My point about getting guys with more velocity is that we can assume analytics will change the college game as it has the professional sport. Starters no longer go complete games (some do) but no longer the majority. Starters go about 6 innings (if they can) and then they turn it over to the bullpen. Guys like the Stanford pitcher who went 156 pitches are outliers.Doesn’t matter if you don’t have the off speed stuff to compliment the fast ball. Look at all the really good pitchers at Louisville all in the 92-95 range. The difference with all of them was their control and off speed stuff. McKay and Detmers put it where they wanted it. Outside corner check in on the hands check. Louisville guys couldn’t throw inside because they would end up hitting the batter or living it out over the plate.
Velocity isn’t the issue for Louisville it is 100% their inability to locate pitches and consistently throw off speed stuff for strikes. Hawks tanked when he lost his off speed control. By 2nd time through lineup they had him pegged. Consistently in the 92-94 range with his heater. They could sit fastball and be patient. Granted 96-100 is harder to square up but if a college hitter can just sit fastball they will turn that speed around as well.
NLI has change college sports but the sport (out of the 3 major sports), baseball is likely to be impacted the most. Why? Because they offer the fewest scholarships per player of any sports. If you can supplement your team with NLI players, especially pitchers you can almost guarantee your team a measure of success.
Think about it, why have pitchers who throw 93-94 mph go through the lineup 3 times when you got a guy in the bullpen who can throw 97+? I use velocity and I agree that its not the end all We will start seeing more relief pitchers who can throw sliders, changeups, sweepers, etc. just because they offer a change of speed that's is difficult for hitters to adjust. My point is Roger needs to adjust his philosophy about starting pitchers being able to go 7-8 innings and throw 100+ pitchs.