Velocity vs accuracy

[radness]

A pitcher who doesn't really have control but does have un-common speed,
( faster than most) and can throw a 'spray of locations' in, around and near the strike zone can be effective until they are throwing to batters who have developed a good eye.
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I had asked earlier in the thread, maybe I missed some replies ???
*At what speed does 'velocity' become relevant say for in the college levels, to be considered a pitcher with high velocity.?
Me would say 70+
65/68 are common.

Perhaps in each age bracket there is common mph #'s, so if a pitcher threw above that would be considered a pitcher with velocity
*What numbers mph would those be?
10u
12u
14u
16u
18u

 

[Tazman]

A pitcher who doesn't really have control but does have un-common speed,
( faster than most) and can throw a 'spray of locations' in, around and near the strike zone can be effective until they are throwing to batters who have developed a good eye.
_____________________

I had asked earlier in the thread, maybe I missed some replies ???
*At what speed does 'velocity' become relevant say for in the college levels, to be considered a pitcher with high velocity.?
Me would say 70+
65/68 are common.

Perhaps in each age bracket there is common mph #'s, so if a pitcher threw above that would be considered a pitcher with velocity
*What numbers mph would those be?
10u
12u
14u
16u
18u

My subjective stab (without the customary grandpa radar adder). None of it matters after 12U unless they can also mix speeds, hit spots, and move the ball.

10u 45
12u 52
14u 58
16u 62
18u 64

You are wrong on college. 70mph is smoking fast. Mid to high 60s is high velocity on a properly calibrated gun. Ask G Juarez.

 

[Traps71]

My subjective stab (without the customary grandpa radar adder). None of it matters after 12U unless they can also mix speeds, hit spots, and move the ball.

10u 45
12u 52
14u 58
16u 62
18u 64

You are wrong on college. 70mph is smoking fast. Mid to high 60s is high velocity on a properly calibrated gun. Ask G Juarez.

This generally seems about right to me. At the regional level at 16s, have not seen many girls consistently delivering the ball in the low 60s. Also agree that certainly by 16s that even that velocity—which is coming in pretty hot—won’t scare anybody unless it is really well located and/or has good movement. Flat and fat and it is out of there. You have more margin for error if you are throwing hard, but not that much against good hitters.

 

[radness]

Alright like seeing a breakdown.

My subjective stab (without the customary grandpa radar adder). None of it matters after 12U unless they can also mix speeds, hit spots, and move the ball.

i would include mixing speed in *top tier 10u and mixing with location in *top tear 12u.

10u 45
12u 52
14u 58
16u 62
18u 64

Are those averages speeds?
Looks like some average in there?!
What is high velocity then?
Some top 12u pitchers are already throwing 60-61 = high velocity
( the pitchers I'm referring to high velocity had just turned 13 and were finishing their last summers in 12u)

70mph is smoking fast.

70+ mph is what i consider high velocity for college.

 

[Tatonka]

I think it’s a lot easier for a fast pitcher to learn an offspeed pitch than it is for a control pitcher to throw faster.

Agreed, and similarly I would venture to say it's easier for a fast pitcher to learn spin/movement than it is for a control pitcher to "learn" how to throw faster.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

I saw this a while back and saved it for posterity. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but it's a good point of reference. At the regional/local levels, I'd say it is close. National, probably not.

 

[Vertigo]

I saw this a while back and saved it for posterity. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but it's a good point of reference. At the regional/local levels, I'd say it is close. National, probably not.

Agreed. This is probably what you’ll commonly find to be the norm in the majority of softball. I look at the elite National pitchers and the majority of P5 pitchers as the outliers.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

Agreed. This is probably what you’ll commonly find to be the norm in the majority of softball. I look at the elite National pitchers and the majority of P5 pitchers as the outliers.

For a 16 year-old to throw 67 is insane, and probably an exaggeration. Using a baseball/softball comparison chart, that speed is the equivalent of a baseball pitch at 95 MPH. I could be wrong, but I don't know many who throw that hard at that age.

 

[Tango]

I saw this a while back and saved it for posterity. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but it's a good point of reference. At the regional/local levels, I'd say it is close. National, probably not.

Live in FL and DD is 55-57, we play the better tournaments in 16U in FL, GA, and AL. She is average to a little below average as far as speed.

Spins it and locates. Has some good JUCO offers as a Junior but definitely not in the rare compartment as far as speed.

 

[radness]

For a 16 year-old to throw 67 is insane, and probably an exaggeration. Using a baseball/softball comparison chart, that speed is the equivalent of a baseball pitch at 95 MPH. I could be wrong, but I don't know many who throw that hard at that age.

Yet 67mph happens at 16.
Mid 60's is common at premier nationals.
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Like seeing people are discussing actual mph #'s because this is what distinguishes velocity from common speeds.

Teams/Players that are commonly seeing pitchers who throw at higher velocities are not blown away by them come Nationals. They become accustomed to that and timing is just timing regardless of the speed of pitch. Velocity, in of itself, once a batter has timing, is not enough.

This is where teams that know they are going to be facing faster pitching prepare by turning up their hitting machines at practice.