Young pitchers

[planet planet]

Are young pitchers just inefficient by nature and they gradually learn to be more efficient? If so, I'd assume that's because they're learning control/command and learning their same stuff doesn't fool batters at the major league level?

I guess I'm asking if highly regarded prospective pitchers go 6 or 7 innings regularly in the minors? Is there anything minor league coaches can do to better prepare them for their major league appearances? Regardless of how great their stuff is, this seems to be the most common problem in adjusting to the majors.

[jim]

Great question. I think there are so many variables it's impossible to give a straight answer. But learning to pitch, as opposed to just throwing, is probably the biggest thing young pitchers have to do. You might think that all of the training in HS, college, and minor leagues would prepare them, but if you can consistently "get away" with a mistake because your stuff is so overpowering at a level you aren't really learning. Nothing like something jacked 400+ feet to teach you that the location wasn't so hot.

Also, the thing about minor leaguers going 6-7+ innings - especially with H.S. kids that doesn't happen until late in their minor league career. I know at Palm Beach , they are piggy-backing starting pitchers. Pitcher A throws 75 pitches to stat, pitcher B throws 40, and then if needed someone comes in to finish. Next time it's the reverse - pitcher B starts and throws 75 etc...

[TheoSqua]

Also you gotta remember most pitchers that make it to the majors were the studs of their high school / college / minor leagues. There used to the own-em mentality, and are generally able to compensate for poor command / lack of movement by throwing the pitch by the batter and it being successfull. A lot of times their mentality revolves around overpowering a hitter and they count strikeouts more than pitches or outs.

Once you get to the majors a lot of pitchers get a rude awakening. That 95 MPH fastball, while good, doesn't fool enough major league hitters to compensate for poor command and no movement. And you see a pitcher start to gradually change their focus on strikeouts and the mph on their fastball and more towards effecient outs and movement. The groundout goes from meh to your best friend.

[Old_Timer_1944]

Is there anything minor league coaches can do to better prepare them for their major league appearances? Regardless of how great their stuff is, this seems to be the most common problem in adjusting to the majors.

I heard Tommy LaSorda tell a story of a young pitcher he had while coaching in the minors. The kid was getting banged around pretty badly in his first inning of work. LaSorda went to the mound and the kid actually had tears running down his cheeks. He told LaSorda that in high school he would strike out 15-16 batters per game.

LaSorda said, "You know those 5 or 6 that you didn't strike out? Those are the guys you are playing against now."

[stlmark]

Is there anything minor league coaches can do to better prepare them for their major league appearances? Regardless of how great their stuff is, this seems to be the most common problem in adjusting to the majors.

I heard Tommy LaSorda tell a story of a young pitcher he had while coaching in the minors. The kid was getting banged around pretty badly in his first inning of work. LaSorda went to the mound and the kid actually had tears running down his cheeks. He told LaSorda that in high school he would strike out 15-16 batters per game.

LaSorda said, "You know those 5 or 6 that you didn't strike out? Those are the guys you are playing against now."

That's a great quote from LaSorda.