Proper Form Checklist

[ignition]

Anyone have something written in plain english, that I can give to the parents of my pitchers, to help them keep an eye out for proper form? I want to prevent the girls from getting in to bad habits and illegal pitches? I have an ASA rulebook, but it would probably take me half a day to try and translate it!

 

[MandM]

Pitching Mechanics Check List

Items 5 through 9 cover the presentation of the ball- girls should have both feet in contact with the rubber at the start of the motion.
Two things not covered with regard to illegal pitching is "leaping" and "crow-hopping"

"Leaping": To avoid, the pitcher's pivot/push/drag foot (foot they are pushing off the rubber with) must stay in contact with the ground after they have pushed off the rubber, best accomplished by dragging the toe. This is the gliding motion that you see

"Crow hop"- To avoid, the pivot foot cannot replant for a second push off after it has left the rubber. This is a bit tougher to visualize for you (and the parents) but if you google "crow hop" and Bill Hillhouse, I think he has a good short video that explains this better.

good luck with your girls!

 

[BLB]

Creating an open position and sliding the pivot foot to the heel of the stride foot after push off.
Letting the arm circle create momentum against the landed leg, and not slowing it down, including a bend at the elbow and a follow through to the oppo shoulder.
QUOTE]

Perhaps I'm missing something:
You believe that sliding the pivot foot to the heel of the stride foot is an objective for the pitcher? In which direction should the back knee be headed for after stride foot landing?

Why would a pitcher intentionally try to redirect his/her pitching arm (hand) away from the vertical pitching plane in order to direct it towards the glove shoulder?

 

[BLB]

Still curious...
Do you believe the following to be incorrect "the knees coming together" after pivot foot landing & release?

As for elite pitchers following through with their hand heading for their glove shoulder after release, could you direct me to examples on youtube? I would like to see this.

 

[BLB]

I have video clips of some of the best male pitchers in the world and I don't remember any of them who follow through to their glove shoulder except perhaps on very rare occasions. A baseball pitcher's arm (hand) can go from the 10 o'clock arm position at release and follow through to the 4 o'clock position across the body. A softball pitcher's pitching plane is vertical to the pitching shoulder. His glove shoulder is not on that pitching plane at release or after release. If, for example, his shoulders are closed 45 deg at release, his glove shoulder should be approx half his shoulder width away from the pitching plane. On very rare occasions, some pitchers follow through (deceleration of the forearm/hand) on the pitching plane then, as an after thought, the hand ends up near the glove shoulder for some reason. Even that is hard to find. Some people believe that the followthrough on a "roll over" drop can be towards the glove shoulder but I have not seen real evidence of this yet.

It's late so I just checked the first 4 pages of model pitchers. I saw the following pitchers. None follow through to their opposite shoulder.
Finch
Ueno
Bay
Osterman
Pauly
Dean Holoien
Tracy Flowler Her followthrough is in line with the catcher then goes to her other shoulder as an after thought.
Michelle Smith
Paige Hall
Danielle Lawrie

Of course, if you have video clips of a significant number of elite pitchers who do follow through to their glove shoulders, I will at least consider the possibility that some pitchers do and some don't. I still can't see the purpose of getting your hand off of the pitching plane on the followthrough.

 

[BLB]

I don't believe in an exaggerated bent elbow and the hand being directed towards the pitching shoulder if that's what "Hello Elbow" means. By the way, what does the hand reaching for the pitching shoulder have to do with the elbow anyway? The hand staying on the pitching plane (or close to it) after release doesn't mean hello elbow. I also don't believe in directing the hand towards the opposite shoulder either. To me this happens but very rarely. You'll see some pitchers go across the belt for their curve balls. People judge for yourselves when viewing videos or stills
.

I had a longer list of photos but could not load them. Reached a max. My point is, since this rarely happens in elite pitchers, why would you teach it? Perhaps it's only meant to be a verbal cue but I don't use it because they might just follow my instructions too closely. To each his own I guess.

 

[BLB]

 

[BLB]

Probably ranked number 1 today: AAU 2011 - Adam Folkard vs. Giants Batter - YouTube
One of the best in the world who is now retired: Mike Piechnik Hall of Fame - YouTube
Followthrough?

 

[halskinner]

Someone asks for a proper form checklist. Responses NEVER take into consideration all the variables that can be present.

Closed or open mechanics? Leap and drag or step style? What exact movement pitch are we talking about?? Once the ball is released, the 'Pitch' is over and now, what follow through is being used if there is a follow through?

To ask for a checklist for proper form is a very general and vague request, Yet, we get specific answers??

The correct form for one style of pitching is not the correct form for another. Just as the answer to that question might be the right answer for one but the exact WRONG answer for another.

Find a pitching instructor and take her there.

 

[ignition]

I guess I was thinking a little less about mechanics and more about throwing legal pitches:

• Both Feet on Rubber.
• Present the ball: Hands apart
• Accept the Signal.
• Start the motion.
• Pitcher must "drag" rear foot.
  
  [*]Both feet must never be airborne at same time.​