Speed isn't everything

[Spicolo]

I have never heard of "step style" pitching. What does this mean and what are the other styles?

 

[halskinner]

I have never heard of "step style" pitching. What does this mean and what are the other styles?

There are two styles of pitching;

Step style and 'Leap and drag' style.

If a pitcher throws a pitch and their stride foot touches down BEFORE the pivot foot loses contact with the rubber, you have just seen a step style pitch.

If a pitcher throws a pitch and the pivot foot is pulled forward of the rubber BEFORE the stride foot touches down, you have just seen a 'Leap and drag' pitch.

 

[Spicolo]

Are there pros and cons with these styles? I assume the leap and drag style might allow for more velocity.

 

[softballfan94]

The young lady in the video has some potential. As with all kids she needs some more coaching and practice. I noticed a nice change up. Most of the other stuff was ok too. I don't think her speed is slow for that age, she is probably more average than slow. I think it is her step style that makes it look slower than it really is. She appears to be athletic enough to use the leap style, she will get a whole lot more energy released into the pitch with a leap style. She is relying on her arm strength in the video. (check out the Japanese pitcher that beat us in the Olympics - wow talk about energy)
In my experience the speed is not everything, it is the speed of the spin that counts (Cat Osterman will tell you that too). Work on the spin and the mechanics of the pitch and you will keep the batters off the bases. Changing speed and changing planes are the most important. Flat pitches like curves and screws tend to get hit more as the batters get older but those change ups and drops are killers.
Speed is necessary and I think you need to be above average at the 16A level but that doesn't mean you have to throw in the mid 60's. In college yeah, but not at high school age. If you can throw in the upper 50's, which is fast enough to let physics control the ball movement you are good to go. You need to have spins in the low 20's at least to get that rise ball to really pop, not just angle up.
Keep your body movement fast all the way and really sell those change ups.
Oh, and don't make too much over High School ball. The competition there is just not very good. Too much politics. Comp ball at the A level is way above most High School ball. Thats my 2 cents worth.

 

[softballfan94]

Oh, and I also wanted to mention that a good pitcher understands that strikeouts are not the end all. Most of our pitchers are taught to pitch for outs, not necessarily strike outs. Pitching for grounders and pop ups are almost guaranteed outs when you have a solid defense behind you. That strategy can also get you some double plays if a batter does happen to get on base.

 

[mudbug]

Many yrs ago when I was in college, myself and another buddy of mine tried to walk-on for baseball. This was at a major D1 school with a top national baseball program. I could have likely played at a smaller school, but I was there to get an education, they had a very strong department.

We both got cut. But the point is my buddy was a pitcher. They took another kid that had overwhelming speed instead of him. He was told he had good stuff, and good control, but they were taking the other kid that had poor control but great speed. They told him they believed that they could teach the other kid control, but they probably couldnt add much speed to my buddy. The kid with the faster speed had the most potential.

And that is why coaches go after speed. Faster pitchers have more potential.

 

[Mark H]

In my experience the speed is not everything, it is the speed of the spin that counts .

I would have added "and control of spin axis".

 

[Mark H]

Many yrs ago when I was in college, myself and another buddy of mine tried to walk-on for baseball. This was at a major D1 school with a top national baseball program. I could have likely played at a smaller school, but I was there to get an education, they had a very strong department.

We both got cut. But the point is my buddy was a pitcher. They took another kid that had overwhelming speed instead of him. He was told he had good stuff, and good control, but they were taking the other kid that had poor control but great speed. They told him they believed that they could teach the other kid control, but they probably couldnt add much speed to my buddy. The kid with the faster speed had the most potential.

And that is why coaches go after speed. Faster pitchers have more potential.

Or the coaches think they do. Coaches tend to think "Hey I can be the one to teach him/her to control that speed because I am a great coach". Sometimes they are right. More often they are wrong I think. At least with older pitchers. Someone once broke it down like a math equation. VML-velocity, movement and location/command. Change of speed being one of the velocity factors. The proposal was you had to have two of those three strong and the third factor reasonable to be successful. Get all three strong and you get to play for the National Team.

 

[rowdy]

We have a pitcher that is very fast for her age. Against most teams her stuff is too overwhelming for them and consequently she wins a lot of games. When we went to nationals and played quality teams she was not very effective. No matter how fast a kid throws good hitters will figure out how to catch up with her. Speed without movement is not good and no speed with movement is not good. You must have some of both to win at the higher levels.

 

[Mark H]

Very few have enough speed and movement if they don't command the ball reasonably well. Don't forget the importance of command/control. If your breaking ball moves to the middle I'd rather you threw something straight to one of the low corners unless your breaking balls move like Cat's.