quote:Originally posted by Gingerbread Man:quote:
....How many scouts do you see at HS games looking at the guy with a 83 MPH fastball and a killer change up?
.... A good change-up has the same exact effect in high school or the majors.
....plenty of pitchers in professional ball most of which can throw 90+mph (if not all minus just a few).
Of those who is effective? The guys who have great offspeed pitches. A pitcher with 91 mph velocity coupled with a great change-up will advance to the majors way quicker and is more projectable than a pitcher who throws 96mph with a weak change-up. Whos more deadly- pitcher with an average fastball with above average change-up or a a pitcher with above average fastball but weak change-up?
GB: I am enjoying your enthusiasm.
BOF observations is a "near-beer" point of view.
As for me, there many young scouts "near-watching" the ball games I attend. This means watching with radar gun in hand, pencil and paper in the other, and head down writing 40% of the time (and NOT watching).
Lest us NOT forget, the number 1 pitch in baseball is the fastball. Hitting spots with ol #1, and if there is late movement, will miss bats.
I was taught in the early 70's to add several ticks to every inch of movement. Thus an 85 mph fastball with three inches of movement rolls over a many pro hitter.
Typically, the American arms in low MiLB, have
an arsenal of pitches (& if blessed with mid-upper 90s fastball) are special. The foreign born MiLB pitchers (with the exception of Orient) are blessed with power arms, yet in order to move up, seek to learn and improve their off speed pitches and ability to throw quality strikes. Many never get to A+ ball.
However, for my family of pitches, the Sister Slidepiece on the black, and the MF CU for strikes are the nemesis of many pro hitters in all pro leagues.
cheers