Pitcher without lessons

[4Martini]

When do you think lessons actually became a thing? 80's? 90's? Lessons (for any skill aspect in sports) more than likely allow a quicker (but more expensive) path for great athletes, who would otherwise probably figure it out on their own. Mickey Mantle learned to switch hit against his RH father and LH grandfather throwing tennis balls at him trying to strike him out...For mere mortals they probably allow for success that wouldn't otherwise have been found...

My daughter’s pitching coach was just telling us how pitching lessons were not a thing when she was growing up and she had a book from the library and practiced a lot. Her college career was at the very end of the 90s/ early 2000s and was quite successful.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Throwing strikes at a young age is something that doesn't concern me

It concerns me if I am watching or playing in a game. A pitcher by definition has to be able to throw strikes on some level. Games are 10u aren't designed as pitcher practice, they are indeed games that include 9 other players.

All pitchers have good days and bad so showing patience with young pitchers would be prudent. It is also true that pitchers that throw more strikes at a younger age get more pitching time and gain all of the advantages associated with that.

I guess if your goal was to be a collegiate pitcher then throwing strikes at an early age would be less of a concern however most players do not go on to play college.

Speaking for the 9 other position players standing around watching....throw some damn strikes and let's play ball.

 

[lostcreek1]

It concerns me if I am watching or playing in a game. A pitcher by definition has to be able to throw strikes on some level. Games are 10u aren't designed as pitcher practice, they are indeed games that include 9 other players.

All pitchers have good days and bad so showing patience with young pitchers would be prudent. It is also true that pitchers that throw more strikes at a younger age get more pitching time and gain all of the advantages associated with that.

I guess if your goal was to be a collegiate pitcher then throwing strikes at an early age would be less of a concern however most players do not go on to play college.

In summary for the 9 other position players standing around watching....throw some damn strikes and let's play ball.

I agree with ArmWhip to a point. It is not the one thing I am concerned with the most. However you have to at least be able to throw enough strikes that you don't walk in runs every inning. If you do that you wont be pitching very much.

 

[MNDad]

Is the pitcher in question attending clinics and training outside of regular practices? She doesn’t need private lessons, but if she’s not receiving any formal instruction and working on her own she’s not going to keep up with the girls who are.

 

[ArmWhip]

I guess if your goal was to be a collegiate pitcher then throwing strikes at an early age would be less of a concern however most players do not go on to play college.

I understand the need not to have games turn into walkfests. However, bowl strikes at 10U, get clobbered at 12U, play another position at 14U, that's the progression that I see in my area. And I don't have a solution. But as an instructor I'm not teaching my kids to bowl just so they can get innings at 10U, or even 12U.

 

[lostcreek1]

I understand the need not to have games turn into walkfests. However, bowl strikes at 10U, get clobbered at 12U, play another position at 14U, that's the progression that I see in my area. And I don't have a solution. But as an instructor I'm not teaching my kids to bowl just so they can get innings at 10U, or even 12U.

I agree with this 100%

 

[wheresmycar]

If she is serious about pitching, and wants to pitch beyond rec ball, get her into lessons.... maybe, you are that 1/10,000 that can excel without professional instruction... but, more than likely you are not.

GL