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Aug 19, 2013
73
8
Please watch the video and let me know what you think?
She's 14 and has been pitching since she was 8. Hits 61 and has several pitches. A year ago she switched pitching coach's and he is all over her about the chicken wing ( bent arm). She's a resistance pitcher. When you watch top pitcher, Monica abbot, Scarborough etc.. they have a chicken too, is it that bad?? She's throwing a fastball in this video. Thanks

https://youtu.be/64PxsL1Ljng


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Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
Interesting action taking placing in the back of the windmill .... sort of a "get on top of the ball mechanic" followed by a reversal to correct the wrong.

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Last edited:
Feb 13, 2015
164
18
Any suggestions on fixing it?


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I'm sure you will get better help from others more knowledgeable, I'm not a pitching coach. Have her pull the ball down from 12 o'clock instead of turning it over. She turns it over twice on the backside of her windmill. If she pulls it down, her whip and internal rotation will get better.

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Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
The chicken wing you are referring to looks a lot like what we call "hello elbow"...

There is not any HE action here!! She does a little Jennie follow through but she it's not a true HE. Although this might be a case of HE instruction only getting her so far and then she self taught/corrected to throw correctly but still has some bad habits.

I'm not going to lie if you showed me 11 to 2:30 (she's lefty) I would say she is hopeless. But as FFS said (what are you doing in the pitching forum by the way?) She does this magic correction from 3 to 6 and actually looks pretty good. She does have a few other issues looks like an early open and might have a slight lean as well.

Now to the issue at hand she does need to fix that motion, it is not optimal and is causing her not to realize her potential I would work with the coach to fix it but only until 3 o'clock don't make major adjustments to that part of her motion.

To KC's point at 12 is alright then turns the ball over (bad) then turns it back over at 3 (good). She just needs to work on maintaining her position instead of turning over. I would suggest K drills probably not the right terminology for you guys but basically start stationary at 12 and just pitch from there not letting her turn it over but having her bring it down in the same position (ball up) repeat a couple thousand times until muscle memory is ingrained.


chicken3.jpgchickenbrush.jpgchickenfollow.jpg
 
Last edited:
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
She is a poster child for someone who learned HE but her body and natural tendencies knew better. :)

FWIW - From her waist down she looks very much like former FSU pitcher Lacey Waldrop. Unfortunately, Lacey Waldrop was successful despite her lower body mechanics, not because of them. You want your DD to pitch as well as her, but not like her. That said, look above the waist at Waldrop's arm position from 12 all the way through finish. It does not get much better than that!

I see your DD's opening as forced and unnatural which is why she ends up with her pivot foot pointed at the 2nd baseman leaving it back there like a boat anchor. If you watch closely she actually opens too much, then comes back to where she should be, then starts the hips moving again. You can see this pause simultaneously in both the hips and the arm. She has a very long arm in her back swing, shortens it as she approaches 12, then extends it out before 3. She is coming off the PP getting her body open and then starting her motion, instead of doing it in a natural, fluid manner. This should be your area of focus. I would do nothing else until you get this fixed.

On the upside she has very good whip and decent posture at finish. Just loose the fake HE finish. Like you said she has resistance but with a natural open she will have even more. Lots of good stuff going on, just a major flaw in the open that will hold her back until fixed. Once resolved she will take her skills to a new level.
 
Last edited:
Aug 19, 2013
73
8
Thanks for all the help, stupid question, never heard the term HE before, what is that?


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Feb 13, 2015
164
18
Thanks for all the help, stupid question, never heard the term HE before, what is that?


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"Hello Elbow". It's when you push the ball down and then release by bending the elbow straight up and hand ends up under chin. Read the sticky threads in this forum. Great info there.

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