But it grows more difficult by the year to imagine we will see another pitcher like Abbott or Osterman. Perhaps Keilani Ricketts, in her third season with the USSSA Pride, will continue to develop into that pitcher for a new generation, but there are few other obvious candidates to be not just excellent but dominant in the manner of Lisa Fernandez, Jennie Finch, Michele Granger, Osterman and Abbott.
It is the same search currently undertaken by USA Softball and college coaches around the map. What began by moving the mound from 40 to 43 feet and replacing a white ball with a yellow ball easier for a hitter's eye to pick up continues almost unabated. Hitters are stronger and better trained than ever before. Even if steered away from the extremes by rules and testing, bats remain livelier than ever before. Perhaps even the culture of youth softball and younger college recruiting, which may leave pitchers burned out physically and mentally, plays a part.
The NPF is naturally just an extension of the college game that provides its talent, and the evidence there is unmistakable. Offense has the upper hand in softball. I don't know the answers. I just know that the game right now, the needle has moved toward the offensive side more than it has the defense and pitching. Abbott turns back the hands of that clock, which might be her most impressive manipulation of numbers. Only a few weeks beyond her 30th birthday, she declined to discuss her future plans beyond a year-by-year approach.
She acknowledged that , the year softball will likely return to the Olympics in Tokyo, is something she thinks about, but those thoughts have more to do with what that stage means for the sport as a whole than any individual plans she might formulate. She long ago proved her mettle in championship settings, winning a world championship in addition to league titles in NPF and Japan, but an Olympic gold medal would be a career-capping prize unlike any other for someone who won silver in but spent most of her career in a time without Olympic softball.
After all, while she is as good this summer as anyone has ever been, who is to say she can't be better? Certainly the best value pick as a fourth-round selection in this past spring's draft, which took place before she starred in the Women's College World Series, Haeger has teamed with former Cal All-American and Team USA pitcher Jolene Henderson to give the expansion Charge far better pitching than has often been the fate of the league's new entries.
While most pitchers see their strikeout rates drop when they enter NPF, at least initially, Haeger has impressively held steady at just shy of a strikeout per inning. Cat Osterman, USSSA Pride: As mentioned previously, these are the final few days of Osterman's storied career in the circle, one that first came to the attention of many fans when she was a lanky left-handed Texan good enough to train with the national team when barely out of high school, and who took a year's sabbatical at the University of Texas to win gold with Team USA in the Olympics.
She remains lanky, left-handed and one of the best in the world. She is against the Bandits this season, although in a careful game of chess played by both sides, she and Abbott have not gone head-to-head in more than a year. Sarah Pauly, Akron Racers: No pitcher in the league is responsible for a greater percentage of her team's wins than Pauly.
The Racers are in games in which she earned a decision and over the rest of the schedule. Already the NPF's all-time wins leader, she recently recorded No. Long overshadowed by Abbott and Osterman, just as the Racers are long overshadowed by the Bandits and Pride, she is capable of beating anyone on a given day. As a result, so are the Racers. Chelsea Thomas is in the midst of her best professional season, Keilani Ricketts is always capable of something special and Hannah Rogers is strong in her first NPF season.
But the most intriguing belongs to the person filling a role rarely seen in softball. She nearly scrapes the ground with her glove as she starts her signature wind-up, then explodes forward, using every inch of her long legs and arms to whip the ball to the plate. And she's part of an iconic one-two punch pitching rotation with fellow '08 Olympian Cat Osterman, which means we're sure to see more of Abbott's dominance as the Tokyo tournament continues.
So what else should you know about this world-class pitcher? Keep reading for six fun facts that'll help you appreciate Abbott's brilliance even more. Amazon shoppers are living in these on-sale joggers: 'OMG these are the most comfortable pants I've ever owned! Dust like nobody's watching. Country music icon Trisha Yearwood is big on keeping family traditions alive around the holidays. Yearwood, who hosts Trisha's Southern Kitchen on the Food Network, says food traditions are especially important to her.
Yearwood loves to host a "misfit Thanksgiving," where they invite people who don't have a place to go for the holiday to their home. Yearwood says that Brooks loves to tell stories about how his mother used to stay up all night to baste the turkey before Thanksgiving. But she's discovered a hack to get a moist bird without all the hassle: She leaves it covered in a pan of water in the oven overnight.
Iskra Lawrence is sick and tired of retouching. Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles opens up about the less than glamorous side of being an elite athlete. Thousands of shoppers use the organic serum to battle age spots, dark circles, fine lines and more. These jeans are known for their just-right fits and fun styles. You May Also Like. We're Breaking It Down.
Healthy Living. Now You Know. Latest Fitness. Get Daily Fitness Inspiration Right in your inbox. Customize Select the topics that interest you:. New posts. Search forums. Log in. Install the app. Contact us. Close Menu. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Missed this: Monica Abbott sets new speed record 77mph. Thread starter starsnuffer Start date Jul 4, Register Log in. Jul 26, 3, 0. From her blog: June 16, - Monica sets new speed Record! It was the third game of a four game series.
The series was tied at one game a piece. In this game the Bandits were ahead when Monica got the call to take the mound in relief.
0コメント