Rothrock's Grip

[Jeffrey]

I see replays of K's and HR's showing bullet spin. During the regular season not all broadcasts are clear enough to show the spin, SEC is much better this year as are some of the ESPN games, I don't know about SEC+. Typically you had to wait for the WCWS to get good clear replays.

I find similarities between a pure back spin rise and the overhand curve ball in baseball. When the fingers apply spin to the ball in the direction of it's flight (spin axis at 90 degrees) that reduces the energy that contributes to velocity, you don't see 90+ mph curve balls in baseball for a good reason.

Which is kind of my point…we mostly see the replays of the 1% of the 1% — my students should certainly look up to them, but when when she’s cruising at 57 MPH in 16U I’m going to teach her how to MOVE it and change speeds because that’s how she’s going to win.

 

[Sparky Guy]

This the second game in which I have watched Keagan Rothrock of Florida. It's pretty clear to me that she uses the fatty grip on all her pitches. She throws the bullet rise (with a touch of backspin) a lot. All the strikeouts and significant contact where they slo-mo replay the pitch have the same spin, if there is a different spin it's too subtle for me to detect on TV. She does throw a pitch with a dipping trajectory but I haven't seen a replay of it.

She is a Tincher pitcher. Her mother is a certified Tincher pitching coach.

I remember watching her when she was 12 years old during inter-squad workouts. She could bring it back then making her teammates look over-matched.

 

[uncdrew]

I'm coming full circle on this. Almost every really good pitcher throws bullet spin. This, despite almost no pitching coaches teaching bullet spin. I'm wondering if they would be better had we just taught them bullet spin from the beginning.

Interesting...

We noticed my DD has bullet spin on her fastball. Working hard with pitching coach to get it back to topspin.

At some point I though my hands in the air.

 

[Hillhouse]

Interesting...

We noticed my DD has bullet spin on her fastball. Working hard with pitching coach to get it back to topspin.

At some point I though my hands in the air.

Tell her to exaggerate her follow through across the body more. This will require her to whip her elbow more. And the more the elbow truly whips, the wrist is unable to turn to create bullet spin. If the elbow, wrist and fingers all snap in order during the pitch, there's not much chance bullet spin will happen.

 

[uncdrew]

Tell her to exaggerate her follow through across the body more. This will require her to whip her elbow more. And the more the elbow truly whips, the wrist is unable to turn to create bullet spin. If the elbow, wrist and fingers all snap in order during the pitch, there's not much chance bullet spin will happen.

Will do.

We're also battling a hip issue. Basically her hips get out of whack which makes her natural body movements result in her left hip rising as her stride legs extends. That sort of sets her body on a tilt that prevents top spin. As we work on keeping the hips level it certainly changes the spin back to top spin.