I got a question, Dan!

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Edwards Kings
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I got a question, Dan!

Post by Edwards Kings » Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:02 am

You were a pitcher and I yield to your greater knowledge. I myself never captured the magic of throwing a baseball (my "career" was as an outfielder mainly because I could in my skinny days get to EVERYTHING, but an honest assessment would be that a bean bag chair would have a better arm). So many of the prospects (and current MLB pitchers) have "control issues". What is with that? Is it simply inability to repeat mechanics or what? Can't control be taught?
Baseball is a slow, boring, complex, cerebral game that doesn't lend itself to histrionics. You 'take in' a baseball game, something odd to say about a football or basketball game, with the clock running and the bodies flying.
Charles Krauthammer

DOUGHBOYS
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Re: I got a question, Dan!

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Sat Feb 17, 2018 8:43 am

I was only a small College pitcher with a blown out arm, but I'll give it a whirl.
Control cannot be taught. Oh sure, there are tips and drills that a pitcher can do to improve control.
But, repetitive motion and repetitive practice is the key to better control.

I am glad you compared today's kids to those of the past. Refined control is no longer scouted as before.
Nowadays, a pitcher like Jimmy Key or Greg Maddux can easily slip through the cracks because they do not throw 93 miles an hour. Ball clubs are assuming too much of hitters. That they can hit any repertoire from any pitcher that doesn't feature a blazing fastball.
Hopefully, they come to their senses and quit scouting pitchers like we scout pitchers for fantasy baseball in that K's are a high priority.
As such, these pitchers that throw harder, naturally, have a harder time controlling their pitches while throwing with maximum velocity.
It's a Catch-22.
The pitchers that are ripe to be scouted with speedballs have control issues.
The pitchers overlooked have a sense as to where to put the ball.

Hope that helps!
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

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Edwards Kings
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Re: I got a question, Dan!

Post by Edwards Kings » Sat Feb 17, 2018 9:12 am

It does. Makes sense.

Even when looking at prospects (or prospect stats) those that are rated with "average control" walk a lot of batters. Selling out for the speed gun may (except in rarefied cases) have exceeded human ability to consistently repeat motion/practice...kind of analogous to the golfer who swings too hard, but cannot keep the ball in the fairway because his swing (hands, contact point, weight distribution) is never the same.

Thanks Dan!
Baseball is a slow, boring, complex, cerebral game that doesn't lend itself to histrionics. You 'take in' a baseball game, something odd to say about a football or basketball game, with the clock running and the bodies flying.
Charles Krauthammer

headhunters
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Re: I got a question, Dan!

Post by headhunters » Sat Feb 17, 2018 1:17 pm

as long as scouts use guns as the only way to scout travel pitchers- throwing hard will be the only thing kids/travel teams/parents worry about. period. the teams drive that- not the other way around.

DOUGHBOYS
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Re: I got a question, Dan!

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Sat Feb 17, 2018 3:52 pm

Yep, back in the day, a coach or scout would ask, "Can you get batters out?"
Now they ask, "How hard can you throw?"
It never mattered until we could measure it with a gun.
Now it seems, it is the only thing that matters.
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

DOUGHBOYS
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Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:00 pm

Re: I got a question, Dan!

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Sun Feb 18, 2018 5:54 pm

What really sucks is that lefties are no longer considered, 'Crafty'.
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

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