Tennessee Softball 2023

#16,104
#16,104
kregman said:
Ashley gets into med school. Good for her.
Click to expand...

Great for Ashley!!!! My daughter did her residency at ETSU and was so satisfied with the whole process and now is a practicing physician in Knoxville ! Great university and people were great to be around and she made many lifelong friends. AGAIN ASHLEY HAS MADE A GREAT CHOICE!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: KTrain, W.TN.Orange Blood, NMSUSoftballalum and 7 others
#16,106
#16,106
Vol67 said:
Pitching
Pitching
Pitching
Pitching

It will make or break this team. Have the hitters but weak at pitcher
Click to expand...

Along with 98% of teams out there. Remember the days when you had a horse and rode that horse for 80% of your meaningful innings, if not more? That's gone. I can't put my finger on it but I suspect two things:

1. The increased emphasis on speed - go watch a top tier travel game and there's parents and coaches with the pocket radars. Speed speed speed. It used to be spin, movement and control. The strain on the arm and such - so many more injuries than I remember even 8-10 years ago from the emphasis on speed with includes much more weight room time than 10+ years ago. My oldest barely touched a weight. My youngest (9 years apart) spends 5+ days a week in the gym that's "voluntary" right now but I think we all know it's not
2. Single focus sports - this kinda goes with #1. Used to be girls would play softball and also other sports. Other sports typically use other muscles and help create a stronger core which goes back to the higher injury rate I seem to be seeing.

Just me spit balling some ideas out there. But pitching in general, it's become speed focused and lots and lots of girls come into college already having some injury history now it seems.

EDIT: I'm sure Deerpark, Majors and some others much more in the know here can comment and let me know if I'm wearing tinfoil or if there really are more injuries now than in the past, and, if so, we can debate why
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo, Majors and krichunaka
#16,107
#16,107
tnburban said:
Along with 98% of teams out there. Remember the days when you had a horse and rode that horse for 80% of your meaningful innings, if not more? That's gone. I can't put my finger on it but I suspect two things:

1. The increased emphasis on speed - go watch a top tier travel game and there's parents and coaches with the pocket radars. Speed speed speed. It used to be spin, movement and control. The strain on the arm and such - so many more injuries than I remember even 8-10 years ago from the emphasis on speed with includes much more weight room time than 10+ years ago. My oldest barely touched a weight. My youngest (9 years apart) spends 5+ days a week in the gym that's "voluntary" right now but I think we all know it's not
2. Single focus sports - this kinda goes with #1. Used to be girls would play softball and also other sports. Other sports typically use other muscles and help create a stronger core which goes back to the higher injury rate I seem to be seeing.

Just me spit balling some ideas out there. But pitching in general, it's become speed focused and lots and lots of girls come into college already having some injury history now it seems.

EDIT: I'm sure Deerpark, Majors and some others much more in the know here can comment and let me know if I'm wearing tinfoil or if there really are more injuries now than in the past, and, if so, we can debate why
Click to expand...

I would add the prevalence of high-quality (legal) video scouting. Pretty much every game has a TV-style broadcast, so a team will have the ability to break down every pitch thrown.

Additionally, the offensive players are bigger, faster and stronger than they've ever been. Rosters are deeper. And the stakes are higher.
 
  • Like
Reactions: knoxvol52, TouchOfGrey, Nickid1975 and 7 others
#16,108
#16,108
DeerPark12 said:
I would add the prevalence of high-quality (legal) video scouting. Pretty much every game has a TV-style broadcast, so a team will have the ability to break down every pitch thrown.

Additionally, the offensive players are bigger, faster and stronger than they've ever been. Rosters are deeper. And the stakes are higher.
Click to expand...

Agree with that. The 1-9 now requires 100% effort on every pitch. But the injury thing...I don't remember it being this high of a rate when the oldest was playing, then again it was my first rodeo. Second time around I'm more observant maybe? But then again, I go back to the gym/weight room time that has seemed to have more than doubled or even tripled between the oldest and youngest over a 9 year gap. Oldest actually had an off season. Youngest doesn't (voluntary doesn't mean voluntary, right?). Different programs, different coaches, so it could be that as well. Plus even in the off season (now) many players work with private coaches on their own as the college coaches can't interact. I just don't remember anyone on the oldest's team that was hurt from a soft tissue injury, vs now the youngest already has players who might have to redshirt this next year after fall ball injuries that are muscle/tendon issues.

Again - just spit balling (Gaylord Perry would like that reference!).
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo and krichunaka
#16,109
#16,109
tnburban said:
Along with 98% of teams out there. Remember the days when you had a horse and rode that horse for 80% of your meaningful innings, if not more? That's gone. I can't put my finger on it but I suspect two things:

1. The increased emphasis on speed - go watch a top tier travel game and there's parents and coaches with the pocket radars. Speed speed speed. It used to be spin, movement and control. The strain on the arm and such - so many more injuries than I remember even 8-10 years ago from the emphasis on speed with includes much more weight room time than 10+ years ago. My oldest barely touched a weight. My youngest (9 years apart) spends 5+ days a week in the gym that's "voluntary" right now but I think we all know it's not
2. Single focus sports - this kinda goes with #1. Used to be girls would play softball and also other sports. Other sports typically use other muscles and help create a stronger core which goes back to the higher injury rate I seem to be seeing.

Just me spit balling some ideas out there. But pitching in general, it's become speed focused and lots and lots of girls come into college already having some injury history now it seems.

EDIT: I'm sure Deerpark, Majors and some others much more in the know here can comment and let me know if I'm wearing tinfoil or if there really are more injuries now than in the past, and, if so, we can debate why
Click to expand...

Pretty good assessment. The days of having a Monica Abbott carry a team are far and few with more and more kids pitching. More teams have adopted the travel ball showcase style of 2-4 ready to go at anytime.

1. Speed will always get you the looks initially. Kids are incorporating velo programs earlier as well as personal trainers to get a little edge. I’ll take a different route and say if you have speed and no movement you won’t make it long, as speed in college gets your ball parked 260 feet.

*Social media speed better matchup to live game speed. If a players promotes 70+ as a 14U-17U player but have a high ERA and low K average that’ll get exposed quickly. Kids who promote high speeds don’t struggle in HS to win games. So, I’m always suspect by those parents behind the fence capturing numbers.


2. I’m for kids playing multiple sports but also say being a pitcher is a multiple sport as long as they take the off-season off for development, skills, arm/leg recovery but also incorporating different muscles in training..CrossFit, yoga, agility, running etc.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: knoxvol52, TouchOfGrey, krichunaka and 4 others
#16,111
#16,111
jp1 said:
Totally agree with you on speed. 63 and great spin gets hit less than 68-70 with little movement. Kids on elite travel ball teams are so good at hitting now.
Click to expand...
One of the best pitchers I’ve seen was a low 60’s spinner from the left side. Same kid if you’ve been around a few years out pitched Nicola a few years back. You couldn’t game plan for her because you didn’t know which pitch she was throwing. Very methodical and had batters guessing in the box. Coaches couldn’t figure her out and hard to make direct contact. I asked her dad if she’s been clocked he said “we don’t use the gun, all I know is she gets high strikeouts and wins alot”. He knew she was never going to be a power pitcher but was unique in that you don’t see a lot of spinners from the left.
 
  • Like
Reactions: knoxvol52, anecwnrjcns12, volman128 and 5 others
#16,114
#16,114
Majors said:
One of the best pitchers I’ve seen was a low 60’s spinner from the left side. Same kid if you’ve been around a few years out pitched Nicola a few years back. You couldn’t game plan for her because you didn’t know which pitch she was throwing. Very methodical and had batters guessing in the box. Coaches couldn’t figure her out and hard to make direct contact. I asked her dad if she’s been clocked he said “we don’t use the gun, all I know is she gets high strikeouts and wins alot”. He knew she was never going to be a power pitcher but was unique in that you don’t see a lot of spinners from the left.
Click to expand...
There's a few in 16u this year that does just that. Very very effective.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo, anecwnrjcns12 and Majors
#16,115
#16,115
tnburban said:
Along with 98% of teams out there. Remember the days when you had a horse and rode that horse for 80% of your meaningful innings, if not more? That's gone. I can't put my finger on it but I suspect two things:

1. The increased emphasis on speed - go watch a top tier travel game and there's parents and coaches with the pocket radars. Speed speed speed. It used to be spin, movement and control. The strain on the arm and such - so many more injuries than I remember even 8-10 years ago from the emphasis on speed with includes much more weight room time than 10+ years ago. My oldest barely touched a weight. My youngest (9 years apart) spends 5+ days a week in the gym that's "voluntary" right now but I think we all know it's not
2. Single focus sports - this kinda goes with #1. Used to be girls would play softball and also other sports. Other sports typically use other muscles and help create a stronger core which goes back to the higher injury rate I seem to be seeing.

Just me spit balling some ideas out there. But pitching in general, it's become speed focused and lots and lots of girls come into college already having some injury history now it seems.

EDIT: I'm sure Deerpark, Majors and some others much more in the know here can comment and let me know if I'm wearing tinfoil or if there really are more injuries now than in the past, and, if so, we can debate why
Click to expand...
This team more than most, right now I believe they lose in Regionals. Need to have 5 to 6 pitchers each year, no excuses
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top