Getting the ball down

[CRAZYFPDAD]

Hello all I would like to reach out for some advice on helping my DD get her drop ball down. A little back ground she is a first year 12's pitcher just moved up in the fall and was starting to gain her stride right at the end of the season. We have been practicing through winter and she has picked up strength on her explosion from the mound and her arm whip, but her drop ball has elevated and is always up in the zone. She has great rotation on the ball but just struggling to get it down. I feel like it’s her gain in power but over the last 3-4 weeks seems like she can’t adjust. Her PC says she needs to get on the mound and face live batting and realize there is a penalty for high balls and then she will try harder to get the ball down. I’m not sure if I agree but would really like to see if anyone has some advice to share with a bucket dad? We pitch 3-4 times a week and she throws the ball cruising 49-50 over the last 3 lessons. I don’t have rig for video right now or I would post. Thank you all for your time and help.

 

[splinterpicker]

I tell my dd to shorten her stride just a little and shift her weight forward a bit at the release point. Not leaning just shifting about as much as you would throwing overhanded. But my dd throws a roll over drop. It is a little different for a peel drop. So you might want to post which drop your dd throws.

 

[Ade's Dad]

Best thing I have ever saw for practicing a drop is,lay a bucket right at the back of the plate,opening toward the pitcher.Then sit a bucket in front of that(15-20 ft in front of home plate).Have your DD throw over the first bucket into the one laying behind home.The better she gets keep moving the middle bucket toward home.

 

[knightsb]

For my DD she throws a peel drop. For her drop to be effective, she has to get the release point correct. She has to concentrate on releasing the ball by her back thigh. With a release farther back, the ball comes out on a flatter trajectory and has a chance to break down at home plate. If her release point is in front of her back leg the trajectory is higher and the ball is delivered higher in the zone.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

For my DD she throws a peel drop. For her drop to be effective, she has to get the release point correct. She has to concentrate on releasing the ball by her back thigh. With a release farther back, the ball comes out on a flatter trajectory and has a chance to break down at home plate. If her release point is in front of her back leg the trajectory is higher and the ball is delivered higher in the zone.

Agreed. If the ball is high she is releasing it too late.

Also the pitching coach sounds like a moron (in this case). Facing live batters to be punished is not a learning tool. I would guess it's not a lack of effort but a timing issue she can't sort out.
-------

Coach: "Throw Strikes!"
Pitcher: "What the hell do you think I am trying to do out here?"

 

[joeman39]

"Great rotation" meaning??? Nothing mean but sometimes dads or moms when catching sometimes don't read spins correct.

 

[halskinner]

Can you tell us about her follow through, what her arm / hand does after she releases the ball?

 

[slingnit]

Providing arm and snap are in good shape, she could be tilting back or peeling too late in the snap. The bucket drill is good. If she is leaning or not getting to what we call drop ball form, making a ramp to pitch down works well. About 7 degree angle and about 6 foot long. Helps get the feel for "getting on top of the ball".

 

[abbygale]

If she is drifting on her front foot, then her release point/feeling becomes a moving target. A lot of high pitches come from this. Make sure she has a good stop.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

I tell my dd to shorten her stride just a little and shift her weight forward a bit at the release point. Not leaning just shifting about as much as you would throwing overhanded. But my dd throws a roll over drop. It is a little different for a peel drop. So you might want to post which drop your dd throws.

Dittos on this feedback.

Our targeting game in practice, that seems to keep her roll-over drop down (almost always), is I lay a 2nd ball on the ground right where either one of the catchers toes would be and give her prize $$ for hitting the balls (we do this $$ competition after working on each pitch type - since DD has no source of income she LOVES this part of our workouts!!)