In love with the Strikeout Pitcher

[grcsftbll]

We mostly do hitting practice off a pitching machine set in the low 50s. The girls kill it at practice. In games the pitching tends to be slower (even when we play teams w/ pitching in the 50s they're not usually going to give us their fast pitcher, being first year 10U) and they really struggle. I think if we ever did face a low 50s pitcher that threw strikes we'd kill it. We can't seem to hit the low 40s for anything.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Yeah, my experience in my area at least. Coaches do love speed, but the ones I've associated with want accuracy first, speed second.

I've heard the stories about coaches insisting on playing the fireball pitcher than walks 10 batters a game over a slower pitcher that can work the corners, but I've personally not seen any of the coaches around here do so.

Just my anecdotal observations.

We need to move to your area of the country!
I always hear about location being most important. Then movement. Last speed. It is mostly just talk.

I can't tell you how many times I sat and watched the walk fest happen.

A common metric for pitchers .... K/(BB+HBP). The higher the better.

 

[Sparky Guy]

The most important thing about speed that everyone is missing here is changing speeds. Give me a girl who throws hard with movement and who can throw the same pitch 5-8 mph slower and still make it work. Hitting is about timing. The best way to mess up the timing is to change speeds.

What's not to love about a strikeout pitcher? If you have one that averages 7 - 10 a game that's 1/3 to 1/2 the outs being handled with very little chance of a runner reaching base. While a "junk ball" (Hate that term.) will get you outs there can be multiple opportunities for mistakes by the defense on every play.

 

[Cobb_of_Fury]

the most important thing about speed that everyone is missing here is changing speeds. Give me a girl who throws hard with movement and who can throw the same pitch 5-8 mph slower and still make it work. Hitting is about timing. The best way to mess up the timing is to change speeds. .

^^^^this!!!^^^^

 

[maksoftball]

The most important thing about speed that everyone is missing here is changing speeds. Give me a girl who throws hard with movement and who can throw the same pitch 5-8 mph slower and still make it work. Hitting is about timing. The best way to mess up the timing is to change speeds.

DD is learning very fast on the mixing of pitches/speed. Last weekend, in 4 innings of work, she struck out 6 batters (not a high number) but the rest were grounders and pop ups. She said her riseball, drop and slow curve were working really well. Mix that up, and the batter will either watch, swing/miss or hit top/bottom of ball. She did about 10 innings of work (only got to play 3 games (showcase) due to rain/storms) and only allowed one run and had 3 walks (I think?).

 

[JJsqueeze]

When in doubt, look to MLB...the best there are strikeout pitchers. Even Maddux, the poster boy for pitch selection and accuracy over speed had a ton of strikeouts.

Show me someone extolling the virtue of pitching to contact and I will show you a blood relative of a pitcher that does not get her share of Ks.

 

[Sparky Guy]

DD is learning very fast on the mixing of pitches/speed. Last weekend, in 4 innings of work, she struck out 6 batters (not a high number) but the rest were grounders and pop ups.

You're looking at the "6" all wrong. In 4 innings of work she handled half of the outs herself. That is equivalent of having 10 K's in a game. As a coach I'd take that all day long. Especially with mixing in routine grounders and popups.

Sounds like your DD had a good weekend in the abbreviated weekend.

 

[maksoftball]

You're looking at the "6" all wrong. In 4 innings of work she handled half of the outs herself. That is equivalent of having 10 K's in a game. As a coach I'd take that all day long. Especially with mixing in routine grounders and popups.

Sounds like your DD had a good weekend in the abbreviated weekend.

Thank you. I wasn't there to see her play (my dh was). Our recruiting coordinator made the comment of "when coaches see her pitch, they see her get behind the count, and take note of that"...never mind that she still gets the out, never mind that she was working the zone with new umpire (which changes every game), never mind that she maintains strong composure not letting the full count get to her...she focuses on one pitch at a time. Sigh. Can you tell his comment irked me? LOL

 

[sluggers]

Generally, when you try to sell something, you give the buyer what s/he wants.

You are making excuses for your DD. If you want her to be "good", you have to avoid excuses. You are confusing her.

It is not good to get behind in the count. Your DD should have the ump's zone figured out by the bottom of the 1st.

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

Yea lights out, strikeout, or workhorse pitcher, its all the same. Every coach wants that one miracle player. My dd last year was the workhorse. Pitched a lot of games and won a lot of games. Now shes on a team where they want her to be the best pitcher on a 16U team that scrimmages with 18U teams. Was hearing a lot at Colorado that she needs to step it up. My reaction to that is my dd is the rookie and the newbie to this more elite 16U team shes on now, so basically a scrub. She is facing better batters and better pitching. Does she need to step up, absolutely. However with the more established pitchers on the team, they need to step up too. Lead my dd by example and not just preach or tell someone they need to be better. I know my kid will be on top again. Shes young, she will mature into this division.


My dd throws 100mph ............















in her mind!!