He's making her slap her thigh.

[nanotech14]

Just want to add, I don't, I repeat don't want my dd to slap her leg. I agree with Bill, but she does it anyways and plain in simple. We don't have time to work on that right now. She has really nice mechanics and are spending her time on spin, location, varying her speeds and reading the batter. I can take this same argument with her stance at batting, she has a low and wide batting stance, kind of like Puljos. Some would not like it and want to change her. She is batting over .500 since winter and summer TB and has only struck out 3 times and has been up against a lot of good pitchers at the 16u level for her first year at 16u and that's from being back to playing at all since 12u. It works for her.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

 

[Doug Romrell]

I don't see slapping or not slapping as an absolute of pitching. I would argue, however, that pulling the glove downward IS an absolute. That's my opinion.

 

[JJsqueeze]

we are starting to morph into the tech hitting forum...

 

[javasource]

Ha... JJ posted what I was thinking... I think Five might have something to do with that!

Through video evidence (a la Hansen) and experience... I would argue Five's point regarding the batter using the slap. It is far too late. If you watch the loading sequence of batters... you'll see many of them start their coil on the upswing of a pitcher. Truth is batters learn to get that foot down and adjust their timing based on the pitch thrown... not the sounds of a pitcher "slappin her hip up" or grunting one out. This takes me back to the days of Martina Navratilova receiving a bunch of flack for her noises...

I've heard grunts, slaps, screams... hell... even the occasional 'muffler' noise from pitchers (which is why I stand to the side...) and none create an advantage or detriment themselves or an opponent (depending on their diet).

IMO, WAY too much attention is being put on the glove arm... it's like the modern day scapegoat for other pitching issues.

Unless your DD is wielding an iron glove and is anemic... let it go.

Herein is my attempt at levity...

 

[1bucketmom]

This has been a good thread. The pics, the insight, the varying opinions..... Technical and personal perspectives.
In the end it appears that this one goes in the option pile as opposed to required.....for optimal pitching.

Great exchanges......

 

[Ken B]

Unless your DD is wielding an iron glove and is anemic... let it go.

Cue Idina Menzel...

 

[Softball scholar]

No problem ... you are of course welcome to remain skeptical. Heck ... Hal continued to believe in a magical riseball that lifted skyward when it detected the presence of a bat ..... I'm teasing of course .... point being that you are saying that you would need more convincing ... and that is fine.

If you slow down the video of a pitcher that 'glove slaps', then you'll find the 'release' occurs prior to the actual glove slap. The actual glove slap occurs 'after' release.

If you slow down video of high-end hitters, with the pitcher in view, you'll find that the COM of the hitter moves forward either "at" or slightly "before" the release of the pitched ball.

Five Frame Swing, The release does occur very slightly before the slap If you slow it down to super super slo mo on your Amanda Scarborugh video. But the difference your looking is less than a .01 of a second. Actually the glove is touching the thigh while the ball is still touching the hand. Relatively speaking, I would call this simultaneous. I've read something that the time the ball takes .3 to .4 seconds to get to the hitter with variation depending on speed of pitcher. Obviously still not much time, but time enough to track and make a decision to hit the ball. I think the sound cue of the glove slap occurs in the in this decision making range of the hitter an extra piece of information on the speed of the ball. Its not something the hitter thinks about, but is an innate skill in this fast decision making process.

Someone brought in tennis as a example of sound. As an avid tennis player, the contact sound of the ball coming off the racquet from your opponents swing is a huge clue in timing your shots. Timing is big in tennis as much as softball, and I've had tennis pros insist to use the contact sound for a cue to timing. I've played in places where accoustics affect the sound and has hindered my timing. And yes, the grunting and screams of the tennis players mostly on the womens side (Sharapova and Azarenka worst offenders) overcomes the natural sound of the ball coming off the racquet. The Grunting is mostly allowed and even taught to allow full release of energy but is also a tactic to disguise the natural sound of the racquet contact. Still surprised the pro tour hasnt enforced rules on this.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

The "sound" of the glove slap is too late to be of any use .... and if used as a timing trigger will put the batter at a disadvantage.

A good softball hitter needs to be "on time" for "release" ... and timing something that occurs "after" release is a poor choice ... a very poor choice.

Take this into the batter's box if you must. Time the "sound" of the glove slap. Then go back to my earlier post in this thread about the feel of "being rushed". It doesn't feel good .... does it? No, it doesn't.

 

[Classof2020]

Unless your DD is wielding an iron glove and is anemic... let it go.

Herein is my attempt at levity...

Oh my goodness I seriously LOL'd at my desk. Had to put my hand on my mouth to muffle it. Soooo funny! and then with Ken putting it to music that just made my morning!!