MLB Personality Explains How Greg Maddux Was An Outlier
Felix Bautista, Jordan Hicks, Ryan Helsley, Edwin Diaz, Jonathan Loaisiga, Clay Holmes, Jhoan Duran, Brusdar Graterol, Emmanuel Clase, Andres Munoz, Jose Alvarado, and Camilo Doval.
What do those MLB pitchers have in common?
Two things: they are all very, very good; and they all can touch 100 mph or more.
Which brings us to some basic coaching advice for baseball parents.
Former MLB pitcher and coach Tom House, currently a Twitter personality, points out that many baseball parents encourage their sons and daughters to prioritize command and being “a high IQ” pitcher rather than finding a way to throw harder.
That’s a mistake, and here is the explanation.
“223 MLB pitchers have thrown 100mph. There’s only been one Greg Maddux. You’re more likely to throw 100mph than pitch like Greg Maddux. Baseball parents created a myth about a more achievable, low velo, high-IQ pitcher. They failed to recognize that he’s the outlier talent,” House tweeted.
223 MLB pitchers have thrown 100mph. There’s only been one Greg Maddux.
You’re more likely to throw 100mph than pitch like Greg Maddux.
Baseball parents created a myth about a more achievable, low velo, high-IQ pitcher.
They failed to recognize that he’s the outlier talent.
— Tom House 〽️ (@tomhouse) November 15, 2022
Achievable Goals
When it comes to achievable, realistic goals, it’s easier to throw hard than to have the type of command and baseball smarts as Maddux.
There are achievable mechanical ways to gain more velocity, that range from throwing routines to adding strength and optimizing the weight transfer on the mound.
Trying to coach a kid to not make any mistake on the mound and hit his spots every time with a 90 mph fastball could return ugly results.
No one has Maddux’s command and control: he handed out just 1.8 walks per each nine innings he pitched.
He was a unicorn.
Let’s put our kids in a realistic position to succeed and avoid future frustrations and disappointments.
If they develop top command on the way, then even nicer, but high velo is the way to succeed.