I have for years enjoyed the, "she throws (fill in a number over 60)" threads, and the speed claims.
David Beckham makes a point that IMHO is the only claims I will believe, objective 3rd parties with a calibrated gun in a situation in which the pitcher is throwing to the gun with a number of other pitchers, all with the same conditions.
Like an NFCA Administered recruting camp.......
2007 Sparkler - NFCA Recruiting Camp
130 Pitchers (arguably top pitchers with some others thrown in, but clearly a large number of outstanding players!)
Pitchers that threw at least ONE FB 60 or better = 30
Pitchers that threw BOTH FB 60 or better = 12
Pitchers from above that threw ONE pitch 62 or better=7
of that number pitchers that threw BOTH 62 or better=2 (62&63 and 62&64)
Puts the 65mph claims in perspective, having said that we have had girls at the Sparkler Camp and at the Carolina Dynamite Camp, be gunned at in one case 65-64, and 63-62. One girl was at last check 8-1 at a D1 school as a sophomore and the other signed in Nov '07 with a top 10 program.
What is average?
Well since you asked....LOL!!
Pitchers that threw ONE pitch 60 or better and one pitch 57 to 59= 18
Not including anyone that threw a pitch 60 or better(so that leaves 100 pitchers)
Pitchers that threw both pitches 57 to 59 =20
Pitchers that threw one pitch 57 to 59 and one pitch 53 to 56 = 24
100 pitchers 44 threw at least one pitch 57 to 59
Pitchers that threw both pitches 53 to 56=39
5 pitchers didn't throw a pitch over 52
12 threw one 50 to 52 and one 53 to 56
Somone that is better at me in statistics and averages will need to provide me with the answer as to what is average in this sampling, albeit my belief is that this would be average from an above average sampling.......huh?
Guess the point that jumps out at me is 60 is special....VERY special......yet it gets thrown around all the time, clearly 57 and above is plenty good enough to win games, 30 of 130 in an above average group is only 23% have the ability to throw a pitch 60+ in those conditions, when a player needs to focus on location and strikes, well think about it.
?