Papa Pump...dd#1 is a similiar age. Going into the winter last, dd already had a decent drop and change up. Silly me - I was determined to add a rise, screw, @ curve in the offseason. We started down that road...but along with school and everything else it just took too much time to master. I remember a Hillhouse video talking about how screws/curves stay on the same...so I started thinking about that from a hitter's standpoint. I would hate to deal with a pitcher that could make the ball move up and down. We started working primariy on the rise @ making sure that her 3 pitches had the same EXACT delivery. By mid-season, she was throwing any of the her 3 pitches during any count and it was driving the hitters crazy because you could cleary see them guessing. Way more swing and misses or just staring at 3rd strikes. We do have a lot of work to do to sharpen her breaks but I can say that dd really felt good knowing she could throw any pitch for any count. Good post and good luck!
Screw the Screwball?
- Thread starter Dave619
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ddtimes4, what you are describing above are my thoughts as well. I watched the Hillhouse videos and that is what was in my head as well. To stay north and south. If I remember correctly, Bill describes putting pressure on the ball to make it cut in or out some. I think we will stay with her drops and change up and work towards mastering those pitches and work on the spin and changing speeds. I guess I am just second guessing myself sometimes. I appreciate the info!
Quote Originally Posted by Hillhouse View Post
I logged in because I was curious how many times this video has been viewed and was amazed it was only seen a whopping 5 times. LOL. The cynic in me wants to say this is another example of people not wanting to even acknowledge that men actually do play fastpitch. Mostly I was just curious how many 'complaints' there would be about his leap.
Depending on who's gun it is, Folkard has been clocked anywhere from 86-89 mph. He's probably the hardest thrower I've ever seen and the sky would literally be his limit if he had a change up. Which he does not. Although, When throwing 89mph, and winning 6 consecutive world titles, it's hard to say he needs a change up. lol. To head off the next question, I'm not sure which pitch he throws harder: rise or drop. Then again, maybe it's his "screwball" or his "backdoor curve" or maybe it's the "Crop". LOLOLOL.
Cannon, I don't know what distance he's releasing. He and I are about same height (6'2) and I'm guessing his back foot lands at 42' (men start at 46 feet). Without trying to draw comparisons to him I will tell you that in games we've pitched against each other when we both were going full throttle we land in roughly the same spots. He could keep that up longer than me, I would break down faster and not jump as far. So He probably gets out there a bit further than me without the back issues that I have. Adam doesn't have what I would call the best mechanics in the world, and it's probably part of why he's had some shoulder issues in recent years. And people are catching up to his velocity as more runs were scored off him this year than usual. That said, he's still the world #1. He's on a streak of 18 (maybe more) consecutive wins in World championship play. it will be interested how many he gets before finally taking a loss. In 1995, Hall of Famer Darren Zack went 76 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings (scoreless...earned or unearned!!!!) including shutting my team out twice in the championship and the "if" game to win the World's and send me home with my 1st of 3 2nd place trophies. Always a bridesmaid....
Bill
Bill.....why the heck would the best pitcher in the world throw a screwball????? I know you were joking, but check out the pitch clip below. I am posting a video clip of Folkard throwing what I think (can't guarantee) is a screwball by definition in the women's game. Lots of bullet type spin and inward release angle.....hope it is not his riseball.
[video]https://youtu.be/YW5vUa2iJcE[/video]
I logged in because I was curious how many times this video has been viewed and was amazed it was only seen a whopping 5 times. LOL. The cynic in me wants to say this is another example of people not wanting to even acknowledge that men actually do play fastpitch. Mostly I was just curious how many 'complaints' there would be about his leap.
Depending on who's gun it is, Folkard has been clocked anywhere from 86-89 mph. He's probably the hardest thrower I've ever seen and the sky would literally be his limit if he had a change up. Which he does not. Although, When throwing 89mph, and winning 6 consecutive world titles, it's hard to say he needs a change up. lol. To head off the next question, I'm not sure which pitch he throws harder: rise or drop. Then again, maybe it's his "screwball" or his "backdoor curve" or maybe it's the "Crop". LOLOLOL.
Cannon, I don't know what distance he's releasing. He and I are about same height (6'2) and I'm guessing his back foot lands at 42' (men start at 46 feet). Without trying to draw comparisons to him I will tell you that in games we've pitched against each other when we both were going full throttle we land in roughly the same spots. He could keep that up longer than me, I would break down faster and not jump as far. So He probably gets out there a bit further than me without the back issues that I have. Adam doesn't have what I would call the best mechanics in the world, and it's probably part of why he's had some shoulder issues in recent years. And people are catching up to his velocity as more runs were scored off him this year than usual. That said, he's still the world #1. He's on a streak of 18 (maybe more) consecutive wins in World championship play. it will be interested how many he gets before finally taking a loss. In 1995, Hall of Famer Darren Zack went 76 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings (scoreless...earned or unearned!!!!) including shutting my team out twice in the championship and the "if" game to win the World's and send me home with my 1st of 3 2nd place trophies. Always a bridesmaid....
Bill
Bill.....why the heck would the best pitcher in the world throw a screwball????? I know you were joking, but check out the pitch clip below. I am posting a video clip of Folkard throwing what I think (can't guarantee) is a screwball by definition in the women's game. Lots of bullet type spin and inward release angle.....hope it is not his riseball.
[video]https://youtu.be/YW5vUa2iJcE[/video]
Last edited:
- Aug 21, 2008
- 2,380
- 113
Hello Rick
It's hard to tell but, I'm guessing it's 1 of 2 things: A low rise that was released too late and had bad trajectory. To execute a low rise, sometimes an adjustment is needed to remove the pure backspin to avoid it going up too much or going up into the zone. I often use a semi-curve with rise when throwing the low rise to prevent it from going up too much. This pitch is also thrown on the corners for maximum results. Dropball, dropball, dropball, dropball, then sneaking the low rise can freeze hitters. It's also helpful if the catcher, when putting his hand behind his back, taps the umpire for a pre-arranged code that the low rise is coming to avoid the umpire being fooled too.
Option 2 is, this is a change up gone bad. Folkard is infamous for having a horrific change up. But, throwing close to 90mph with his movement has made the need for that somewhat unimportant. No question, it would take him to another level of excellence but, his change up right now is bad. And, call me crazy but, I see a very loose, sloppy rotation on that ball in that pitch, not bullet spin. If anything I see, what resembles curveball spin. But there's no question that this pitch is not Adam's best. When you see him live, watch from behind the back stop (or in the batter's box) you can literally hear the ball buzzing with it's rotation. He has the tightest rotation I've seen on rise and drop that I've seen in a very long time. It rivals that of the great pitchers of all time: Meredith, White, Herlihy, Piecknik, Hillhouse, Tangaroa, etc. (ha ha ha ha, lest anyone think I was being serious). Anyway, back to the clip, I would bet dollars to donuts that this was a change up gone bad.
Bill
It's hard to tell but, I'm guessing it's 1 of 2 things: A low rise that was released too late and had bad trajectory. To execute a low rise, sometimes an adjustment is needed to remove the pure backspin to avoid it going up too much or going up into the zone. I often use a semi-curve with rise when throwing the low rise to prevent it from going up too much. This pitch is also thrown on the corners for maximum results. Dropball, dropball, dropball, dropball, then sneaking the low rise can freeze hitters. It's also helpful if the catcher, when putting his hand behind his back, taps the umpire for a pre-arranged code that the low rise is coming to avoid the umpire being fooled too.
Option 2 is, this is a change up gone bad. Folkard is infamous for having a horrific change up. But, throwing close to 90mph with his movement has made the need for that somewhat unimportant. No question, it would take him to another level of excellence but, his change up right now is bad. And, call me crazy but, I see a very loose, sloppy rotation on that ball in that pitch, not bullet spin. If anything I see, what resembles curveball spin. But there's no question that this pitch is not Adam's best. When you see him live, watch from behind the back stop (or in the batter's box) you can literally hear the ball buzzing with it's rotation. He has the tightest rotation I've seen on rise and drop that I've seen in a very long time. It rivals that of the great pitchers of all time: Meredith, White, Herlihy, Piecknik, Hillhouse, Tangaroa, etc. (ha ha ha ha, lest anyone think I was being serious). Anyway, back to the clip, I would bet dollars to donuts that this was a change up gone bad.
Bill
- Feb 20, 2012
- 263
- 18
Rick Pauly, I throw a pretty good screwball and or cutter and I am 75 years old now. I am RH and my ball is actually is the reverse of a drop curve but inside.
- Feb 20, 2012
- 263
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Hello, riseball I would like to know who you are if I may ask? Are you a pitcher?
- Feb 20, 2012
- 263
- 18
Absolute master of rise, drop and change is all you need
- Feb 20, 2012
- 263
- 18
I have been in fastpitch softball for over 50 years and have never seen a 6-12 rotation. As a matter of fact if you throw a rise with no spin it is more effective
Wow....if I were Bill I'd feel pretty darn good about being compared with those three guys.
- Feb 20, 2012
- 263
- 18
I watched the championship game and to me Monica looks to only having a fastball.
