How to get 'junk' ball pitcher some respect?

[GOINGDEEP]

I misinterpreted nothing. Why is it that a good junkball pitcher will average 14 or more K per game? And, any contact made (as you did mention) rarely make it out of thne infield.

Hal I do agree with a lot you say, maybe not the way you say it, but I understand the points you're trying to pass on.

First of all I like watching Junkers, always did long before I had a DD that led me to fastpitch. It's a style of pitching. Should every pitcher aspire to be a junker, no. Just like in MLB, a few have made a good career throwing junk, the same applies to FP.

I'd say Schmidt was about as close as we can find in the higher levels of FP as an example. She did have a few games with 10+ K's, but over a season she still only averaged slightly above 1 K per inning. She did have a good number of FO/GO.

If you have another example of someone we know who is a junker "averaging 14 or more K's per game" I'd love to see them.

 

[BoardMember]

Why is it that a good junkball pitcher will average 14 or more K per game?

I can't believe you just said that. Junk Ballers averaging 14K's a game from 46ft throwing "slurves" and "loby changes" and "gravity drops"??? Like it's an "everyday thing" at the 16UA/18UA/18Gold/Collegiate levels?............

Please........Who are you tryin to kid Hal........

And, any contact made (as you did mention) rarely make it out of thne infield.

Wow........You need to quit going to those recreation level games and get out and watch some "real" A level ball.........

 

[Greenmonsters]

College Junkballer = any pitcher <65 mph AND < 1.5 K/inning OR no riseball.

 

[marriard]

College Junkballer = any pitcher <65 mph AND < 1.5 K/inning OR no riseball.

Based on what I have seen that would be almost all of them

 

[JAD]

College Junkballer = any pitcher <65 mph AND < 1.5 K/inning OR no riseball.

I would say this is pretty accurate for a Top D1 program, but there are a lot of college pitchers out there who are no where close to 65MPH. I would classify a junkballer as any pitcher who's fastest pitch is less than 60 MPH. I think there are a lot of college pitchers who I would not classify as "junkballers" throwing 60-65. Any pitcher 65+ should be classified as a power pitcher.

 

[halskinner]

People with the 'Baseball mindset' should stick to baseball.

Wanting every piych down for a grounder falls into that mindset, a DEFENSE ORIENTED coach also has that baseball mindset.

A coach that DOES NOT ALLOW a pitcher to use the riseball, same thing there.

Any coach that says "Let em hit it and let the defense doi there job" is the worst of all.

Any coach that thinks fastball and change up is all you need to win, that coach has no clue aaand most definitely needes to go back to baseball but, not before he is tarred and feathered



If a pitcher steps into the circle with DEFENSE on their mind, thats exactly what they will be doing, defending themselves from hit balls. Pitching ability vs hitting ability, the batter is attacking your ability and you must be attacking the batter's ability. Pitching offense vs hitting offense. If you step in the circl with defense on your mind, you will not be successful.

If the coach does or says anything to cause the pitchers to think defensively, he is a loser and the teams stats will show it.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Based on what I have seen that would be almost all of them

My point exactly, LOL! I would've used a sacarsm emoticon if one were available.

 

[Greenmonsters]

People with the 'Baseball mindset' should stick to baseball.

Wanting every piych down for a grounder falls into that mindset, a DEFENSE ORIENTED coach also has that baseball mindset.

A coach that DOES NOT ALLOW a pitcher to use the riseball, same thing there.

Any coach that says "Let em hit it and let the defense doi there job" is the worst of all.

Any coach that thinks fastball and change up is all you need to win, that coach has no clue aaand most definitely needes to go back to baseball but, not before he is tarred and feathered



If a pitcher steps into the circle with DEFENSE on their mind, thats exactly what they will be doing, defending themselves from hit balls. Pitching ability vs hitting ability, the batter is attacking your ability and you must be attacking the batter's ability. Pitching offense vs hitting offense. If you step in the circl with defense on your mind, you will not be successful.

If the coach does or says anything to cause the pitchers to think defensively, he is a loser and the teams stats will show it.

Spoken like someone who got cut from the HS baseball team.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I sure wish we had pitchers who didn't need to rely AT ALL on their teammates ( defense ), that sure would have made my life easier the past few years.

Wanting every piych down for a grounder falls into that mindset, a DEFENSE ORIENTED coach also has that baseball mindset.

I remember reading in a study that fly balls ( which are usual with flat or upward trajectory pitches ) are 4-5 times as valuable to the offense then grounders. Mostly because of the tag up on FO or extra bases, vs the potential for double plays or elimination of lead runners with GO. But we if we all just had pitchers who strike out every batter, we wouldn't need those statistics.

If a pitcher steps into the circle with DEFENSE on their mind, thats exactly what they will be doing, defending themselves from hit balls. Pitching ability vs hitting ability, the batter is attacking your ability and you must be attacking the batter's ability. Pitching offense vs hitting offense. If you step in the circl with defense on your mind, you will not be successful.

Until someone can show me a pitcher who never gives up a hit, a pitcher who doesn't take the circle with defense on her mind is a fool. A pitcher AND her defense should ALWAYS be aware of the pitch that is coming and be set for the probability of its path "if" it were to be hit. ( inside = pulled / outside = opposite field / bunt = up )

Any coach that says "Let em hit it and let the defense doi there job" is the worst of all.

I'm not sure if I've ever run across a coach with this philosophy. Maybe in slowpitch?

Not sure the hatred of baseball guys, but FP is slowly trying to adapt and utilize a lot of baseballs attributes. From running, throwing, fielding, batting, pitching, coaching, managing, plays, rosters, line ups, and technological advances. One only wonders why the game and the athletes are getting better??

 

[Gbucz]

... effectively mixing speed, spin, and change of velocity is the key to success.

Edited to add: However, it takes an experienced pitch caller to make it work and frankly there aren't many coaches or catchers in the FP game that have a clue.

This is so true! My junk baller DD was religated to #2 last year (and then cut ) behind a wild flamethrower. Her old coach couldn't call a game (drop, drop, drop, FB, drop, FB, drop, etc...) since the flame thrower had no pitches (unless you talked to her bully mom).

Her new coach had two pitching daughters go on to dIII colleges and knows how to call a game. He is gaga over my DD since she is accurate and the ball moves hard and late. She has put lights out more than once this year because he watches the batters and knows my DD can throw a drop, true rise, a rise curve and a flat screw with a killer change - to ANY CORNER when he wants her too. He sees a batter's weakness and has my DD throw different movements to those spots. She throws them all in mid 50's with a 38 change. She rarely throws FB as they get HIT.

There is a lot more head scratching in her 7 games so far than we ever saw last year. He recently had her come in to relieve a timed tourney game in the last inning because he knew how to get the batters and had less than 5 minutes. In 11 pitches she threw 10 strikes and one off the plate. They fouled one strike (floated a rise) and the off the plate and wiffed the other moving pitches. The other coach and batters (along with half our parents) were dumbfounded. We still had a minute to spare. My DD was in heaven but immediately congratulated the starting pitcher on winning the game. This team and coach are going to be great.

If only we had decent catching and could minimize dropped thirds. Coach has apologized numerous times and is trying get some catching coach expertise to help.

We scrimmaged her old team and the flamethrower hit two of our girls and we pounded her long to the fence. My DD told them all to swing the flamethrower will provide the power. Anything close to the plate and our girls crushed it. Speed does kill - defenses not our offense! My DD also took down a few of their batters at the plate but many GO's too. A flamethrower with little control and coaching verses a junker and solid coaching - I'll take the junker!!