quote:way to go Dirtbags.
I don't think that anyone is arguing that a CU is easy to hit.
I do in some way like GBM enthusiasm, but I have never really heard of half the things done that he claims he does with his son and team. 13 and 14 year olds should be throwing FB for first pitch strikes, throwing off speed means there is more emphasis on the W than development. JMO.
You can't compare what 13-14 year olds fear vs pro players.
So tell me- what is wrong with throwing a first pitch offspeed pitch, especially if it works in keeping pitch counts lower, quicker innings, and boosts confidence in team and instill fear in the opposition?
You know its funny that you think I think it is all about winning and not development. Nothing could be more of an oxymoron! You do not develop players if you cannot win! How many successful teams have losing records? NONE! The W or the L is the result of development and talent coupled together. If you have more L than W then it tells me that the "development" on the team is not working- that either the coaching sucks, the players suck, or both.
We do not train players to go out and plan on batters teeing off on them- in fact that is exactly what we do not want in their development. If we know that a team is aggressive on hitting then it only seems logical that you would especially throw different against them- like throwing offspeed for the first pitch. Nothing wrong with that!
I think what you may have forgot is that in most any professional ballplayer is that experience learned and gained when they were 13-14 years old. Those same things they learn at that level sticks with them forever. If first pitch CU works against good batters at the 13-14 year old level then it is also going to work at the major league level- and I shouldn't have to remind you that many a pro pitcher will throw a first pitch CU to a good hitter. Batters who have fears about pitches at 13-14 will go on to continue having that same fear as pros- it just increases exponentially as the pitches get faster and faster- but then again, so does their reaction times and ability to get the bat around quicker- it all equals out.
CU's are just as effective at 13-14 as they are at 23-24 in the pros. Batters still look just as foolish as pros as they did at 13-14 swinging at the CU they misjudged- that will always be the same!