Screwball Video

[undergroundga]

The point of the leap left is the smoke and mirrors tied to the screwball. Make the batter think an outside pitch is coming, but hit the inside corner. The batter will usually either take the pitch for a strike (assuming the umpire is liberal on the inside, because they're fooled just as much as the batter), or the batter will reach a bit and hit into an easy out or foul off the handle of the bat.

I do believe that screwballs, when the proper spin is imparted on the ball, do drift or curve a bit. The good ones are not thrown straight, however, they do not "break", where a "break" defines late or sudden movement. Hell, anyone who has ever stood on a field with softball players and caught balls during infield practice knows that ball that travels straight is more of a rarity the a ball that curves or drifts

-W

So, when that day comes I should have my dd learn a generous step to the left?

 

[crystlemc]

The point of the leap left is the smoke and mirrors tied to the screwball. Make the batter think an outside pitch is coming, but hit the inside corner. The batter will usually either take the pitch for a strike (assuming the umpire is liberal on the inside, because they're fooled just as much as the batter), or the batter will reach a bit and hit into an easy out or foul off the handle of the bat.

I do believe that screwballs, when the proper spin is imparted on the ball, do drift or curve a bit. The good ones are not thrown straight, however, they do not "break", where a "break" defines late or sudden movement. Hell, anyone who has ever stood on a field with softball players and caught balls during infield practice knows that ball that travels straight is more of a rarity the a ball that curves or drifts

-W

With all due respect, I think the smoke and mirrors comment is a bunch of hooey. That is basically saying that a pitcher must step right or left to throw inside or out, and that is just not the case. My DD, as I know many other DD's on this site, have been taught that nothing in their delivery is to change from pitch to pitch, location to location. Her drop, change, rise all look identical to the naked eye. Her grip only changes slightly on the rise. Her delivery doesn't change, her stride doesn't change, her "powerline" doesn't change.

 

[Greenmonsters]

The point of the leap left is the smoke and mirrors tied to the screwball. Make the batter think an outside pitch is coming, but hit the inside corner. The batter will usually either take the pitch for a strike (assuming the umpire is liberal on the inside, because they're fooled just as much as the batter), or the batter will reach a bit and hit into an easy out or foul off the handle of the bat.

I do believe that screwballs, when the proper spin is imparted on the ball, do drift or curve a bit. The good ones are not thrown straight, however, they do not "break", where a "break" defines late or sudden movement. Hell, anyone who has ever stood on a field with softball players and caught balls during infield practice knows that ball that travels straight is more of a rarity the a ball that curves or drifts

-W

It's a rarity because few coaches have taught them to grip the ball cross seams so that it doesn't tail. Take a look at the bench for a girls' game and a boys' game. In the boys' game, chances are good that you'll see at least one kid playing with a ball and unconsciously rotating it to get the proper grip while they are focused on watching the game. Can't say that I've ever seen it in a girls' game.

 

[starsnuffer]

So, when that day comes I should have my dd learn a generous step to the left?

It isn't the step to the left that matters here. The angle of the ball from the 1B side of the rubber to the inside corner of the plate is what is important. If you can figure out a way to make this angle without the step, then by all means go ahead. Most batters are watching the ball at the pitchers hip. The pitcher needs to make this appear that the ball is going outside from this point. What the pitcher does not want to do is make it appear the same as an inside fastball. For most pitchers, a screwball is just that, an inside fastball. What sets it apart is the angle and illusion.

-W

 

[starsnuffer]

With all due respect, I think the smoke and mirrors comment is a bunch of hooey. That is basically saying that a pitcher must step right or left to throw inside or out, and that is just not the case. My DD, as I know many other DD's on this site, have been taught that nothing in their delivery is to change from pitch to pitch, location to location. Her drop, change, rise all look identical to the naked eye. Her grip only changes slightly on the rise. Her delivery doesn't change, her stride doesn't change, her "powerline" doesn't change.

The coach that teaches that also does not teach a screwball. Think there's any correlation?

-W

 

[crystlemc]

He actually teaches a more "unconventional" type of screwball. Why teach something that can be picked by a good hitter?

 

[starsnuffer]

It's a rarity because few coaches have taught them to grip the ball cross seams so that it doesn't tail. Take a look at the bench for a girls' game and a boys' game. In the boys' game, chances are good that you'll see at least one kid playing with a ball and unconsciously rotating it to get the proper grip while they are focused on watching the game. Can't say that I've ever seen it in a girls' game.

To be honest, if we're taking softball infield throws here, if proper mechanics are used then the ball WILL tail, because the body is tilted at the time of the throw. So, if the same position was used for an outfield throw, there would be a 12-6 rotation (riseball) to make the throw flat and carry longer. Softball infielders are taught to throw from where they field the ball, because it's a much much much much much faster sport then baseball. That means that the same throw is going to tail off in the direction that the fielders head is pointed. Now you can argue that the fielder could learn to spin the ball appropriately to compensate for body lean, and I can't argue against this, only that it complicates fielding even further in a world where speed is everything.

But this is a pitching topic so I'll hush

-W

 

[Greenmonsters]

Where in the world is the pitch f/x data for fastpitch? I know I saw it last year 2011, but I can't find what I saw last year anywhere on the web. It gave good data comparing the movement vs break of most all pitches and seemed like screws were involved.

Is this what you're talking about? I believe we're looking at it from a behind the plate perspective, so screwballs would be left of center.

 

[starsnuffer]

He actually teaches a more "unconventional" type of screwball. Why teach something that can be picked by a good hitter?

Pretty sure he just teaches how to make the rise and drop drift inside and outside a bit with finger pressure. The point of him teaching this is exactly what you said, the pitcher appears to pitch the same pitch no matter what. The pitcher tries to release the ball from the same spot, so the batter has to judge the ball location from the pitch trajectory alone.

I actually AGREE with all of that from a pure pitching strategy standpoint.

The problem I have with this kind of teaching is a society problem, not a pitching problem. In order for a pitcher to be successful, they either have to be completely and totally awesome buzzsaw beat any batter pitchers doing it their way, or they have to impress the particular coach of the team they are trying out for or playing for. It's impossible to pitch a roll-over drop or a screwball using those "perfect" mechanics mentioned. Unfortunately, most coaches are not pitchers and believe these are pitches their pitcher needs to get pitching time, thus there is a need for kids to learn these pitches in order to maximize their enjoyment of the sport.

The world these kids have to live in is far from perfect.

-W

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Is this what you're talking about? I believe we're looking at it from a behind the plate perspective, so screwballs would be left of center.

I think you got that from the same site I saw this morning. But DR. Alan had his "results" posted at one time breaking down each pitch beyond the data sheets. Listed in easy terms which pitch had more/less movement and then the same for breaking.

Now they are gone. Guess the fastpitch police got to him?