Pitchers Beware~ a post about Being Ready

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radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
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A post about readiness!
Can see in this highlight video very first pitch and hit.

Clearly the pitchers posture after release is standing without attention to what happens next.
(Or could happen next)
Where glove might need to be in the next moment.

*Consider this reminder that after you let go of the pitch you become a defensive player!

(This is either an example of get your glove and posture ready. Or make sure you're wearing a Fielding mask.
Think doing both is best.)



This one doesn't hit the pitcher but yet an example of no glove near the ball. Can see the time delay after releasing the pitch to standing not doing anything for Readiness and the clearly late reaction.
 
Last edited:
Jan 25, 2022
881
93
My daughter is pitching 8th grade right now, but she's only a year into lessons so her average speed isn't much over 40. Next year she'll pitch regularly for the high school because there'll be little roster depth for pitching, and she can throw a lot of strikes. She does well fielding the position, but I'm concerned about her safety facing much stronger batters next year. I'd like her to be throwing about 50 and doing it safely, so we'll put a lot of work into strength, agility, and training her reflexes. A mask is a must. I honestly have never really looked to see where her glove is after finishing. If it's the same as when we practice, it's at waist level.
 
Nov 9, 2019
56
8
My daughter is pitching 8th grade right now, but she's only a year into lessons so her average speed isn't much over 40. Next year she'll pitch regularly for the high school because there'll be little roster depth for pitching, and she can throw a lot of strikes. She does well fielding the position, but I'm concerned about her safety facing much stronger batters next year. I'd like her to be throwing about 50 and doing it safely, so we'll put a lot of work into strength, agility, and training her reflexes. A mask is a must. I honestly have never really looked to see where her glove is after finishing. If it's the same as when we practice, it's at waist level.
Faster is good if you don't throw down middle of the plate. Middle of plate generally is right back at pitcher. Always think corners.
 
Jan 25, 2022
881
93
Faster is good if you don't throw down middle of the plate. Middle of plate generally is right back at pitcher. Always think corners.
Yep. Been seeing that first hand all year with our main pitcher. She really can't spot much but she's really good at throwing a bullseye.

Mine, at the moment, doesnt spot but she stays in the zone the majority of the time without putting them consistently down the middle. "Effectively wild," it's been called.

In addition to speed, we're looking for spots and a change-up. She knows the change-up already but only throws it correctly maybe half the time, and usually slower than it should be.

I think we can get to 50 with some work, but I want the spots to come along at the same time. I see so many kids pitching middle school JV that throw harder than the varsity girl, but they don't have the accuracy. Slow and steady has worked really well for us.
 

Top_Notch

Screwball
Dec 18, 2014
512
63
A mask is a must. I honestly have never really looked to see where her glove is after finishing. If it's the same as when we practice, it's at waist level.

I agree with a mask being a must. I would add that a heart guard for a pitcher is a must too.

My DD has been a pitcher since she started at 8U and is still playing at 16U. Her glove hand finishes "up" so she is at the ready to protect herself. With today's hot bats, sometimes the ball comes back just too quickly. It's also very difficult to protect against low line drives, so a pad on the front shin isn't a bad idea. Nothing worse than watching a pitcher take a line drive. Gear up.
 
Jun 7, 2020
220
28
My dd has always been lucky when pitching. She's had several balls come right back at her. Thank God that she either caught them or they missed her somehow. It is a very scary thing. I seen a girl in 10u drop like a sack of potatoes. No stumble no nothing. Just boom and boom. The girl got hit with a lined shot to the upper chest almost throat area. Our most powerful hitter hit it.

I've dont think I've heard of a heart guard. I assume it goes over the pitchers heart?
 
Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
The purpose of heart guards is to prevent Commotio Cordis, which is the heart stopping after a blow to the chest. You need to find one that’s NOCSAE certified. The majority of heart guards on the market aren’t so parents need to be careful. Commotio Cordis is dependent on the timing of the heart beat when hit and not the force of the blow. It can occur even with mild blows to the chest so it’s not a matter of any protection is better than none.

As you may have guessed the certified protecters are expensive. Close to a hundred bucks and above. It’s definitely a case of you get what you pay for. Without that certification your child would be just as safe taping a paper plate to their chest.

As far as being necessary, that’s up to the individual. Commotio Cordis is extremely rare. There are something like 25 cases a year and 95% of those are in boys. That’s not just in baseball. That’s 25 cases total in and out of sports.

This concludes todays PSA.
 
May 27, 2013
2,353
113
So my 2 cents - and I’m not saying this specifically about this particular pitcher - but what I’ve been noticing is a lot of pitchers aren’t very athletic. They can be a PO and do very well but you hold your breath that nothing is hit back to them. They also can’t catch a pop-up that goes right behind them and/or are terrible at fielding bunts and throwing to 1B.

This is why I’ve always been a huge believer of never becoming a PO unless you are already committed to a P5 school and know you will never see the field unless you pitch. Pitchers also need those fielding skills and really, playing the field is the only way to get reps off of the bat in a game situation.
 

LEsoftballdad

DFP Vendor
Jun 29, 2021
2,838
113
NY
The purpose of heart guards is to prevent Commotio Cordis, which is the heart stopping after a blow to the chest. You need to find one that’s NOCSAE certified. The majority of heart guards on the market aren’t so parents need to be careful. Commotio Cordis is dependent on the timing of the heart beat when hit and not the force of the blow. It can occur even with mild blows to the chest so it’s not a matter of any protection is better than none.

As you may have guessed the certified protecters are expensive. Close to a hundred bucks and above. It’s definitely a case of you get what you pay for. Without that certification your child would be just as safe taping a paper plate to their chest.

As far as being necessary, that’s up to the individual. Commotio Cordis is extremely rare. There are something like 25 cases a year and 95% of those are in boys. That’s not just in baseball. That’s 25 cases total in and out of sports.

This concludes todays PSA.
I had one of those 25 cases happen to a client of mine. His son was a lacrosse player who took a shot to his chest. It caused his heart to stop, and tragically, he died as a result. It was not an overly hard shot. It just hit at the wrong spot at the wrong time.

Most heart guards aren't designed to prevent that injury. I assume Evoshield gel-to-shell is really the only one that works, but they can be uncomfortable for girls as they develop up top.
 

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