2 pitches

[Dave619]

Everything I am reading on here and on elite pitchers tells me someone with a 70 mph fastball that they can locate, a good peel drop, and a wicked CU can be highly successful. The only thing I would add is what Sluggers already said...need to change speeds.

 

[02Crush]

Locations and Speed. Period. The best pitchers I have seen work 2 maybe 3 pitches in this way and are dominant in their age grouping. Usually the 3rd pitch is a work is (as previously stated) not 100% accurate but can be used once in a while to really mess with a weaker batter to get a strike.

 

[Greenmonsters]

2 plus plus pitches and pinpoint control = dominant at any level with a competent pitch caller behind the plate.

 

[Coach JV]

Slugger has a great point

If a kid can't throw a pitch in a tie game with the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the 7th, it is worthless.

Part of what gets a pitcher to this point is her 'mental makeup'. The mental aspect of pressure situations
is what makes and breaks the best pitchers. She needs a short term memory regarding how the bases loaded up,
and worry only about the next pitch.

 

[slingnit]

Hasn't really be done, so No on the premise and on the next part, she won't go far with two. Ricketts has a rise, too in case you did not notice. She does not throw a fastball. I would say you not only need at least four pitches, but all the girls have at least three, so you better be there with your arsenal.

You must have been watching Stephanie or Samantha because Keilani does not throw a rise. She threw one occasionally last year but this year she did not throw it.

 

[halskinner]

Is everyone basding their opinions as to what who throws on the announcers opinion of what they threw?? I hope not. If Keilani threw a fastball that goes a little high, you know they will say 'Nice riseball'. Just sayin.

 

[EP Dad]

Escobedo a couple of years ago only needed one pitch. If they can't hit it, they can't hit it.

 

[coach james]

Drop ball, rise ball, and change up... just to add a touch of flare, adjust your finger pressure to the drop to have a cutter... As a PC...this all I teach.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

A FB over 65 miles an hour, will win you games, in 95% of the various colleges, I bet. (my opinion only)

 

[starsnuffer]

A FB over 65 miles an hour, will win you games, in 95% of the various colleges, I bet. (my opinion only)

Not sure if this is the case anymore, Amy. Didn't Arizona pick up a California kid (Nancy Bowling perhaps?) who throws around 68 or so according to ESPN speed guns, but she typically gets hit pretty hard, and certainly isn't blowing the doors off of batters.

I'm not sure the speed impresses batters as much as it used to. I still see college batters failing because they choose poor pitches to try to hit gap to gap (typically trying to pull outside pitches up the middle instead of fouling them off) more then I see them failing because they're very late with their swing.

-W