Pitching distance

[HighStrung]

It aids the hitters a lot more than pitchers. It was moved back to increase offense.

I didn't say it helps every pitcher, I noted it helping movement pitchers more. I don't feel like most pitchers have near as much movement as they think they do (especially at 14u with all 9 pitches they have), but those that do stand to benefit from the increase in distance more than those who don't. Is the batter still the one who benefits the most, probably.

 

[radness]

And if it wasn't already obvious - HS = 43'.

You'll find A LOT more discussion on here about the move from 35'-40' than you will about 40'-43'. Maybe it's just b/c we're not there yet, but I can't recall even reading a thread about moving from 40'-43'.

Well...ya know...after accomplishing moving 5' back and a bigger ball?
...whats 3' feet and the same ball ?

 

[ANNASDAD]

When Anna was in the 6th grade, the first day of MS tryouts I was informed that our conference just changed and would be pitching from 43', same as varsity. Now she had just come from 10U using an 11" ball and pitching from 35'. We had practiced one time with a 12" ball from 40' for starting 12U.....maybe two times before that MS tryout?

So in a couple days span she went from an 11" ball @ 35' to a 12" ball and 43', she took it wayyy better than I did!!

 

[jdint]

I didn't say it helps every pitcher, I noted it helping movement pitchers more. I don't feel like most pitchers have near as much movement as they think they do (especially at 14u with all 9 pitches they have), but those that do stand to benefit from the increase in distance more than those who don't. Is the batter still the one who benefits the most, probably.

This has been my DD's experience. Her 12u team started playing up in some 14u in tournaments in the late summer and she did surprisingly well.

Her drop ball became her go to pitch, and it seemed to work much better at 43 feet. When the team went back to 12u the drop wasn't as good. Her speed is dominant against the average teams in the areas, but when she went up against the Bombers, they caught up to her the second time through the order. Without her drop working she wasn't super effective.

edit: and by not "super effective" I mean she got rocked the second time through the order. I don't know how 12 year old girls can barrel up a mid to high 50's fastball, but they can.....and do.

 

[Gags]

So in a couple days span she went from an 11" ball @ 35' to a 12" ball and 43', she took it wayyy better than I did!!

My shoulder sympathizes with you. My oldest started playing rec/all-stars last year. When I was helping warm up the pitchers, it felt like I was throwing down to 2B on every toss back to the pitcher.

 

[HighStrung]

This has been my DD's experience. Her 12u team started playing up in some 14u in tournaments in the late summer and she did surprisingly well.

Her drop ball became her go to pitch, and it seemed to work much better at 43 feet. When the team went back to 12u the drop wasn't as good. Her speed is dominant against the average teams in the areas, but when she went up against the Bombers, they caught up to her the second time through the order. Without her drop working she wasn't super effective.

edit: and by not "super effective" I mean she got rocked the second time through the order. I don't know how 12 year old girls can barrel up a mid to high 50's fastball, but they can.....and do.

Very similar results. DD moved to 14u last Sept, throws fast enough (54-56FB) but never been a real flamethrower, but had overall better results with the added three feet. She's got a very good drop and curve but they were almost too late breaking at 40'. Our team was all 07 but we took on a 06 player for '21 and had to move to 14A competition, even with that she still found more success pitching against 14A than she did at 40' against 12A batters literally a month before.

 

[coachbubbles]

Though it may not seem like a lot, it's like taking 2-3mph off perceived speed from 40'. It's also a tremendous help for a movement pitcher, those last 3' are where the sharpest movement happens.

Completely agree with this. Our speed pitchers went from being dominant/effective to not real quick where as our girls that were a notch slower and needed to spin and spot it have had much better success moving up. DD went from a high percentage of off center/mishits at 40’ and not as many swings and misses to an inverse this fall. Alot of swings and misses. That has been fun but when man when she hangs one over the middle it gets rocked.

 

[uncdrew]

And if it wasn't already obvious - HS = 43'.

You'll find A LOT more discussion on here about the move from 35'-40' than you will about 40'-43'. Maybe it's just b/c we're not there yet, but I can't recall even reading a thread about moving from 40'-43'.

Yep. It's almost a non-issue at that point.

1. The move from 35 to 40 is bigger (as a percentage and just 5>3)
2. Girls are younger and less experienced at pitching when they move from 35 to 40
3. As they get stronger in 12U, a pitch at 40 and a pitch at 43 are almost the same. It's not like their 40 foot pitch dives and hits the ground at 41 feet. (fast pitches, at least)
4. Many 12U girls are playing middle school/feeder/metro ball which is also at 43 feet

 

[uncdrew]

When Anna was in the 6th grade, the first day of MS tryouts I was informed that our conference just changed and would be pitching from 43', same as varsity. Now she had just come from 10U using an 11" ball and pitching from 35'. We had practiced one time with a 12" ball from 40' for starting 12U.....maybe two times before that MS tryout?

So in a couple days span she went from an 11" ball @ 35' to a 12" ball and 43', she took it wayyy better than I did!!

We had that exact same jump as well, but had 6 weeks between seasons and advanced notice to work on it. So we did fine. A few girls simply didn't know and almost cried at tryouts when they were 8 feet further back.