Mike White

I am a 20 year high school coach and for years now, I have been reading, studying and utilizing information gleaned from DFP. Thank you to all for sharing your knowledge and experience. I just attended our state coaches clinic where Coach Mike White made four presentations on various aspects of pitching. It was refreshing to hear a validation of the opinions I have formed. My history: A long time ago, from the very first pitch my 9 yr old DD threw, which went over my head as well as over the neighbors fence, it was apparent that her body naturally knew how to throw. We bounced from one PC to the next, each of whom tried to coach her natural ability out of her. We never knew technically what it was that she did right or why their instruction created problems. At 14 she was fortunate to find a former men's pitcher who simply allowed her to throw naturally and helped her in two areas. He improved her drive and taught her a riseball. She had perfect, tight 12/6 spin (it is possible for some).
She had a successful career in HS, TB and D1. But it still wasn't until I began to study here that I came to understand the natural throwing motions in a technical and, more importantly, a teachable manner. I just want to express my gratitude to everyone here; those who have shined a bright light like BM, RP, JS as well as those whose opinions I have not adopted. Each of you keeps me questioning my beliefs which leads to further learning. And if you get a chance to hear Coach White in person, I recommend you do so. Thanks

Your players are lucky to have you as a coach. You know you don't have ALL the answers and things evolve within the softball world and you're willing to change/learn/adapt yourself for their betterment.

Mike White pitching in the World Championship finals (he won of course). This was 1992 in SLC Utah. This was also my first ever World Championship (I went 3-2) losing to the team White is pitching against in the finals 1-0 to be eliminated. <sigh>

Wow...incredible use of pitch selection, location and sequences. It doesn't really look like he is overwhelmingly fast in this game. The way he sets up that last batter for the high changeup is just brutal.

There are no words to tell you guys how good Mike White was at the prime of his career. He had a pretty devastating injury in the late 1987 season, I think his bicep detached from his shoulder. And when he came back, he didn't throw as hard but somehow he was even better. Funny thing, 2 of the 3 final strike outs were "high change ups" that weren't where he wanted them (change should ALWAYS be low) but, as long as they swing and miss.

A friend of mine's Facebook page has lots of game footage of Whitey throwing in New Zealand in the mid-late 1980's but, I can't get it from FB to YouTube to display here.

It should be noted, the team White played for won their 2nd consecutive World in this clip. The year before, their record as a team was something like (and no BS here!!) 104-5 for the year. And, ironically, the pitcher in this clip who pitched against them and held them down... well.... he was on White's team the following year! Their motto was, "recruit anyone who could beat us!!" and they had a sponsor who would do it!!

The following year, 1993... was my first ever shot at pitching against White and the powerful Sioux City team at the World Championship. I was 21.. pitching against my freaking hero Mike White in round 2 of the Worlds. We lost 3-1.

Bill

Hillhouse, thanks for posting the video.

A couple of things stand out. 1) he wasn't afraid to throw the change-up often; and 2) his change-up seems to be the flip (back of the hand) variety which seems to get maligned here as too slow to be effective? Maybe you have some insight into the type of change-up he threw?

Hillhouse said:

A friend of mine's Facebook page has lots of game footage of Whitey throwing in New Zealand in the mid-late 1980's but, I can't get it from FB to YouTube to display here. Bill

Click to expand...

Here's how

How to copy video from Face Book

Rocket, he showed me once but, I couldn't get it nor did I spend a lot of time working on it. It's NOT the flip!! He locks his wrist and releases somehow. I think the follow throw makes it LOOK like a flip but, it has PURE 100% dropball rotation on it. I know he held it like his drop, he just locked the wrist somehow. It was incredibly deceptive and, all in all, Mike White was harder to pick than a broken nose. His motion was identical and he telegraphed nothing.

Meanwhile, if you listen close to the background during the game.... you will hear the NHCD team yelling things in unison while the lefty is throwing. They had a pick on his pitches and were calling them out from the dugout. The seemed to have small trouble telling the difference between drop and change but, you'd hear them yell "DO IT!!" when he threw the change up. And I'd have to rewatch it again but I'm pretty sure the dugout was quiet when the lefty was throwing a rise (so the hitter heard nothing). Then they'd be saying various things when a drop was coming. But the universal call for a change up is "DO IT!!!!" When I'd hear an opponent yell that, I knew I was screwed. That meant they either had me picked or my catcher.

If you watch Oregon games, White yells Do it all the time from 3rd base when he picks the girl's change up. His daughter, who pitched for Stanford was even the victim of Whitey calling out the change up. Not sure what she could complain about, I'm sure he taught her how to hide it when she was young but she "wouldn't listen to dad!" (Sound familiar?????)

Bill