From control to command?

[redhack]

What are some of the metrics used when determining to move a pitcher on?

My DD is starting to throw over 80-85% strikes. We are mid season and have no intention on doing anything until it is over. She knows the concept of position pitches. So I was just thinking when do you move them on? What is the bar? Is there any harm to letting her finish the season this way? She won't go back to her pitching coach until after the season.

 

[sluggers]

So I was just thinking when do you move them on?.

A pitching machine throws 100% of the pitches in the strike zone, and not many people believe pitching machines are particularly effective pitchers.

You may be fundamentally missing the objective of pitching. The objective is *not* to throw 85% strikes. The objective is for a pitcher to be able to place the ball at any location in and around the strike zone.

The real question is whether she can put the ball in a specific location on command. If she can't, then she needs to work on her control. If she can, then she needs to work on her control so that she can continue to put the ball in a specific location.

Nothing--not speed and not movement--is as important as control. She should be working on control throughout the entire season. There is no beginning and no end to working on control. As the batters improve, as they will throughout the season, they stop swinging at balls out of the zone. So, the pitcher either improves or she starts getting smacked around.

The way she improves her control is to challenge her during practice to put the ball into an increasing specific location.

My DD's coach in college set up four bungee chords to form a square. A softball could barely fit through the square. My DD had to put 20 pitches in a row through the square before she could go home after practice. Can your DD do that? If not, then she should be out there practicing her control.

 

[EP Dad]

My DD's coach in college set up four bungee chords to form a square. A softball could barely fit through the square. My DD had to put 20 pitches in a row through the square before she could go home after practice. Can your DD do that? If not, then she should be out there practicing her control.

Wow. That's one heck of a drill.

I think I really started to understand how important control is to coaches listening to Jessica Allister (Head Coach for Minnesota - D1) talk about Sara Moulton (Big 10 freshmen of the year) when they would interview her between innings, or after games, etc. She'd ALWAYS talk about how Sara had great command and could put the ball wherever she wanted to whenever she wanted to.

 

[redhack]

That is why I posted this. She cannot place the ball in one location consistently. We have not after 18 month of pitching gotten that far. We have been working on fundamentals and speed. She is now comfortably throwing strikes at full speed, on a consistent bases. She is 11y and I think it may be time to switch over to location being the goal, not just strikes.

Just don't know what is the goal this early on, and when do we begin to stress location.

Six weeks ago she was at about a 40% strike rate. She got benched first inning out this year, and since then has been on a mission.

So if I understand, location should be the goal from the beginning.

 

[sluggers]

The goal is always being able to put the ball where she wants to. She has to "throw strikes" to play, and the strike zone changes from batter to batter and umpire to umpire. You are always teaching control.

The way you teach control is that you first divide the strike zone into 4 quadrants...upper right, lower right, lower left, upper left. Then, you, as the catcher, call for the ball in one of the quadrants. Then she has to put the ball into that quadrant. When she does, then you move to the next quadrant. You keep doing this until she can put the ball into any of the quadrants on command.

After that, you make it more difficult by making the quadrants smaller...e.g., the ball has to be over the black.

When you can call for the ball in any quadrant and she can put into that quadrant, then you start doing specific location work. I.e., you put the mitt anywhere you want. Then, she is to throw the ball into the mitt. If you have to move the mitt, then she has missed the target, and she has to do it again. If you don't have to move the mitt, then you give her another target.

She has to do this with each of her pitches. It will take years.

Your DD has to learn how to (1) figure out the umpire's strike zone and (2) pitch at the edge of the umpire's strike zone.

EP: My DD told me that when she was up against the good batters, she had to consistently put the ball at the edge of the strike zone for several pitches in a row. If she put the ball over the plate, they would hit it. If she put the ball out of the strike zone, the batters would take the pitch for a ball.

When you see the classic "batter fouling off pitches with a 3-2 count" during the game, the batter is waiting for the pitcher to make a mistake and put the ball over the white of the plate. It is a battle of wills between the pitcher and the batter.

 

[Jillsdad]

My DD's coach in college set up four bungee chords to form a square. A softball could barely fit through the square. My DD had to put 20 pitches in a row through the square before she could go home after practice.

If anyone is interested, I will wager $10G that this cannot be done by any pitcher at any level. I'll even give her/him 100 pitches to try it. I am assuming that "a softball could barely fit through" means a 4" square, and we will go from 43'. Any takers?

 

[rowdy]

If you catch your daughter when she practices try moving your target inside to outside after every pitch that hits the correct location. At the beginning don't put as much emphasis on high/low, just make sure she is hitting the edge on command. You will find that she will have one edge that is easier than another but eventually she will be able to hit the mark.

Also talk about where your pitches should miss. If you are throwing in and low then miss in and lower. So many games are decided by a miss that ends up in the middle of the plate. Be patient and know most pitchers have no control of their pitches because they spend all their time working on having five different pitches.

 

[Lozza]

So many games are decided by a miss that ends up in the middle of the plate.

This is so, so true. Right up to international level. I still remember being 13 and got up early to watch Australia play the US. Watching Jo Brown put the ball over the fence had me screaming. She said after the game that it came in perfect and was probably the only pitch Lisa Fernendez missed all game. That was the weirdest game ever.

 

[sluggers]

Jillsdad...sure, I'm in. Who do you want to hold the money?

 

[Jillsdad]

You can hold it Sluggers - I trust you (just respectfully do not believe it is mathematically possible)

Tell you what - post a video of a pitcher throwing 7 consecutive balls through a 4" square and I will send you a $100 check made out to the charity of your choice.