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Let me tell you something!

CM Coach May1,000+ posts
Let me tell you something. Today Matt Harrison LHP from the big city of Stem NC and South Granville HS will get the start for the Atlanta Braves in their first spring training game of the year vs Ga Tech. Gab as I nicknamed him his Freshman year (because we couldnt get him to talk) is the same kid that I went to see pitch his 8th grade year in middle school and he was 10 runned in 4 innings. The same kid that was 75-77 as a freshman. The same kid I took to an AAU after his soph season in HS and did not make the team because "He just doesnt throw hard enough coach , at least not for us. We are loaded with potential D-1 players". Matt had something that very few kids have. He had a tremendous work ethic taught to him by his parents. He worked each day in the yard at home. He was the kid that asked in the summer "Coach do you need any help on the field?" He was the first kid to off season work outs and the last one to leave. This summer Matt worked with a survey company here in Stem. He used a bush axe all day to cut brush. Then he came up to the field and worked out with our HS kids. Quote from Matt this summer "I would have never been drafted or had a chance to make it to the Majors if I had not worked like I did when I was here". "I have seen alot of guys with more talent than me since I got drafted but they never had to work to get better like I did". Now they are done. "Coach I dont throw any harder now than I did in HS (89-92) but I can locate it coach. Those guys crush a fb when its over the plate and they are looking for it". Folks a long post from a very proud coach. But this post anwers alot of the questions and discussions we see on this board all the time. GO GET EM GAB, I LOVE YOU BOY!
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B bb1100+ posts
Coach my son right now is a freshman and LHP. Working hard towards a goal. This post will benefit him immensely. When you see some of the things that go on, it makes you wonder if it is all worth it. Maybe even doubt yourself. I am going to save this post and when he has doubts or anger over anything. I will show him what is possible.
CM Coach May1,000+ posts
I thought I would do an interview with Matt over the phone sometime this week. Talk to him about his first start with the big league team and his experiences. If any of you have any questions that you would like me to ask Matt that would be great. If anyone is interested just post the question and it will give me an idea of what you guys would want to know. Does this sound like a good idea?
CADadCADad5,000+ posts
Nice story but, Uhhh...75-77 freshman, that's not too shabby. How tall was he as a freshman? Moving up to 88-92 in HS, that's spectacular but hard to know if it was hard work or talent, probably both. Given that he's 6-4, 220 or so I'd guess talent plays a very big part.

The fact that he's learned to have great control has given him the chance to move up steadily in the minors and maybe that's where the hard work has really paid off, but my guess is the primary reason he was drafted in the first place was that he was 6'4" and throwing 90+.

Do you have a similar story for a 5'9" pitcher throwing 70-71 as a freshman who never got over 5'10"?

Not trying to spoil the story as it does take hard work in addition to talent but you are talking about a very talented player and people shouldn't get the impression this was somebody who made up for a lack of talent with hard work. This was a very gifted player who has so far made the most of his gift.

One of the posters said this was someone who made it against the odds. It was nothing of the sort, other than any pitcher signed out of HS is going against the odds. I've watched a few minor league games and very few of them threw consistently 88-92.
Last edited by CADad
CM Coach May1,000+ posts
6-4 170 as a freshman and 6-4 190 as a sr. If he had not had the work ethic that he does he would have never been in the 89-92 range as a sr. Ive got a 5-11 Jr that hit 90 last night and a 6-3 Sr Chris Luck that pitched in the 90's last night. PG Crosschecker was there I met Mr Simpson after the game. Very nice man by the way. Our 09 came in for the 7th and he was 84-86. He is 5-10 and will be in the upper 80's this time next year. The 5-11 Jr was 79-81 as a soph. The 6-3 Sr was 87 as a soph. Its funny how we continue to get tremendous results from our year long strength and conditioning program. Core work and baseball specific weight training. Some things just dont happen. And its not all about god given talent.
CADadCADad5,000+ posts
16yo 09 I presume? Please tell me he's a 15yo.

No it isn't all about talent, but talent is a big part of it and if a kid is throwing 79-81 as a freshman he's got a whole bunch of talent, although that depends to some degree if he's a 14yo or 15yo freshman. 79-81 as a freshman I'd expect to be mid to upper 80s maybe touching 90 as a junior. Now if you made a mistake and he's touching 90 as a sophmore that's a big gain. Otherwise these are highly talented kids who haven't stalled out and that's an accomplishment in itself.

I'd guess Harrison was a little on the clumsy side as a freshman and then took off once he stopped growing and got used to his body.
Last edited by CADad
B bb1100+ posts
It's not all about size if it was all pitchers would be Randy Johnson. Big does not mean talented. Unless of course you are a football coach, coaching baseball. I think Billy Wagner is 5'10 or something like that. Oswalt 5'11. Pedro 5'11. Whats do they throw 98? Wasn't Pedro traded by the Dodgers because he was too small and not going to last. If he's done now he's still a HOF. Ron Guidry 5'11, 165lb, 98mph. We have a 5'9 135lb freshman throwing high 70's low 80's consistently. Well kid you might as well quit now because you're not going to be 6'4. I don't think so.
CADadCADad5,000+ posts
bb1,
Size helps. A great arm is a great arm and you don't have to be tall to throw hard. But if you've got a good arm, not a great one and are 6'4" you'll throw pretty hard. If you've got a good arm, not a great one and are 5'11" then you are probably going to throw about 3 or 4 mph slower than the 6'4" pitcher and that can make a world of difference.

If that freshman is a physically mature 15yo then I'd say he probably never will throw more than mid 80s which is still pretty good and can make for a very good HS pitcher who has a chance to eventually pitch in college. If he's got some growing and maturing still to do then it's anybody's guess and he could end up throwing pretty hard.
Last edited by CADad
B bb1100+ posts
CAdad
He's a young 15. Probably has a little bit of growing to do, maybe 6'. Obviously can add some strength and weight. Doesn't have Wagners legs yet but that from what I understand can and is being worked on. I've seen him at a camp last year throw the ball the length of a football field. That someday will probably translate to 90+.
shortstopmomshortstopmom1,000+ posts
quote:
then I measured him this morning and he had grown about 3/16".


darn it,...ya know what that means: more long pants to buy. HA!!! Big Grin

I'll be glad when its Spring and short wearing season again! Cool ( of course you all are from Cali,..so shorts are pretty much the in thing all year, right? Lucky ducks!!! )

Nice post Coach May!!!! Gotta love it!!!!!
Dreams can come true!!!!!
Last edited by shortstopmom
C Calybbal88Member
quote:
Originally posted by Coach May:
I thought I would do an interview with Matt over the phone sometime this week. Talk to him about his first start with the big league team and his experiences. If any of you have any questions that you would like me to ask Matt that would be great. If anyone is interested just post the question and it will give me an idea of what you guys would want to know. Does this sound like a good idea?


Coach May,
I always stop and read your posts they are always insightful. Thank You. What an excellent success story for Matt. My son is a Junior pitcher. Lately, he has been getting ahead of the batters with 2 strikes and one ball and then boom the batter gets a hit. Could you ask Matt how he determines what pitch to threw the batter once he gets ahead of them in the count? I am sure it varies from circumstance to circumstance? Not sure if he can boil it down. Also, what pitches are in Matt's pitching repitoire? What pitches are his "bread and butter"?
Thank You.
Last edited by Calybbal88
CM Coach May1,000+ posts
Matt was an overpowering pitcher his Jr and especially his Sr year. He relied on a 89-92 mph fb and a decent cb. His change up was ok but usually when he threw it all it did was speed up the hitters bats. When he got to pro ball he had to learn to throw the change and throw it effecively because your not going to overpower those hitters. According to him his bread and butter pitch is his change which he had developed over the last couple of years. He still has the good fb in the low 90's and his curveball is still developing into his third pitch. He relies on great command of his pitches and working ahead of batters. I plan on talking to him soon and I will indeed ask him about pitch selection etc. Thank you for the nice comments as well.

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