MMV #020: 3 Keys to a Pitchers Success

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Read time: 2 minutes

As coaches we constantly preach to our players, "control what you can control".

But when we evaluate performance, we often look at things OUT of their control.

Today, we want to show you the 3 biggest contributors to a pitchers success.

These 3 things are also well within a pitchers control.

 A pitchers success boils down to their ability to:

1. Create swing and miss
2. Pound the strike zone
3. Limit damage (extra bases)

You don’t have to be great at all 3 to be a good pitcher, but you do need to be good in at least 2 of the categories.

D1 Averages:

Strikeouts - 20%

Walks - 11%

ISO - .166

Examples:

High K%

High BB%

Low damage

Players in this example usually have good stuff (velo and movement), but struggle to find the zone consistently.

High K%

Low BB%

High damage

Players in this example have high quality stuff and decent command, but either their location in the zone or pitch usage is off.

Low K%

Low BB%

Low damage

Players in this example are typically sinker ball pitchers that don’t get a lot of swing miss, but they don’t walk guys and keep the ball on the ground.

Looking at these examples, which one are you?

If you aren’t inducing swing and miss, you likely need better stuff.

If you are walking the house, you need better command.

If you are giving up a lot of damage, it could be a number of things, but first evaluate your stuff.

It’s easy to know what to focus on if only one category is bad, but what if there are multiple areas that need improvement?

This is where it gets tricky and can be level dependent.

In general if you are walking guys, that should be your focus.

No coach wants to pitch a guy that can’t throw strikes.

Truthfully, command and stuff can be worked on at the same time.

When it comes to damage, make sure your strikeouts and walks are in a good place before worrying about that.

Having a good K and walk rate, but high damage is rare.

RECAP

• Focus on the big 3
• Get really good at 2/3 categories
• Focus on strikes first if lacking in multiple categories
• Only worry about damage if other categories are good

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