Question: When do increases in speed taper off?

[Rocketech1]

I can't tell you the number of parents who tell me their DD has 6-7 pitches when in reality they have command of maybe 1 of those said pitches.

His pitching calls were numbers 1-4 for high inside, low inside, high outside, low outside. My DD's numbers were 0-5 with 0 being an inside pitch off the plate, 1 inside over the black, 2 meatball, 3 black outside plate, 4 1 ball off, 5 2 ball off. Movement up and down was based on the pitch. He had my DD's so messed up, I finally told them to ignore him and throw what they thought was best. We didn't stay long on that team. If he had been more willing to work with us we might have tried to have them listen better, but it became pretty obvious after we joined the team that he was a nutcase.

So true about pitchers "having" 7 pitches but mastery of none. Case in point. My DD most recent team had 4 pitchers. The youngest, most inexperienced pitcher on the team had the most pitches: fastball, curve, screwball, riseball, drop ball, and change-up. Guess what her strike% was? 45%. She walked more batters than she struckout and consequently pitched the least amount of the 4 pitchers. The #1 and #2 pitchers "only" had 2 pitches: fastball and change-up (and occasional curve ball). Strike% was 65%, almost 4-1 strikeout to walk ratio, 1.6 ERA and 1.5 WHIP. They weren't flamethrowers or nor did they have 6 pitches but they could hit their spots with the FB frequently and had good command of the change-up. These pitching coaches make a living off scaring us parents into thinking their daughters need to learn all of the pitches known to mankind when they would be better served mastering 2 or 3 pitches instead.

Regarding locations of pitches. We normally use 1 - low/inside 2- high/inside 3 - high/outside 4 - low/outside 5 - down the middle. Curious what others do.

 

[starsnuffer]

I haven't seen a real riseball in forever. Even a local kid getting a huge scholarship to a top 25 school known for her "riseball" throws it with bullet spin.

More often you have pitchers with 5 variations of a fastball to different spots and a somewhat laughable changeup they never really throw because their "money pitch" is either a high, low, or inside fastball.

-W

 

[SoCalASABlue]

Regarding locations of pitches. We normally use 1 - low/inside 2- high/inside 3 - high/outside 4 - low/outside 5 - down the middle. Curious what others do.

I tell my pitchers NEVER to throw the ball down the middle - nor will I ever purposely ask them to throw the ball down the middle. Too dangerous IMHO.

 

[softballmom77]

If you throw the ball down the middle of the plate it's going to come back and knock your pitchers head OFF!!!

If a coach ever told DD to throw the ball down the middle of the plate she would call time and explain why she likes her teeth and would prefer to keep them.

From day 1 pitching coach has drilled that into her head....

Just my .02 cents

 

[starsnuffer]

Throwing down the middle is stupid. Not only is it absolutely irresponsible and disrespectful of the pitcher (it will get them hurt), but it makes no strategic sense. What coach would give up a multiple base hit when the worst damage the pitcher will do in most of those situations is put a runner on 1st base with a walk.

-W

 

[Rocketech1]

Let me clarify "middle". I'm not talking about middle of the strike zone, but middle of the plate. For example, sometimes you want a drop ball, low and in the middle. The height of the pitch will be between the shins and knees, middle of the plate to induce a weak ground ball. If you only called a drop ball low and inside or low and outside, she may be missing outside and inside. Same goes with a change-up. I like to work change-ups outside but if the pitcher is missing outside and not fooling the batter, I have on occasion had her throw it in the middle, albeit low where all change-ups should be. So I think it is important to have a sign for middle of the plate. And I agree with you that you don't want to throw too many pitches right down the middle of the plate, you will get hammered.

 

[Jojo]

So true about pitchers "having" 7 pitches but mastery of none. Case in point. My DD most recent team had 4 pitchers. The youngest, most inexperienced pitcher on the team had the most pitches: fastball, curve, screwball, riseball, drop ball, and change-up. Guess what her strike% was? 45%. She walked more batters than she struckout and consequently pitched the least amount of the 4 pitchers. The #1 and #2 pitchers "only" had 2 pitches: fastball and change-up (and occasional curve ball). Strike% was 65%, almost 4-1 strikeout to walk ratio, 1.6 ERA and 1.5 WHIP. They weren't flamethrowers or nor did they have 6 pitches but they could hit their spots with the FB frequently and had good command of the change-up. These pitching coaches make a living off scaring us parents into thinking their daughters need to learn all of the pitches known to mankind when they would be better served mastering 2 or 3 pitches instead.

Regarding locations of pitches. We normally use 1 - low/inside 2- high/inside 3 - high/outside 4 - low/outside 5 - down the middle. Curious what others do.

Where I instruct, coaches judge talent by how many pitches the pitchers have. Even at 10u. I won't teach 9yr olds every pitch, so I lose a lot of 9-10yr olds that way---Don't really care.
2 years later I see those same 9yrs old at 11-12 still chunking balls all over the place, where the ones of mine that stayed can throw a FB at location and have a decent change and drop.

Last year I had a 9yr old that was one of the biggest feared pitchers in the area...why? Because she could throw a fastball for a strike and a change-up. Not because she had 5 pitches. In State she faced one of my ex 9yr old pitchers that was then 10 who left because I wouldn't teach her new pitches until her mechanics were more solid--this 10yr old now had 5 pitches. That 10yr old lost the game 22-0. How can that be? She has to be better than a 9yr old with only 2 pitches! Her mom and coach said so!

And I'll take that all day long over chunking pitchers.

 

[cmustangsfp]

The thing I loved about our DD's PC was that she would not teach anything beside FB and CU until you had somewhat mastered those first. Once you had those under control she would introduce your next pitch. She might let you see the mechanics of a few other pitches to see which one you were the best at, but usually it was the drop then curve then rise. So I agree with JoJo, don't try to have 4 pitches when you can't throw 3 very well.