New to the Curve

Rocketech1 · Oct 11, 2016

Classof2020 said:
Like you said I'm wonder what the speed might end up being as we go along. I tell you if she can consistently have it arc to that low outside corner I might like it in lieu of CU at times even if it is slow.

Yes, DD has experimented with tucking a knuckle on the curve ball (and drop ball) to take some speed off the pitch. It can be used as an off-speed pitch to compliment the c/u. Just be careful about leaving it in the strike zone..

inde53546 · Oct 11, 2016

May want to check out the curve as change thread there are some good videos

Hillhouse · Oct 11, 2016

Let me preface this by saying I'm not a big curveball endorser. I have come to recognize their place in the female game so I will add them in on occasion. But, the way I do things, and this is solely my belief, I want the riseball started and nearly completed before I will do a curve. The way I teach it, a curve is nothing more than a rise thrown sideways. All 4 seams spinning in the direction they're trying to move (same is true for all pitches: rise spins backward, drop spins forward, etc.) So I'm not sure why anyone would want or need to change grips.

Why rise first? I TRULY believe that curve balls (the way I throw them and teach them) learned first will automatically make the rise ball harder to accomplish. It makes it much harder to get back spin.

This is also how to get a rising curve, again... no need to give the pitch a name or think it's a new pitch... no need go change grips. Keep it simple.

Bill

WOODY123 · Oct 11, 2016

I'm not a big fan of the curve but have seen a few girls who are successful with it around here. We have tried a traditional curve several times over the last 3 years but have never had much success with it. DD throws two change ups one is a horseshoe change (think of shaking hands) that is more of an off speed pitch about 8-9 MPH off her fast ball. We recently added a curve ball spin to this change up (discovered this pitch in another thread) and it works really well as an off speed drop curve. I couldn't believe how easy it was to add the curve ball spin to this pitch, she picked it up in a matter of a few pitches. The thing I really like about this pitch is if she doesn't get it to curve it is still off speed and dropping at the plate.

Hillhouse · Oct 11, 2016

I still say a lot of this success young girls have with "curve balls" is due to poor hitting. Girls are taught with state of the art technology, Right View Pro, etc. have taught girls FANTASTIC swings but hitting the ball is another story. So hitting a ball that is straight vs. one that is not over the middle, should be in the pitcher's favor given the training that so many young ladies are taught in their pitching. So it comes back to the age old argument, is it good pitching or bad hitting?

Bill

Classof2020 · Oct 11, 2016

Hillhouse said:
Let me preface this by saying I'm not a big curveball endorser. I have come to recognize their place in the female game so I will add them in on occasion. But, the way I do things, and this is solely my belief, I want the riseball started and nearly completed before I will do a curve. The way I teach it, a curve is nothing more than a rise thrown sideways. All 4 seams spinning in the direction they're trying to move (same is true for all pitches: rise spins backward, drop spins forward, etc.) So I'm not sure why anyone would want or need to change grips.

Why rise first? I TRULY believe that curve balls (the way I throw them and teach them) learned first will automatically make the rise ball harder to accomplish. It makes it much harder to get back spin.

This is also how to get a rising curve, again... no need to give the pitch a name or think it's a new pitch... no need go change grips. Keep it simple.

Bill

Bill I've been following your posts on here and elsewhere ever since we started this journey 4 1/2 years ago. And I think you are the main reason we haven't bothered with this until just recently. I don't know if this is a pitch we'll spend a lot of time on but when you have coaches ask "what pitches do you have" and all the other girls are mentioning their curve or their screw I figured we should at east give it a try. She has decent spin on her rise (at least according to Ken B. who works with her) and maybe he'll pipe in to share what tweak he was doing with her grip on the curve i sort of left that between the two of them. But actually I'm not sure if he was actually changing her grip when they were going over grip or just confirming it - I can ask.them.

Phathead · Oct 11, 2016

Hank said:
A “RISE BALL”, EVEN WHEN THROWN CORRECTLY, DOES NOT RISE…

it simply falls slower than a similar speed fastball that doesn’t have backspin and therefore has a more level plane on its path to the plate.

This is what makes it good pitch. Bat barrel is below center of ball. Better the pitch the higher and shorter the pop up. Batter with any hand drop is swing and miss. Yes if she gets barrel up to it can go a long way, but takes more work to get barrel up on rise thrown correctly then a simple high fast ball. By the way I call FB up also, both legit pitches and have their place.

Ken B · Oct 11, 2016

Class--I don't recall the grip. The cue/feel of whipping the fingertips (usually the middle finger) around the outside of the ball is the key. It really is a hard pitch to throw at speed. Very rare to see a flat spin without some spiral. But it is a fun pitch to throw once you have it down!

On another note, I've got to say I'm very bummed that another season has come and gone and I still haven't seen her pitch in a game!

Ken

shaker1 · Oct 12, 2016

Not so sure just anyone can get flat spin and break on this pitch, no matter how much practice goes into it. Just look at the Littlejohn video. It's freaky what she can do with her hand. I really like what Bill is taking with the rising curve, which is maybe, what your throwing now, something between a curve and a rise, with a flat roll type break on it, something that would run in on a lefty, maybe with more speed.

coach james · Oct 12, 2016

DNeeld said:
Most curveballs will have some degree of backspin to them. This is why I think it's a good pitch to learn while transitioning into the rise.

I gotta disagree on this comment. The curve release, when creating slice AND palm up will create muscle memory making the rise even harder to learn. I'll always teach the rise before the curve. This way the only two movements new to her will be the wrist action coming up and into the belly button. The lack of initial pronation will be a no teach.

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