How to get 'junk' ball pitcher some respect?

Absolutely.. no one throws it by anyone anymore unless they are >60 which is rare..

I've got no problems finding a travel team(s).. they are lining up because they know her.. at least the ones who aren't hammerheads.. we have been mercenaries for a couple seasons now.

The issue in this particular case is with school ball.. coach doesn't really know her from travel and she got cut in favor of 2 girls who throw a little harder (upper 50s vs lower 50s) but with zero movement. DD and her teams have clobbered these girls in travel.. unfortunately I can't go shopping for a new team w/o putting a for sale sign on my house, so in this case I've gotta work with what I have. It's frustrating because I know DD is much more effective (and the only one of the three who can also hit worth a damn). Would have no problem getting cut if the other girls were better, but it isn't even close.

Also just want to note.. she CAN hit 60 if she wants to.. she has the physical ability and has done it, BUT the ball barely moves if at all and experience has shown us that it gets hit real far even when it's located pretty well.. You can throw gas by weak hitters but anyone worth their salt you can see their eyes light up when the gas is coming..

By taking a little off of it and focusing more on the spin than the speed has been much more effective at this level.. Now as things progress that will probably change and we will adapt to whatever we need to do.. When she was 10U should could just launch it by people.. in 12 and 14U that didn't work anymore so we adapted.. When this doesn't work we will adapt again.. I'm not worried about college.. I can't even get on the high school team because the coach is an idiot.

If she CAN throw 60mph... then what's the problem?!?!
Mix it up. Throw 60 on the hands followed by a low and out curve then back to 60 etc... that's a deadly combo. Why on earth while "trying out" would she not throw some gas? Especially if the HC is half the dumb rear you described, and you guys knew he was looking for gas! But you chose to throw a 50 mph breaking ball???

coach james said:

if she can throw 60mph... Then what's the problem?!?!
Mix it up. Throw 60 on the hands followed by a low and out curve then back to 60 etc... That's a deadly combo. Why on earth while "trying out" would she not throw some gas? Especially if the hc is half the dumb rear you described, and you guys knew he was looking for gas! But you chose to throw a 50 mph breaking ball???

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ditto.......

coach james said:

If she CAN throw 60mph... then what's the problem?!?!
Mix it up. Throw 60 on the hands followed by a low and out curve then back to 60 etc... that's a deadly combo. Why on earth while "trying out" would she not throw some gas? Especially if the HC is half the dumb rear you described, and you guys knew he was looking for gas! But you chose to throw a 50 mph breaking ball???

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fair question with two answers..

a) didn't know the coach was a **** until after he picked the team. Had no idea what he was/wasn't looking for. If coaches told you what they were looking for before a tryout it would be very helpful, but I have never met one in any sport that did.

b) in tryouts the pitchers threw live BP. In a live BP situation, DD is going to throw her best pitch(es). She may mix in a FB from time to time and I'm sure she did, but in general she is going to throw more breaking stuff in live BP as that is her best 'stuff'.. so if she throws 10 pitches and 2 are 60mph FBs, the girls who throws every pitch at 60 still looks 'better', right?

According to DD, 2 girls hit weak grounders and the rest whiffed. so what she was throwing in live BP was effective at least by her and my definition.. Still got cut.

Good luck. And i have known at least 3 families, that have put for sale signs on their houses over softball. One dad pulled his DD Friday evening, from a public school and enrolled her in a Catholic school, Monday morning. In all 3 of these cases, it worked for them.

lhowser said:

AMEN to all of what BoardMember said. It is good for dads and mom's to realistically evaluate where their DD is. The long term success of the slower junk ball pitcher is very limited. She may have some moments of success but do not equate it to a baseball junk ball pitcher. It is not the same.

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Why is it not the same? I am not saying you are wrong here just asking why it isn't the same and why a baseball junk pitcher can be successful but one in softball cannot.

marriard said:

Why is it not the same? I am not saying you are wrong here just asking why it isn't the same and why a baseball junk pitcher can be successful but one in softball cannot.

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What @marriard said.. there is more than one way to skin a cat.. some people do it with speed some do it with spin, some with some combination of the two. If you can throw numerous pitches with different breaks and you can change speeds and locate, I see no reason to believe why you can't be effective at any level. No matter what you can't throw the same pitch all the time and be effective, that is an absolute. But if you can locate numerous pitches and change speeds well, it doesn't matter how hard you throw.. ask any effective slow pitch pitcher.. I've faced some of those guys who could make you look stupid.

58sdad said:

The issue in this particular case is with school ball..........

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"school ball" as in High School Ball?

coach doesn't really know her from travel and she got cut in favor of 2 girls who throw a little harder (upper 50s vs lower 50s) but with zero movement.

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Are these 2 other pitchers older then your DD? If so how much older?

marriard said:

Why is it not the same? I am not saying you are wrong here just asking why it isn't the same and why a baseball junk pitcher can be successful but one in softball cannot.

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Distance is a key factor. 43' does not allow for the same break and movement plus the high end of baseball pitching is much faster allowing for a greater variety of speed differences.

So if you are not throwing fast by peer standards then - rise ball has minimum effect on good hitter. Speed changes have less of an effect because good hitters have no problem hitting your fastest they are less beguiled by your off speed. Actual curve is limited over 43' and the slower it is the easier it is to read and see if it is off the plate. Screw balls are more angle pitches than pitches that move. Drop movement can provide some relief so you can see you options are limited. It is quite likely that it's a matter of time before a strong team gets to a slower pitcher - junk or not.

Anyhow that is the reason I made the comparison. In most high end tournaments along with location and various junk pitches the speed is there in the best. Again emphasizing that everyone doesn't have to be the best to challenge hitters and enjoy the game. Moms and Dads...just be real about it.