What's "Most" important
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- Nov 18, 2013
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Um, Gold Glove awards are for fielding ability and have nothing to do with his pitching speed.
It is none of them.
The MOST important thing for any pitcher is the mentality. It takes a different mental make up to walk out there and know it is on you and to go to the next pitch unscathed even when it doesn't go the way you want it to. And to go out there the next time... and the next time and so on. Physical tools mean nothing without this. I honestly don't know any good, reliable older pitchers who I could reasonably describe as 'fragile'. You can't fall apart.
Now, beyond that and more relevant to this poll - the three poll physical aspects are all connected together to varying aspects. But it is all about making sure the batter can't square you up.
You MUST have the acceptable speed to be effective at the level you are playing. That is not optional. It doesn't matter how well you locate or spin it if you have 'meatball' speed for your current level.
Location - well you still have to throw some strikes so even if you have a cannon for an arm, you can't walk everyone. You can get away without being precise if you can blow it by some batters at your level of play, but if you can't throw a strike on demand 90% of the time, you are going to walk a LOT of batters and give up a lot of runs. And if it is just totally STRAIGHT, well you better be hitting that low outside spot and hope you have an umpire who will call it.
Spin - Again - it has to move at least a little. If you are elite at speed or location, it doesn't have to move much to make sure when they do get it, it doesn't get squared up, but if you are not, you are going to REALLY need to move it to compensate.
The more you are elite at one of the three, the more you can be average or if you are particularly elite - even below average at the other two. I think there is a minimal level for each to be effective - and then it just becomes are you good enough at one aspect to compensate for maybe not being as good at another aspect. You have two of these three things at an above average level and the minimum acceptable level at the other and you are going to be REAL good.
If you use Greg Maddux as an example - he may not have thrown 95mph but he threw hard enough that it was highly effective because his location and spin were totally elite. If you ever watch the prank video of Maddux on Kris Bryant you can see just how hard it was for a MLB player to hit BP curve balls from Maddux. That is ridiculous.
The MOST important thing for any pitcher is the mentality. It takes a different mental make up to walk out there and know it is on you and to go to the next pitch unscathed even when it doesn't go the way you want it to. And to go out there the next time... and the next time and so on. Physical tools mean nothing without this. I honestly don't know any good, reliable older pitchers who I could reasonably describe as 'fragile'. You can't fall apart.
Now, beyond that and more relevant to this poll - the three poll physical aspects are all connected together to varying aspects. But it is all about making sure the batter can't square you up.
You MUST have the acceptable speed to be effective at the level you are playing. That is not optional. It doesn't matter how well you locate or spin it if you have 'meatball' speed for your current level.
Location - well you still have to throw some strikes so even if you have a cannon for an arm, you can't walk everyone. You can get away without being precise if you can blow it by some batters at your level of play, but if you can't throw a strike on demand 90% of the time, you are going to walk a LOT of batters and give up a lot of runs. And if it is just totally STRAIGHT, well you better be hitting that low outside spot and hope you have an umpire who will call it.
Spin - Again - it has to move at least a little. If you are elite at speed or location, it doesn't have to move much to make sure when they do get it, it doesn't get squared up, but if you are not, you are going to REALLY need to move it to compensate.
The more you are elite at one of the three, the more you can be average or if you are particularly elite - even below average at the other two. I think there is a minimal level for each to be effective - and then it just becomes are you good enough at one aspect to compensate for maybe not being as good at another aspect. You have two of these three things at an above average level and the minimum acceptable level at the other and you are going to be REAL good.
If you use Greg Maddux as an example - he may not have thrown 95mph but he threw hard enough that it was highly effective because his location and spin were totally elite. If you ever watch the prank video of Maddux on Kris Bryant you can see just how hard it was for a MLB player to hit BP curve balls from Maddux. That is ridiculous.
- Jul 5, 2016
- 659
- 63
How do you set up polls? I want to start of poll to see which is most important to a human being.
Food
Water
Air
Food
Water
Air
- Feb 7, 2013
- 3,188
- 48
It's a silly question because they are all the most important. It's like asking what's the most important part of the car: the engine, the body, or the wheels. Without all three you don't have a car and without all three in pitching (location, speed, & spin) you don't have a pitcher.
And I agree with Ken B, Good Form is a prerequisite for having all the other 3. I will add that work ethic and mental toughness in the circle are also very important.
And I agree with Ken B, Good Form is a prerequisite for having all the other 3. I will add that work ethic and mental toughness in the circle are also very important.
Some great answers here by a few posters. And all three are needed to be a great pitcher. I’m another vote for speed if I had to pick one. Location is all about proper mechanics and muscle memory. If you have speed you can develop location in time. If you are great at location but slow speed then if you increase speed it effects your timing for location. So you are starting over somewhat at learning locations as you work to increase speed. Speed also gives you more options for off speed pitches which disrupt batters more then most movement pitches. When starting the journey with my DD as a pitcher we faced the decision of speed or accuracy. And while at first it seems much easier to just learn to throw strikes, we were brought around to the learn to throw hard and then use proper form and mechanics to control it. After a few years and seeing different girls in our area use different paths I’m very happy of the speed first mentality taught to my daughter.
