- Dec 20, 2012
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Asked DD's pitching coach the same question. She threw top 20 D1 school. Said she threw 61-63, said an occasional 64. But any time she was at the HOF it was consistent 63-65 and a 66 every now and then.
Pitching speeds?
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Asked DD's pitching coach the same question. She threw top 20 D1 school. Said she threw 61-63, said an occasional 64. But any time she was at the HOF it was consistent 63-65 and a 66 every now and then.
We were talking about this the other night at a Christmas party. I think softball is catching up to a lot of baseball tricks. It's scoreboard MPH, it's there for the fans and can be head games for the pitcher.
For fans if two teams are in a neutral "park", ( for both sides ) the reading is usually bumped up few for non tv games and bumped up a few more mph for televised events. Come on folks, it's all about ratings. ( the WOW factor )
Head games used to be in MLB a good bit. They may still be but lips are closed more now a days. Some use pitchfx to display straight from computer to the scoreboard. Some allow manual input from radar readings. Home team would bump their pitchers mph up to make it really look like he was bringing the heat, and lower the visitors mph. This frustrates the visitors pitcher and they start throwing harder and harder losing movement and their pitches start elevating where you don't want the pitch to be. ( hitters wheelhouse )
Not Manipulating readings was once just a handshake agreement, it may be a MLB rule now........I'm not sure.
- Jan 20, 2011
- 92
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I saw Traina and Ricketts pitch at the Canada Cup this summer and believe both of them can be70+ his pitchers. Ricketts threw her " crop duster " ( lefty drop curve) @ 69-71. Traina threw everything 68+ to 72. I used my pocket radar that had been tuned that morning. Those are game speeds.
- Jul 26, 2010
- 3,553
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I will say that what was "good enough" 10 years ago is not "good enough" today. Pitchers and hitters are getting a LOT better. If you are stuck in an organization with a coach who has the mindset of "I've always taught it this way, it's always worked", then run away as quickly as you can. Athletes and coaches MUST be students of the game and continue to learn and adapt.
I remember Uneo hitting 70 on the same radar that clocked Osterman around her usual 62mph. I've watched Abbot and Osterman throw in the same game and observed 70+mph numbers from Abbot and the usual 62-63mph speeds from Osterman and the visual difference to the casual observer was quite apparent. Why would they only bump up the speed for one pitcher? Softball is always low on funds and manpower, I honestly can't see the value in doing this for any one pitcher in particular.
That said, I do see some pretty crazy numbers coming from skills competitions and camps at the youth level, but being that the parents of these kids are paying hundreds of dollars with the promise of getting seen by college scouts and coaches, the smoke, mirrors, and hype is really not surprising here.
-W
I remember Uneo hitting 70 on the same radar that clocked Osterman around her usual 62mph. I've watched Abbot and Osterman throw in the same game and observed 70+mph numbers from Abbot and the usual 62-63mph speeds from Osterman and the visual difference to the casual observer was quite apparent. Why would they only bump up the speed for one pitcher? Softball is always low on funds and manpower, I honestly can't see the value in doing this for any one pitcher in particular.
That said, I do see some pretty crazy numbers coming from skills competitions and camps at the youth level, but being that the parents of these kids are paying hundreds of dollars with the promise of getting seen by college scouts and coaches, the smoke, mirrors, and hype is really not surprising here.
-W
Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
- 4,907
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DD played against the Chicago Bandits this summer. We know the speed of our pitchers and, to be honest, they threw just what we thought that they'd throw. Mostly 61-62. Our number 3 stepped up and sure enough 58 was pretty consistent although touched 60 a time or two. However, when the Bandit's girl's came out, they were 65+ and one was in the 70s pretty much half her pitches. Was this manipulation between innings? DD said that she didn't feel overwhelmed against the 65+ pitchers but when she had to face the pitcher throwing 70+, she had to get the bathead started and guessed. She said that there was no way that she could consistently hit this pitcher. As an FYI, all summer her team played teams comprised of players from the SEC and Big 10. She faced some outstanding pitching and yet, this pitching was far and away the best.
- Jul 26, 2010
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That was Monica Abbot pitching 70+ most likely. I know that Cat and Finch get most of the press, but I honestly feel that Abbot is one of the best in the world, if not THE best. How she has constantly and consistantly improved after college, and even after the Olympic team experience, has absolutely impressed me. She not only continues to gain speed every year, but she learned and mastered a very effective change-up AFTER she had already ended her Olympic career and moved on to the NPF. That kind of dedication and drive for excellence is amazing to behold.
-W
-W
- Jan 20, 2011
- 92
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The camps are great for identifying possibilities in players based upon what's seen but the numbers themselves should be taken with a grain of salt. I've seen Rev Fire speed numbers recorded and posted, guns used at all sorts of angles, fastball speeds consistently dipping and climbing 3-5 mph from station to station...not reliable. Best camps we saw were the On Deck camps where the kids just play and the coaches see what they see... not being spoon fed numbers.
Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
- 4,907
- 113
Have seen Lisa Fernandez pitch several times. IMO, she got the ball up there 64-65 but man oh man did she have movement. Saw Jenny Finch pitch several times. IMO, she got it up there 65-67. Again, great movement and, to be honest, she was so long that it seemed that she was up on the hitter when she released the ball. Saw Angela Tincher throw. She really threw hard but I'd guess that she threw it 67-68. Abbot can bring the mail. Again, she is so long that it seems that she is up on the hitter. Hard to adjust to that.
- May 7, 2012
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My DD's pitching coach was USA conference 4 time pitcher of the year and I asked her what her top speed was and she told me that she would top out at 63. But, she threw a lot of movement. She said when she went to the NPF, she was only throwing about 55-60and said a lot of the girls couldn't hit her. Not because of the slowness, but, the movement and placement of the ball. Speed is great, but, if you can make the ball move and hit your spots, you are dangerous.
- Dec 20, 2012
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speed and movement, one is useless without the other
