I love watching velocity readings.
As a coach, it is exciting to see a player increase their velocity, achieving a velocity once thought impossible, with hard work. Personally I come from an era where 100mph was only touched by maybe a handful of pitchers in the major leagues. So, seeing these 90-plus speeds regularly hit by college - and even some HS players - is always fun. But my generation is so much luckier than today's players. We happen to hold the key to making those amazing speed numbers turn into scholarships and contracts.
We have wisdom.
Most pitching coaches might sound like they know exactly what a young player should be doing because, well, we just know. The fact is we did not know until we failed and tried, and failed and tried, etc., until we somewhere along the line learned, whether we knew it or not.
Coaches have been through the self-experimentation phase during our playing days, trust me. Countless bullpen sessions, searching to make ourselves and our staff mates reach those faster fastballs. Heck, I was out of college, a few years into the minor leagues climbing the organizational ladder - and still changing my motion in the middle of a season just because my bullpen teammates were sure I had more in me. Call it youthful enthusiasm (ignorance). At one point, I felt like I was close to making it to the big leagues. One of my best friends convinced me to make a tweak before my next start. I'm thinking, "Let's go!", right? We pulled the old Jugs gun out in our bullpen sessions that week and yes, found that extra two mph I was looking for...
...let's just say I gained a lot of wisdom that next start - and went back to what I did best for the rest of my career.
Current day baseball is much different these days, obviously. A strong analytics file is critical for young prospects seeking to get fully scouted. It is common knowledge Trackman, Synergy, and Rapsodo are three programs that every coach needs to embrace and utilize if they want to be able to effectively recruit.
Players from Little League to MLB are studying spin rates, exit velocities, and the glut of baseball metrics that we seem to learn about each season. New believers arrive in ball parks every year, convinced that achieving these magical numbers will get them the success they dream of.
Nowadays, the analytics intern is the new golden child of college and professional organizations. It is entertaining to see the number of players sprint off the field after batting practice, or post game, up to the press box to find the intern. They binge watch spin axis, horizontal or vertical movement, etc. It is amazing to watch, especially after a case of, a pitcher walked in the winning run or hit the first batter they faced in relief and let the floodgates open.
Folks, there is no measurement for floodgates opening, you don't need data to know when you are imploding out there. More wisdom.
To repeat my first sentence, I love looking at data. Wisdom says that data does not directly relate to guaranteed baseball success. Data gathering is creating a snapshot at a point in time. Wisdom says that pitchers are taking too many snapshots during the season. How many of us have watched pitchers stare up at the ballpark radar reading (when available) between each pitch? If you haven't seen this phenomenon, be on the lookout next time you are at a ball game. Remember, if you throw a 2-0 fastball off the plate at 90mph - it is ball 3.
How much are we pitchers supposed to take these pictures, radar readings, rpms, pitch axis data points, etc., as gospel to pitching success? I'm afraid that too many pitchers are being led to believe more in what a computer-generated report spits out more than the human beings who care about their personal growth are telling him.
Rules, laws, and standard operating procedures. We need them. Reviews, assessments, and evaluations. We need them too. Any boss can look at a rulebook and give a black and white negative review if an employee doesn't exactly adhere to that rulebook. Any college coach can take the word of the admissions office and wait for a yes or no for acceptance based on an SAT score of a prospective student-athlete. It's easy for coaches to cut a pitcher if a velocity or spin rate is lower than others. The bad news is that all of this continues to happen and will for years to come. The good news is that there are people in your network who have experienced this frustration and can help you avoid suffering through those feelings - or at least help you navigate the bumpy road ahead. I know one personally...
Wisdom. It has taken time to attain it. Be ready to take time to learn from it - and don't think that a quick fix will come from adding an extra mile on your fastball or adding more spin on the slider.
The most exciting part of baseball lies in the "gray area", around the black and white of metrics and analytical feedback. Every pitcher can turn black and white into gray by bringing something extra to the mound:
-a great sequencing (mixing) of your arsenal
-become a better student of the game and your opponent
-a superior command of all pitches
-a calm and determined work ethic and competitive nature
-the ability to persevere after facing disappointment
Can you take your experiences and turn them into wisdom? You can do this. You can pitch better than you think. If you think you're not performing well, you are better than that. If you think you are the best pitcher out there, you are better than even you can imagine.
Go ahead and read your data, but never stop searching for wisdom. Start believing more of what you hear. If you don't like what you hear, talk to someone else for a second opinion.
Remember, the gray area is where greatness lies. It's fun to reach a number goal, but use that goal as a reason to seek wisdom and improve upon the "unmeasurable" part of baseball.
Don't let data defeat you!