Gordo Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 My kid just turned 15 and will be playing JV ball this spring and summer ball as well. He started to do some pitching 2 years ago at regulation distance but had to scale back this year to the 80' base path level though pitched more at a shorter distance. I was put in touch with a local guy that apparently has some reputation around here. My kid's first interest is to learn a worthwhile change-up. He has decent velocity on his fast ball which also has a little movement on it. His placement can be fairly consistent considering the lack of experience. He started to dabble with a semi-curve last year, but the pitching coach didn't want him to mess with it too much for his age (you should see his friend who's been throwing it for years now --- can break you at the knees at times, but has lost his velocity potential imo). This local guy is charging $20/hr 1x/wk. Is this a good price? What kind of qualities/characteristics should I be looking for in this tutor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace152 Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 Sounds like a good price. Ive coached pitching some, and strongly believe in working with what a kid already has, not just using a cookie cutter style to teach. Hopefully this guy will do the same. I agree with holding off on the curveball. Dont need any arm trouble at 15. A good pitch to learn as a semi-change is the little league sinker. Im a 33 year old semi-pro pitcher and I use it regularly. Make sure he ices and make him run around the block or something everynight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SESbb30 Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 im getting coached for 30/hour. is he like a college pitching coach like mine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordo Posted October 18, 2006 Author Share Posted October 18, 2006 No, he's a local guy who's apparently been doing this privately for quite some time. He's out in the country and has his own space whereby he can do this. Reportedly some kids have gone to him for many years. I have a contact in the area who seems to know a lot of the baseball circles around. I'm gonna see if he knows him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronmexico Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 My reccomendation is that you should just make sure that he does not have kids coming for years because he's a bad teacher. Ask around about him, from people who have had him. The price is good though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicHands8686 Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 I take hitting lessons for 70/hour once a week, the price is high but he’s a former pro (Blue Jays) so it’s a little different, plus my average has gone up from .279 on JV last year to .362 this year on Varsity as a Junior so I’m not complaining. So yeah the price is good for you but I would go a couple weeks and see if your son likes it, remember if he doesn’t enjoy the lesson he probably won’t take anything out of it. Also at fifteen make sure he starts lifting and like Bonny said get him to start running if he isn’t already. Leg strength is extremely critical to pitching velocity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordo Posted October 25, 2006 Author Share Posted October 25, 2006 All good responses....thx guys...we start this Thurs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJEagles Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 I take hitting lessons for 70/hour once a week, the price is high but he’s a former pro (Blue Jays) so it’s a little different, plus my average has gone up from .279 on JV last year to .362 this year on Varsity as a Junior so I’m not complaining. So yeah the price is good for you but I would go a couple weeks and see if your son likes it, remember if he doesn’t enjoy the lesson he probably won’t take anything out of it. Also at fifteen make sure he starts lifting and like Bonny said get him to start running if he isn’t already. Leg strength is extremely critical to pitching velocity. Not to hijack the thread, but what Jays pro are you going too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgbaseball Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 I'm going to throw out a guess and say either Pat Hentgen or Tim Crabtree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJEagles Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 That's what I was thinking also... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicHands8686 Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Not to hijack the thread, but what Jays pro are you going too? Rick Holyfield. You probably won’t know who he is. He played on the Blue Jays but spent most of his career in the Cardinals farm system, whenever anyone asks him what team he played for he says Blue Jays because that’s the team he got his ring with. BTW putting on a World Series ring (even if it’s not yours) gives you a huge rush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgbaseball Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Oh man, I was way off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJEagles Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Rick Holyfield. You probably won’t know who he is. He played on the Blue Jays but spent most of his career in the Cardinals farm system, whenever anyone asks him what team he played for he says Blue Jays because that’s the team he got his ring with. BTW putting on a World Series ring (even if it’s not yours) gives you a huge rush. Forgive me if I am wrong...but I have been watching the Jays since the late 1980's, and I have never heard of the guy. There was an outfielder with that name, that bounced around the minors...but I have no recollection of Holyfield, and checked the Jays database, and they have no record of him either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronmexico Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 The only record I found of him in baseball all together is January 29, 1996: Traded by the Philadelphia Phillies with Larry Wimberly (minors) and Rick Holyfield (minors) to the Boston Red Sox for Glenn Murray, Ken Ryan, and Lee Tinsley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJEagles Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 I would dare say Mr.Holyfied is BSing about the ring...if any other Jays fans can refresh my memory, that would be great...but I am sure he never played for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Unit Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Maybe he bought the ring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean12131982 Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 He probably bought the ring. He was not on the Jays roster when they won the world series or at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYM Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Just don't get caught up in all the hype of pitching coaches. This kid on my team spends 300 bucks a week on pitching lessons. He bought an $800 dollar machine to increase your stamina and speed +5MPH and throws a fastball, sinker, knucleball, sinker, plamball, change, c change, and a splitter. He spent over 3000 dollars on pitching machines and so much **** you wouldn't even belive me. The kid throws 75 MPH at 15 and can't get anything but the fastball over the plate. Then there's this other kid. He runs, pays for a picthing coach (45 bucks an hour once a week) and the kid throws 85 MPH and has a great change up. Moral: Just because you have the most extravegant machines, doesn't mean you'll be the best. Just tell your kid to work hard. If he works at it, he'll be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campo09 Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Just don't get caught up in all the hype of pitching coaches. This kid on my team spends 300 bucks a week on pitching lessons. He bought an $800 dollar machine to increase your stamina and speed +5MPH and throws a fastball, sinker, knucleball, sinker, plamball, change, c change, and a splitter. He spent over 3000 dollars on pitching machines and so much **** you wouldn't even belive me. The kid throws 75 MPH at 15 and can't get anything but the fastball over the plate. Then there's this other kid. He runs, pays for a picthing coach (45 bucks an hour once a week) and the kid throws 85 MPH and has a great change up. Moral: Just because you have the most extravegant machines, doesn't mean you'll be the best. Just tell your kid to work hard. If he works at it, he'll be better. That is a good point, i play baseball in hs and some of my friends can throw 90+ at JV level, They all have pitching coaches but are a little more expensive than 45 bucks, (80-100) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drbeep97 Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Just don't get caught up in all the hype of pitching coaches. This kid on my team spends 300 bucks a week on pitching lessons. He bought an $800 dollar machine to increase your stamina and speed +5MPH and throws a fastball, sinker, knucleball, sinker, plamball, change, c change, and a splitter. He spent over 3000 dollars on pitching machines and so much **** you wouldn't even belive me. The kid throws 75 MPH at 15 and can't get anything but the fastball over the plate. Then there's this other kid. He runs, pays for a picthing coach (45 bucks an hour once a week) and the kid throws 85 MPH and has a great change up. Moral: Just because you have the most extravegant machines, doesn't mean you'll be the best. Just tell your kid to work hard. If he works at it, he'll be better. very true... throwing too many different kinds of pitches can screw you up too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicHands8686 Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Sorry about that I should have been a little more clear. Yes he was an outfielder but I wasn’t really paying that much attention when I posted the comment the ring is not his. The ring belongs to Shawn Green who played with Rick Holyfield on the Dunedin Blue Jays in 1992 and they are very good friends still to this day. Also if I’m recalling correctly he never actually played an inning in the field or got an at bat with the Blue Jays he just got called up for a couple games sit the bench then got sent back down to the minors. I did find it a little odd (ok really strange) that last year when I started working with him when I ran a search of him online I couldn’t find anything on him except for a couple of newspaper clippings, but I never really questioned it that much because he has guys he used to play with that know him from his playing days that come and teach at his complex (Todd Hundley, Tommy Piazza, Rickey Henderson, Shawn Green to name a few). Also he co-owns the place with Bobby Valentine. I know my words are probably a little contradicting (did I spell that right?) and don’t make that much sense right now but I’m running on three red bulls and two hours sleep from last night and I’m multitasking between four different massage boards, a phone call with my girl friend (which by the way is it a bad thing if I ask her to hold for a second just so I can get a brake from her talking?) and I’m talking to three different people on AIM right now and on top of that I have to get up at 3 AM tomorrow to go to the dentist to get a cavity filled before I go to school. Somebody please just shoot me. :depress: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 I give pitching lessons at $45 an hour, but this is for Little Leaguers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgers91501 Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Well,I Am 14,and I go to the local School-park (A park closed during school for school kids,and open after school)And they have a day care,that i was once a member of,so the councilers allow me to get near the little kids (Ages 6-11) And We Play little scrimmages,and i teach them fundimentals! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ngdot Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 I try to not work with kids younger than 16 myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommywombat Posted October 28, 2006 Share Posted October 28, 2006 Those prices are good and like everyone else said be sure to check it out for a couple of weeks. My own personal experience. At 13 my dad sent me to a pitching coach for $45/hr. I hated it. Especially when the asshole said I would never pitch in HS. Try not to get someone like that. He has to be encouraging especially with younger kids. By the way I was 22 - 3 in my 3 yr HS career. I showed him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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