I respectfully disagree on a couple points Coach.
If this player has a goal of increasing his velocity, then what better way to work on that than to get a radar gun (maybe not as fancy as Bretzke has shown but one with some sort of display that the player can see right away). This is to get IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK which is what you need when working on velocity (just like distance is immediate feedback when long tossing). You never know if you are improving something until you are able to measure it. I will also add that a video camera and a GOOD EYE is essential also.
Now with that said, I agree with you that this should be used with a competent pitching coach (which I very much question these coaches when looking at Andy’s arm action and that lack of any corrective measure to improve it).
I’ve always felt that velocity is first, and then learning command and pitches come after that (or along side with it but - yes IMO…velocity is king). This is not just for the sake of velocity in and of itself. When trying to achieve a high velocity throw, you need to have “high level” throwing mechanics. To GET these high level mechanics means that you FIX or improve the body’s movements/mechanics by making them “better” and more efficient.
You can still throw a pitch (curve, change, slider etc), and probably locate it pretty well with less than optimal mechanics (not to pick on Andy, but that is what he is doing right now). But it is MUCH more difficult to throw 90+ with less than optimal throwing mechanics.
Too many times coaches are looking at what the pitch does (did it break enough, did he locate it well, was it a strike etc) rather than looking at HOW the ball got there and how it was thrown.
Now I am not talking about using “brute force” and muscling the ball up there. I’m talking about fine tuning how the body throws the ball so that it is throwing it in the most EFFICIENT manner possible, and IMO that’s what this player needs to be doing.
He can still learn “how” to pitch (locating, pitch types), but the lions share of his time should be spent on correcting his “issues”, and learning how to throw hard because the window to correct these “issues” is closing very quickly.
It takes a monumental effort by the player and coach to correct mechanical inefficiencies. Maybe that’s why most people do not care to tackle such a project because it is literally a 24/7 process. Most times it is only the parent that care enough (or is willing) to undertake such a task.
So I guess I should have said yes, but with a disclaimer. 8)