap the benefits of a Cure.

Play Ball

2 comments:

  1. Don't believe there is as much apathy as you claim. Lots more offense and opportunities to make great defensive plays. Plus no more 7 or 8 strike outs per game for teams with superstar sling pitchers that usually get paid. Besides there is always the Saturday League for those that want to play anything goes.

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  2. Contact, West, Highlander, Cardinals and Ironbound all left BEFORE the new pitching rule enforcement change. - not because of it.
    That's why the league was down to 2 or 3 teams.

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