From control to command?

[starsnuffer]

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?

All my pitchers practice a drill where we set up a T at home plate, in various locations, and they have to knock the ball off the T with their pitch. This does give them more then 4" and more like 7" of target, but the point is that this sort of drill is common.

Do you know those heavy vinyl backstops with the square "strike zone" painted on them that many batting/pitching cages have? Where do you think the strike zone is? Here's a hint: It isn't inside the box. The four lines that make up the rectangle is the strike zone, the kids aim at the line, anything inside the box is worse then balls outside the box.

-W

 

[Jillsdad]

I am not saying that practicing control isn't important, I am saying that throwing a ball through a 4" square from 43 feet 20 times in a row is beyond human ability. Even if you have phenomenal control and throw a ball through the square every other pitch, and hit the perimeter of the square on misses (JUST missing) your chances of throwing 20 in a row are 1,048,576 to one.

 

[EP Dad]

I am not saying that practicing control isn't important, I am saying that throwing a ball through a 4" square from 43 feet 20 times in a row is beyond human ability. Even if you have phenomenal control and throw a ball through the square every other pitch, and hit the perimeter of the square on misses (JUST missing) your chances of throwing 20 in a row are 1,048,576 to one.

How big do you think the square needs to be for it to be humanly possible? Just curious.

I also want to throw out there age requirements. I think it's probably obvious that control is practiced but never mastered and as girls gain more and more experience you get more and more control. Our coach was expecting a pretty high level of control out of a 12U pitcher. Such a high level that the pitching coach's reaction was, "she's 12". Which I happened to agree with. I would say for example that a typical 12U girl should probably be able to hit a quadrant 60-75% of the time? Or are my expectations too low?

 

[Greenmonsters]

Be careful with this. The travel and HS umps are not helpful with the zone as a college ump might be. You also see this in regionals where the zone is tiny.

Yes, you need to also practice 3-1 and 3-2 counts until you are blue in the face and get the edge of the plate. A secret: Angela Tincher's rise was over the plate and no one could hit it.

I see issues all the time with good pitchers not getting umps to call. Don't be too fancy.

Conceptually, there's one major fundamental difference between practice and games. In practice you should be trying to hit spots or the edge/ black of the plate, whereas in games you should be trying to either a) hit the edges of the umpire de jour's strike zone or b) hit targets outside the umpire's strike zone with pitches that the batters will swing at nonetheless. If you can get called or swinging strikes without ever throwing the ball over the plate, there's no reason to throw the ball over the plate.

 

[Jillsdad]

How big do you think the square needs to be for it to be humanly possible? Just curious.

7.5 inches

 

[EP Dad]

There's so many strikezones, but only the Umpires strike zone really matters.

If you can get called or swinging strikes without ever throwing the ball over the plate, there's no reason to throw the ball over the plate.

That is so true, Greenmonsters.

1. The hitter has a strike zone.
2. The coaches have a strike zone.
3. The pitcher has a strike zone.
4. The Ump has a strike zone.

I remember pitching little league when I was a kid. I was probably about 10. I knew how to throw strikes but I didn't have any command or movement pitches or anything like that just straight fast balls right down the middle. One game I was throwing my stuff belt high right down the middle and the Ump was calling them all balls. I started getting pretty upset (ok, I cried I think, what a wimp). My coach comes out to me and asks me what the problem was. I said I'm throwing them right down the middle and they're all balls. He says, well he called a strike when you threw it just below the knees so throw lower. I threw below the knees the rest of the game and pretty much struck everyone that I faced out. Lesson learned.

 

[LAdad]

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.

At her level, she should definitely start throwing each fastball either inside or outside (ok, in a game you may need a strike, but in practice no pitch should be aimed for the middle ever). The hand adjustment that makes the difference is pretty small.

Is that 18 months with the same pitching coach? I think the coach should have made her do the inside/outside location after, say, 1 month. I can't tell your daughter's athleticism or how hard she practices, but maybe it is time to shop around a bit for a PC.

 

[SCflashes]

How would you set up the T's for rise ball and drops? Thanks.

 

[RookKev]

After watching numerous four pitch walks this weekend, at the D1 level, I have to really question the ability to throw 20 strikes in a row, much less hit a 4 or 7 inch window.

 

[joemcq51]

I actually added some of this thread to my DD's pitching practice. With some minor adjustments. After she is loose and warmed up, I started making her throw 5 ptiches in a row to a spot. For example, screwball on the inside black. Before we would go to the next pitch, she has to hit the spot 5 consecutive pitches. If I have to move the glove, we start over. We have done this drill now 3 times. Each practice she struggled with different pitches. First day it was the change up, second it was the outside corner, third day it was the rise. She really had to work to get to the next pitch and it turned out to be an effective workout. I probably won't do this every practice, but to keep it fresh, it was a nice change of pace. Thanks for the tip Sluggers.