Pitching and Pitchers Discussion whats the best "out" pitch at each age group ?

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I'd say at 10u and 12u it's the change ---no doubt really , you can use it to get ahead if your pitcher can throw it for a strike on the 1st pitch , or use at 1-2 or 2-2 as a strikeout pitch --I have yet to see a kid at 10 or 12 set , wait , and cream a good change . Ok well maybe just a time or two , but 90 % of the time your pitcher throws it for a strike good things happen for the defensive team. Now it's at 14 I'm not that familiar with ----is the rise the pitch that cripples hitters ? good discussion for a winter day wait , it's not winter yet we should be playing ! MD

 

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I haven't experienced 14U as of yet, but I find the best pitch to be the opposite of what the other coach is warning their kids to look out for. The change is definetly a great pitch at the 10 and 12U age group and so is the fastball knee high off the outside corner. It really depends where you are at in the line up and the umpire's strike zone. With watching some 14U this year I noticed the pitchers aren't afraid to go to a full count and still throw the change up, unless they have an over powering fastball.

 

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Here is a really good article on your question, I agree with most of it http://www.fastpitching.com/news.html

 

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At 14 and 16 anything off speed that moves will get them twisting in the dirt.

 

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At ANY age, the best "out" pitch is the one the batter is LEAST expecting - AND unprepared for, especially from a pitcher that has command of her location. There are fastball strikeouts as well as change-up strikeouts. It's simply the CHANGE OF SPEED that is difficult for batters to pick up on.

A back-hand changeup where the pitcher DOES NOT CHANGE HER ARM SPEED OR INTENSITY from her fastball will generally have the batter coming out of her shoes trying to stop her swing! The key is that the pitcher has to think "throw it hard!" and let her backhand grip slow the pitch down, and NOT slowing the arm swing. The backspin will cause the ball to literally float, then "fall off the table". The batter sees a fat pitch that LOOKS like a fastball coming right over the middle of the plate. Then comes the WAY EARLY swing.

Young pitchers that work hard at making ALL their pitch deliveries look the same will be very effective with this strategy as they get older.

 

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It is not the type of pitch that strikes the batter out, but how well the pitch is thrown. This says "out" pitch so really any pitch that gets a ground ball put in play to a solid defense is considered an "out" pitch. I agree with Sammy, that the best "out" pitch is the one hitters are least suspecting

 

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I am not sure the question is that simple as one pitch. I would think a lot would depend on the pitcher and what is their money pitch and how as a coaching staff do you set that up during the game and then vary just enough so they cannot sit on it. Umpire strike zone can change that also. At Nationals we had an umpire calling the outside corner half way into the left hand batter's box it was unhittable and defiantely the out pitch for both teams. I would agree that balls that seem to move on the vertical plane are much more difficult to hit than ones that just move horizantally.

 

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in 07' when my kid was 11 we had a pitcher who made the batters look ridiculous --I swear some of them could have swung twice ! --- She threw that type change, that Sammy described. She decided to play locally as a 13u and the coach would'nt even give her a 1/3 of the innings. The girl could play for nearly any org in the state and nearly no one knows about her . Most mentally tough girl I've witnessed also. MD

 

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I think pitchers that change speeds a lot and locate the ball at 16U will be very sucessful at getting batters out. You will get hit if you only throw fast. I know my sister only throws maybe at the most 3-4 fastballs a game. A very good pitch to throw to get people out is a good screw ball inside. It may not strike them out but useually don't get great contact. You have to move the ball in and out in an out on the corners to keep batters off balence.

 

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Whatever is the best pitch for that pitcher that game

 

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I think my dd's change up and drop ball are good for her as an out pitch it all depends on whats working that day. I prefer a drop though.

 

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Yeah if my 13u dd threw bout 60 I'd say that change would be a good "out" pitch take care Bootsy

 

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I think at 14u to throw a change up with 2 strikes is very predictable. You can get away with it at 10u and 14u but like someone said earlier if the pitcher doesn't change her motion you can still get away with it. Have to say I have watched the Slammers play and the Catcher (Who is an awesome player) smashed a change up to the fence in left field. Very disciplined!!

 

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Thanks Dan we are working on it (Lol)

 

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good stuff

 

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mine is most recently is these passing tourneys a curve.....next would be my change on aggresive or overly aggresive hitters!
that was 12u..i cant wait to experience what to thorw in 13/14u!

 

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My dd throws a cut fastball (or a slider as her old pitching coach would call it). When it is working well she will throw inside and it will tear up the inside corner. Great pitch.

Mike

 

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A very good sinking dropball always does the trick. Has worked for our dd for the past 2 years. Will throw the knuckleball on certain days if working good. Of course a good windy day will help out that pitch! ;0)

 

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I too, agree with the drop ball as an out pitch. It has always worked for my dd in the past. A drop ball can be used at any point in time in the game.....