Ass whooping

[Baines]

Everybody has made some good points on here.   As far as I'm concerned, it's all about personal preference and whatever you and your friends have the most fun with.  

There are a few reasons we play straight pitch:

1. We statred out that way back in 87.  I think this is due to the fact that we were in like 4th grade and a lot more competitive than mature.  It was easier to just serve it up  knowing there was nothing you could do about it and laugh when the ball never came back in the screen than to get frustrated and beat the shit out of each other after a few well placed pitches.

2.  It's been so much easier to get new players.  We have quite a few people we play with who are younger and never played until this year.  The players with the most experience still win the most but I really doubt RBI would have caught on the way it has in Portsmouth had we played curve and destroyed the new players every game.  SalBando and I experimented with a little slurve  b/c we grew up playing each other that way but we wound up winning every game against anyone else who wasn't used to it.  As pissed as I get when I lose, I still would rather have that than win every time.

3.  It's a different type of game.  While curve obviously puts the most importance on the pitcher/batter matchup, straight makes other aspects of the game that much important because you know you can't make up for a fielding/throwing error by striking the next guy out.  You really don't want to misplay that ball that Joyner hits when you know that you have to throw the next pitch right down the middle to Big Reg.  Even though the scores are ridiculous, there is still no margin for error between two really good players in the 17-16 straight pitch game just like in the 3-2 curve game.

4.  I can't imagine drinking and playing any other way.

Basically, there's no right/wrong way to play but it just comes down to what's the most fun for you and your friends.  Honestly, we might be playing curve right now if all of our friends had played as much RBI over the years as me, SalBando and a couple others but I just like the idea of anybody being able to pick it up and be competitive after a short time.    

[fknmclane]

3.  It's a different type of game.  While curve obviously puts the most importance on the pitcher/batter matchup, straight makes other aspects of the game that much important because you know you can't make up for a fielding/throwing error by striking the next guy out.  You really don't want to misplay that ball that Joyner hits when you know that you have to throw the next pitch right down the middle to Big Reg.  Even though the scores are ridiculous, there is still no margin for error between two really good players in the 17-16 straight pitch game just like in the 3-2 curve game.

4.  I can't imagine drinking and playing any other way.

Basically, there's no right/wrong way to play but it just comes down to what's the most fun for you and your friends.  Honestly, we might be playing curve right now if all of our friends had played as much RBI over the years as me, SalBando and a couple others but I just like the idea of anybody being able to pick it up and be competitive after a short time.


-two fantastic points.  Well said, Baines.
I think one of us needs to get really, really rich and fly everybody somewhere for a dee nee get together.  Curve tournaments, straight pitch tournaments, slurve tournaments.  Kegs of beer everywhere.  Is this heaven?

[chubbrock]

[quote author=fknmclane  
I think one of us needs to get really, really rich and fly everybody somewhere for a dee nee get together.  Curve tournaments, straight pitch tournaments, slurve tournaments.  Kegs of beer everywhere.  Is this heaven?

Indeed it is brother.  Indeed it is.