Pitching and Pitchers Discussion pitching speed

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Send your radar gun back...........it's broken.

I would make a more realistic guess of 10% of 12U starting travel ball pitchers throwing in the low 50's. The majority in the mid forties. 14U pitchers throwing 60 are very rare. D1 college pitchers are mid 60's. Of course my daughter is in the upper 60's at 11 years old, but she's the exception. :lmao:

I was talking about what the best throw --not your everyday player. MD

 

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Send your radar gun back...........it's broken.

I would make a more realistic guess of 10% of 12U starting travel ball pitchers throwing in the low 50's. The majority in the mid forties. 14U pitchers throwing 60 are very rare. D1 college pitchers are mid 60's. Of course my daughter is in the upper 60's at 11 years old, but she's the exception. :lmao:

I could adjust my radar gun, hold the gun just right, I bet we can get 63 maybe 65 mph out of her. ;& 65 may be a push, but we could try. :yahoo:

 

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Parents should be more concerned about the EFFICIENCY of their DD's pitching. PROVIDED she's playing a top notch ASA summer schedule, what is her ERA? Does she get a lot of routine ground outs? Nice easy pop-ups? Does she routinely get behind in the count? Is she throwing 12 pitches an inning, or more than 15? Does she get a lot of line drives hit back at her, or up the middle? Face it - four 65 mph pitches that the batter doesn't swing at, and are off the plate are a WALK in any softball game.

These details are FAR more important in the long run. All things being equal (mechanics), top pitching speed - like running speed is governed by genetics. Rarely will you see a dramatic increase in speed from 16u to 18u. BUT - the BIG difference is accuracy, endurance and all the little things. Learning to pitch to a batter's weaknesses will take her a LONG way. Don't embarass your DD come college recruiting time. The more you brag on her speed, the more she's forced to live up to that - and MOST don't. Be proud of her accomplishments for what they are, and don't get caught up in the bluffing game. The best ones go about their business silently and let their performance speak for itself.

 

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I coach 11's and my 2 pitchers throw 50-51 and 45-47. You have to be pretty lucky to find one that throws alot faster than mid 50's for that age group. Most that we had come to our tryouts were about 39-40.

 

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When I was watching team USA play, and Monica Abbott was pitching, I noticed that her speed was in the upper 60's. During college she was throwing in the low 70's. Is it a change in coaching or is she just trying to move the ball around more and it is taking speed off?

 

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With Cat Osterman's success, the rotation of the ball is almost becoming more important than the speed. That's why most pitching coaches are using a rev fire instead of a radar gun now. I'm guessing in a year or two we will be talking about the 20+ rotation pitchers the way we are talking about the 60+ mph pitchers now.

Anyone solid hitter can catch up to a 65 MPH fastball after one or two at bats. But a pitch on the corner that drops and tails can be almost unhittable.

 

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BPM,
Good points.

 

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In reply to your comments as stated above a D-1 pitching coach from Virginia was making a visit to my dd's pitching coach (Mark Blasczyk). He asked her to join them for some evaluations. They were checking her velocity and rotations with Rev Fire System. It showed her velocity -62 and rotations -19.
Bragging -NO...but she has worked hard and has earned the recognition...Right now does she understand what that means?...no I don't think so cause she is very humble. Is there room to improve?...Always if you wanna stay on top.

 

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what age is your kid mccombs ? MD

 

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I've been to 4 showcase camps this year, and maybe 5 girls total hit 60. At one showcase, 0 girls hit 60. It's one thing to say you hit 60 than to say you pitch 60. I will also say a 58 mph drop curve is much more effective than a flat 65mph fastball. If you can combine good speed with movement that would be called a stud pitcher IMO. Jenny Finch was considered one of the top prospects at 14u, her speed was 59-60. Kelsey Dunn, Alabama pitcher, tops at 59.

 

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SPIN IS KING a good tight rotation makes the ball break at the last couple feet wich = less adjustment time similar to a tight spinning slider

loose spin is more like a hanging curve = more time to see the ball move and adjust.

Chip Gregg my daughters pitching coach uses the rev fire and you can see the difference when the spin is high

she avg 54-56mph speed but her spin has been as high as 22

just some thoughts

 

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She just turned 13 end of May 09

 

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Ditto for you Coach McQ. One of the things that caught the eye of our dd's coach was not the speed, but the spin our dd can put on the ball as a beginning pitcher. At the receiving end I can see clearly (well maybe not so clearly, otherwise my shins wouldn't have the scars and bruises they do after this summer), that the movement and changing speeds are of prime importance to a pitcher. Judging from the evolving opinions regarding the 43-foot rule, it seems likely that the key to success for a pitcher will be ball movement and changing speeds.

 

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I agree with Akadema1. Just because a pitcher is gunned at 62ish, this doesn't mean it is a CONSISTANT speed. Many parents say my HS daughter throws 60+ but guess what, she hit that speed at lessons where she's being gunned most of the time and only hit it once. I've seen and heard all the parents saying this. Bottom line, HS speed will be mid 50's to 60. As for 14U throwing that fast ManitouDan, I suggest a new speed gun!

 

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When I was watching team USA play, and Monica Abbott was pitching, I noticed that her speed was in the upper 60's. During college she was throwing in the low 70's. Is it a change in coaching or is she just trying to move the ball around more and it is taking speed off?

Shes had to learn to give the ball more movement, If you remmeber when Tn played in the world series, that flaming rise ball of hers she made so famous thru the regular season got hammerd...... if college kids could hit it,,, olympians and Pros could to,, so no its not all about speed at the advanced level , shes just become a more rounded better pitcher

Tim

 

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I said at 14u -- 60 OR above-- , not always above 60 . And I stated this is what the best are throwing not your average player. I don't own a gun but I do know that the best 14u's throw a solid 60, and a few are above that. Do you disagree or did you just misread ? MD

 

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Lots of great response!

 

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Where have i been 12-14u at 60 mph.have never seen that.my dd throws mid 50s with movement and can hit spots 16u. at times can be pretty affective.but if i can find one of these silly guns my dd may hit 60-65.

 

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who said anything about 12u throwing 60 ? Is it possible to have a discussion about pitching speed w/o all the pitchers dad's getting their panties in a wad ? MD

 

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All I can tell anyone is I have done my share of tryouts with the gun. I have been to numerous college pitching camps. I guess I don't know how to use the gun, because I have not found the 60+ kids yet. I do agree all good pitching camps are using the REV gun , and all have stated, you better be over 20 to pitch in college. As Tim stated you throw a flat fast ball at 74 ( Japan) you still will get it hit out of the park. Why Abbott and many more are using spin. I do see 90% between 54 to 58.