A swing of 47.9 mph produces a baseball speed of 91.4 mph. Red Sox bullpen's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not? 9. However, it wasn't long before J.R. would report to his staff that he wasn't feeling quite right. Christian Hunter Greene (born August 6, 1999), nicknamed "Surge", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was my hero then and even more so now. Strikeouts per 9 innings: 8.8. He won it over Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants. Perhaps I'm wrong on this, but it's just a theory of mine. Could we eventually see 110 mph? Pitchers back then (deadball era) were expected to throw complete games and had to pace themselves. Current world-class pitchers such as Mark Buehrle, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Josh Beckett, and Jake Peavy can reach back and toss a pitch 100 mph. check out the. In the days of Walter Johnson, all the way towards the end of Nolan Ryan's career, starting pitchers would start a game with the singular goal in finishing that game, and with a win. Real or Not? Ken Taub from Long Island, NY on March 03, 2013: Great overview of the greatest pitchers, Wes. His final start at home was on Sept.12th. Even Lee Meadows, who pitched for the Chicago White Sox from 1939 to 1942, never reached 100 mph on a regular basis. Could a 108 mph fastball soon be in the future? He consistently led the league in strikeouts (a then record 382 in 1965), He did have a devastating curve but I think he also threw at least as fast as anyone else in the 1960's. 3.0. Wow! Nolan Ryan, in his prime with the Angels, got clocked at roughly 101 MPH measured only 10 feet in front of home plate. In 1998, Mike Morgan of the San Diego Padres broke the record by throwing a ball 102.1 miles per hour (164.7 km/h or 44.6 m/s). Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Question: How could you not include Sandy Koufax in the list of the hardest throwing pitchers? Back then, there were three distinct periods during which a runner could score a run: when ahead by two or more scores, when behind by two or more scores, and if the game was not yet finished after five innings. Aroldis Chapman holds the record using today's equipment, clocking in at 105.1 mph. When it comes to softball, speed is everything. Baseball Pitching Velocity Program That game is on Youtube. I gotta' stop man, it's your fault though. At the top is Aroldis Chapman, the tall, thin, left-handed Cuban defector, who threw a pitch recorded at 105.1 miles per hour as a reliever for the Cincinnati Reds. A modern radar gun measures the pitch either out of the hand or ten feet away from the pitcher, depending on the gunmost measurements all the way up to the 1980's would measure a pitcher about 60 feet from his hand (although I believe Walter Johnson was clocked 25 or 30 feet away from his hand). Less than 1 month man and I'm fired up too. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. Average Speed of Baseball Pitches by Age Group Average Speed of Baseball Pitches by Age Group Hitting Instruction Rotational Swing Rotational vs Linear Babe Ruth Towel Drill Bat Speed, Exit Speed Hitting Aids Compared Where to Place the Tee How to Bunt Answer: While it is possible Koufax could hit 100 mph in his younger years, the fastest pitch he ever threw which was recorded was in the low 90s. I not only got to see Koufax pitch at Crosley Field but he played college ball where? A swing of 20.5 mph produces a baseball speed of 62.0 mph. The #1-#3 pitchers were all between 78-80. . In high school, how fast should girls be throwing to be the most competitive? Duh! Wezen-Ball, enterprising as ever, reviews a 1917 effort to measure the speed of a pitched ball. There is just too much to say and mention, so please accept my apologies for the players you feel were unfairly omitted. They are the best evidence of his speed. I was fortunate enough to grow up in Burbank, CA and was 9 years old when the Dodgers moved to LA. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on March 30, 2014: Not sure I agree entirely, Mark. He won a Cy Young award in 2011 as well as the triple crown of pitching in the American League; he led the league in strikeouts, in wins, and had the lowest earned run average. In the 1980s, theories about . Nolan Ryan, who retired with 7 no-hitters and 12 one-hitters. I hope he pitches into his 40s. Nolan Ryan has the record, all in all, and this was from Doppler Radar. His pitch speed was 108.1 miles per hour. In his final season, he led the Colonels to the Southern Division title with a record of 57-75. You can find all of our 2023 prospect rankings and scouting reports here. However, this seems to be the general range for most High School baseball players. In Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, the Dodgers sent four pitchers to the mound who touched 98 mph or harder. The anecdotes from other hall of fame players are maybe even more telling. 10. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. torrilynn - Thanks very much! It is the fascinating power that these rare and gifted men hold that is so intriguing. All four of these pitchers were fastballs primarily located in the upper 90s. Nithya Venkat from Dubai on March 02, 2013: An interesting read, great write. It's always sad to me to see how so many come and gopeople like Kerry Woodand he's an example of someone who's arm was supposedly damaged by too many pitches in a game. Ty Cobb had the following to say, "The first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup. As speed is not among his talents, a move to 1st or DH is likely in the near future. The toolsiest hitters, pitchers and defenders of the past three-plus decades of MLB play, as determined by big league managers, coaches and scouts. How fast do you have to throw a curveball. It has to do with the reference point. June 30 saw Richards having a practice throwing session at the Houston Astrodomehe tried to shake off the loud ringing in his ears but he soon collapsed on the AstroTurf, a victim of a stroke. Hitter's Parks - Parks with Most Home Runs, Average Speed by Pitch Type in the Majors, 1/20/2011 - Added Steven Ellis HS averages, 8/14/2008 - Corrected title "Pro avg" to "MLB avg", 8/10/2008 - Added average speed in major leagues based on August 2008 actual stats. If you haven't seen it there is an excellent documentary on Netflix called "Fastball." Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball. It has nothing to do with "airing it out". Expected Earned Run Avg (xERA) xERA is a simple 1:1 translation of xwOBA, converted to the ERA scale Sprint Speed A measurement of a player's top running speed, expressed in "feet per second in a player's fastest one-second . Lori Gross from Nashville on August 17, 2016: Great article! His statistics, however, indicate that his pitches very likely reached those speeds. The AL East is setting up as a race for the ages, Albert Pujols' push for 3,000 powered by dominant decade, 'Ich-i-ro! I met Bob Feller when I was young then again in 1994 at Cooperstown during the Reggie Jackson induction great hub enjoyed the read. Then Stalker came out with its Pro Sports radar gun in the early 1990s. How can that be? So even though it was recorded at 100 yards, it was actually 0.2 mph faster than what is considered to be legal ball speed. Out of curiosity, he stepped in (as a coach) into the batting box against Dalwkoski in a practice session. Johnson was capable of throwing 99, but how often did he need to throw that hard? All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. So how hard do these guys throw? Yeah, I'd have loved to have been able to find some video of Dalkowski, but I don't guess there is any out there anywhere. Throwing that hard at that age is ridiculous. He'd face and often defeat the best hitters of his era. 9. jbennett3112 - I started watching MLB in 1986. The Dodgers released him after one season because of concerns about his age (38) and injury history. An MVP for a year IS STILL AN MVP THAT YEAR.). Ronald E Franklin from Mechanicsburg, PA on April 30, 2013: I enjoyed reading this hub, although it was heart-breaking to see what happened to J. R. Richard. The current world record holder is Randy Johnson with 104.0 mph. It is a longer recovery period for that than most. Richard and Johnson have both officially clocked in at over 100 miles per hour on numerous occasions. I'll have to check a Wiki for Herb Score. His final start of his career was on the 22nd at Seattle when he blew out his arm in the 1st inning. A 90 mph pitch on a Speedgun could register at 92 on a JUGS gun and 93-94 mph on a Stalker. Never knew so much, informative and interesting hub. Let's take a look at them: Division 1 softball: min 63 mph. His pitch was measured at 108.1 miles per hour. I have some info that I can share with you. Question: What do you think about Ryne Duren from the Yankees? He set a new record for strikeouts in a game with 18. It was common for pitchers to "coast" until a runner got into scoring position. Why do infielders throw the ball so fast? We've gained a mile and a half in just six years. Over the course of the past decade, Chapmans fastest fastball had gotten faster by nearly a mile per hour. Fastball velocity is on the rise. 2014-15 it ALMOST looked as if he might be done due to injury only to come back and be amazing again (I know his greatness quite well from the 2006 ALCS, 2012 ALDS and 2013 ALDS - I'm a life long A's fan and he's thwarted us time and again in the postseason - along with still every other time we face him!). In addition, he finished third three times. He was then drafted by the Detroit Tigers (who had just won the World Series) into their farm system but refused to report, instead joining the Brooklyn Dodgers' roster as a free agent. Johnson ended his career as the all-time strikeout king, a record he'd hold until Nolan Ryan broke it more than 55 years later. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. The Big Unit's devastating slider is what made him so lethal. The average college fastball is estimated to be between 85 and 95 mph. A ** by the stat's value indicates the player had fewer than the required number of at bats or plate appearances for the BA, OBP, SLG or OPS title that year. 10. You would have to know the speed of every pitcher in high school baseball to get the average. A "radar gun" is used to measure the speed of a baseball. It all comes down to where the pitch is measured. He is a switch hitter. Relief pitching is now a field all its own. check out the. You are allowed to follow me too, if you wish. But I have to mention one that you didn't include: Satchel Paige. For the Mets in 1985, Sidd Finch threw 168 mph. 13 and 14 Year Olds. Voted up and sharing with followers and on Facebook. The speed of pitches depends greatly on the type of pitch that's thrown. In 1998, Lima matched this speed while playing for the Dodgers. The Pitch/FX system that MLB used in 2010 measured pitches at roughly 50 feet from home plate, which is where the 105.1 mph of Chapmans fastball was measured. He was placed on the 21-day disabled list. In 2019, that stood at 91.5, which means he lost 1.8 ticks (accounting only for August and September games). Chapman's speed came in only one game during his career. However, Johnson was still struggling quite a bit; he'd often walk so many batters that he'd lose the game. A pitcher with a strong arm and fast pitch can be a real game-changer, giving their . 44 mph. On July 14, 1980, he would pitch his final major league game. Who knows where Koufax would have been had he not retired from the game prematurely. But they only do it 20 times out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast. OUT!!! Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. Batted Ball Exit Velocity by Age I was 12 years old thenand I would see Nolan with the Astros screaming every time he threw a fastball, and cursing loudly if he disagreed with the umpire.stalking around the mound like a beast. I know because I was there along with over 60,000 other fans. He started well and strong but left in the fourth inning due to complaints of blurry vision and numbness in his fingers. He has also appeared in several television commercials, most notably for Old Milwaukee beer. No, pitchers didn't throw 150 miles an hour. It wasn't exactly Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, but it was a remarkable achievement. . He debuted in the major leagues at age 17, and he dominated the competition. Remember that .04 here is league average for all pitches. Atley Donald and Van Lingle Mungo were early hard-throwers that were actually measured. However, Major League Baseball officially considers that pitch to be a 105.8 mph fastball. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on March 03, 2013: Hey Paraglider! Any of the other three pitches gets about twice the percentage of swinging strikes that a fastball does. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Dave McClure from Worcester, UK on March 03, 2013: In the old days, they only wore leg pads, gloves and the vital 'box' or genital protector. Facing Nolan Ryan's Fastball New PitchingNinja "Documentary" ? -- and his pitching motion was practically indistinguishable from the pitching motions we see today. Was too young to have seen Koufax (sure wish I could have) Did see Gibson, Ryan, Palmer, Johnson, Carlton and many others. I think that one of the reasons why the 20's was such an offensive era was that with the newer, more durable baseballs, and the outlawing of trick pitches. I thought that even the top power pitchers of the 1920s and '30s -- again, before Feller -- topped out around 90 miles an hour. Unsurprisingly, four-seam fastballs are the fastest pitch type, coming in at an average of 93.2 mph. But Nolan Ryan had seen Johnson pitch and he knew the potential he had. People forget that Champman was a starter still throwing 100 mph late in the games in Cuba. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. He was absolutely unbelievable and one of a very few where you expected to see a No-hitter every time he pitched. As for other hard numbers for those days: two hours and 15 minutes was considered an ordinary game back then. They were capable of launching pitches that batters never saw and only heard after it was too late. In 2008 it was 91.8 mph. Go Rangers!! For Sale: 3 beds, 2.5 baths 2169 sq. 2012 wasn't much of a drop off for Verlander and the coming years probably won't be either. It's pretty certain Sandy Koufax could throw that hard too - I remember reading that when he came up he was known for a monster fastball, but he couldn't find the strike zoneand after a while someone convinced him to take something off of itand there you go - someone who was the equal of Bob Feller and Nolan Ryan for many a season! Josh Bennett from Illinois on May 31, 2014: He is special for sure. Ryan came into the major leagues as a kid with a phenomenal right armand he left after a record 27 major league seasons, still throwing nearly 100 miles per hour. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on February 02, 2016: Thanks very much, Mr. Archer! Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. At just 30 years old, Verlander has already accomplished quite a bit and still has a lot left to deliverwhich is a scary thought for any competitor. Cliff Lee average fastball was 90.5 mph, he threw (70% FB, 1% slider, 6% cutter, 10% CB . From radar evidence we can be fairly certain that major league fastballs averaged around 88-89 mph in the 1980s before ticking up to 89-90 mph in the 1990s, coinciding with increased relief pitcher specialization. Josh Bennett from Illinois on May 30, 2014: With something like this , it is very important to include relievers. http://ugoprobaseball.com/discount/ My Pitching Programhttp://www.maddenbaseball.com Join the Free NewsletterHere's a video I made on the average pitching . Fast Pitch Softball Speed. I would guess that he saved his best fastball and used it maybe a dozen times a game. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Tuesday, January 17, 11:08PM. Thus making this document worthy enough for display in our museum. Ted had retired fairly young and was still likely able to compete at the major league level. And that makes the 100 mph pitches Nolan Ryan threw in 1974 (as measured by Rockwell laser/radar instruments relatively close to the plate) even more remarkable today. We asked the experts.