Locating the fastball

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Jan 10, 2017
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Have a question about locating the fastball. Should fastballs be thrown to all 4 quadrants of the strike zone high-in, high-out, low-in, low-out or should they be kept mainly to high-in and low-away?
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
If you can hit the spot any corner of the zone is fine. If it has good movement, even better. Much will depend on the perceived abilities of the hitter. Few players even at the high levels can do much with anything that is truly low and in. Then again very few pitchers actually practice throwing to the corners of the zone.
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
because of differing hitters abilities and tendencies you need to be able to throw the ball to any quadrant...default given a completely unknown would be to start down and away and go from there.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
I would practice throwing to all 4 quadrants, but that does not mean that you have to throw to all 4 against a live batter.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
???

really? why not?

Have often wondered. Most pitchers, even so called elite level who come to me have a very poor practice regimen. It is simply not effective. Their idea of working corners is to get the ball within a foot or so. To many will throw down the middle. Most never work such things as throwing below the zone, and pitches like the rise are always thrown up in the zone. It never occurs to them to throw it as a low pitch. Unfortunately most pitchers only go throw the motions of practicing and do not get much accomplished.
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
If you can hit the spot any corner of the zone is fine. If it has good movement, even better.

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.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
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.

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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