Working on correct spin

[Dave619]

As part of DDs warm up routine she stands about 30 ft. away and does a full circle with a small step with a focus on getting good brush interference and correct spin. Doing this she will throw a series of drops and CU and works her corners. I give her feedback on the spin while I catch her. We also talk about the spin as she pitches full distance from the mound.

We made this a part of her warm-up about two months ago after a thread I read on here about different warm up routines. DD use to do the K position drill to begin her warm-up, but for some reason she was very robotic in her movement. In her new routine she looks very smooth and fluid. Doing this routine a lot I have noticed some improvement in her accuracy and her spin.

Although there is always room for improvement, DD is pretty sound in her mechanics so I want to focus more on her getting the correct spin. DDs primary pitch is a drop ball. What I have noticed is the harder she throws her drop the farther from true 12-6 spin she is. If she takes a little off the pitch the closer she gets to 12-6.

What do you do with your DD to improve spin? Should she throw as hard as she can and work towards the correct spin or take a little off to work on the correct spin? Any specific drills or ideas you can share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Doug Romrell]

Is 12-6 necessarily "the correct" spin?

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/10321-i-r-classroom.html

 

[humpty]

When the spin is off what kind of spin does she have.

 

[Dave619]

When the spin is off what kind of spin does she have.

Doug, I went back thru IR in the classroom again. I have to go back to that thread often to be reminded of things. If she just throws a fastball she gets what I would say is the correct spin according to what Board Member shows. I don't want to go off topic and get into the debate if a fastball is a drop ball, etc. DD throws a roll over drop.

Humpty, when she throws hard she gets about 2-8 and it she takes a little off it gets a little closer. Taking a little off the pitch seems to give it better break, but I am assuming either a few mph slower gives the ball more time to drop due to gravity or it giver her hand more time to throw a drop correctly? Maybe I'm not understanding what the spin should be with a drop?

 

[Ken B]

The closer she can get to 12/6 at full speed, the better. 11/7 would be a better compromise than 2/8, which I'd call a curve. The difference between the two spins is pretty dramatic for just a change in effort. Any chance you have video of both?

 

[humpty]

2-8 from catchers view? Is she a lefty

 

[Rick Pauly]

The magnus force on a spinning ball will act perpendicular to the axis of rotation, so as far as physics is concerned a 12/6 dropball will have an axis that is horizontal to the ground.....thus the magnus force will act directly downward....or a straight down drop action. It is usually not a good idea to argue physics much.
In the case of taking something off the drop ball and getting more movement I think you have identified the reason. Another law of physics......the acceleration of gravity is 32 ft. per second per second. So the longer the ball is in the air (slower speed) the more time for gravity to pull it down.
Typically, gravity is a larger factor in dropball movement than spin rate....and spin axis is also a greater factor than spin rate.

 

[Dave619]

2-8 from catchers view? Is she a lefty

No she is a RHP. I don't have a video since I am always catching her, but I'll try to get one. I am having to think a little..from my perspective on the bucket it would be 11-5 or 10-4 I believe.

 

[Doug Romrell]

Doug, I went back thru IR in the classroom again. I have to go back to that thread often to be reminded of things. If she just throws a fastball she gets what I would say is the correct spin according to what Board Member shows. I don't want to go off topic and get into the debate if a fastball is a drop ball, etc. DD throws a roll over drop.

Then I would say that she has two types of drop ball. Given the likes of Hillhouse don't even like to refer to a fastball, why not consider that throw that is like what Boardmember shows as a second type of drop ball?

If you are bent on getting a 12-6 rotation, I know that finger pressure helps with that (see Hillhouse material for further info).

Also, posting a clip does wonders in finding out what's wrong. As you well know, we are all blessed by the presence of some really great minds in pitching.

 

[Ken B]

11/7!!! Ha! I'd like to see that!

11/5 isn't bad if the axis is close to perpendicular. I think you're right about the slower pitches, but does her faster pitch's spin seem to break more suddenly?