I have a 11 pitcher who was throwing a 12-6 (close) fastball. It would occasionally be off a little or wobble, but nothing to drastic. All of a sudden she is throwing a bullet spin fastball, offset about 20 degrees, but it has no movement. Her form has stayed the same and speed has been consistent. I have her do snaps with taped balls and hocket pucks and she can do those fine, even at half distance. But once she backs up and is throwing full speed she seems to be doing this spin. Any idea on why this happened and if it should be changed? She has been pitching about 9 months, does not know any other pitches besides a fastball yet.
Sudden Bullet Spin
- Thread starter sourlemon2206
- Start date
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Her release changed a little. IMHO, it's not worth fixing. Use the time to teach her the peel drop and the change-up.
How's she going to learn a peel drop if she's throwing with bullet spin?It's certainly worth fixing but it isn't anything to get worked up over, spin issues are very common with young pitchers. At one point early in my dd's 10u pitching career she had what I call a "helicopter" spin which reduced what little power she had at the time to practically nothing. I remember looking at her in puzzlement and saying, "how are you even able to do that?"
Using taped balls will help, I found a useful verbal cue to be, "lead with your thumb".
If she is going to work on 12-6 spin, she might as well learn how to *REALLY* put 12-6 spin on the ball and learn the peel. She should get Bill Hillhouse's video "Building the House" and learn the peel drop.
- Jun 20, 2008
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Learning the peel drop will fix it, my guess is for some reason she is rolling the ball out of her hand starting with the pinky and last off the index finger instead of a straight snap...maybe change to a 4 seam grip and see if that helps her feel the snap better...I have seen some very good 4 seam peel drops...
Bulletspin generally has 2 causes. One, her hand is not closing all the way, her palm is facing toward 3rd base to some degree. This is like throwing a football or spiral spin. The other thing that often happens is that the hand comes into release cupped a little and even though the palm is facing forward at release the fingers slide under the ball and this can often impart bulletspin. She's only 11 and as long as her speed hasn't dropped significantly I wouldn't worry about it too much, throwing bulletspin has plusses and minuses.
- Jul 14, 2008
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I always find it interesting when people say they are teaching fastball with 6-12 spin......To be clear.........6-12 spin is drop........Not fastball.........
To be sure, IF you are working on "fastball"........Meaning VELOCITY........You can expect inward spin to increase as her mind and body attempt to find the fastest release timing of the I/R mechanism for maximum velocity.........Which happens to be "mid-snap" (rotation) of that I/R mechanism.......The point at which I/R is actually Accelerating the fastest is BEFORE the ball faces forward for over-spin.........
Don't confuse Bullet spin with "inward spin"........Bullet spin in not a 20 degree offset........
This is not a bullet spin fastball (RH'r)..........
This is...........
If you want movement on her fastball........Play with the seam orientation in the grip........Try over the horseshoe......Try offsetting the long seam.......
I you want drop........STOP working on "fastball" and start working on drop..........
My youngest had balls doing both of those rotations today and even some with the spin going from 11 to 7 that broke outside at the end of the pitch. How do I get consistent with the spin. Are there certain drills I can have her do to work on the rotation? When she has the ball rotating 11-7 the ball seems faster with movement.
