"How Fast Should a Fastball be?"
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halskinner
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- May 7, 2008
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Faster than what the batter is expecting to see.
In fastpitch softball, the batters rely and depend on the pitcher's motions to make the biggest decision they have to make; When to pull the trigger and start their swing.They rely on the pitcher's motions alot more than most think.
In baseball, not so much.
In fastpitch softball, the batters rely and depend on the pitcher's motions to make the biggest decision they have to make; When to pull the trigger and start their swing.They rely on the pitcher's motions alot more than most think.
In baseball, not so much.
From looking at everything we just understand better what we always thought; if you can consistently throw the ball on the outer third at the knees you will do just fine; especially when after doing so you get the umpire to start calling those pitches on and just off the black then your life as a pitcher is good...those thigh high balls on the inner half not so much and simply pitching the ball down the middle is not a good idea either.
Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Actually if you look a little closer, there are some things that aren't consistent with conventional wisdom. Such as: outside thigh high is more effective than outside low; inside thigh high is more effective than inside low; and, high across the board is effective.
That said, the data are from BB fastballs, so there's no cross applicability to SB because conventional wisdom is that fastballs have no place in elite fastpitch
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Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Oh no you didn't.
Oh yes he did! And the naughty list will result in coal in the stocking, which can be secreted in the pitcher's glove and applied sparingly to improve spin. And in the next book, I suggest including a mental game strategy chapter about telling the batter that Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny aren't real during key at bats during critical games (IME this strategy becomes less effective at U18 and older)
Except for Escobedo?
If youre catching for me 16u or over I need you to tell the batter his girlfriend keeps waving at me from the stands, and I got his mom's phone number at the gate. I'll take care of the rest from the mound.
We probably better not try that in our DD's games!!
Had a upper tier D-1 coach share her pitch tracking spread sheet. She uses for tracking pitches in practice and games had NO "fastball". I asked her about it and she said ever pitch needs some movement at her level.
Actually if you look a little closer, there are some things that aren't consistent with conventional wisdom. Such as: outside thigh high is more effective than outside low; inside thigh high is more effective than inside low; and, high across the board is effective.
That said, the data are from BB fastballs, so there's no cross applicability to SB because conventional wisdom is that fastballs have no place in elite fastpitch
I think it is conventional wisdom that it is hard to catch up to anything high (say at the letters) the problem also conventional wisdom is you can not find an umpire that will call strikes at the top of the zone so that mean you are only throwing those pitches in hopes they will swing at them it would be interesting to dive into the stats more and find out how many of those high ptiches were called versus swinging.
To the point about it being BB and not SB I agree to a point...do you thing SB would look different? Are there tons of girls pounding away at balls on the outside corner at the knees and everyone is striking out on those pitches down the middle?
