Thunderin' Bolts vs Northern Colorado

[ColoradoHusk]

2 hours ago, admo said:

You are exactly right about it.  Well said. Pitchers have to hit their spots pretty consistently and be able to throw strikes with breaking balls as well, to keep hitters alert. He's not overpowering hitters at this level, and like you said, needs to learn how to pitch.

Appreciate the confirmation, along with others who have chimed in.  My son has been to enough baseball showcases to know that so many pitchers (and evaluators) focus too much on fast ball velocity or spin rate on their curves, and less about actually being a pitcher.  Same can be said for hitters with exit velocity and launch angle.  I am not saying these metrics don't have value, because they are good indicators of performance.  But, too many kids think they can just put up those numbers in indoor situations, and they will automatically be good in game situations.  I am sure Christo performed well as a high schooler going across the country to face stiffer competition, but D1 baseball is the best of the best, so pitchers and hitters both need to step up their games when going up a level.

[admo]

3 hours ago, ColoradoHusk said:

Appreciate the confirmation, along with others who have chimed in.  My son has been to enough baseball showcases to know that so many pitchers (and evaluators) focus too much on fast ball velocity or spin rate on their curves, and less about actually being a pitcher.  Same can be said for hitters with exit velocity and launch angle.  I am not saying these metrics don't have value, because they are good indicators of performance.  But, too many kids think they can just put up those numbers in indoor situations, and they will automatically be good in game situations.  I am sure Christo performed well as a high schooler going across the country to face stiffer competition, but D1 baseball is the best of the best, so pitchers and hitters both need to step up their games when going up a level.

No problem, and I wish your son and you all the success and best!

 

For most of us (hitters) if not all of us, we will sit on a breaking ball if the pitcher throws heat.  But, if the pitcher cannot control his breaking ball (curve, slider, changeup) we won't even bother with it and just zone in on the fastball across the plate.  And rip it.  Pretty easy philosophy at the plate.  But, if the pitcher has command of his breaking stuff for strikes, he can then fool us on something a few inches off the plate - and hitters will often look silly (unless we get lucky enough to put something in play).  And lastly, there are hitters who can't hit the breaking stuff so they just sit on fastballs every at bat.  I am hoping Christo (as you mentioned) can grow into a pitcher with control and command.  For some it just takes more time than others.