What can you throw?

[Brewbadger]

Hit 85 my junior year of high school (averaged 77-80), also had a nice breaking ball in the mid 60's, and a change in the low 50's (what was deemed a gravity ball). FWIW, I went 11-2 that year with a 2.85 ERA, and then of course, I was goofing around one day after the season was over and tore my rotator cuff. Now if I can hit 70, I'd be happy, it still hurts to throw sometimes.

[RU Rah Rah]

Low 80's in high school, which was like a billion years ago. A decent curve, straight change, and a knuckleball that occasionally worked.

 

(FWIW, my daughter, who is 7, has some serious Ryne Duren action going -- she can throw fantastically hard, with zero control. And she kind of revels in it.)

[trwi7]

So the folks kept taking everything out of my left hand and placing it in my right.

My dad did the same thing to me. My mom got pissed and made him stop though.

[bando1234]

Ok Im the wimp of the crowd. My heat sits somewhere in the 40's. In high school I think I touched 60 a few times. I had no good pitches what so ever. I tried throwing a curve many times & only once saw it curve. Could throw a screwball if the wind was on my side. I cant even make a wiffle ball curve anymore. I tried throwing one at my son & hit him. We were using moms van as a backstop so all was good.

[ewizabeff]

Is it a normal thing for people to throw with a radar gun around? I throw harder than most girls - that's all I've got.

 

When I was in little league I pitched in one or two games. Pretty sure I hit a few people.

[Mike Felder]

I "struck out" the first batter I ever faced in Little League on one pitch. I usually played first base, but this game didn't count (the other team didn't have enough players show up, so we divided the kids who were there into two equal teams), so our coach let anyone who felt like pitching throw an inning. The first batter, a righty, stepped up, I threw a pitch with some funky tailspin on it that must've looked so fat and tantalizing as it swept away from the hitter, because he stepped out of the batter's box, over home plate, and into the other batter's box to swing at it. He missed and was called out for stepping out of the box. I rode the euphoria of my one-pitch punchout to a scoreless inning, but never pitched again.

[sheetswannabe]

83

[pogokat]

topped out at 74...i was the dh in high school becuse of shoulder problems, so i'll never really know how hrd i coulda thrown if i hdn't hurt myself..

 

anyway, im a fastpitch softball coach now, so im working on my riseball

[stoutdude04]

Ive got a nasty 2 seemer that tails right into the runner. Its a quick natuarl side arm motion and that baby dances.

[greeg35]

I have to say, I am impressed with the general throwing speed around here. I was very proud at my 78-79 mph in highschool;but that seems about average around here. I was mainly a catcher; but also functioned as a 1 pitch reliever in a pinch.

[Gobias Industries]

Strikes. I didn't walk in 10 runners a game, which by default made me one of the better pitchers in little league.

 

But yeah I always threw really slow, especially after I hit a batter in the head and developed a Matt Wise like fear of doing it again.

 

Now, I can throw in the upper 60's when I'm loose. And I agree, everyone does seem to have a good arm around here. Hmm.

[Brewbadger]

I think the reason for this is because most of us here have a love for baseball, whether it be playing back in the day, or watching/following major league ball now. It's kind of a common theme to basketball. I see a largely abnormal # of people above 6'4" (read: people who played bball in high school/college) attending bball events and/or playing some ball at the local gym. It's a common interest. Most of us didn't cut it in baseball for some reason or another and have latched onto the pro game to satisfy our baseball cravings which is why you see a strange # of people that had/have baseball talent on this site/thread.

[tnweill]

I'm a 6'4" lefty that had/has a 4-seamer that would sit in the high 70's and top out at 82 with a lot of tailing movement. Also had a 12-6 curve. Wished someone would've given me a shot to play in college.... Oh well.