Backdoor Curve Help

[JJ Hammer]

My 15 year old right hand daughter has a pretty decent curve she's wanting to throw the backdoor. Does she need to change her foot position or what to make it come towards a right hand batter?

 

[halskinner]

RH pitcher throwing a pitch breaking to the inside on a RH hitter, that would be a cutter. A curveball would break away from a RH hitter.

Or, are you talking about throwing inside with a curveball that breaks to the outside? Depending on how much it breaks aim for the catchers inside shoulder or farther inside again depending on how much it breaks. I would not adjust where the landing foot comes down, it is a very slight adjustment to the aiming to get that little bit of difference. You NEVER can trust the condition of the circle to be assured it will be good if you land in a different spot.

Is she throwing with open mechanics or trying to use IR?

 

[JJ Hammer]

We want her to throw so it looks like it's going to hit a right hander than breaks across the inside of the plate for a called strike hopefully.

 

[JJsqueeze]

nice handle Hammer....I like your style...

 

[slingnit]

RH pitcher throwing a pitch breaking to the inside on a RH hitter, that would be a cutter. A curveball would break away from a RH hitter.

Or, are you talking about throwing inside with a curveball that breaks to the outside?

Seiously? The all mighty skinner doesn't know what a backdoor curve is??? I'm pretty sure Hammer already knows what a curve is and does.

Hammer, the way my daughter learned to throw it was by adjusting her step. The easiest way she learned was by moving the plate to the inside one width of the plate and leave the pitching rubber in the same place. Then she would just throw over the inside corner or whatever location she would need to throw to in order to catch the outside corner of the plate. So her hitting the outside corner of the plate would actually be an inside corner on the batter. Really simple to help them understand it is very small angle adjustment and no change in her mechanics.

the one thing that can be a problem is her not wanting to actually hit the batter, not starting it far enough in, and catching too much of the plate. it's a good pitch specially when they get comfortable and confident throwing it.

 

[starsnuffer]

Does she adjust her step for other pitches? Does she step different for an inside fastball vs. an outside fastball?

I'm not advocated stepping differently nor am I arguing against it, because I don't want to derail the thread. I would suggest that she remain consistent with the mechanics she is already using to change location.

-W

 

[halskinner]

If you are at the rifle range and look down the barrel at the sites and see your aim is a foot to the left,, do you keep the gun where it is while you move your front foot over??? No, thats dumb.

You make as tiny adjustment with your arms / hands, just like a good pitcher would do. You make a tiny adjustment to your aim..

 

[halskinner]

Tell you what, ever heard of my blindfold drill? I used this with many students to simply build confidence.

Have her stand on the rubber and throw 6 pitches to your glove. Then, place a blindfold over her eyes while she is standing on the rubber.

Have her throw a pitch to where she just saw the glove. WHEREVER she places the ball, catch it but do not move the glove after you catch it. Have her take off the blindfold and see exactly where she threw it to. Repeat that 6 or 7 times, look at the glove, bliundfold and hit the glove.

If she cannot do that, she needs to work on her accuracy and eye to hand coordination. I would NOT recommend many inside pitches at that point if the result was not good.

If she can place them in the glove blindfolded within an inch or two, she is ready to utilize the inside of the strike zone.

Nerxt step.

You sit in the center of the strike zone BUT you hold your glove a foot to the inside, hold the glove out where you want the ball to go. Have her throw 6 to the glove, no blindfold. If she can do that, then blindfold her again. Let her see the 'Off target', blindfold, pitch and hit that target. Again, wherever she throws it, catch it but do not move the glove until she sees exactly where she threw it.

Do that 6 or however many times. If she can still do that, and I'm sure she can, set the blindfold in a plastic bag and go to the next step.

Now, you are on ther bucket with the glove in the center of the strike zone. Have her bring her hands together, close her eyes and remember where the glove was when it was to the inside whilre the blindfold was on. Open her eyes and quickly throw the pitch to exactly where she threw it before when her eyes were closed.

Do all that successfuly and she will own the inside of the strike zone.

She will also have so much new confidence her coach will probably mistake it for an attitude. Many of my student's coaches did.

Oh yeah, a black sleeping mask works perfect for this drill. Keep it in a zip lock bag and treat it gently. They dont stand up to much abuse at all. The straps break pretty easy so if M om could sew on an elastic strap that is strongher, that would be great.

Have fun with it

 

[halskinner]

Oh yeah, just oine more thing to do.

Tell her this ; "OK big pitcher. Now if you can hit your spots blindfolded, you should have no problem hittin em with your eyes wide open! Well, AM I RIGHT? I couldnt hear you. AM i RIGHT?"

 

[JAD]

When my DD throws a backdoor curve she throws it at the batters hip, and lets the ball break back across the plate. She slightly modifies her landing foot location towards that batter. If nothing else it will usually scare the batter because it looks like she is throwing a fastball right at them! LOL