Velocity vs. command

[OldRed]

Everyone it seems is looking for guys that throw upper 90's. What's wrong with average velocity and great command?

[craviduce]

Everyone it seems is looking for guys that throw upper 90's. What's wrong with average velocity and great command?

you don't get as much run on the fastball at lower velocity...better arm and glove side movement with a fastball at 95mph vs. 92-93mph

edit ~ the possibility of the movement is greater at higher velocities....not everyone can get that movement. Sorry, I misspoke

[Basil Shabazz]

Great velo + Great command = 1/2 Starter
Avg Velo + Great command =3 starter
Great velo - Avg Command = 7/8/9 inning guy
Avg/Avg is what you fill out the rest with.

Exceptions to every rule

[3dender]

Everyone it seems is looking for guys that throw upper 90's. What's wrong with average velocity and great command?

What's wrong is that over the last 10-15 years, hitters have evolved to be able to hit other-worldly velocity and movement... so when an "average" velocity guy comes along with pitches that don't move all that much, even if he can spot all his pitches perfectly they look like meatballs.

[ScotchMIrish]

Everyone it seems is looking for guys that throw upper 90's. What's wrong with average velocity and great command?

you don't get as much run on the fastball at lower velocity...better arm and glove side movement with a fastball at 95mph vs. 92-93mph

edit ~ the possibility of the movement is greater at higher velocities....not everyone can get that movement. Sorry, I misspoke

Greg Maddux got a lot of movement on his 80's speed fastball. Of course he also got a foot wider strike zone from the umpires.

It's velocity, control, movement, changing speeds, ability to throw multiple pitches with the same delivery so the batters don't have a "tell".

[mattmitchl44]

If you draft/sign guys with plus fastball velocity, even if they don't develop secondary pitches and/or the control necessary to start, they can still be high leverage RPs.

Guys with just average fastball velocity, if they don't develop secondary pitches and/or control, they have a hard time being effective at the ML level.

Basically, there is a lot more margin for error if you are starting with plus fastball velocity.

[ramfandan]

If you draft/sign guys with plus fastball velocity, even if they don't develop secondary pitches and/or the control necessary to start, they can still be high leverage RPs.

Guys with just average fastball velocity, if they don't develop secondary pitches and/or control, they have a hard time being effective at the ML level.

Basically, there is a lot more margin for error if you are starting with plus fastball velocity.

Well said . Look at Ryan Helsley .. guy can throw 100+ fastballs and hit the strike zone pretty effectively. Only a handful of guys in MLB can do that . That's why he was sought as rental this year. They don't grow on trees

[CCard]

Everyone it seems is looking for guys that throw upper 90's. What's wrong with average velocity and great command?

The faster the velocity the less time a batter has to read spin and react. That being said, you could throw the ball a 200 mph and it's useless if you can't keep it near the plate. That's why it's so rare when a pitcher does both.

[jcgmoi]

Like Sidd Finch.

[sikeston bulldog2]

Everyone it seems is looking for guys that throw upper 90's. What's wrong with average velocity and great command?

The faster the velocity the less time a batter has to read spin and react. That being said, you could throw the ball a 200 mph and it's useless if you can't keep it near the plate. That's why it's so rare when a pitcher does both.

Much of that lack of command would be due to huge movement I’d think. Hard to control exact movement. Like forecasting weather; just hope to get close.

[Hazelwood72]

In my many years of watching Cardinal baseball and MLB baseball in general, the best pitcher I ever saw was Sandy Koufax in his prime. And it took Koufax about 5 years to learn command. In his early career he threw even harder, but walked more batters and threw more wild pitches. It took Norm Sherry, his Dodger catcher, to get Sandy to throw at 90 percent rather than 100 percent.

It’s like when I golf. If I swing at 90 percent, I hit the ball straighter and farther than when I swing from the heels.

It’s the great athletes like Koufax who can find that fine line between too little effort and too much effort, and duplicate it time after time.

[rockondlouie]

Everyone it seems is looking for guys that throw upper 90's. What's wrong with average velocity and great command?

Need the KO's in this era of MLB.

There's a place for the type of hurler you described OR but teams want that high velo so they can keep balls out of play.

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad C. Bloom drafted high velo types as opposed to Mo's "pitch to contact" draftees!

Hopefully they can harness that power and also develop command.

[rockondlouie]

In my many years of watching Cardinal baseball and MLB baseball in general, the best pitcher I ever saw was Sandy Koufax in his prime. And it took Koufax about 5 years to learn command. In his early career he threw even harder, but walked more batters and threw more wild pitches. It took Norm Sherry, his Dodger catcher, to get Sandy to throw at 90 percent rather than 100 percent.

It’s like when I golf. If I swing at 90 percent, I hit the ball straighter and farther than when I swing from the heels.

It’s the great athletes like Koufax who can find that fine line between too little effort and too much effort, and duplicate it time after time.

And look how long it took N. Ryan to develop command too!

[Quincy Varnish]

Everyone it seems is looking for guys that throw upper 90's. What's wrong with average velocity and great command?

Mikolas

[mattmitchl44]

With most hitters today specifically coming to the plate to swing hard and try to do XBH damage (not just put the ball in play), guys with just average velocity are also at more risk of getting hit hard when they miss their spots. Plus velocity gives pitchers more margin for error, especially with hitters make more full effort swings and not being concerned about striking out.

[imadangman]

If you draft/sign guys with plus fastball velocity, even if they don't develop secondary pitches and/or the control necessary to start, they can still be high leverage RPs.

Guys with just average fastball velocity, if they don't develop secondary pitches and/or control, they have a hard time being effective at the ML level.

Basically, there is a lot more margin for error if you are starting with plus fastball velocity.

Well said . Look at Ryan Helsley .. guy can throw 100+ fastballs and hit the strike zone pretty effectively. Only a handful of guys in MLB can do that . That's why he was sought as rental this year. They don't grow on trees

And I remember Helsley as a prospect. Some talked about him as a future reliever or maybe a starter. I also remember early on, a lot of folks thought of him as a guy who throws a straight fastball with no command and no movement.