Open vs Closed Pitching Style

DD has been pitching for two years, is 14 years old and is moving up to 18 Gold this fall (yes she has natural talent, yes I know only (12) 18Gold teams in SO CA, this is one of them) she has been successful with a closed style for her short career but we are considering a pitching coaching change. He is one of the best in the area, he teaches the open style and told us that it would help with movement on the pitches, add MPH and help her avoid injury in the future. He doesn't need students or money but he sees the potential in her and wants her to change to this style.

Opinions on Open vs Closed for long term goal of college pitching.

Definition of terms varies person to person. Pitch like this. Windmill

moo - If it ain't broke don't fix it.

The only 2 styles of pitching I know of are the "right" style and the "wrong" style........

How about "more effective and efficient" or "less effective and efficient"?

Stink,

Instructors are usually great salesmen. Careful of the patter. How about we see a video of your DD pitching. There are some pretty smart guys who check this board like Boardmember, Hillhouse, Carter in Dallas, Hashida etc. Get a few opinions on what you have now before you make a move because it's pretty darn late in the game for a complete retool. Not that I would never recommend it but there WILL be a price to pay in terms of struggling during the change.

Went back now and reviewed your first post again. It's REAL LATE in the game for a major mechanics retool. This gold team is going to expect her to produce NOW. College coaches are deciding now who they are thinking about asking to verbal in a year. LAST year would have been a good year to retool. Let's see what she's got before you jump off into this.

Either your DD is pitching correctly or she isn't. Since your DD is on an 18U SoCal gold team, my guess is that she is throwing correctly.

The people who have answered your question are very knowledgeable about pitching. If they don't understand what is meant by an "open style" vs. a "closed style" (and I've never heard of those terms with reference to a pitching style), then it may be snake oil.

If you really believe your DD needs a different coach, then I would contact Boardmember (I think he is based in SoCal). He has produced D1 pitchers. The videos I've seen of his students are pretty impressive.

And yeah, Sluggers is pretty smart too. As to the open and closed definition-on the link I gave, Finch would be considered more of an open pitcher and Ueno would be more closed in my understanding of the term. John Gay was a notable proponent of extremely "open" pitching. More open than I see Finch doing in this clip is my understanding.

Only pitching two years and 14 years old pitching on a SoCal 18U Gold team indicates to me that she has tons of natural talent and probably has some growing to do in the pitching skill department.

14 years old is not too late in my opinion to make significant changes especially if she has only pitched for two years.

What is your daughters goals?

I was right were you are when my daughter was 14. She was not as talented as your daughter at that age and probably could not have guest played on a 18U gold team. I got opinions like you are doing. I looked at the top pitchers and their styles, their strengths, their weaknesses. I looked to find pitchers pitching the style that was originally taught to my daughter. (how many, weaknesses and strengths) We changed styles.

I am definitely not a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" type of guy. I have seen too much natural talent wasted. It is broke if your daughter is not pitching to her full potential.

I agree, but your DD moved from stepping style to a more standard leap and drag and picked it up very quickly I might add. My own DD struggled with control after the same transition for a season. Such a transition can work out very well and very quickly if it is done well and with the right goals. If this pitcher looks like the left hand pitcher (CO) in the link I gave and this new instructor wants her to look more like the middle pitcher/more open, I have a problem with that. I also want dad to understand there may very well be six months or more where she struggles with a new mechanic in terms of control. OTOH, if this pitcher was pitching Tim's way and wanted to change to look more like the left pitcher (CO), I'd be all for that with the caution about control issues during the transition.

I really appreciate the responses and by no means are we rushing into this, hence this thread and the request for opinions on the different pitching styles. If my DD is to make the change it will be because she is not as affective at this level as she would like to be and she buys into the need for a change whole heartedly.

While I have been around her pitching for two years I can see by this site I really haven't been paying attention to the actual terminology & mechanics of pitching.

She has natural talent and her near vertical climb of success within two years has been hard to keep up with. She pitched her first game 2 years ago this Oct. But now we are at the highest level before college and while she is only 14 the natural talent will only get her so far.
She does have a goal to pitch in college so the hard work really begins. I read the "internal rotation" thread and I looked at a couple of still photos of her and if I understand the mechanics correctly she throws this naturally (not perfectly but at 9 ball/palm is up elbow bending into hip, at 7 ball/palm starting to move to 3rd base but her footwork is not the figure 4 as a finish she just drags forward and ends up in a defensive position facing the batter.

She throws hard, high 50's to mid 60's, has a good screw, drop and change of speed pitches but curve and rise need work and that is where we were told the open stance will give the hand more room to move and spin for these pitches also adding the increase of speed as well as improving the drop & screw while minimizing the risk of injury.

Lastly, the coaching change is imminent because current coach is now working full time, getting married and baby makes three. So now I can change this thread into who are the best pitching coaches in So Cal, San Diego area preferably.

Boardmember if you don’t mind me asking where do you teach in So Cal and are you taking on new students? When you say “right” and “wrong” what do you mean? Probably a can of worms but I have to ask.

One more thing, I will try and get some video of her throwing, any suggestions slow mo equipment/software, basically what I need to get good video of her.