What stats are the most important in pitching?

[Dave619]

For my DD 12U team, our book keeper also uses an online data system for keeping game stats. I am curious to get your thoughts on what stats do you think are the most important? What stats do you share with your DD and at what age?

My DD is a first year 12U so I try to keep it simple. Here is what we talk about:

1) We have to limit walks cause there is no defense for a walk
2) If the batter hits the ball, we want soft grounders or easy fly balls
3) Rely on your mechanics to do the work
4) Let your defense help you.

Eventually, it may be as simple as did you give up hits, how many BB, how many K ??? However, we are not at the point where we really try to move the ball around a lot inside and out. She throws a drop about 80% of the time and we are still working on locating her pitches. We tend to try to do more location when she is up in the count.

When I look at the stats there are a few I look at for my info. that I don't share with her. These are not stats that I dwell on, just like to look at for additional information.

1) % of first pitch strikes
2) % total pitches that were strikes and % of pitches that were a swing and miss
3) average pitches per batter
4) % of weak hits vs hard hits and % of grounders vs fly balls

There are a few stat categories that I'm not sure about. For example:

% for batters that were on base or out in less than three pitches? I can see that as good or bad?

Thanks for your thoughts and for helping me help my DD!

 

[David Carter]

at 12U probably most important is # of BB. Nothing will bring a team down faster than walking runners on or worst in, if at 12U you are not walking (or HBP) more than one an inning I would think your teams chances of winning go up exponentially.

if at 12U your K's are better than your BB's again your chances of winning are going up dramatically.

 

[Stand an]

12u i agree that walks are #1. Passed balls or wild pitches with runners on base is #2. The passed ball is more of a catcher issue but at that age you can't expect miracles back there.

Walks are not desirable, combine a walk with a couple pb's or wp's and you're giving away runs.

After that it's whip and era I think.

 

[corlay]

My DD is 10U, and goal for a tournament is to avg 1 bb/inning or less, and she frequently and more often than not meets that goal. Avg over the course of 3-5 games in a tournament allows for a few bad games/ innings here and there, countered with a few truly exceptional performances.

Two things:

a pitcher cant become too fixated on "throwing strikes" or she will get shelled. She cant become fearful of a bb, and must understand that she must go for her pitches, walks be damned. Holding back/aiming/etc will likely produce more walks, not less.

You must not present goals/stats to a young pitcher that paint a BB as the "worst thing ever". Instead teach her to accept that a reasonable number of walks is an inevitability and help her to develop the mental toughness and moxie to get over it and get the next batter(s) out.

Ok , three things: its never too early to talk strategy and pitch location.

Example : my 10u has better than average velocity comapred to her peers, throws a fb and a change, and is a "low strike pitcher". She has poor inside/outside control in the sense its not so easy to hit plate corners on command. But she has developed pretty good high/low control. So in games its typically 70% low fast ball, 15% change, and 15% high heat. The high heat is a new thing weve been working on. Only throws it if successful with a few low strikes early in count, and then goes upstairs to see if batter will chase. Works famously at the. 10U level...

My point to all of this is, weve worked together in practice to identify what we think she can perform in a game, a d practice it for a few weeks, and then start using it in games - slowly at first. Pick spots with no baserunners and ahead in the count to introduce new strategy. After realizing success, get bolder and use it with baserunners, and earlier in count - but maybe perhaps not with 3b runner. Establish some success and push further...

This will, of course, result in a few walked batters, but the pitcher is now "pitching" instead of "not throwing balls". The former can be very rewarding. And IMO sparks a fire in a young player to want to improve, especially as confidence builds...

All that said, back to your stats, i think that # of pitches per batter would be very useful to track. Great idea...

 

[halskinner]

People talk about stats like every inning is exactly the same. Like every batter is the same. Like the game sitruations are always the same.

The best hitter on a particular team cant handle a high inside, but this time she is in a bunt situation. Throw high inside, she pulls back and you walk her. What good were your stats?

The stats you keep say what worked or did not work against a particular team

Most of the time it isnt the pitchers stats anyway, its the coach's!

Strikes and strike outs at the young ages. That's all they care about.

 

[alabama_lowlife]

I used to keep track of runs, strike outs, and walks. Then she got hurt and missed a year due to surgery. This year I haven't looked at the scorebook at all. She doesn't ask her stats anymore either.

 

[PEPPERS]

IMO is she having fun and is she completive.

 

[JAD]

As others have mentioned, I would work to limit the walks and look at first pitch strike percentages - always good to get ahead in the count unless the opposing teams batters are teeing off on a first pitch meatball! As she gets older I would look at walk/strikeout ratios and the WHIP.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

DD and I usually discuss the win stat the most, if we lose.............we just don't talk at all.

 

[David Carter]

Hal's point is well taken; it can be situation dependent. Let's say you are ahead a couple runs and there is a runner on, one out and the number 6 hitter is up and she has crushed the ball her previous two times up you don't give her meatballs and she walks that is not the same as...... you have now have the number nine batter up with two outs and bases loaded she has not hit the ball all game and struck out looking both of her times up and you then walk her without her even swinging....those walks are not created equal.

I am not a fan of pitching right down main street either that can lead to bad things as well but if I had to pick one I would rather give my defense a chance than have everyone just watch runs walk in.

Big ditto on pass ball, wild pitches. Just last tournament during an inning all us coaches were praising our catcher for blocking balls and grabbing ball that where destined over everyones head for the back stop after three or four of those one of our coaches yelled out "good block", the light bulb went off in my head and I whispered to him "yeah that is great but why is our pitcher making her work so hard."