Off season focus?

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Jun 8, 2012
60
0
Illinois
Need some opinions on what my DD should focus on this winter with her pitching. She just turned 13 in Sept, so 1st year 14U. She throws a change, drop and screw with good command. She cruises at 55 and tops out at 57 (this is from an opposing coach with a Jugs gun, not my numbers). She has had good success this fall with the move to 43'. My question is, do we introduce another movement pitch (curve?), or focus on working on off speed fastball? Or both? She typically has a lot of movement on her pitches anyway (new catchers complain they have a hard time reading them), so that's making me lean toward the off speed. Opinions.....?
 
Dec 20, 2012
1,085
0
Velocity drills, resistance training, rest, consistency (particularly ending spots on movement pitches and legal footwork), and the curve ball, starting with the spin. Half speed FBs are of no use. As a team coach, this is my wish list.....I would say rise but the umps are taking that from us....

Never seen anything asked about throwing half speed fast ball, did you? As a successful team coach I disagree with you!
 
Jun 8, 2012
60
0
Illinois
To clarify my thought process here. Her change is typically around 45ish. That's a 10-12 mph difference from her fastball. My offspeed thought is in the middle of those, say around 50ish. A little off the FB, but faster than the CU. I would think that would mess with the batters timing, especially 2nd time through the order.
 
Dec 20, 2012
1,085
0
Uh, the original post says 'off speed fastball' and the kid has a change, so what else would it be? We love off-speed FBs on our team when we are up to bat.

And to anticipate perhaps the next move, we love cutters, too.

yes i'm sure you do, at a boy Gasso
 

JJsqueeze

Dad, Husband....legend
Jul 5, 2013
5,436
38
safe in an undisclosed location
To clarify my thought process here. Her change is typically around 45ish. That's a 10-12 mph difference from her fastball. My offspeed thought is in the middle of those, say around 50ish. A little off the FB, but faster than the CU. I would think that would mess with the batters timing, especially 2nd time through the order.

She seems like she is on a good track, if she is throwing that fast, with command and good movement then I would look at some of her stats to help point the way on what to work on. Is there a particular part of the zone she has more trouble hitting? Does she tend to pitch more high or low? What is her K/BB ratio? All things being equal, a riseball is a really nice compliment to a drop ball.
 
Jun 8, 2012
60
0
Illinois
She seems like she is on a good track, if she is throwing that fast, with command and good movement then I would look at some of her stats to help point the way on what to work on. Is there a particular part of the zone she has more trouble hitting? Does she tend to pitch more high or low? What is her K/BB ratio? All things being equal, a riseball is a really nice compliment to a drop ball.

She works corners a lot, but with her movement it costs her a lot of walks. Sometimes we wonder if the umps are seeing the ball where it crosses the plate vs. where it's actually caught. Averages for this fall is .37 BB/inning and 1.45 K/inning, so basically a 4/1 K/BB ratio. She tends to pitch high, but with changes in elevation she gets a ton of missed swings on high fastballs (which incidentally are her fastest pitches as well), especially after a drop or low FB.
 
Dec 20, 2012
1,085
0
Uh, the original post says 'off speed fastball' and the kid has a change, so what else would it be? We love off-speed FBs on our team when we are up to bat.

And to anticipate perhaps the next move, we love cutters, too.

Kid throws 60, cu would be around 45, 1/2 speed fast ball would be 30. May want a new scorekeeper, stats may be a little inflated.
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
Need some opinions on what my DD should focus on this winter with her pitching. She just turned 13 in Sept, so 1st year 14U. She throws a change, drop and screw with good command. She cruises at 55 and tops out at 57 (this is from an opposing coach with a Jugs gun, not my numbers). She has had good success this fall with the move to 43'. My question is, do we introduce another movement pitch (curve?), or focus on working on off speed fastball? Or both? She typically has a lot of movement on her pitches anyway (new catchers complain they have a hard time reading them), so that's making me lean toward the off speed. Opinions.....?
First it sounds like she's on a great track good job.

1. Core training to try to add a few mph.
2. Add a rise.
 
Jun 8, 2012
60
0
Illinois
Kid throws 60, cu would be around 45, 1/2 speed fast ball would be 30. May want a new scorekeeper, stats may be a little inflated.

Whose stats are inflated? I have no reason to inflate stats, what is the point in that? Inflated stats aren't going to make her better/more effective. Not really here to boast or inflate my (or her) ego.... Especially using a fake screen name
 

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