Faithful readers will remember that last month I wrote about the nanshiki ball, a softer safety baseball used in many Asian amateur leagues.

I asked Chin-Lung Hu about the ball this morning, specifically about if he believes it affects players’ development at all. He said that in Taiwan, they stop using the ball by junior high so he wasn’t sure it really made a difference. He said it’s probably best for keeping young kids safe and on the field.

I pointed out that the ball bounces differently, and he agreed it might help players develop quick reactions on defense and more willingness to get their bodies behind the ball. He said he found playing with the ball frustrating because of the way it comes off the bat — if it is not hit perfectly on the sweet spot of the bat it does not travel far — but amounted that perhaps it helps players learn to better square up on pitches.