At Fastpitch News, we have created a column called “Ask the Experts” which will explore commonly asked questions by curious parents, coaches, instructors, and players related to different areas of the game. First up is Amanda Scarborough.
Every pitcher is different. Similar to the snowflake analogy, there isn’t one pitcher across the country or in the world who is exactly like another. We understand that different philosophies are going to work for some but won’t work for others. There are hundreds of teaching and learning methods being used to construct and mold young female athletes into pitchers nation and worldwide today.
The following pitching questions have been analyzed and answered by Pitching Expert Amanda Scarborough, who is a former Texas A&M All-American pitcher, ESPN analyst, motivational speaker, clothing designer and pitching coach.
FPN: You have spoken several times on-air about the need for a pitcher to have three speeds, while most coaches are only focused on two speeds and having more “pitches”. Could you explain in more detail why you think the need for having three speeds is more important than having a lot of “pitches”?
AS: I hear this coming at me from different angles. I hear it from hitting coaches when discussing how tough a pitcher is to hit BECAUSE she has 3 different speeds and I hear it from pitching coaches when discussing how they want their pitchers to have 3 speeds. To be a good hitter, there are two VERY important things – Pitch Selection and Timing. If you can throw off a hitter’s timing, when the pitch might not even be located in the best spot, you can still get her out. It might not be a strikeout, but it could be a ground out to your shortstop, which is just as good because it’s an out. There is so much film out on collegiate pitchers where it’s less about what pitches you have and more about how are you going to be able to show different speeds throughout the game. That is really what keeps hitters off balance. Then you add movement to that speed and also hitting a spot, it becomes deadly, therefore, as a pitcher, you get to stay in the game longer!
FPN: How many pitches are necessary to have? In your opinion, what is really going to catch a college coach’s eye?
AS: My gut always tells me three really good pitches are necessary for a pitcher to have. However, I realistically think the answer could also be four. The one thing I know for certain is it’s a myth that the more pitches you have the better pitcher you are. You may have five or six in high school, but once you get to college, you’re really just focusing on three, maybe four. A pitcher having six AMAZING pitches is very unrealistic. Another trend you’re seeing with three different speeds is mastering the Rise, Drop and Change up and having those pitches be your core three. Why? Because Rise and Drop change planes by going north and south. Curve and screw stay on the same plane as a hitters swing which in coaches’ eyes makes those pitchers more hittable. The caveat is, you have to be able to throw your rise ball and your drop ball for strikes with movement AND as swing and miss pitches. That’s really what separates the good from the great. Oh, and if you can make your rise and drop ball two different speeds with your change up the third – BOOM, that’s a stellar pitching toolbox and you’ll be one of the best pitchers in the country!
FPN: In your opinion, how important is the Fastball?
AS: When I was playing eight years ago, it was RARE for a pitcher to throw a fastball in a game. Now, a pitcher locating a fastball in the game is coming back in. The emphasis is on the word LOCATING a fastball. Every pitcher needs a pitch she can fall back on in a game. A fastball is a pitch you’ve been throwing the longest. A fastball should be the “most simple” in terms of mechanics, and it could also be the most reliable tool in your toolbox. Every pitcher is going to come across counts where she HAS to be able to come with a strike to leverage the count back up again. What is that pitch for you? Is it a fastball? So what, throw it. Is it a drop? Ok, throw that. You might have a different name for it, but in a hitter’s count, a pitcher has to find the strike zone, so no matter what name YOU are calling the pitch, you probably take a little movement off of the pitch you choose to find the zone and get back into the count. If I did it all over again, I would re-incorporate a fastball back into my pitch calling for those times I needed a consistent strike.
FPN: Which is more important: accuracy or speed?
AS: There is nothing better to me than a reliable pitcher who can hit her spots. A pitcher’s number one job is to throw strikes. The team and the coaches know what they are going to get when they have an accurate pitcher pitching and it tends to put everyone’s emotions at ease. There are fewer highs and lows. Our game is super emotional and an accurate pitcher soothes those emotions more than a pitcher that has a ton of speed but is not accurate. My best advice for those accurate pitchers who maybe don’t have the speed they want is that they HAVE to become more aggressive and get a little messy in their practices. They have to push themselves to get uncomfortable at practice. Their version of uncomfortable is probably not throwing consistent strikes at practice. Practice is the time to push yourself and not be perfect if it means that you are moving your body faster and getting a little more velocity behind the ball. Your muscle memory will catch up, I promise. If you’re accurate, you probably have great mechanics. Try pushing the boundaries and pushing yourself at practice to move faster and be more aggressive and just see what it feels like. Your body will put itself together and you will be that pitcher that has accuracy AND a few more mph behind her pitch.
If you seek further questions that you wish to be answered by Amanda, visit www.amanda-scarborough.com and click Contact in the top right corner.
