There's no substitute for velocity that's for sure. Saying used to be "we can teach a guy who throws 95mph to throw sliders and changeups, but we can't teach a guy who throws 85mph to throw 95mph. I'd have to say anymore that you're correct.
One thing that baffles me to this day.....how can everybody throw 95-100mph today, when 30 years ago a guy who threw 92mph was considered a hard thrower? Only thing I can think of is that back in earlier days, the radar gun picked up the ball a few feet after the pitcher let go of the ball, maybe almost half way to home plate. Today I believe it picks up the ball right out of the pitcher's hand. Big difference.
You are correct. The Striker gun etc. today reads the velo out of the hand while the old Juggs gun read velo at the plate.
Training makes a difference and there is an emphasis on bigger pitchers. I'm also shocked at how many 15-16 year olds are hitting 90+ on the gun.
An 18 year old kid can't get a sniff at D1 unless he can throw 90+. Major confernce school a RHP better be 92+ and 6'2 200+ to get the big boys interested. They want the kids to be "projectable". That also means since there is an over emphisis on veto "projectable" = "project". Throw hard but can't pitch, can't hit their spots or throw strikes.
I remember Marcus Dupree. Wasted talent personafied. He had to have really been worthlessly lazy to piss off Barry Switzer. After all, he put up with "The Boz".
