How many pitches?

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Jun 14, 2016
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How many pitches should a 16u pitcher have? DD has a great curve, changeup, and drop/ fastball. Her screwball is not very good and she is working on her riseball. I have heard before that 3 pitches is all that is needed to be a good pitcher. Her coaches keep wanting her to throw a screwball but it's not a very good pitch for her. Should she keep working on a screwball or focus on her more dominant pitches? I think she could be effective just throwing an inside drop/fast ball.


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Jun 14, 2016
270
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I honestly don't know why except that he likes the pitch. She's just not good at it.


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May 17, 2012
2,803
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One pitch is all she needs.

Everyone throws a fastball and a change-up so I don't' count those but if you do it's 3.
 
Jun 14, 2016
270
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I count it because not everybody is good at a changeup. Her fastball is the same as her dropball so I wasn't sure if it should be counted. Her curveball is her best pitch and the one she gets strikeouts on. I just think she should focus more on that and drop the screwball but that is my opinion.


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Sep 29, 2014
2,421
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I would not focus on having to pitch a certain pitch if she does already have this repertoire.

I would have her experiment with pressure, grip and spin of her drop/fast ball my guess is she can have a couple variations of the pitch one of which will have a tail and move the opposite direction of her curve, maybe the coach just wants it so batters can't adjust their stance in the box knowing her movement pitch only goes one direction. Honestly the most important thing she needs to work on if she has these pitches down well is command, command and command can she put the ball where she wants to when she wants to.
 
Last edited:
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
IMO this is the most dangerous pitch in the game, for the pitcher. I would approach learning the screwball with extreme caution. Too many times it is taught by stepping way off the power line and some cute yet useless gyrations in the finish. This mechanical nonsense then finds its way into other pitches and the overall pitching mechanics become a big mess. If she is going to throw a screw your DD needs to have a very solid, bullet proof mechanical foundation and a PC that truly knows how to teach her the pitch. I have seen the attempt to throw a screw ruin the mechanics of many a pitcher. Proceed with caution.
 
Jun 14, 2016
270
0
I don't think I want her throwing it. Her curveball is much more natural and she does well with that and her changeup. She also can locate her drop/ fast well inside and outside. I think I want her to play around more with that like a previous poster said to see if she can get it to tail in.


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Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
FWIW - I have found that the best progression to a screw is often via the rise. Or you can learn to tail your FB in and out with pretty much the same effect.
 
Sep 30, 2013
155
28
Northwest, IN
FWIW - I have found that the best progression to a screw is often via the rise. Or you can learn to tail your FB in and out with pretty much the same effect.

I teach this exact same thing via the rise. If she has a great curve like you mentioned, then I'm not sure why he wants her to learn the screwball. Maybe he feels it's a more effective pitch against slapper, or lefties (depending on if your DD is a righty or lefty pitcher). The curve is just as effective against them IMO. So stay with whats working!
 

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