Speed of pitchers

[soreshins]

For an 11 year old who is a second year 10U, low 50s is very good. For an 11 year old who is a first year 12U, low 50s is still very good given the bigger ball and increased distance. You will find that her speed will increase some as the season progresses.

Like it or not, speed remains an important issue as the kids get older. Particularly the 60 mph mark. If you can throw 60, the gold coaches are interested. Movement is great and location is great, but if you can't throw at least 60, there is little interest. Once you are on a gold team, ball rotation becomes very important, but you would not have made the team if you had not been able to throw 60.

[onthejuice]

Please help me out!!

I have two 12u players that have the same pitching coach, both have an arsenal of eight pitches. Both have control problems and if a strike is needed the fastball is not an option. One of the parents told me that the pitching coach told them that in college the pitchers rarely throw fastballs so it is more important that the pitchers work on their spins.

Maybe I'm behind the times or old school or just uneducated in this area, but shouldn't a pitcher master the proper form and mechanics before adding more pitches? Secondly, how could a one hour lesson with a 10, 11 or 12 year old cover so much? Lastly, if a young pitcher only throws junk at such an early age what effect does that have on the kids arm?
Please share you thoughts.

[Sftbll4ever]

My dd has a 45 min lesson. In that lesson, they work on each pitch. She can not move to a new pitch until she has good control of the other pitches. Currently, my dd has 8 pitches (no, not all of them work all the time.). Our coach would not move to the screw until last year (1st year 14u) said that is always one of the last pitches she teaches as it is the most strenuous (sp) on the arm. After she has the pitches down, they move to different variations of the pitches.

Juice your not behind the times, but there are some coaches that want to teach a lot of pitches before the pitcher is actually ready for them. We did have one that in 8u in the 3rd lesson wanted to start working on the curve and drop curve. YIKES. Barely had the fastball at that time.

[diamondmom]

My DD does not throw very hard-I think the last time someone "gunned" her she averaged 49mph-she is a second year 12-but she can hit her spots and throws 3-4 of her pitches for strikes. She gets mad because she can hear the girls on the other team make comments that "this girl doesn't throw that hard" while they are laughing, so they think they can hit her, but alas they don't. Every once in a while someone will get a hold of one of her pitches that "misses" the spot, but the majority of the games she pitches she wins, because she gets the weak grounders or easy pop-ups. So in my opinion it's not so much the speed but the ability for the pitcher to "do her job" in hitting her spots.

[DonnieS]

Please help me out!!

I have two 12u players that have the same pitching coach, both have an arsenal of eight pitches. Both have control problems and if a strike is needed the fastball is not an option. One of the parents told me that the pitching coach told them that in college the pitchers rarely throw fastballs so it is more important that the pitchers work on their spins.

Maybe I'm behind the times or old school or just uneducated in this area, but shouldn't a pitcher master the proper form and mechanics before adding more pitches? Secondly, how could a one hour lesson with a 10, 11 or 12 year old cover so much? Lastly, if a young pitcher only throws junk at such an early age what effect does that have on the kids arm?
Please share you thoughts.

8 pitches, yea right. Tell them, you are so excited about these 8 pitches, then go get catchers gear on, a mitt, and tell them to throw you pitch #1, tell her to tell you what its supposed to do, make them throw it until a) it does what they say, or b) hell freezes over. (look out devil).

We have been through a number of pitching coaches and what I am convinced of is that until the kid has decent control (15/25 pitches for strikes - or the spot you asked for), dont mess with other pitches. Our belief is you work on one pitch at a time until you get it, the exception being a curve and a drop curve, close to the same general spin, but get one movement pitch, then go on. But I AM NOT A PITCHING COACH. I am a dad that has taken mine and other kids to pitching coaches and have taken mine for the last 8 years.

And regarding fastballs in college, I have watched a lot of college pitchers, and taped them. Maybe they dont throw fastballs, but a heck of a lot of their movement pitches dont, but they are pretty fast.

[Thefinalword]

I'm with Donnie on this one. 8 pitch's ... sure. OK, humor me. Name them, and what they are supposed to do.

[catdad]

8 Pitches??? I don't think so at 12 yrs old.

I have had Dads tell me similar things and I just smile and say thats great. Then I go watch from the backstop in the game.
I see the coach calling all these different pitches.............
I see the pitcher changing her grip for the pitch..............
I watch as she does something to alter her delivery.........
And then..........................same old 12-6 spin on the ball.

If you can't put the proper spin on the ball your really just delivering the same pitch 8 different ways.

IMO you really only need 2 or 3 pitches to be successful at the younger ages. Just do what you do well and hit your spots. How many coaches out there are going to call 8 different pitches in 1 game anyway? All that time spent on all those pitches could have been spent on perfecting the 2 or 3 that would make you a successful pitcher.

[onthejuice]

I'm with Donnie on this one. 8 pitch's ... sure. OK, humor me. Name them, and what they are supposed to do.

Ok here they are, and mind you they both have the same arsenel:

Fastball= high outside
Change = slow roller
Drop= just bad
Screw= one of them throws this well
Curve= the other one throws this well
Screw change = again one throws this well
Rise= Catcher refuses to give the sign, she hates running to the backstop to get it.
Drop curve= By this time I'm overwhelmed and never call it.

[Sam]

I'm with Donnie on this one. 8 pitch's ... sure. OK, humor me. Name them, and what they are supposed to do.

Ok here they are, and mind you they both have the same arsenel:

Fastball= high outside
Change = slow roller
Drop= just bad
Screw= one of them throws this well
Curve= the other one throws this well
Screw change = again one throws this well
Rise= Catcher refuses to give the sign, she hates running to the backstop to get it.
Drop curve= By this time I'm overwhelmed and never call it.

A smart pitching coach will teach younger pitchers different pitches in order to keep their minds on what they are doing, to make it more fun for the young lady, and to differ the movement of the arm/wrist/shoulder. If a 10 year old comes to lessons to throw 85 fastballs and 15 changeups...she gets bored...who wouldn't? But if she throws 40 FB, 15 changeups, and 8 pitches each of 6 different pitches....it keeps her attention. The pitching coach knows full well that the kid isn't going to throw these pitches in a game....and you get to find out which ones she throws well. Nobody is dumb enough to call 8 different pitches in a game....are they???

[Thefinalword]

OK I could name 5 variations of each pitch such as drop - slow drop - drop curve - drop screwball - drop drop ( one that actually drops ). The reality is a pitcher needs 3 or 4 pitch's that they own and that actually do what they are supposed to do. JMHO