Locating the fastball

JAD said:

My DD throws a 2-seam and a 4-seam fastball. The 2-seam has a screwball "tail" at the end that makes it a very effective pitch if she can located it. Her 4-seam is more of a corkscrew spin that we only throw on a three ball count to a batter we would rather put the ball in play vs. walking.

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I would have to assume she's got a feathered release action or possibly a touch late release if shes getting corkscrew action. (ball isn't coming off 3 fingers evenly?) This "flaw" can absolutely be effective and may or may not want to be addressed. It may become a bit difficult in hitting low and out if the ball is cutting back in towards the sweet spot? That's just my mind spinning on that pitch. thanks, James

coach james said:

Movement?
Im not following what you mean here? My definition of a fast ball is just that... no movement.
Changing the release angle of a fastball to hit low zones would be a snap over drop, and tilting the posture back an inch or 2 would result in a high pitch aka fastball.
I'm 100% on board to hitting all 4 corners and everything in between (as long as we're on the edges and not dead red). I'd suggest adding this to your practice routine.

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[MENTION=7797]coachjames[/MENTION] we are probably on the same page here. Thrown properly all pitches are movement pitches. My definition of a fastball is the pitch with the most velocity. Case in point a good IR "fastball" with 1-7 rotation is in reality a drop. You can call it a fastball or any other name, but based on the spin and movement it is a drop. Any pitch that does not move is the result of a poor axis of rotation and can be called a fastball, rise, screw, curve, but is more than likely just a mistake.

Umpires all have their strike zones. Some will give you the inside, some the outside, high, low, whatever. That seems to me a good reason right there to be able to hit all 4 corners.

DD practices using quadrants. Still struggles hitting the 3 & 4 boxes.