Not enough K's..

[Charger567]

I have been extremely successful freshman year for my school team. One thing that has been bugging me is that I just haven't been striking kids out. I pitched a complete game against freshmen, and only struck out 3. Against JV, I am averaging something like 4 K's/7 IP.

Here's a little info about how I throw:

4 Seam Fastball: Excellent control, right around 70 MPH, 2 seam movement.

Change Up: My best pitch by far. Around 58 MPH, approx. 20 inches late break, exact arm speed/slot. My out pitch, thrown maybe 30 times a game.

Curve Ball: A work in progress. I often hang this, and when I don't I can't control it. Thrown maybe 3 times a game.

Control on FB and CU is excellent. I have not walked a batter in 18 innings, but can also throw as many purpose pitches I want wherever I want.

Do you think the only reason I can't get K's is because of my curve ball? Do you think that fastball/change up simply isn't enough of a repertoire to succeed in high school?

[Go Cardinals]

With your control it should come. You may need to throw harder or get better deception, but that will come. If velocity doesn't come, you would be like a greg maddux.

Just work on control and deception and eventually it will come.

Please don't get to caught up in velocity.


Overall I'd say don't worry.

[Utility07]

In general, it will be hard to strike out a ton of guys with two pitches unless you have absolutely amazing stuff.

[EdmondsFan#1]

Probably just don't throw hard enough, no offense. I'm a freshman and I averaged 9.55 K's / 7 innings with just a fastball and very rarely threw a change up.

[StraightGrain11]

You're job as a pitcher it NOT to get STRIKEOUTS. Your job as a pitcher is to get OUTS - or atleast give you team a chance to get outs. HOW you get them is irrelevant.
K's look nice on the back of a card, but your team being successful behind you looks a lot better in the eyes of anyone who truly understands and knows this game.

[TG Coach]

You're job as a pitcher it NOT to get STRIKEOUTS. Your job as a pitcher is to get OUTS

While this is true, kids who dominate freshman ball are the ones who usually make varsity someday. The pitchers who are not dominating in freshman ball tend to get dominated by the hitters when they move up. Hopefully it's just a matter of increasing velocity over the next year or so.

[Nater44]

The last two posts had some good insight. I think to combine thoughts from the two you should focus on developing pitches with different velocity and movement. In addition, strengthen yourself in the off season and work on your mechanics to improve sheer velocity.

Just be very careful that you don't base your success only on strikeouts. Because as you'll find out the higher levels you play at the easier it is to hit pitchers who throw hard if they don't vary their speed.

[PhilliesPhan22]

Outs are outs, no matter how they come.

[TG Coach]

Outs are outs, no matter how they come.

It depends whether he wants to remember his high school freshman year or work towards varsity. Freshman and JV ball are about projectability. Kids who don't dominate at the freshman level tend to struggle by the time they get to varsity unless they have a drastic increase in velocity. So and out is an out isn't always the case. Sometimes it's how the pitching style and effectiveness projects to the higher level regardless of stats.

My son's JV coach didn't report stats to the varsity coach. He reported how players were swinging the bat, fielding and base running savvy and how they threw from the mound. Tools and instincts get kids moved up. Stats can be very misleading. The kid with the best batting average on our high school JV team will peak as a JV player. He loads up on mediocre pitching. When pitcher's velocity get sto 80+ he's helpless. A kid who can't touch 80 isn't moving up even if he did hit .370.

[Charger567]

Outs are outs, no matter how they come.

It depends whether he wants to remember his high school freshman year or work towards varsity. Freshman and JV ball are about projectability. Kids who don't dominate at the freshman level tend to struggle by the time they get to varsity unless they have a drastic increase in velocity. So and out is an out isn't always the case. Sometimes it's how the pitching style and effectiveness projects to the higher level regardless of stats.

My son's JV coach didn't report stats to the varsity coach. He reported how players were swinging the bat, fielding and base running savvy and how they threw from the mound. Tools and instincts get kids moved up. Stats can be very misleading. The kid with the best batting average on our high school JV team will peak as a JV player. He loads up on mediocre pitching. When pitcher's velocity get sto 80+ he's helpless. A kid who can't touch 80 isn't moving up even if he did hit .370.

That's kind of why I am concerned. I am succeeding on JV, but not dominating. I threw an inning for Varsity and got shelled as you can see by the stats. However, it was against the best hitting team in the state. It's still not something I am OK with.

[StraightGrain11]

It's still not something I am OK with.

GOOD! Never be satisfied - especially when you know you can do better. Use that. That will be the fuel for your fire to work harder to get better.

[Charger567]

GOOD! Never be satisfied - especially when you know you can do better. Use that. That will be the fuel for your fire to work harder to get better.

Thats why I am here. I want to work harder, but need to know where I need to work. I am working out 3 times a week in the off season, once in season. If it's velocity, should I work out/long toss more?

[StraightGrain11]

Thats why I am here. I want to work harder, but need to know where I need to work. I am working out 3 times a week in the off season, once in season. If it's velocity, should I work out/long toss more?

Long toss is good. Will it increase your velocity...hard to say. No gaurauntees on that one, but I promise you it won't hurt. I did it religiously - every day.
There are things you can do to help you increase your velocity a little bit, here and there. Strengthen your core (medicine ball stuff), get your pitching mechanics down so they are as efficient as possible, mainly things like that. As far as velocity in general goes...that's something you're born with. Either the Baseball Gods gave it to you or they didn't.
To give you an example, my starting shortstop is a 15 yr old sophomore who can throw upper 70's/low 80's, right now. And since he is so young (and I know what his father looks like), I will say there is definite potential for high 80's/low 90's by the time he is a senior. His arm is VERY strong. The other night he got taken for a ride on a deep pop up into shallow left field (probably 175-200 ft out [from the plate]), got crossed up and ended up on the ground. When he finally picked the ball up, his back was to the infield and the runner was half way home from 3B. He fired a one-hopper to the catcher (who was standing over the plate) FROM HIS KNEES that never got more than 3 feet off the ground and the runner just beat the throw by a step. My jaw dropped. I knew his arm was strong, but I did not know it was THAT strong. I would have killed for an arm like that when I played.

Some people are just born lucky. If you're not, it just means you have to work that much harder to compete with them. And I promise, the hard work you put in will make your successes all the sweeter.