roothog66 posted:TPM posted:roothog66 posted:Chico Escuela posted:PitchingFan posted:As one scout told me the other day, "in the long run I want the guy with pitchability rather than the guy who lights up the radar gun but can't get it over the plate." Not bashing the flame throwers but sometimes the guys who are productive need a reminder to keep doing what they are doing.
Serious question (just wondering what people think; no sarcasm intended): Do folks generally believe college coaches / scouts when they say velocity isn't their primary interest?
No. Those same coaches balk when you try to sell them on the kid with a 0.50 era with good secondary stuff topping out at 82mph.
I've listened to coaches spout this line and then two weeks later talked to them about a kid with a fantastic era, great k/bb percentage and good stuff. They are interested, but then ask for velocity. Tell them low 80's and the conversation ends.
Low 80s isn't a D1 prospect, maybe the bottom of the ranking? If your team faces guys who rake, you will continually be in the loss column, conference or non conference.
D1 pitchers have to be over 85, 86 with good off speed stuff or velo showing pitchability. Programs will have relievers to change the look, but not less than 84,85, LHP and RHP. The top velo guys go to the upper tier programs.
True, but I'm not dealing with only D1's here. Additionally, you will see D1 kids throwing 85-87. Keep in mind, though, that quite often these kids can and have been more 88-90 in high school. Also, there are times when you see such a pitcher who committed as a Sophomore when he was throwing 83-86. He wasn't recruited with the idea that he'd still be 83-86 by the time he arrived on campus. However, that kid may still get a shot if he remained extremely effective through high school, but he definitely wasn't recruited with the expectation that he'd be a low-to-mid 80's guy in college.
Root, not sure I agree completely.
There a lot of programs that can't afford to over recruit, so they have to be pretty close to the velo that the coach is looking for. Sometimes it just takes too long to get where you should be. Other times not, as seen in a few D1 programs that recruited players they never expected to be 1, 2 round draft picks.
The biggest problem I see is players not targeting the right programs.