Screwballs, drops and cruveballs, wherefore art thou at the CWS?

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sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
I haven't seen a screwball or a curve at the CWS. I have seen a few (but not many) backspin riseballs

Almost all the pitches are corkscrew pitches.

Where are they?
 

Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
113
Mundelein, IL
I've been seeing a lot of the same thing, especially when they go for those closeup slow motion shots from the pitcher's hip. Interesting to hear the announcers ooh and aah over the "tight spin" on a rise ball when it's clearly corkscrewing in.
 
Aug 21, 2011
1,345
38
38°41'44"N 121°9'47.5"W
I had to chuckle when they showed Alvelo's pitches and called them out. They were all corkscrew with the exception of her change, which had curve spin.
Rise ball-corkscrew
Curve-corkscrew
Screw-corkscrew
Fast ball-corkscrew

As I said in another thread, Page Parker is the only one who had backward rotation. This is why she's dang near unhittable.
 

javasource

6-4-3 = 2
May 6, 2013
1,347
48
Western NY
There are only three spinners this year... Parker, Barnhill, & Kleist. Very impressed with the latter, too... just needs to improve location.

Washington will really struggle against Barnhill... Garcia and Alvelo were the same pitcher. In nearly 200 pitches between the two... there was only 10 pitches with actual movement spin.
 

shaker1

Softball Junkie
Dec 4, 2014
894
18
On a bucket
I had to chuckle when they showed Alvelo's pitches and called them out. They were all corkscrew with the exception of her change, which had curve spin.
Rise ball-corkscrew
Curve-corkscrew
Screw-corkscrew
Fast ball-corkscrew

As I said in another thread, Page Parker is the only one who had backward rotation. This is why she's dang near unhittable.

Barnhill has very good backward rotation on her rise. Maybe as good as Parkers. From the videos I have seen, spin rate is close to the same
https://youtu.be/rz_Fug7xnEA
https://youtu.be/8JVGmBFRm78
 
Last edited:
Aug 21, 2011
1,345
38
38°41'44"N 121°9'47.5"W
There are only three spinners this year... Parker, Barnhill, & Kleist. Very impressed with the latter, too... just needs to improve location.

Washington will really struggle against Barnhill... Garcia and Alvelo were the same pitcher. In nearly 200 pitches between the two... there was only 10 pitches with actual movement spin.

I'll have to watch her today. I really haven't seen her pitch too much. Being a UW alumn, I'll be pulling for the Dawgs. However, my fear is that they will struggle as they did against Parker. Go dawgs!
 
May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
Per usual, I have spent years trying to get the girls to throw the correct rotation. I think I will take to yelling "Just screw it!"
 
Apr 12, 2015
792
93
A lot of coaches use the "turn the door knob" cue to teach a rise which leads to bullet spin. If the pitcher is throwing it that way but still effective, not many coaches are going force a correction to true rise spin.

I wonder if the lack of drop balls has to do with the seeming tightening of the NCAA strike zone, making it an easier pitch to lay off and a harder pitch to throw effectively.
 
Last edited:
Feb 7, 2013
3,188
48
Many, many riseball pitchers has titled upwards, bullet spin riseball me which can be almost as effective as pure back spin (which is rare). IMO velocity and command is just as important as the correct spin on the riseball to be effective.
 

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