Thread: Arm follow through on Rise Ball

During the college world series, Michelle Smith said something to the effect that the pitching hand follows through on a rise ball up to the opposite shoulder (Right handed thrower following through to touch the left shoulder). That isn't how DD was taught to throw the rise. What does every one think?
P.S. I'm not asking if the ball actually rises!!LOL

Originally Posted by golancers

During the college world series, Michelle Smith said something to the effect that the pitching hand follows through on a rise ball up to the opposite shoulder (Right handed thrower following through to touch the left shoulder). That isn't how DD was taught to throw the rise. What does every one think?
P.S. I'm not asking if the ball actually rises!!LOL

Hi,

There is more than one way to throw a riseball. I know and taught three different ones. The release point is different for all three.

Once you release the ball, the follow through has zero effect on the pitch / delivery.

That follow through was apperently how Michelle was taught.

The follow through is amazing and not something that you really should have to train or force. Yes, most riseball follow throughs end up somewhere near the upper middle of the body or just outside of it, but the real follow through that happens immediately after release is not seen unless you use video----the wrist/finger action is a counter reaction to what they just did to get backspin on the ball. The whole key is to focus on what the fingers and wrist do not on what the arm does long after the ball has departed.

Originally Posted by Rick Pauly

The follow through is amazing and not something that you really should have to train or force. Yes, most riseball follow throughs end up somewhere near the upper middle of the body or just outside of it, but the real follow through that happens immediately after release is not seen unless you use video----the wrist/finger action is a counter reaction to what they just did to get backspin on the ball. The whole key is to focus on what the fingers and wrist do not on what the arm does long after the ball has departed.

Hi Rick. Sounds like you are referring to the cut riseball.

For the bent fingered riseball, the last thing to touch the ball as it leaves the grip is the outside edge of the end of the index finger. AND, in the case of the bent fingered riseball, where the fingers are pointing IMMEDIATELY after release and where the hand stops will have a big bearing on the amount of ball spin and is 95% of your accuracy also.

Wrist snap is considered to be almost a violently quick action that occurs in what is probably the last 6" of travel in the circle before the ball is released.

In this case, that wrist snap adds 0% to ball speed but probably 90% of the ball spin for movement. The other 10% of that spin comes from what the index finger does, if taught correctly and the ball is gripped correctly.