Thread: Wrist confusion

My DD is a some-what beginning pitcher. She is getting a late start at pitching. Just turned 14 and starting over on pitching. Trying to get ready for HS ball. She primarily throws fastball, flip change and drop. She has always had a real good snap on her fastball. Since starting to throw the roll-over drop she is starting to lose the good fastball snap. Many times her fastball release is somewhere between the fastball and drop. Occasionally it even comes out with the flip change release. She is just having trouble singling out each release, sometimes throwing a combination of two spins on her fastball.

Is this just going to take repitition to correct? Or is there something else we can try? Sometimes I think it's just a lack of focus, but I can see the frustration in her when she combines two spins and can't throw her fastball as well as she is capable. Pitching coach suggested throwing three fastballs to every drop, trying to make sure the fastball has the right snap. Just looking for any additional input. I'm sure this is fairly common with new pitchers. Thanks.

In the long term (like next 6 months to year) I would learn the rise (start with ball on the stick) and take out the fastball. I would use the ball on the stick to practice the rollover spin to get that conditioned in. I would not increase fastballs because you use those in warm up etc. You get plenty.

It is normal.

I have to agree, this is normal. Repetition and attention to detail will help her sort things out. The ball on a stick may help some. The ball with a taped line around it will also help her see when the pitch is working.

Thanks for the help. I figured she just needed to work through it. I guess I was looking for confirmation that it's a normal part of the process. She has been making great progress. The mixing pitches just has us both a little frustrated.

Originally Posted by Screwball

In the long term (like next 6 months to year) I would learn the rise (start with ball on the stick) and take out the fastball. I would use the ball on the stick to practice the rollover spin to get that conditioned in. I would not increase fastballs because you use those in warm up etc. You get plenty.

It is normal.

Screwball, you would take a player who is just starting pitching and teach her the riseball? It's going to take a year to get control and speed with an acceptable changeup. I'd worry about the basic stuff first.

Without pictures it's only a guess. If she throws her fastball with her hand on top of the ball ,like a peel drop, at release and is learning to throw the turn over from under the ball, she might be mixing up the different hand position.

Originally Posted by Screwball

Yes I would. The rise is not as intimidating as made out to be. If she can handle the rollover, the rise is a cake walk.

Plus she started late for a pitcher, already shows dedication to learning the spins. However, I see the term starting over which tells me the basics were there already.

She just does not have time to tinker around (will be over in a blink) esp with how good HS age hitters are today.

A change can be taught concurrently but the poster did not bring that up as an issue so I did not go there. I teach the change at about the 3rd to 4th lesson for any new pitcher. Also, control up and down on the fastball is not necessary to learn if you have a rise and drop. That's why we throw them. Alot of that is just what I call paying your dues, because later won't be used. 14 is the age when those take over for fastballs. The low fastball is the first to go (what a pain that pitch is).

In and out control can be done with both fastball and rise.

Screwball, you say " if she can handle a rollover, the rise is a piece of cake". You must be an absolutely amazing teacher. I can't even begin to relate to that statement and I might add that the number of truly effective rise balls being thrown out there are few and far between.

Originally Posted by Screwball

No, the kids are amazing and not hampered by all the naysayers (they don't know you exist). The pitch has been around for decades and has multiple grips that work, and many of the old-timers to teach it and pass it on with 'positive spin.' The motion follows the natural fastball motion only with your hand cocked to the side.

The reason the rise is hated and denigrated so much is that it is not from baseball (guys hate that) AND people can't get over the death of the fastball in women's fastpitch.

We will keep on trucking with what we are doing. My riseballer in HS just got promoted to number 1 pitcher over two seniors.

SS. Screwball - you make some amazing assumptions: contrary to your inference I believe the rise ball is one of the key pitches to be mastered and when you say the fastball is being phased out of the women's game ( inferring that men are resisting this) I never heard the term fastball in Fastpitch for 30 years until being exposed to the women's game in the early 80's- in fact I still don't know what a fastball is in Fastpitch.