Types of pitches

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Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
Much of the advice I’m reading is like the game of telephone. It might have made sense the first time a coach said it, but after being repeated behind the backstop so many times it gets wildly distorted. There’s no blueprint for which pitches they learn, what order and how many. The only “must have” pitch is a change up. After that doesn’t matter if it’s rise, drop or curve. They just need to master one. Most of all a girl can learn movement pitches at any point in her career and be successful.
 
Jul 31, 2019
495
43
That one is tough to answer as I’ve always thought with that in mind. It was something I got from several instructors that had biomechanical, PT, and or ortho backgrounds. I guess the other side is I’m really anal about mastering location, and mechanics and a change prior to introducing spin pitches. Most don’t get there anyway until they. Are 12-13
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Master is an interesting word choice. On a good day my DD had mastery of only one pitch. But she had another that was pretty good, and a change up that was serviceable. Her Senior year at SC she wished she had developed more pitches (dropball) since you need to show something new every year. Something pitchers like Montana Fouts were figuring out as the season died. I doubt even the very best will tell you they have "mastered" more than one or two pitches.
 

NBECoach

Learning everyday
Aug 9, 2018
408
63
I would start out with the peel drop and two versions of a change up. Peel drop is easier to learn than the turn over drop and when thrown properly looks like a fast ball but has downward movement. On the change up, I would do a 4 finger and a 5 finger change to get a couple of speed changes. Once those are mastered (assuming that could take years) I would try another pitch with movement. Possibly a curve. And remember you can change speeds on the drop and curve.

You may wonder why not a rise ball? Personally I don't believe any current HS or college pitcher actually throws a true rise ball. Oh they throw something up in the strike zone likely a fast ball or something with bullet spin, but it seems you need nearly perfect mechanics to throw a true rise.
 
Apr 28, 2019
1,423
83
I would start out with the peel drop and two versions of a change up. Peel drop is easier to learn than the turn over drop and when thrown properly looks like a fast ball but has downward movement. On the change up, I would do a 4 finger and a 5 finger change to get a couple of speed changes. Once those are mastered (assuming that could take years) I would try another pitch with movement. Possibly a curve. And remember you can change speeds on the drop and curve.

You may wonder why not a rise ball? Personally I don't believe any current HS or college pitcher actually throws a true rise ball. Oh they throw something up in the strike zone likely a fast ball or something with bullet spin, but it seems you need nearly perfect mechanics to throw a true rise.

Do you believe Kelly Barnhill threw a true riseball?
 

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