Who is this pitcher?
doubledragon
Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Sports Talk
I saw this on Twitter, and I don't know who this pitcher is, but just look at this ridiculous pitch, 101 MPH with movement.
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Wow - I'm glad I'm not a MLB batter facing that kind of stuff!
Not only way late with the swing, but under the ball by around six inches.
That’s Shane McClanahan. Pitching today is better than it has ever been.
Shane McClanahan.
Steve
And that was his major league (regular season) debut.
The arms are ridiculously great in MLB...and with command and filthy off speed pitches. Then add that the pitchers are six foot four+ and 235 pounds.
Seems like every guy that comes out of the bullpen is throwing 95-97 with command. It is ridiculous.
Might have to move the pitcher's mound to around second base.
The MLB average fastball was 88.6 MPH in 2002 and has been steadily climbing and was up to 93.1 MPH in 2020. That is an absolute significant increase.
This is a chart that only goes up to 2016.
https://theatlas.com/charts/S1-DccGC
They aren't just out there firing fastballs as hard as they can either. They have command. They are actually throwing breaking pitches more often now too(and they are filthier than ever and spin rate can attest to that). They most certainly are being trained to maximize velocity(without losing command)...and it is showing.
In addition to throwing harder, the pitchers are getting taller and stronger as well....releasing the ball closer to home plate more than ever before.
Average MLB pitcher height in 1960 was six foot one and 190 pounds.
Average MLB pitcher height in 2000 was six foot two and 197 pounds.
Average MLB pitcher height in 2019 was six foot three and 215 pounds.
There may be a human limit to velocity, some guys had it in the past, but now there are simply more people in the world to choose from that could possess such natural ability, and they are being trained better to develop it, so there are simply more of them possessing 95+ with command on the MLB level.
I sure hope they don't move the mound back. Maybe lower it first and see what that does....But then there will be too many home runs, so in conjunction with lowering the mound, move the fences back another 20 feet and maybe the game will get a little more balance back that fans seem to enjoy more.
My daughter sent me a video of a pitcher with a specially made glove for him to pitch with either arm. Might be a high school kid or college from Florida. Crazy
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Greg Harris did this back in the 1990s. He pitched for the Red Sox and Expos. probably others too.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
it was a 6 fingered glove, if memory serves.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
not sure why all my images always appear twice?
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
This glove he flipped upside down to change.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.