What is the Difference Between Baseball and Men's Softball?

What are the major differences and rule changes between baseball and men's softball?

Other than the difference in the ball itself being bigger and less dense, there are major differences.

Softball has an extra player in the lineup totaling 10.  Defensively this means there are 4 outfielders instead of 3, or once in a while that extra player will be added to the infield directly behind the bag at 2nd.

The pitching is the major difference from hardball.  Pitchers in softball have a requirement of an arc above the batters waist, no higher than 10 to 12 feet depending on the league.  Because the pitch is underhand, the scoring is much higher on average than hardball, where 20 to 30 runs can be scored per game.

A few other minor differences include no leading off as a base runner.  After the pitch a base runner can be 'picked off' through the use of a force-play (not having to tag that runner).  Also, because the pitching is underhand, most leagues have a home run rule where team A cannot have hit more than 1 more home run than team B.

These rules can vary from league to league, but to the hardcore baseball fan, these rule changes are major.

MLB 2009

The 2009 Major League Baseball season is finally upon us after an extra long spring training due to the World Baseball Classic- (baseball's version of the World Cup).  The 1st game of the season is this Sunday night- Phillies vs. Braves.

Last season you will recall the national league's Philadelphia Phillies beat the cinderella Tampa Bay Rays 4-1.  Where the Rays a fluke, and who will be this year's cinderella?  If you're not a big MLB fan you should know that unlike the other major sports, just making it to the playoffs is a significant accomplishment in only the division winners and 1 wild card advances.  So a cinderella in this sport to make it to the postseason is more than just exceeding expectations.

Here are my predictions by League:

                                   American                              National

West                          Athletics                                Dodgers

Central                      Indians                                  Brewers

East                           Red Sox                                 Mets

Wildcard                   White Sox                              Cubs

This year the Mets finally get to play in September, but the Cubs will have to wait at least another year for a title pushing it to 102 years (and counting).

World Series- Indians over Dodgers