a 6'5" 200 lb guy that throws a wild 93 will be given the opportunity to go beyond his current results at a much higher level than a a 5'10" guy throwing a well honed 87.
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93 MPH is no big deal in professional baseball if it's straight. It flies out of the ballpark at 115+
Sigh......I can't believe I'm going to answer this based on the other thread not ending but I chose the bigger kid. Size and speed are finite commodities in baseball. You can coach them to get a little bit better but overall each person is capped at a certain level that can be attained. If you got a kid at 93 you might be able to squeek another 2 or 3 MPH out of him through fine tuned mechanics. The 87 kid is probably just get to around 89ish so the 95 looks much better as a projected player.
But I'm taking the 6'5 not because he's tall but because he's throwing 93. If he was 3'5 and throwing 93 I'm going to take him over a 6'7 guy throwing 87.
Most coaches go after the guys who have high level abilities that they won't have to develop as much.
But I'm taking the 6'5 not because he's tall but because he's throwing 93. If he was 3'5 and throwing 93 I'm going to take him over a 6'7 guy throwing 87.
Most coaches go after the guys who have high level abilities that they won't have to develop as much.
I'll take the 5'10" guy at 93 over the 6'5" guy at 87 also.
It depends on which one is my son. 
quote:Originally posted by Bulldog 19:
93 MPH is no big deal in professional baseball if it's straight.
There is a notion within the pro baseball forums that 93 is no big deal. While many may top in the 93 area not as many sit there as people think, movement or not IMO.
FYI, MLB average fastball is 91 mph.
quote:There is a notion within the pro baseball forums that 93 is no big deal. While many may top in the 93 area not as many sit there as people think, movement or not IMO.
My point is while velocity does have an effect (especially being able to change velocity) if you throw a semi-constant speed in professional baseball that is fairly straight, you're gonna get rocked whether it's 85 MPH, 92 MPH, or 107 MPH. Professional hitters are going to be able to adjust.
To me, size truly doesn't matter.
Pitchers are born, not made.
You have to be born with the gift of velocity.
Then out of those few that are born with it, you have to be blessed with control.
Then out of those few with control and velocity you have to be blessed with the ability to withstand forces that would tear the arm off of a normal human being.
Last but not least, out of those few, you have to have the drive and desire to work on it through the good times and the bad, through injury and pain, to be successful no matter what are the odds and what anybody else says.
Size doesn't matter.
Pitchers are born, not made.
You have to be born with the gift of velocity.
Then out of those few that are born with it, you have to be blessed with control.
Then out of those few with control and velocity you have to be blessed with the ability to withstand forces that would tear the arm off of a normal human being.
Last but not least, out of those few, you have to have the drive and desire to work on it through the good times and the bad, through injury and pain, to be successful no matter what are the odds and what anybody else says.
Size doesn't matter.
Bulldog I agree 100% that if a pro has ability he's going to adjust to that pitch and if he can't he'll be bagging groceries in a week or two. Same for that pitcher who just throws straight gas - he'll be stocking the shelves at the same market.
Doughnutman I agree completely that a pitcher is born but I'm going to add to it that you can fine tune him to perform better. Plus I will say that you can make a high school pitcher but typically anything above that has to be born a pitcher. The rest of what you put is dead on and size doesn't matter.
Doughnutman I agree completely that a pitcher is born but I'm going to add to it that you can fine tune him to perform better. Plus I will say that you can make a high school pitcher but typically anything above that has to be born a pitcher. The rest of what you put is dead on and size doesn't matter.
The premise of the question is similar to the time-honored question, "Who's better, the guy who can throw with location or the guy who can throw with velocity?" This question assumes the guy who throws with velocity can't locate..
..and so it goes with the premise of your question. It assumes the 5'10" guy throws at a lower velocity. Well, DUH! Of course I'd take the guy with the higher velocity! But I've seen a lot of sub-6ft guys that can throw with velocity, too! (Tim Lincecum comes to mind.)
Bottom line is, velocity is #1 when scouting. It will always be so. I doubt a scout would care if you're 4'10 if you could throw mid-90's.
..and so it goes with the premise of your question. It assumes the 5'10" guy throws at a lower velocity. Well, DUH! Of course I'd take the guy with the higher velocity! But I've seen a lot of sub-6ft guys that can throw with velocity, too! (Tim Lincecum comes to mind.)
Bottom line is, velocity is #1 when scouting. It will always be so. I doubt a scout would care if you're 4'10 if you could throw mid-90's.
Are they left or right handed , does 93 have any movement compared to the 87 kid . There are many tangibles to this equation . Bottom line is scouts look for pitchers that consistetly get batters out . That being said most will project the 93 mph kid to develop into the better pitcher . IMO
quote:It depends on which one is my son.
Now there is an honest comment!!
As stated, I would guess at least 99% would take the taller guy with velocity; hoping they could teach grip/movement etc. Tough on a hitter to center a baseball released at over 7' high, moving down about 5' or so for a strike at the knees!
The 6'5" player can be worked with and developed. Chances are there are issues with consistant mechanics, grip and possibly concentration. He may have the ability to throw harder with good mechanics. The 5'10" player is probably close to peaking. He probably can't be developed to throw mid 90's. There are plenty of choices when looking to draft a 87 mph arm. There aren't a lot of mid 90's arms.
quote:Originally posted by Bum:
But I've seen a lot of sub-6ft guys that can throw with velocity, too! (Tim Lincecum comes to mind.)
His height and weight has nothing to do with it, his leaping stride (his mechanics) does that propels him closer to the mound. He also has the ML mentality to go with all of what he has, or doesn't have.
Did I hear that Billy Wagner was at 82 coming out of high school?
quote:Originally posted by Innocent Bystander:
Did I hear that Billy Wagner was at 82 coming out of high school?
That gives me hope then.
I think the tall guy who throws 93 is the more "projectable" because that is what the definition of projection is. Whether he'll be the better pitcher is a whole nother story. Remember your "projection" won't do you a lot of good when you're on that mound in the big game. Knowing how to pitch might.