Dominant pitching.....a necessity for success??

[BLUEBLOOD]

I can only go by what I see in the premier college softball programs, so I have drawn this conclusion.

Dominant pitching isn't as important as it used to be at any level.

I have my personal opinions on this but I would like to engage the softball brains on FF to share their wisdom on the matter.

GO..........................

[jabberhog]

If you don't have dominant pitching, you better have great hitting all up and down the lineup
since you will have to score a bunch of runs every game. 

My definition of dominant pitching does not mean you have to strike everyone out with high
heat.  Ground ball outs and pop up outs are just as effective but you have to have a good
all around defensive squad. 

An average pitcher is going to give up a lot of hits which means the team must over compensate
by getting a lot of runs to back her up. 

Dominant power pitcher + average defense + average hitting can win most games.
A good pitcher + good defense + average hitting can win a lot of games.
A good pitcher + average defense + good hitting will win a lot of games
A good pitcher + average defense + average hitting will be about 50/50
An average pitcher + average defense + good hitting will be about 50/50
An average pitcher + average defense + average hitting will lose more than they win.
A below avg pitcher + anything - well you know the results

A good pitcher + good defense + good hitting will win most games

Dominant pitcher + good defense + great hitting and you are taking home the trophy from the state title game.
.
Pretty much just a list of what everyone already knows.

Which teams fall into the last two categories at each level in the state?

[BLUEBLOOD]

Very much in line with my opinion on the matter Jabber....

If you have a dominant pitcher, you still need other facets of the game to be successful.  A pitcher who can locate the ball to get outs is crucial to the success of any team.  Hitting has improved so much that it doesn't really matter how fast you throw it, the hitters will adjust.  I think that's why so many colleges have gone to at least 2 pitchers. 

At any level, a balanced team with "effective" pitching, above average defense and a good level lineup that can produce offense 1-9 is going to have a lot of success. 

Only 1 team gets a state title each season, so you have to set realistic goals.  But competing into the state tournament and down to the final 8 is a goal for the good teams to shoot for.  At that point, every team is good and anything can happen.

[LowerAR]

I believe ya'll are right, BUT what is a dominate pitcher. It is easy to spot one in a game where she has a no hitter and 10 K's. I have seen my DD kill some of the best hitting teams in the state, then get blasted against teams that I felt she should have done well against. A night on the mound goes with many variables, such as strike zone, weather, health and mental state. I have seen pitchers dominate a game with a 40 mile-hour curve ball, then get blown away the next. I have seen one of the best get blasted in championship games. If the strike zone gets shrunk, two good hitting teams will pound the ball, take the same game and give a librial zone and it may be a pitchers dual. Cold weather effects movement for most pitchers, heat has a way of taking speed. I could go on, but ya'll all know what I'm talking about. I don't like to refer to anyone as a dominate pitcher, they are just good. In situations they may be dominate, but there are lots of variables. Blueblood and Jabber are right, a good team will make an effective pitcher seem great, but a bad team can make a good pitcher look bad. Pitching is just part of the game. Every part is important. The difference is that one girl who is real good at what she does will make a much bigger impact at pitcher than anywhere else, but give her a good catcher, defense, and some runs, then you have a good team.                         

[BLUEBLOOD]

I believe ya'll are right, BUT what is a dominate pitcher. It is easy to spot one in a game where she has a no hitter and 10 K's. I have seen my DD kill some of the best hitting teams in the state, then get blasted against teams that I felt she should have done well against. A night on the mound goes with many variables, such as strike zone, weather, health and mental state. I have seen pitchers dominate a game with a 40 mile-hour curve ball, then get blown away the next. I have seen one of the best get blasted in championship games. If the strike zone gets shrunk, two good hitting teams will pound the ball, take the same game and give a librial zone and it may be a pitchers dual. Cold weather effects movement for most pitchers, heat has a way of taking speed. I could go on, but ya'll all know what I'm talking about. I don't like to refer to anyone as a dominate pitcher, they are just good. In situations they may be dominate, but there are lots of variables. Blueblood and Jabber are right, a good team will make an effective pitcher seem great, but a bad team can make a good pitcher look bad. Pitching is just part of the game. Every part is important. The difference is that one girl who is real good at what she does will make a much bigger impact at pitcher than anywhere else, but give her a good catcher, defense, and some runs, then you have a good team.                         

+1

[LowerAR]

I also might add that pitchers are as differant as anybody else. Some girls are real good when there on, but not so good other times. Some are very consistant, ether good or not. The ones that are not that consistant are the ones who really scare you. One that will blow away a great team with 3 to 4 pitches that are working, then the next day will struggle to throw a strike. She may be dominant one day and less than desired the next. As watchers of this game we understand that not every girl is the same. We speak as if each game will go as it should, but that rarely happens. I say all this just to point out that good pitching is on the wish list of most desired items that a team has, but it is always the play of the team that wins not the pitcher. If a pitcher is throwing well, sometimes it seems that the defense is not even needed. If a girl wants to be a good pitcher, she will work harder and more than anyone else on the team. It goes with the territory and this is from a pitchers dad. People often make more of that than they should, because a day will come where it will not be enough, but I do remember a camp at UAM one year after Bentonville had fared worse than desired and where Kent Early was driving the catchers to take care of their pitchers because without them you ain't going far. Just my thoughts on a cold day in November.              

[BIG_K]

Alway good having a dominant pitcher but still have to have defense to win championships. Team sport in my opionon If I had to vote I would say not a necessity a good pitch with good defense and hitting.

[Sweet]

Magnet Cove this year should be a good example this year. Pitching will not be dominate by any stretch of the imagination but enough to keep the ball in the park. Defense will be super solid. Hitting will be relatively deep.

[pdj]

A moving strike zone, lack of quality catchers and poor pitch calling are obstacles many hs pitchers have to overcome.   

[ridgerunner14]

k

[br549]

I agree with PDJ catching, there are not very many girls in high school who know how to frame pitches properly. there are pitches a catcher should frame and there are pitches a catcher should not frame. Umpire strike zones are a lot more consistent when the catcher is doing a good job. Coaches pitch calling in a lot of cases is so bad that it doesn't matter how dominate a pitcher can be she will never have a chance.

[nmyeyes]

Pitching beats hitting any day. If you cannot pitch your in trouble. 90% of the time the best pitcher wins. You still have good day's and Bad , but whomever pitches the beat that day wins 90% of the time.

[3 Dollar]

I agree with everything in the first post in this thread.  I also agree with something in the last post about the strike zone.  Most umpires in this state have a strike zone that is horrible.  Most call a baseball strike zone of some sorts (knee to around midpoint between waist and shoulder).  I read where the NFHS is making a point of emphasis the strike zone for the 2016 spring season so that it will be called properly.....doesn't mean it will happen, but we shall see!!

And where do you think the strike zone should be?

[LowerAR]

Pitching beats hitting any day. If you cannot pitch your in trouble. 90% of the time the best pitcher wins. You still have good day's and Bad , but whomever pitches the beat that day wins 90% of the time.

You are right, but what makes a pitcher better? If called fair; big if; a small zone means even a good pitcher will struggle against a fair hitting team. Believe it or not, a 45 mph fastball is often better than a 61 mph fastball. If you have to throw in a coffee can sized zone and the hitters can hit, they will. I have seen this happen a million times, so the slower pitcher is better. No, but she may be more effective that day at no fault to the other girl.
Somebody is paying attention. A pitcher is only as good as the pitch caller. I see to many coaches want to call pitches and don't even catch the pitcher. How can anyone even think that is possable.
nmyeyes is right, but I would change that to the most effective pitcher will usually win. And I will add that it has a way of not being as important when the teams are very close in terms of talent and ability. I have seen many good pitchers give up 4-5 hits and loose.
Good pitchers will dominate teams that cannot hit, but as competition gets better, it is the team that wins or looses. I watched Benton beat Russellville a few years ago when Russellville had hands down the best pitcher in the state. The great thing about that game, Russellville also had the best hitter in the state. Benton just didn't pitch to her. Best team wins. Good pitching helps make a good team, a good team helps make a good pitcher.