Some more good discussion at the Fastpitchwest Forum about the pro’s and con’s of the ISC’s new “PRAWN” rule, limiting the number of All World players a team can have, starting in 2006.
New player rep Rick Smith posts at the Fastpitchwest Forum and invites players and fans to post their comments on the new rule.
Please comment on the idea of the prawn ruling. Sign your name to it if you have any comment for or against it.
Thanks
Rick Smith
Player Rep for the West
Player rep Tom Crouch says:
I never said the big teams were killing the game. We need them. However, you are way off base if you feel that sponsors do not drop out because they cannot compete with the best teams. Many teams have folded becuase they cannot keep up with the pitching market.
Farm27 points out that the rule could force all-world players to travel outside their area, even if they wanted to play for the local team.
“8 new guys make all world next year but their team’s fold….now they have to find a place to play or not play at all. Just what we need lets drive more people out of the game. Guys want to play in there own area but can’t because of this rule. “
The posters make good points, pro and con, so no matter what side of the issue you are on, it makes for thought provoking reading.
Lots more discussion on PRAWN’s at Al’s Fastball Mailing List Archive.
The GHFL.ca Forum, hosted by my friend Blair Setford in Ontario Canada has more discussion, as well, including some great analysis on the possible unintended consequences of the rule, as argued by Scott Wagar:
For example if Kris Kiefel decides to not come back to the US in 2006 and County needs to find a SS. Due to Prawn, they are limited in their search. So where do they turn? Do they grab Kevin Schellenberg, Ian Fehrman or Evan Boyd. All of which would hurt the local teams that developed them.
The Prawn rule in effect promotes the raiding of the young teams that are building and may kill them off before they even get a chance to taste any success. It does not promote local development and it does not level the playing field (if that is what they are after?)
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