Barnhill

[Gtrips07]

I would like to see her dominance whe she is pitching legally. From what I have seen she is not unhittblable when she pitches legally and her speed drops 5-7 MPH when she pitches legally.



Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[panthadad2]

Now is a great time to revisit this 2012 thread on Barnhill.

https://www.discussfastpitch.com/so...-skills-challenge-marietta-ga-nov-2012-a.html

Post #15 on that thread from RubberBiscuit is amazingly prophetic with the exception of part of the last bullet point "and illegal pitch her team right out of the Series never to be seen again". Yes the IP hurt in the world series, but Barnhill is still considered an amazing talent.

 

[Chaz McNulty]

Both. However, I will say Barnhill gets more backspin on her riseball than any other D1 pitcher and throws it on 3 different planes. Neither of those facts relate to her crow hop. For speed, I don't think her crow hop is much of an advantage since she gets to the front of the circle just like every other top D1 pitcher but they are not dominating like her. But even if she gains 1 foot farther distance from the pitching plate than she normally would, that does not account for her dominance in the game over the last 3 years. For example, Paige Lowery throws in the low 70's but is not the same pitcher as Barnhill. With that said, I think opposing teams have started to "figure" Barnhill out, especially the second half of this season and is the reason you see so many home runs hit off of her.

As someone mentioned, her mental toughness when things don't go her way is questionable and she is a terrible fielding pitcher probably because over the years she struckout most batters and never had to work on that part of her game. She reminds me a little bit of Chuck Knoblauch who had the throwing yips, it was always an adventure to see him throw to a base.

Love her or hate her, she is an entertaining pitcher and my DD and I always find ourselves wanting to see her pitch to see what will happen next.

I have to disagree. Even when the final distance to home is the same as a straight leap, the crow hop will give you the advantage of momentum coming forward before replant and it also gives you the advantage of starting with your feet apart on replant (as opposed to both being in contact with the rubber).

I think it is a huge speed advantage and that's why almost every pitcher in the men's game does it.

 

[Gtrips07]

I have timed her and on my pocket radar she was off 5-7 on every legal pitch

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[riseball]

She is a good even very good pitcher who until the rules started to be enforced had exceptional results. A great pitcher is a complete package. Barnhill has great spin and above average velocity. But as we have all seen her ability to field her position and her mental game is poor to mediocre at best.

 

[Gtrips07]

My DD had an error this weekend fielding. She said she pulled a Barhnill.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[CoreSoftball20]

I just saw this thread as I don't come on much during the weekend. The first thing I thought was that
her mental game is atrocious. She just comes off as the kid that never had to deal with losing in her career,
and when something goes south, it sends her into a mental funk.

Losing will teach you way more about yourself and show others about yourself than winning ever will. But what
it also does, is makes you stronger.

 

[Softball scholar]

I just saw this thread as I don't come on much during the weekend. The first thing I thought was that
her mental game is atrocious. She just comes off as the kid that never had to deal with losing in her career,
and when something goes south, it sends her into a mental funk.

Losing will teach you way more about yourself and show others about yourself than winning ever will. But what
it also does, is makes you stronger.

To be a pitcher and NCAA player of the year, you have to have some mental toughness. Ive seen her get through tough situations.

 

[cuzmail]

My DD had an error this weekend fielding. She said she pulled a Barhnill.

That's our term too!
It sounds something like. "Ohhhh, she Barnhilled that one!"

 

[masterblaster22]

How do you know they didn't?

IMO, this is the fault of Tim Walton and every other coach who knows their pitchers are illegal and insists on putting them in the circle and then blame the umpires who make the call. Remember a few years ago when the umpires were directed to make those calls? This happened after the coaches either complained the IP wasn't being called or that since it wasn't being called, why worry. Remember how crazy the coaches got from Candrea down? They never claimed their pitchers were not illegal, but harassing the umpires for having the audacity to make the call.

If I remember correctly, the NCAA made a change in the umpire hierarchy. Think the coaches had anything to do with that? The coaches are the problem. IMO, some place their numbers over the player and game.

Walton and the win at all costs mentality. Seeing him berate his players and his constant tirades off to the side makes me a bit uneasy also. Yet he has the 12 yr olds and their parents lined up all the way around the corner.