Help me with pitch spin.

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May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
A "fastball" (being the fastest pitch in the arsenal) thrown with good IR mechanics.
is a "lead with the pinky" pitch, and thus the fingers are slightly inside the neutral axis of the ball at the time of release.
So, the fastball is spinning "forward" 12-6, but also slightly turned (yaw) due to the fingers being inside the ball.
This is the hand position for maximum velocity with good IR mechanics.

The Drop is a similar pitch, but to throw with straight-on 12-6 axis (no yaw), the hand must be "neutral" (middle finger centered behind the ball at time of release).
To accomplish this, the pitcher must pronate the forearm just a millisecond earlier than the Fastball, and thus sacrifice a little "whip efficiency" at time of release,
resulting in a little less velocity, but a more ideal spin axis to produce biting downward movement.
 
Last edited:
May 16, 2016
1,024
113
Illinois
" my kid can throw 15 pitches including drop rise."

The drop rise is the pitch my 10u daughter is currently working. She has almost got it down perfectly. She throws the ball down into the dirt which is the drop part and the ball bounces about 10 feet in front of the plate, after it bounces it is on a upward trajectory into the strike zone which is the rise part. :eek:

Looks something like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVE69gFVxJg
 
Last edited:

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