Screwball help

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Jun 18, 2012
3,183
48
Utah
An important note here is that man10's daughter has a very flexible wrist (possibly also her arm and shoulder). I would say the flexible wrist, in particular, is likely why she threw a screwball early on as sort of a natural pitch for her to throw. As we have seen, she's throwing a good curveball and riseball. I'm sort of thinking that she not go any further down the road of tweaking her mechanics to better her screwball, but rather maybe leave it as is and try to perfect her change-up and/or learn an offspeed drop-curve, given those pitches could be polished without tweaking her foundational mechanics (drive and such).

Man10.... I think you should post her throwing her riseball, her curveball, her change-up, and screwball.
 
May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
Is the common NCAA belief that a Screw harder to hit, than a well-thrown inside Drop? (to a RHB)

I see a lot of Drops pounded to the outside corner, but hardly any thrown inside.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
An important note here is that man10's daughter has a very flexible wrist (possibly also her arm and shoulder). I would say the flexible wrist, in particular, is likely why she threw a screwball early on as sort of a natural pitch for her to throw. As we have seen, she's throwing a good curveball and riseball. I'm sort of thinking that she not go any further down the road of tweaking her mechanics to better her screwball, but rather maybe leave it as is and try to perfect her change-up and/or learn an offspeed drop-curve, given those pitches could be polished without tweaking her foundational mechanics (drive and such).

Man10.... I think you should post her throwing her riseball, her curveball, her change-up, and screwball.

Great point! If you could see the way that Jake and her roommate Haley Copeland can articulate their joints you would be amazed. Freakish ability that you either have or you don't. :)
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Is the common NCAA belief that a Screw harder to hit, than a well-thrown inside Drop? (to a RHB)

I see a lot of Drops pounded to the outside corner, but hardly any thrown inside.

I have always thought of a drop being a pitch that you expected to get hit. But a good drop is very hard to hit well, with a great drop commonly resulting in a miss.
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
So if I understand correctly, throwing a pitch with what would be considered "screwball spin" at a velocity over 50mph is physically impossible? Furthermore all the past and current softball pitchers, some legends of the game who claim to throw and/or taught the pitch such as Lisa Fernandez are frauds?

I'm with you riseball.

I will fully admit the screwball is probably the most difficult pitch to master because of how you have to generate the spin which is why there are so few screwball pitchers in both softball and baseball but there are absolutely pitchers out there who have mastered good screwballs that break.

I think the last good college softball pitcher that I recall had a really good screwball was the pitcher from UCLA a few years ago whose name escapes me right now.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
I'm with you riseball.

I will fully admit the screwball is probably the most difficult pitch to master because of how you have to generate the spin which is why there are so few screwball pitchers in both softball and baseball but there are absolutely pitchers out there who have mastered good screwballs that break.

I think the last good college softball pitcher that I recall had a really good screwball was the pitcher from UCLA a few years ago whose name escapes me right now.

Agree, difficult to master but nonsense that it is physically impossible. Although I do not vividly recall seeing her throw it, Shelby Turnier (UCF/Chicago Bandits) supposedly throws it quite well.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
Furthermore all the past and current softball pitchers, some legends of the game who claim to throw and/or taught the pitch such as Lisa Fernandez are frauds?

A whole bunch of "legends" advocated HE...including Jenny Finch. Does that make all those people "frauds"? Of course not.

If I'm presented with proof that your DD is getting 9-3 spin, I'll admit I was wrong. (As far as I can tell, I'm the only person in softball who ever admitted to being wrong.)

You have access to a pitcher who throws a screwball. You get a high speed camera and video her so that you can see the rotation of the seams. Pretty simple.

It could be that your DD is getting movement, but not because of 9-3 rotation. She could be getting the "2 seam" effect where the axis of rotation is skewed from the flight path of the ball.

It could be that your DD is really great at disguising the location of the pitch.

I did the same thing with my DD and the dropball, and I found out that we were wrong about how we thought the pitch was being thrown.
 
Last edited:
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
A whole bunch of "legends" advocated HE...including Jenny Finch. Does that make all those people "frauds"? Of course not.

If I'm presented with proof that she is getting 9-3 spin, I'll admit I was wrong. (As far as I can tell, I'm the only person in softball who ever admitted to being wrong.)

You have access to a pitcher who throws a screwball. You get a high speed camera and video her so that you can see the rotation of the seams. Pretty simple.

It could be that your DD is getting movement, but not because of 9-3 rotation. She could be getting the "2 seam" effect where the axis of rotation is skewed from the flight path of the ball.

It could be that your DD is really great at disguising the location of the pitch.

If a screwball is like HE then it must exist, since we know all too well that HE is very, very real. I have been down this road with others with the screw and other pitches. They will claim that it only drifts and does not break or the ever popular "Well it is not a true 9-3 rotation". Yet they never offer any explanation with regard to human anatomy or physical science as to why this pitch is impossible to throw. Just that they have never seen it, so it ain't so.
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
A whole bunch of "legends" advocated HE...including Jenny Finch. Does that make all those people "frauds"? Of course not.

If I'm presented with proof that your DD is getting 9-3 spin, I'll admit I was wrong. (As far as I can tell, I'm the only person in softball who ever admitted to being wrong.)

You have access to a pitcher who throws a screwball. You get a high speed camera and video her so that you can see the rotation of the seams. Pretty simple.

It could be that your DD is getting movement, but not because of 9-3 rotation. She could be getting the "2 seam" effect where the axis of rotation is skewed from the flight path of the ball.

It could be that your DD is really great at disguising the location of the pitch.

I did the same thing with my DD and the dropball, and I found out that we were wrong about how we thought the pitch was being thrown.


How about Scarborough's "How to throw a screwball video" Check out the one she throws at the end around the 1.40 mark.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
I've been bingeing on ESPN Replay so far this season,
and one thing that stands out to me is how many RHP pitchers stride so far to the left on all of their pitches...
(except for Jake - she is more of a right-side strider...)

You've talked in the past about how concentrating on the screw can bleed mechanics into your other pitches.
Do you think this is why I'm observing so many left-striders?

Is the Screw in most D1 p5 pitchers' arsenals?

Emily Soles, a freshman RHP for Georgia State has a good screwball without the wide left step. She also has an enlongated back swing and throws mid to upper 60s at 5'6". I know one or two of her games against bigger name teams has been on WatchESPN.
 

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