Using the glove arm to increase speed and accuracy

I don't agree at all with two of the recommendations.
First, thrusting the glove arm forward and then pulling it back like a piston serves no purpose in complementing the movement of the body forward or completing a hard delivery.
The glove arm should swing forward and up in an arc mirroring the ball arm. At 10:00, the glove arm stops while the ball arm continues around the top of the circle. When the ball arm gets to 2:00, both arms sweep down, like making snow angels (those of you down south, call a friend above the Mason-Dixon line). The glove arm then comes to rest at the thigh/hip, not passing behind it. The balance of both arms working in unison brings more power to the pitch.

Secondly, in no way should the glove arm be swept past the hip to behind the leg -- it must stop at the hip. Otherwise, this motion turns the body back to a closed position BEFORE the ball passes the ballside hip --- not what you want.

I think the arguments for making the glove arrive at a defensive position during the pitch delivery are superfluous. Maybe the pitcher should also bend at the waist instead of standing tall to better protect herself.

I agree - the pitching motion shouldn't be modified soley based on transferring to a defensive position. Finish with a proper follow-through then pivot into a defensive position, or what I'm teaching my daughter, based on DVDs I'm learning from step back after follow-through and defend from that position.

It is very easy for the ball to be hit right back at you, before you have time to react. I wish there was more time to defend the position, but sometimes it is getting to be "duck and cover."

The ball has an average of 4/10th second from release to the hit zone.

I have seen 14 year old girls with a bat swing speed of 80mph.

I do not know the exact formula to determine how fast a softball will be coming back at you with that pitching speed and that bat speed.

I do know that if you think you are going to have time to follow through, step backwards and defend you self, your nutso, aint gonna happen!. Not enough time by far! You will have somewhere around 7/10ths of a second to react and defend from when you release the ball and when it hits you.

Ever try moving to either side to get out of the way of a line drive, when you are standing fully closed to a batter, when your feet are fully closed to the batter? AINT GONNA WORK IF WELL HIT.

However, if your pivot foot is still behind the stride foot, it is an easy and quick reaction to fall backwards and get your upper body out of the way, pushing backwards, bending backwards. Your butt ends up in the dirt but you dont get hit.

Make your defensive position end with you standing at around 45 degrees or open more, feet around shoulder length apart. Less of your body in the path of an incoming line drive. The ball has to get past your glove and the glove has less territory to cover to protect all of you.

Hal

Bump......

Ken B said:

Bump......

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Thanks for bumping Ken. Good stuff and seems to be the topic of the day LOL. I must admit, I continue to forget more than I learn but learning something everyday on this site!

I lived in the same community with John Gay and for unexplained reasons, did not spend a fraction of the time i could have--listening to his knowledge... I regret every day since the day he passed...

When time allows, search out posts made by John Gay, redhawkridge, Mark Hanson, oldmanriver, javasource, BoardMember, Rick Pauly, Hillhouse, Rich Balswick and even our crazy uncle, Hal Skinner. The wealth of info stored here at DFP is beyond imagination!

To think JS has spent years studying these people and many more, used his own studies to validate his opinions and consulted face to face with Rick Pauly--who has has studied firsthand some of the worlds's best.... Can't wait to see what these two have in store for us!!!

A legend for sure and wish I had the opportunity to learn from someone like that locally. Thanks for sharing Ken!

Ken B said:

To think JS has spent years studying these people and many more, used his own studies to validate his opinions and consulted face to face with Rick Pauly--who has has studied firsthand some of the worlds's best.... Can't wait to see what these two have in store for us!!!

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It's not just Mike and Rick.... Rich Balswick is in that mix too!!

coach james said:

It's not just Mike and Rick.... Rich Balswick is in that mix too!!

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Yes, I agree and Ken's comments above about that whole crew is truly amazing. I have been studying many of them (although some new names to me) for some time now and what I wouldn't give to get them all in a room and buy them a night's worth of beer. I keep getting hints that something is brewing and can't wait to find out what it is. Hopefully I won't have to wait as long as I have for the Revfire 2!