Parent pitchers question

[_MIA_]

I feel this is one reason why you want to play for a very good travel program if you are trying to be recruited - especially D1. The team behind the pitcher and her catcher can make her look really, really good or just ok.

Not necessarily disagreeing with you, but it sounds like you think most college coaches don't take a deeper look at a pitcher they are interested in than what a casual observer would see. True? Not saying you are wrong, just interested in your opinion.

From hand to glove, the pitcher is in total control. Is she hitting her spots (eg where the catcher is setting up), spin, velocity, deception on off speed, compsure,etc. All of those the pitcher has total control over.

 

[Vertigo]

Not necessarily disagreeing with you, but it sounds like you think most college coaches don't take a deeper look at a pitcher they are interested in than what a casual observer would see. True? Not saying you are wrong, just interested in your opinion.

From hand to glove, the pitcher is in total control. Is she hitting her spots (eg where the catcher is setting up), spin, velocity, deception on off speed, compsure,etc. All of those the pitcher has total control over.

I would hope that they do - but you’d be surprised at what gets some pitchers recruited.

I also am a strong believer that a good catcher can make a pitcher look great - getting those borderline strike calls, picking a baserunner off or catching a runner stealing to end the threat of a possible run.

Good defense also helps to make those questionable plays get made. How many of us have seen those soft, shallow pop-ups or slow-roller IF balls become hits? Pitcher did her job, pitched to soft contact, but fielders couldn’t make the play because defense wasn’t strong. How about those hits to the OF where the ball is misread and a line drive goes over the CF head because she took 3 steps in? Or if the OF ran “through” the ball the catch could have been made instead of dropping at her feet? I have seen numerous games where a ball hit to the SS was almost always a hit because she played too deep or didn’t charge the ball.

Obviously, the above isn’t always the case and you hope that the college coach can discern what plays should have been made. However, it usually isn’t even a question with a good team behind the pitcher.

I’ve seen a D1 pitcher recruited who had never been seen in a live game in person, just seen on video. I am convinced her size had a lot to do with it. She definitely “looked” the part. She had a very good team behind her who made the borderline plays. If she had played on a mediocre team, I highly doubt she would have gone D1.

 

[_MIA_]

I would hope that they do - but you’d be surprised at what gets some pitchers recruited.

I also am a strong believer that a good catcher can make a pitcher look great - getting those borderline strike calls, picking a baserunner off or catching a runner stealing to end the threat of a possible run.

Good defense also helps to make those questionable plays get made. How many of us have seen those soft, shallow pop-ups or slow-roller IF balls become hits? Pitcher did her job, pitched to soft contact, but fielders couldn’t make the play because defense wasn’t strong. How about those hits to the OF where the ball is misread and a line drive goes over the CF head because she took 3 steps in? Or if the OF ran “through” the ball the catch could have been made instead of dropping at her feet? I have seen numerous games where a ball hit to the SS was almost always a hit because she played too deep or didn’t charge the ball.

Obviously, the above isn’t always the case and you hope that the college coach can discern what plays should have been made. However, it usually isn’t even a question with a good team behind the pitcher.

I’ve seen a D1 pitcher recruited who had never been seen in a live game in person, just seen on video. I am convinced her size had a lot to do with it. She definitely “looked” the part. She had a very good team behind her who made the borderline plays. If she had played on a mediocre team, I highly doubt she would have gone D1.

A good catcher/defense makes the team better. The things I mentioned make the pitcher good or bad

 

[Vertigo]

A good catcher/defense makes the team better. The things I mentioned make the pitcher good or bad

I also realize this would not be the case for P5 or top tier D1 programs, but some of the lower tier mid-major teams don’t even have designated PC’s so you do wonder if they can truly discern a very good pitcher from an ok pitcher during recruiting.

 

[_MIA_]

Steve Carlton won almost half his team’s games one year..

 

[_MIA_]

I also realize this would not be the case for P5 or top tier D1 programs, but some of the lower tier mid-major teams don’t even have designated PC’s so you do wonder if they can truly discern a very good pitcher from an ok pitcher during recruiting.

Yeah I can totally see some colleges having no clue about what they are looking at

So just to be safe make sure you are on a good team

 

[LEsoftballdad]

I also realize this would not be the case for P5 or top tier D1 programs, but some of the lower tier mid-major teams don’t even have designated PC’s so you do wonder if they can truly discern a very good pitcher from an ok pitcher during recruiting.

For the record, my daughter had hot interest from a D1 school in Colorado this year. The AC started texting her after a 20 minute conversation at the field, and my daughter was very excited.

Fast forward to Illinois the next weekend, and the other AC is there to watch here. She had an inconsistent warmup that day, and the coach walked away. He didn't watch her throw a pitch in anger, which she did well in that game, but in his mind, he didn't like her warmup routine on grass.

Thankfully, the interest isn't gone, but it goes to show they watch everything, not just games.

 

[Vertigo]

For the record, my daughter had hot interest from a D1 school in Colorado this year. The AC started texting her after a 20 minute conversation at the field, and my daughter was very excited.

Fast forward to Illinois the next weekend, and the other AC is there to watch here. She had an inconsistent warmup that day, and the coach walked away. He didn't watch her throw a pitch in anger, which she did well in that game, but in his mind, he didn't like her warmup routine on grass.

Thankfully, the interest isn't gone, but it goes to show they watch everything, not just games.

I agree - some of them do. Others, not so much.

 

[_MIA_]

For the record, my daughter had hot interest from a D1 school in Colorado this year. The AC started texting her after a 20 minute conversation at the field, and my daughter was very excited.

Fast forward to Illinois the next weekend, and the other AC is there to watch here. She had an inconsistent warmup that day, and the coach walked away. He didn't watch her throw a pitch in anger, which she did well in that game, but in his mind, he didn't like her warmup routine on grass.

Thankfully, the interest isn't gone, but it goes to show they watch everything, not just games.

That’s dumb. MLB pitchers have bad warmups all the time and end up pitching great.

 

[Vertigo]

That’s dumb. MLB pitchers have bad warmups all the time and end up pitching great.

Definitely not remotely near MLB level, but my DS actually pitches much better the crappier his warmup is. Not sure why….