Height in Relationship to Pitching

[Doug Romrell]

6.4 and 3/4's

Holy Ravioli, Ken! You are a GIANT!

 

[riseball]

Angela Tincher of VT was @ 5'-7" - someone already mentioned her.

Kelly Barnhill is 5'-8" and throws 70+ MPH and is considered the #1 2015 pitcher. She just verballed to Florida.

Barnhill is very unusual. Awful mechanics but high velocity. It will be interesting to see if she can learn to pitch legally and make it in the SEC.

 

[Ken B]

Holy Ravioli, Ken! You are a GIANT!

I prefer the more politically correct term--Person of limited clothing options.

 

[slingnit]

This is something I've been pondering a bit lately. Will differences in height cause/require any differences in mechanics . . .

Will a shorter pitcher need to use her body differently then a taller pitcher in minor ways due to the shorter levers. Will they require more strength in their core and lower extremities to make up for shorter legs that won't naturally have the same reach . . .

Other than Amanda are there other top notch pitchers in the mid 5 foot range that I can be looking at?

Thanks

DJ Mathis, OU pitcher, KU asst coach, now coach of St Gregory. The lefty was only about 5'3 but racked up a .768 winning percentage, 76 wins and 597 k's and topped out at just 63. Dd did lessons with her for a while. She really stressed leg drive and getting back leg thru fast and strong with a strong squeeze in the thighs.

 

[pumpkinbear]

This is something I've been pondering a bit lately. Will differences in height cause/require any differences in mechanics . . .

Will a shorter pitcher need to use her body differently then a taller pitcher in minor ways due to the shorter levers. Will they require more strength in their core and lower extremities to make up for shorter legs that won't naturally have the same reach . . .

Other than Amanda are there other top notch pitchers in the mid 5 foot range that I can be looking at?

Thanks

Last season, my dd had a pitching teammate roughly a foot taller (and maybe 70 lbs heavier) and they have the same pitching coach. They received the same coaching, sometimes jointly, but they looked significantly different.

My dd had an easier time with her drive mechanics, while the bigger/stronger girl threw significantly harder and was more effective even though she was basically a step pitcher.

My inexpert speculation based this is that all things equal, it is easier for a smaller pitcher to perform pitching mechanics--especially drive mechanics. But a taller pitcher with identical mechanics will be better (assuming all things equal).

I can't think of a reason why different sized pitchers would be taught different mechanics. If a pitcher (perhaps due to size) is slow to pick up on some portion of the pitching mechanics, I'd expect instruction to emphasize that area.

 

[MNDad]

This chart is useless. It makes all sorts of stupid assumptions. It basically approaches speed from a constant angular velocity standpoint like it was a mass on a string instead of a linked lever system, it does not account for whip and does not take into account that most of the whip power comes from acceleration that happens in the last 90 degrees of the circle.

Useless and stupid is a little harsh.

The chart is simplistic, but it does show a general correlation to arm length and speed. Taking into account arm whip etc would produce similiar results comparing a smaller lever to larger.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Kelly Barnhill is 5'-8" and throws 70+ MPH and is considered the #1 2015 pitcher. She just verballed to Florida.

"Ding" and yes she is a "skippie"....

 

[FastPitchCat]

to the OP...

Correct mechanics is correct mechanics, so I don't think there are differences per se, but a player that is shorter has less room for mechanical inefficiencies because they don't have the advantage of the long levers. Some will say height doesn't matter, but the bottom line is there is a reason why pitchers are typically taller in both baseball and softball, it is not just a random accumulation of prejudices. Ueno aside, the shorter pitchers tend to not be the fastest throwers in the world, but they can be world class pitchers by just being efficient. So differences no, but more precise mechanics, yes.

Well, Yoda says, "Size matters not. Look at me"

kidding aside, scarborough said to make your mechanics as efficient as possible to maximize speed... not to say this doesn't apply to tall pitchers.

i've always emphasized the importance of correct mechanics... fast leg drive, arm whip, etc.
DD throws 55 now and the objective is to hit 60 or more by middle of next year.
Tall order? (no pun intended) maybe, but that's the goal.

DD's is as tall as Rachel Fox and if Rachel can make it to A&M, there is hope for shorter pitchers .

 

[mawilson2]

Both sides of the height discussion. Jennie and my DD. All 4' 11" of her.

I know it is the case for any top notch pitcher, but DD has worked her butt off to become an effective pitcher. High core strength and lots of lower leg strength. Has a change up that buckles knees and spins the ball very well (IR). With all of that she tops out at 55. I tell her all the time spin over speed.

On a side note, we had an hour and a half discussion with Jennie and she did not stress long stride. She did not even know how far her stride was.

 

[cuzmail]

if Rachel can make it to A&M.

and UT. Connie signed her first.