PBD Baseball - Online Baseball Pitchers Network

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New Online Baseball Pitching Community

Visit: www.pbdbaseball.ning.com This site is an extention of the PBDBaseball.com. A place where coaches, players, instructors & professionals can discuss baseball pitching traing and development.
Features also Include:
-Customize your profile page
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-Receive feedback from other players and coaches on your play by uploading game and practice video
-Share your thoughts in your own personal blog-Create and maintain group and team pages
-Send and receive messages through your inbox
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-Post events and track responses automatically
-Participate in the discussion forum-

College Athletics, Official Visits and the Early Decision Period - By Tom Kovic

The official visit is a great way to narrow down your college choices by spending quality time with the coaching staff, current student-athletes and college administrators. These visits differ from the unofficial visit in cost, time limitations and the total number permitted by the prospect and the number of visits to each individual institution. That being said, making the effort to work with college coaches to arrange the official visit will provide the prospect and family with a “good look under the hood” as you potentially head down the homestretch in the college search.As the summer comes to a close, rising senior prospects who have effectively cultivated strong relationships with college coaches through consistent communication and by provided coaches with tangible means of evaluating both their academic and athletic skill should be well positioned to narrow down their college list to a more manageable number. If a prospect is considering the early signing period for athletics scholarship, or wishes to apply early decision to the school of their choice, I highly recommended you arrange your official visits to campus before the start of the new school year. Remember, the official visit is permission based and you will need to provide the college coaches with a copy of your high school transcripts and standardized test scores before the visit can be offered. Work closely with the college coach… He will be your point person!CommunicationAs prospects begin to “get their ducks in a row” during the final stages of the college search, communication skills should be sharpened and effectively exercised on a regular basis. I encourage prospects to fine tune their approach and prioritize the “A” list of potential college choices. College coaches are taking similar steps in preparing their recruiting strategies and will look strongly at those prospects that are focused, organized and committed, as compared to those prospects that seem to be lagging behind. Remember, coaches are bound by strict NCAA rules regarding direct communication, but prospects and their families have tremendous laterality when initiating contact with the coaches, especially by phone or face to face. Don’t hesitate to call coaches directly if an important question arises, or you require additional information or clarification about timelines and expectations. The college coach will appreciate the effort. RestrictionsRising senior prospects who are interested in Division 1 or Division 2 programs are permitted to take a total of (5) official visits to college campuses, with no more than (1) visit to any particular institution. Prospects who are interested in Division 3 institutions, may take an unlimited number of official visits, with no more than one visit to any particular institution. Official visits to Division 3 schools are also permission based and the athlete will need to follow the same (Division 1 and 2) procedures in securing a written invitation to visit campus.Prospects are permitted to begin taking official visits starting the first day of classes at the beginning of the senior year in high school and if a fall visit is a strong possibility, the family that takes a proactive effort in arranging the trip will have a better chance in organizing a manageable travel schedule. Please note: An official visit is one that is paid in part or in full by the university and it would serve the family well to determine what portion of the trip, if any, the family will be responsible for covering financially as part of the visit. InformationIn preparation for your visit, provide the coach with information regarding your intended major. This will assist the coach in developing your itinerary, determining your host and selecting the classes you will be attending. Create a list of questions for the coach about his program and his expectations for his student-athletes. You can develop a similar list for current team members as well. The level that you communicate your knowledge of the program with coaches and student-athletes will directly reflect your level of interest you have in the school.I strongly suggest that you arrive “armed” with information about the school, the athletics program and how it potentially matches with your abilities and aspirations. Don’t take a “cocky” approach about your knowledge of the institution, but rather come in as an educated consumer who shows confidence, self awareness and initiative in preparing for an important campus visit. Trust me… The coaches will take notice.The official visit is typically the “clincher” when a prospect and family are narrowing down their final choices. These visits are typically taken while school is in session, and will provide the family with an opportunity to witness first-hand, how the entire process (social interaction with team, team practice, attending classes, living in the dormitories etc.) from a “production” standpoint operates. The prospect who proactively prepares for this visit will have the best chance in making a positive impression on the coach, the team and members of the administration. Remember, you only get one “whack” at taking an official visit to a particular college… Make it count!Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.

What Pro Scouts look for Evaluating Pitchers

When a scout goes to a ballpark to evaluate a pitcher, there are a number of items that are observed and graded. Velocity is only part of the evaluation; There are many pitchers in high school and college that can touch 90+ mph on the radar gun but are not really considered professional prospects. Listed below is a list of pitching criterion used by most Major League clubs

Fast Ball: We start with this because it is the most obvious. Scouts want to see a pitcher'' average velocity - what your fastball pitches at on a consistent basis throughout a game. (some scouts call it "the cruising speed") Your top velocity is also noted and may be used, depending on your age and mechanics, to project a better fastball grade in the future. Along with radar gun readings, a scout must look at how the baseball moves, sinks, cuts, etc. in order to complete the fastball grade. If you throw 90 - 91 mph, but it is straight as an arrow and gets hit frequently, your fastball may be given a below average grade despite it's velocity.
The following fastball velocities are Major League Baseball pitcher ratings
Very Above Average
94+ mph
Above Average
92 - 93 mph
Average
89 - 91 mph
Below Average
87 - 88 mph
Very Below Average
85 - 86 mph
(Left-handed pitchers are graded on the same scale, but fastball velocities are usually given less weight if their breaking balls and change-ups are effective.)

Arm Action: Scouts will note at what arm angle you throw from. Moving from highest release point to the lowest, the arm angles are: over-hand, high 3-quarter, 3-quarter, low 3-quarter, or sidearm. Next, scouts will determine how much tension, or effort, is in the arm action. A max-effort pitcher is tough on his arm and risks injury, as opposed to someone who is smooth and effortless. Pure arm speed is also noted, which usually translates to tighter rotation and better velocity with pitches. A pitcher's arm action will also determine what type f break a curve or slider will have (down break, sweeping, sharp, loose, hanging, etc).

Delivery: Are pitching mechanics clean and smooth, or is there work to be done with the mechanics? There are a wide variety of mechanical flaws that may prohibit a pitcher from being efficient and consistent. Scouts need to note both the good and the bad, or what needs improvement.

Breaking Pitches: This includes curves, sliders and screwballs. A major league pitcher needs at least two quality pitches to keep hitters off-balance. Scouts need to grade the effectiveness of the breaking balls on a Major League scale. Good breaking balls have velocity, they break late (close to home plate), have a tight rotation (tougher to read the spin), and hitters struggle to make solid contact with them.

Other Pitches: This includes the split-finger, change-up, knuckle balls, etc. Again velocity, rotation, sharpness, and how hitters react to them will help determine their grade.

Aggressiveness: Does the pitcher go after hitters with his fastball? Does he challenge hitters with his best stuff? Does he work quickly on the mound between pitches? Does he intimidate hitters with his body language and attitude?

Baseball Instincts: Does he have a feel for pitching (knowing when to use his fastball or when to go off-speed); Is there field awareness for where base runners are and where the play needs to be made; does he back-up bases and cover first base when necessary; and does he support his teammates after an error is made?

Control: Can the pitcher pitch, or does he just throw in the direction of the plate? Can he locate his fastball for a strike when behind in the count? Does he pitch ahead-in-the-count, or behind? On average, a good inning for a pitcher would be 15 pitches or less. Greg Maddux of the Braves once threw a complete, nine inning game on 78 pitches, which is fewer than 9 pitches an inning ... on average.

Physical Maturity: Scouts will evaluate a pitcher's body to determine if he "feels" the pitcher can improve his velocity in the future with added strength and natural, physical maturity. Scouts will examine the height, weight, visual body fat, and athleticism to help them come to a conclusion. There are some 20 year old pitchers who have been weightlifting for 3 or 4 years and are so physically developed that it is difficult to project any velocity improvement from maturation. But on the other hand, scouts have seen high school pitchers weighing 165-175 lbs. Adding 2-5 mph on their fastball as they gain weight and strength in pro baseball. The problem is, strength and maturity does not insure added velocity, so this is purely speculative, or "playing a hunch."
Each Major League team has their own report forms for evaluations, and these items are on them. Arm action and fastball grades are perhaps the two most important evaluations. Arm action evaluations are important because they will tell a team if there is a "better than average" chance of a future injury, because of how the players arm works. Arm actions are difficult to change in pitchers, and there are risks involved in changing how the arm works - velocity may decrease, the angle of the breaking ball will probably change, and the pitching arm is susceptible to injury because the muscles are being used differently. So the arm action had better be able to work efficiently and resist injury.
The fastball evaluation is largely dependent on velocity, but movement and how hitters react to it is also very important. You can teach a fastball how to move, but velocity is God-given. A Major League pitcher had better be able to have enough velocity or movement to get the best hitters in the world out.

2008 - Pitchers Conditioning Boot Camp

PBD Baseball's 4th Annual - S&C Training BootCamp is scheduled for November 2008
Strength & Conditioning BootCamp consists of two (2) 1hr training sessions weekly for seven consecutive weeks. For more information and to register click the attached link: http://www.pbdbaseball.com/S&C%20Poster2008.pdf