Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd.
Welcome, Café Champs to this edition of Tierani's Sports Café. In the past, I've covered softball basics. I noted in those posts that many of the basics of softball will also apply to baseball: the basic game play, number of players on the field (and the positions of the players), how to get an out, how to get on and around the bases, how to score and even terminology like balls, strikes, steals, homeruns, etc. Although the sports are more alike than different, I want to take the time to highlight some of their key differences.
Ready? Let's take the field.
The Fields:
One obvious difference between baseball and softball is the size of the fields. Softball fields are quite a bit smaller. The general layout is the same as far as the infield, outfield, and bases are concerned. However, in softball, the bases are 60 feet apart while in baseball the bases are 90 feet apart. Additionally, the infield in baseball is not completely dirt like in softball, it's actually mostly grass. The outfield is also quite a bit larger: approx. 220 feet for the furthest point in a softball outfield from home plate as compared to approx. 400 feet in baseball. (Field sizes depend on age/division level, but I will be using collegiate comparisons). Another difference in the field is the presence of a raised pitching mound in baseball, which is approx. 60 feet from home plate. Meanwhile, softball players pitch from a pitching rubber that is flat on the ground and 43 feet from home plate. Due to this closeness in distance of a softball field, you will see many defensive players (especially pitchers) using protective equipment in order to protect themselves from close incoming hits...you don't tend to see this gear in baseball.
Innings:
In college baseball, a game lasts 9 innings. On the other hand, softball games last 7 innings. Therefore, softball games are usually shorter in regards to time. Moreover, collegiate softball also has a "run rule," as stated in previous posts in which a game may end in the 5th or 6th inning should a team be winning by 8 or more runs at the end of one of these innings. College baseball does not tend to have this rule, which can be a real bummer for some teams getting their butts kicked (As some may say, this builds character. *insert sarcasm emoji here*).
The Balls:
Softball uses a 12-inch diameter, yellow ball while baseball uses a 9-inch diameter, white ball. Softballs are also slightly heavier yet softer than baseballs. The difference in ball sizes also leads to differences in fielding gloves and bats. For instance, softball gloves tend to be slightly larger with deeper pockets to accommodate a bigger ball.
Although softballs have larger surface areas and therefore "easier" to hit (or make contact with), it's actually harder to find the "sweet spot" on a softball when hitting due to the larger surface area. Think of it as a large and small target. While the larger target is easier to hit in general, if you hit the smaller target at all--you're likely to be closer to the bullseye than the larger target. Regardless, it's still extremely difficult to hit either ball when it's thrown at you.
Pitching:
As mentioned above, baseball pitchers throw from an elevated mound while softball pitchers throw on level ground. Further, baseball pitchers tend to throw overhand between 80-90+ MPH. There are even baseball pitchers who can throw over 100 MPH. Softball pitchers, on the other hand, throw underhand with average speeds between 58-65 MPH. Although there are softball pitchers able to throw over 70 MPH.
Although this is a large difference in pitching speeds, one must take into consideration the length from the pitching rubbers to home plate. Softball pitchers throw from much closer, therefore, the ball velocities are actually quite similar.
Fun Fact: "Research has shown that a 95 MPH baseball reaches the plate in 0.425 seconds and a 70 MPH softball reaches the plate in 0.35 seconds." Source
Also to note, added this year (2023), baseball pitchers have a 20 second pitch clock but softball pitchers do not. If runners are on base, the pitcher has 20 seconds to start the throwing motion of the next pitch; but if he does not and the clock expires, a ball will be added to the pitch count.
Additionally, many pitches in softball and baseball are similar: fastball, change-up, curve-ball, screwball and knuckle-ball. However, there is one famous softball pitch that is not seen in baseball: the riseball. During this pitch, the ball is thrown with an upward trajectory with backspin in order to achieve the "rising" motion of the ball. Part of the reason this can be achieved is due to the flat nature of the pitching rubber for softball. With baseball, it would be extremely hard to throw the ball in such an upward nature when pitches are naturally thrown in a downward angle due to the pitching mound.
Slapping and Bunting:
Field size plays a large role in game strategies between softball and baseball. Since softball fields are closer, you see more bunting than in baseball. A bunt is when a batter holds the bat out in front of him/her in order to barely make contact with the ball. The ball will not travel very far since the batter is not fully swinging the bat. It is used more in softball because, if a bunt is placed well, a quick runner likely has a chance to make it to first base before the ball can be thrown there due to the smaller distances between bases (even in sacrifice situations). In a sacrifice situation, the batter wants to bunt in order to score a fellow teammate or help a teammate advance to the next base (even if it means they get out at first by bunting--hence "sacrifice"). Sacrifice bunting is about (but not solely) the only bunting you will see in baseball, as compared to softball in which bunts can be planned hits in order for a fast runner to make it on base.
In addition to field size allowing for more bunting, another special hit you will see in softball but not in baseball is known as the slap. A slap is done by left-handed batters in which they get a moving start while swinging the bat. They start moving in order to get a running start toward first should they make contact. The contact is made to either punching the ball into a gap, right over infielders into defenseless areas, or with high bounces in order to cause delays in fielding the ball. Since slaps are usually done by extremely fast runners, if good contact is made, the defense usually has 3 seconds or less to get the runner out at first...which leaves very little room for error or bobbling the ball.
Stealing:
This next one is pretty simple. In softball, runners who are hoping to steal another base are not allowed to leave the current base they are on until after the pitcher releases the ball. That is, if a player is hoping to steal second base, she must have a foot on first until the ball is released by the pitcher. At that time, she is allowed to take off from first and head for second. Baseball, on the contrary, is allowed a "lead off." A lead off is a short distance that is allowed for the player to stand away from the current base (usually 2-3 steps). Therefore, a baseball player hoping to steal second base can lead off first base then take off for second as the pitcher begins throwing the ball (before release, not after like softball).
Team Sizes:
Although each sport will have 9 players on the field while defending, baseball teams are much larger than softball teams. For example, the University of Oklahoma baseball team has 39 players on roster, while the softball team has 20 players on the roster. This is usually due to the need for baseball teams to have numerous pitchers. The reason baseball teams require so many pitchers is due to the harmful nature of baseball pitching to the arm as compared to softball. The overhand motion of softball pitching is considered a "natural motion," but not the overhead motion of baseball. Due to this, baseball pitchers have pitching limits (approx. 100-115 pitches per day), while softball pitchers do not. Therefore, if baseball pitchers are limited...teams need more of them.
Although softball and baseball are more alike than they are different, their differences are what makes each sport a unique spectacle of its own. I encourage you to attend one game of each in your lifetime--the crowd, atmosphere and athletic talent of both will captivate you.
Baseball and Softball can be complicated, but remember to KISS (Keep It Simple, Sister).
"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." -Luke 12:6-7
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