2 questions on pitching (sort of)

[pitchmom]

We had a radar gun given to us and we want to gun our DD. Not to see how fast she throws, but to get a basis to start at and hopefully to see improvement. The problem. I don't have a clue how to run this thing. When do I pull the trigger?....ie. when do we want to pick up the speed of the ball


Also, she is pitching jv this year. She is doing a decent job. Not a lot of k's(usually about 4 to 5 per game), but she is getting the ground balls and easy fly balls that she needs to get. well, they would be easy if someone could catch them. What can I tell her to keep her spirits up as she throws 25 extra pitches an inning because she has no defense behind her. The simple plays are not being made. Or they do field the ball, but the 1st baseman drops or simply doesn't catch the ball. She is getting to the point where she doesn't even want to take the mound for this team anymore.

Come on travel ball!!!!!

 

[splinterpicker]

Need to know what kind of radar gun some operate different. As for the 2nd question. The only thing the pitcher can control is there self. I would wager every pitcher has been there at some point. When my dd was young we put her on teams that really needed pitching and where not very good. She learned alot of humility.

 

[splinterpicker]

Good luck. I just think something can be learned out of every situation. It is easy to be a good pitcher on a good team. It is hard to be a great pitcher on a bad team.

 

[sluggers]

What can I tell her to keep her spirits up as she throws 25 extra pitches an inning because she has no defense behind her.

There are two parts to this.

First, she has to evaluate her pitching by "walks" and "how many batters hit the ball hard". If a pitcher doesn't walk anyone and no one hit the ball hard, then she did well whether she wins or loses the game. If the pitcher walks a bunch of people and the fielders are making diving catches and saving her rear end, then she didn't pitch well.

Second, at her age, there is some tough love needed. Whining and crying about it is fruitless. If you and her start blaming losing on the defense, she'll never develop the mental discipline it takes to win. The defense *always* makes errors. She has to accept it.

Sure, it sucks when the defense makes errors. That and $3.00 will buy her coffee at Starbucks. (By the way, has anyone told her that the defense feels the same way when she walks a batter? How many kids does she walk and how many kids get on by way of errors?).

There are ways to pitch with weak fielders. She can pitch around certain fielders. She can learn to play better defense on the mound. She can help direct traffic. Most importantly: She does not walk anyone.

As far as making 25 more pitches in an inning: So? At her age, she has to realize that she has to live in the moment and make every pitch she throws the best she has ever thrown, no matter how many times she might have to do it. When she faces really good hitters, they are going to foul off her best pitches time and time again. It is the same mindset--"I'm a pitcher. My art is pitching. Each pitch is a masterpiece."

If she were younger, you could do a "poor, poor baby" with her. But, she is too old for that. It is her name that is pinned to every win or loss...so, it is up to her to find a way to win.

 

[JAD]

I always tell my DD, "control what you can control", which is how she pitches....she cannot control the defense. I know it can be frustrating, especially when a pitcher is struggling to get out of an inning and the defense boots a routine play, but even major league players make errors!

We also have a saying of "next pitch", which basically means that the least important pitch of the game was the last one, and the most important pitch is the next one.

 

[JAD]

We had a radar gun given to us and we want to gun our DD. Not to see how fast she throws, but to get a basis to start at and hopefully to see improvement. The problem. I don't have a clue how to run this thing. When do I pull the trigger?....ie. when do we want to pick up the speed of the ball!

You should be able to google the model radar gun you have and find an owners/operator manual online. Most of the ones I have seen have a trigger that you pull as you point the radar towards the pitcher at the end of her wind up, releasing the trigger when the catcher catches the ball. Do not pull the trigger too early, or you risk getting the speed of the pitchers arm vs. the ball in flight.

 

[Madsdad]

Your DD is part of a team and as the parent of a pitcher we want everyone on the field to do their best. She needs to learn that no one is perfect and that mistakes are made. She needs to be able to stay focused and play through all of the mistakes including hers. Nothing is worse than listening to the parent or player that complains about other players except the player that gives up because of others mistakes. These are life lessons that you need to teach. Even if your DD never walks a girl, or hits a batter, makes a fielding error or strikes out, she still has to deal with it if she wants to play. Softball is a game of mistakes. Every team is waiting for the other to make one.
Guns differ greatly so you need to find out what you are dealing with. The pocket radar continues to read for a second after release and does not pick up and read just the high speed. Therefore you need to time the pushing of the button during arm circle so that you are close to release unless you want a speed at say the plate or half way to the plate.
JAD this is in no way intended to be sarcastic and I'm only thinking here, isn't the arm, hand, and ball at it's fastest release or at the very close? Or is the arm slowing down prior to release. Logic says that it is fastest after whip and that ends with the fingers?

 

[BradB41]

It's tough when a kid works as hard as a pitcher has to work and has to play 5 and 6 out innings. That being said, you win and lose as a team, and you can't enable the "poor me" attitude. My kid has struggled with similar issues. I try to spin it into a positive, by explaining that (assuming she didn't walk too many) she did her job, and all she can do is worry about doing her job to the best of her ability and putting the extra work in it takes to be successful. I also try to use it to motivate her...suggesting that we work harder so fewer kids get a bat on the ball. My guess is that your daughter is competitive and does not like to lose...and that's a good thing. Just try to point that in a positive direction rather than allowing it to go negative.

 

[CoogansBluff]

If the parents stop assigning negative value and blame to other kids then this stuff would not be an issue among the kids.

Hammer hit nail on head.

 

[pitchmom]

Thanks for the input. My hubby and I were talking the other night and we agreed that this is a good learning experience. I agree with the poster that said, it's easy to be a good pitcher on a good team......

She is learning how to struggle through and make adjustments and figuring it out for herself. It is just really tough to watch as a parent.

As far as the blame comments go....we have not said anything to any player or other parent and we are only encouraging at games. It is between us that we have this discussion.

She usually walks about 2 per game.