SoutheasternOhioPreps.com

ColdHardTruth wrote: ↑Mon Mar 26, 2018 1:47 pm This is the problem. Everyone swears they have a pitcher who throws 6 and has 5 different pitches. When in reality they have one pitcher in the mid 50s who throws five different Fastballs but calls them something else.

Bingo!!! I hear"she throws 60" alot..I don't think people realize how fast 60 is.

ColdHardTruth wrote: ↑Mon Mar 26, 2018 1:47 pm This is the problem. Everyone swears they have a pitcher who throws 6 and has 5 different pitches. When in reality they have one pitcher in the mid 50s who throws five different Fastballs but calls them something else.

I seen a post just last week in a softball group asking parents to list the age of their daughters, the speed of their pitch and how many pitches they mastered.

I am sure the speed was inflated in each post some but it was the number of pitches that were mastered that were comical. Kids that were not even in high school yet and some not even in middle school that have supposedly mastered 4-6 pitches (fastball, screwball, drop ball, curveball, drop curve, riseball, changeup, etc.) Parents listing their daughters pitch speed at around 40 but declaring they have mastered the rise ball. Made for a good read.

Browns30 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 26, 2018 9:26 am Does speed even matter that much? My daughter played against a lot of high level pitchers the past year. A bunch of them already committed to D1 schools. The best pitcher she has faced threw mid 50's... spin was nasty and changed speeds each pitch.

No it doesn’t at least against good hitters. When the kids are younger yes but once the good hitters get to highscholl there are not very many pitchers that can just blow it by a good hitter. All about location, movement and change of speed.

So, which pitchers in the area have best ball movement with there pitches and produce the most strikeout? I know some pitchers are better at producing hits that can be fielded and others are strikeout pitchers.

My daughter pitches at Piketon she was clocked on one pitch at 63 this past winter at Marshall. Just one pitch. Her game speed on her fastball i doubt would hit 60-61 shes a junk pitcher so her fastball isnt her best pitch or her favorite. She likes to mix up speeds with her curve ball and drop and she does have a nice change up when its working. Thats the thing she throws 6 pitches but maybe during a game one or two are only working not including her fastball. She better have that working all the time! But she will change speeds with all her pitches but her rise and she doesnt throw that very well most of the time. Shes a pretty decent hitter and she always says a pitcher who hits their spots and changes speeds are the hardest to hit.

Shes a good one dad o 28'

ManitouDan2 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 26, 2018 5:58 pm Shes a good one dad o 28'

Thanks Dan she's worked hard to be where she's at.

Makala Newland last year threw 57-59 at the fastest that I clocked her in a game.

I am guessing most pitchers in the area are throwing 52-56

Girl from Leesburg a last week hit 57 in a game.

I had always thought speed was all that was important. I've used a pocket radar since my stepdaughter started pitching. She was pitching at 58 as a freshman in high school. She was timed at 60 mph at Recruitfest and Shawnee's camp. Problem was her ball was straight and hard for her to control all the time. Now she's a senior and concentrates on movement pitches and rarely throws fastballs. Her control is much better. She still had 141 Ks in 79 2/3 innings and probably pitches at 56-57 mph.

SOQueen wrote: ↑Mon Mar 26, 2018 4:07 pm So, which pitchers in the area have best ball movement with there pitches and produce the most strikeout? I know some pitchers are better at producing hits that can be fielded and others are strikeout pitchers.

Now that's a good question. Best "Junk Ball" throwers. Average hitters will catch up with the fastball if there's no movement or change of speed. Seems like it's rate to see a nasty changeup or screw ball anymore.

I don't know many of the upper classmen junk throwers but some of the better younger ones I've seen are.

Cassie Schaefer - Sophmores Notre Dame
Maggie Whitman - Senior not sure who shes playing for now.
Claxon - Burg
Ava Jenkins - Freshmen Green
Both Clay Pitchers

I'm sure I'm forgetting some. These just stand out at the moment.

I know she has graduated but Howard from burg really knew how to pitch. She was fun to watch. Made many good hitters look pretty silly. One of the best the area has ever seen.

Faith was truly outstanding , pitched her team to two state finals winning one. As far as speed goes Faith game speed was a constant 59-60 . But tons of spin and movement , accurate deadly change . A true " pitcher" not a thrower .

It all comes down to is she a thrower or a pitcher? Like most have said, to be effective a pitcher needs to have a high spin rate and make the ball move and then be able to hit spots.

In the SHAC, there a two really good pitchers: Kaiti White from Fairfield and Madison Pierce from Peebles. Both throw the ball well but most importantly they can spot it, change speeds and throw multiple pitches.

We scrimmaged Notre Dame this spring and I was very impressed with Cassie Schaeffer.

Kati White is a great all around player , Shawnee recruited her for almost 3 years but she accepted a ride at Uni of the Cumberlands . Sweet young lady with a great lefty swing.

Faith Howard.
My daughter has played a ton of travel high level softball at 16u and 18, and Howard is one of the best

I think speed is very important but location, and changing speeds are equally important. When everyone throws 60-63 movement and changing speeds becomes more important. Talking about speed, my daughter was at a UK camp, Coach Lawson said all her pitchers throw 60-63. Radar speeds on TV are way over inflated. She said most big D1 pitchers throw 60-65 with only a very few throwing harder than that. Movement and location and changing speeds is where it is at. But that's because everyone throw 60-63.

Preslee Lutz is a talented up and coming pitcher who consistently throws 54-55mph with an improving change up. She has hit 58 on my radar but consistently sits at 54-55. I’d also add that it was early and cold. I believe that 60 by the end of the year is within her reach. Not bad for a younger 8th grader ( turns 14 end of April). She is a great kid and if she continues to work and develop she should have an opportunity to pitch beyond high school. As mentioned by others, pitching is way more than velocity. Movement, location,changing speeds, changing eye levels, attitude, etc.are all important as well. But it sure does give you a little more margin for error when you have a fastball that can miss bats.

Speed isn't everything but the Robinson twins from Waverly throw pretty hard.

VILLAGE IDIOT wrote: ↑Fri Apr 06, 2018 1:55 pm Speed isn't everything but the Robinson twins from Waverly throw pretty hard.

Yes they do! Also can put it where they want it, that why one is a D1 signee, very talented.

Doll from Minford is perfect example of a pitcher as opposed to a thrower..she doesn't throw slow by any means,but her off speed pitches are outstanding imo. She also locates well, changing eye levels and hitting corners. Great pitcher! Alexander from Piketon is also one that has good placement and movement..and she definitely throws hard enough.