Thread: Video Review -- 2015 Pitcher had some nice weather up here in Washington!

Looking pretty good. It's helpful to think more about a release "zone" than a "point" on the rise (all movement pitches really, but the rise especially). I tell my students to imagine their throw zone (just behind the back hip to about a foot in front of the front hip) as a mini version of the space between them and the catcher, and to draw what they want the pitch to do. So for the rise, you want your hand moving low and straight for about 80% of the throw zone, then come up into the rise spin, just like you want your ball to be low and straight for a long time and then tail up right when it gets to the batter.

She could use a little more front side resistance on the curve. Her hip is flying off to her glove side a bit too soon. She'll have more bite on the curve if it stays put longer, and also be able to throw a front door curve, which is one of my favorite pitches.

As for the hop, notice how she stands on the rubber with her toes forward and then turns her instep almost completely to the catcher as she loads. I find that this causes or exacerbates a hop in a lot of pitchers. Try having her focus on keeping her toes more forward as she loads and pushing off with forward toes as well (think of it like a sprinter setting up. The rubber is the starting block). Ideally that foot should sort of roll onto the big toe and smoothly continue into the drive through.

Originally Posted by tojo

Carly, I notice you are a new member to the forum. You do know you could possibly start a war stating that a riseball tails up. There are threads on this forum where this subject has been debated many times. Their conclusion is the rise only drops less than other pitchs. It does not rise,lift or tail up.
You reference a front door curve in your post, I have only heard of the curve(curves off the outside corner) and the back door curve (curves back on to inside corner).
I also would like to welcome you to the forum and look forward to your insight. I tried to go to your website but I get directed to youtube videos instead.

I am aware of the rise ball controversy. Regardless of the movement the ball actually has (which changes a little from pitcher to pitcher anyway), I still think the pitcher's goal in throwing a rise ball is to create the illusion of the upward tail via hand path (and spin of course). I just wanted to address the hand path in my comment.

As for the front door curve, I meant what you call a back door curve. The people I teach with call it a front door curve. If back door curve is the more accepted terminology, I appreciate knowing. I've been teaching for a while locally but I've only begun expanding online recently, so I want to make sure I'm using the most widely recognized terms.

Thanks for the welcome (and the assurance that I'm not big, old, or cranky!). Not sure what the deal is with getting directed to youtube... just checked my link and it works for me but I'll look into it.