Why so much talk about pitching speed?

[SoftSocDad]

My kid's only 7, so even though she's thrown some vicious screwballs and nasty drop balls by complete accident, I was more impressed by the hard fastballs that the bigger girls couldn't catch up to, because their coaches pitched loft tosses to them.

In this rec league at 8u, if you're throwing strikes, you're sitting girls down. Sad, but that's the game. The flip side is just as bad - any ball put into play generally means a base or two.

 

[mudbug]

you know the answer to the question.

Without a minimum amount, a girl isnt a competitive pitcher.

With an above avg amount, she will be a dominating one.

Of course that assumes good movement and ability to hit her spots. But that is a prerequisite to pitch competitively at all.

 

[mddixon87]

The Fast Ball sets up all the other pitches, but you should only use the fastball as a set up pitch or exclamation point. You have to have a good fastball and sound mechanics before you can move on to the other pitches.

My daughter is one of the top most soft after 14U pitchers in East Tenn.. There are 6 pitchers on our travel team and they all see the same pitching coach. This past year, we had one of the top travel teams in the state. We only had one pitcher that could break 50mph.

The fact of the matter is this, our defense doesn't play well with a strike out pitcher. Our worst games defensively come from our strikeout pitcher. Also, a strike out pitcher will, on average, throw twice as many balls during a game as a "junk baller" ..

Our team prefers to have pitchers that deliver ground balls and popups. It makes shorter innings, and our defense stays alert and in the game. It also makes us a more rounded team.

We have had the opportunity to have "faster" pitchers play with us and we opted out. Our girls throw screwballs, curves, drop curves and change ups.. and we have one now that can throw an awesome K-nuckle ball..

Ill put my little pitchers ups against anyone...We played almost 100 games this past year. we won 88% of our games, including pool games. our pitchers had a 1.67 era... I'll take those numbers everytime, all the time..

Speed is overrated, but it helps.. the key is to make the ball change plains and move from side to side...

 

[jacketsfan]

mddix -

I used to think like you in 14U. Like you, our pitchers mixed up pitches and had great success. However, when we started talking to colleges, the first question they all asked is "how fast do you throw"?

You need to have an answer other than "I don't believe speed is the critical factor" ready when college coaches ask you that question. If that is your answer, they will move right along.

 

[chinamigarden]

HOWEVER...

...to be a high level pitcher, there is a certain minimum speed requirement.

If you don't think so, you are kidding yourself!

I watch as much college fastpitch as anyone and I can't think of a pitcher that throws LESS than the lower 60's...can you?

That's M U C H faster than 85% of girls will ever reach.

IMHO, the vast majority don't reach their speed potential.

Speed is important and ALWAYS will be.

You can teach a girl throwing 65mph to throw movement pitches. Can you teach a girl with good movement to throw 65mph?

Keith

This may be true. But why is it so important to tell every one? How many posts do you see on the internet that start off with. My girl is 11 and she is hitting 55 and sometimes 58, but she seems to be having a problem with her hitting. Huh, how are the 2 related, they aren't but Dad/Mom feels it necessary to put that out there to show they are serious ballers and should be dealt with accordingly.

 

[ElmoBlatch]

How many posts do you see on the internet that start off with. My girl is 11 and she is hitting 55 and sometimes 58, but she seems to be having a problem with her hitting.

I haven't seen any. Maybe I'm not looking in the right place.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

If I find an 11yo that can throw in the mid 50s, she won't need to bat.

 

[nanotech14]

I haven't seen any. Maybe I'm not looking in the right place.

I guess you kind of missed the point in chinamigarden was making .You know what my dd is 12 and she only averages about 45mph with her fastball once hit 48mph. Know with that being said , everybody will think thats slow . "my dd is 12 and she hits 58mph" thats great can I borrow your radar gun!! My dd and I work on other things like spin, placement, changing speeds,confidence,and focus. She will grow and get faster. We decided lets keep the batter off balance , give her a diffirent look. How many great long time pitchers in MLB still pitch 98mph , most don't they learn to pitch to keep the batter off balance.

 

[cwestwjg]

Most honest statement I ever heard was "Daddies Lie". Everyone in our tournament circle can throw 58MPH till the gun comes out!!

 

[Mrek]

The Fast Ball sets up all the other pitches, but you should only use the fastball as a set up pitch or exclamation point. You have to have a good fastball and sound mechanics before you can move on to the other pitches.

My daughter is one of the top most soft after 14U pitchers in East Tenn.. There are 6 pitchers on our travel team and they all see the same pitching coach. This past year, we had one of the top travel teams in the state. We only had one pitcher that could break 50mph.

The fact of the matter is this, our defense doesn't play well with a strike out pitcher. Our worst games defensively come from our strikeout pitcher. Also, a strike out pitcher will, on average, throw twice as many balls during a game as a "junk baller" ..

Our team prefers to have pitchers that deliver ground balls and popups. It makes shorter innings, and our defense stays alert and in the game. It also makes us a more rounded team.

We have had the opportunity to have "faster" pitchers play with us and we opted out. Our girls throw screwballs, curves, drop curves and change ups.. and we have one now that can throw an awesome K-nuckle ball..

Ill put my little pitchers ups against anyone...We played almost 100 games this past year. we won 88% of our games, including pool games. our pitchers had a 1.67 era... I'll take those numbers everytime, all the time..

Speed is overrated, but it helps.. the key is to make the ball change plains and move from side to side...

Speed is overrated until you keep moving the pitching distances back. Two years ago, HS and 16U was throwing from 40 feet. Both are now 43 feet. ASA came very close to moving 14U to 43 this year (this change is inevitable). Movement and placement are important, however when throwing from greater distance, spin pitches must be thrown harder for several reasons. Give the batter more time to read the break and they will read the break and hit the break. To combat this one needs to throw with late break. To do that, pitches must be thrown hard and spun hard. Pitches need to be thrown harder not only to overcome the extra 3 feet, but the extra deceleration caused by the air in that three feet. Right now the game has brought back some offense by moving pitchers back, shrinking the strike zone, and advanced training by batters. When pitchers begin to dominate again (by making 70+MHP not so rare), the women’s game will move back to 46 feet and 14yo throwing 50MPH will be left behind.