PitchingFan posted:My college freshman just did a speech in class about this very subject. I argued when he started that they were the same. But after research and talking to scouts and coaches it became clear there was a difference. Control is being able to throw strikes, no matter where they are as long as they go over the plate. Command is putting the ball exactly where you want whether it is over the plate or outside, inside, low, or high. It is the exact location of your desire. During the discovery, most believe you can have command of a pitch (fastball or curveball or slider or changeup) and not other pitches. You may have control of some pitches and command of others. The truly elite (freaks) have command of all pitches in any situation or count. From pitching coaches, the ultimate goal is to figure out what pitches you have command of and use them and what pitches you have control of and know when to use them and what pitches you have neither command or control of and work on them or stay away from them. It makes sense to me now. You can't miss the kids who have command versus control. My middle son had control of a couple of pitches but my youngest has command of most, most of the time. The command of a pitch can also make up for the lack of velocity. My middle son had high velo control in high school but not command. My youngest has good velo command but not the high velo. They kinda equal out. Then the question comes.
Would you rather have a pitcher with high velo control or good velo command?
All that was well said. My son found the 90 mark early in his junior year of high school, and opposite of the velo is king trend nowadays, he used his senior year to gain command of the offspeed stuff that he was already in control of. His final high school game as a senior was a 7 inning complete game 76 pitch 9 strikeouts 2 hit 1 walk outing in a 1-0 state semifinal game. The opposing pitcher matched him with 8 strikeouts 2 hits and a walk. A 1 hour 13 minute 7 innng high school game is a truly beautiful thing to watch. Lots of control, learning to command. Velo is fantastic, but if you can pair it up with command I will take the good velo command. 95 still gets taken deep when it’s a pitchers “mistake”