Travel pitching performance expectations

[fastpitch91]

Just a poll of what you see/expect on some key pitcher stats / expectations for a competitive pitcher, ie what a kid should set as goals
A, B level
10, 12 14 16+
SO / BB ratio
K per inning
Strike %

I made up some # to start the discussion.
comments : as they mature they start to pitch more - ie more balls on the edge
K per inning is more stable because the pitchers and hitters are better A/B
I always felt SO/BB was the critical stat. or SO/ ( BB + WP). I might be too lenient on this stat as it seems anytime the other team is 5/2, 6/2, 8/2 SO /BB my team losses!!!

 

[bsbs]

70% strike rate is higher than what I saw at 14u this year.

 

[chinamigarden]

Just a poll of what you see/expect on some key pitcher stats / expectations for a competitive pitcher, ie what a kid should set as goals
A, B level
10, 12 14 16+
SO / BB ratio
K per inning
Strike %
View attachment 29865
I made up some # to start the discussion.
comments : as they mature they start to pitch more - ie more balls on the edge
K per inning is more stable because the pitchers and hitters are better A/B
I always felt SO/BB was the critical stat. or SO/ ( BB + WP). I might be too lenient on this stat as it seems anytime the other team is 5/2, 6/2, 8/2 SO /BB my team losses!!!

I think if a pitcher is at 70% strikes she is probably over the plate too much. Unless she has such good stuff they are swinging at balls often.
I’m not sure I’m reading this SO/BB ratio properly. Are you saying A level pitchers at age 16 should be 1.5 k to every walk? And they should have a minimum of 1k per inning. I can’t imagine where an A pitcher is pitching 3.5 walks a game. Seems like it should be 4/1.

When my dd pitched I looked at first pitch strike percentage, pitches per inning and whip. Everything else built off of those numbers to me.

 

[sluggers]

I don't understand the SO/BB. Is that a ratio or what?

A good pitcher should have no more than 2 walks per 7 inning game.

 

[bsbs]

Looking at our 14u team k/walk. 3/1, 2.2/1, 4.6/1, 2.3/1

 

[CoachCeetar]

I can't speak to the high-end/competitive teams, but 10u stuff, 60% is probably pie in the sky for all but the top 1% who are probably already 11 and aging out.

The next level down is probably still a low K/BB rate, but high Ks, because they're in that zone where it's either or, because they're throwing well enough that the pitches are tough to actually hit.

I think a good over/under for "is a pitcher 'good'" is closer to something like Balls in play+ Strikeouts/BB > 1. Like, do as many batters have a competitive AB as wander down to first with little effort. Plenty of soft grounders to third/pitcher/catcher that just don't get converted, but ultimately that was a good pitch by the pitcher.

 

[BrianTx01]

With the new "college strike zone" that so many umpires are proud of the idea of 70% strikes is probably not happening much.

 

[daywalkerdad]

DD 14u k/bb ratio is 10 to 1. I would think top pitchers are greater than 3-1.

 

[Tazman]

My kid plays on a high level team. She is at 5.2/1 and the other pitcher in the team who is also pretty good (but relies more on weak hits and D) is at 1.8/1.

 

[tomorrow]

SO / BB ratio does not describe how good of a pitcher you are, and should not be used when setting goals.
SO / BB ratio might help describe what type of pitcher you are.

A pitcher could have zero strikeouts and zero walks in a game and absolutely dominate. This is not an uncommon result for a spin/offspeed pitcher.