Do we really need to learn all these pitch types

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Jul 7, 2016
35
0
Fast, change, drop, curve, screw, rise, backdoor, peel, etc.
I would think that balls moving on a vertical plane are more difficult to hit than those on a horizontal plane, therefore a rise and drop are more effective than a screw and curve. Or not?
And if our DD's spent the time they spent on learning a screw and curve and dedicated that to more time perfecting a rise and drop, these fewer pitches could be even more deadly. Learn to change the speed on those and add in a changeup and things become very challenging for batters.
I've read that some have been extremely successful in having only a few pitches.
Interested to see some of your thoughts on this.
 
Jul 17, 2012
175
28
Kenmore, WA
In my opinion and experience having command of a fastball (which should have some movement, ideally drop ball movement) and a change up will get a pitcher a long ways. If she can find a riseball and command that she has all she needs to be able to compete at a high level. I wouldn't say a curve is irrelevant, but much less important than being able to command a change up. My DD has a fastball with drop movement, a mid-speed pitch, and a full change up which has some drop-curve movement. She can command those three and get outs even though her fastball speed is below average for her age and level.
 
Sep 21, 2017
230
43
PA
Just my experience...

I had two really good pitchers from 2007-2010, both 1st team all state as juniors and seniors, and we had a ton of success. One threw three and the other four pitches. One threw pretty hard, and went fastball, curveball, with a below average change up. She fooled around with a "rise" but it was mostly a high fastball. The other had above average speed, and was rise, really good drop, screw, and really good change up. Both had good command. They each went on to have really good college careers. One went JUCO first, then had DI offers, the other went mid-major Division 1 out of high school.
 
Last edited:

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
Fast, change, drop, curve, screw, rise, backdoor, peel, etc.
I would think that balls moving on a vertical plane are more difficult to hit than those on a horizontal plane, therefore a rise and drop are more effective than a screw and curve. Or not?
And if our DD's spent the time they spent on learning a screw and curve and dedicated that to more time perfecting a rise and drop, these fewer pitches could be even more deadly. Learn to change the speed on those and add in a changeup and things become very challenging for batters.
I've read that some have been extremely successful in having only a few pitches.
Interested to see some of your thoughts on this.

Fast ball, change up is what new pitchers should be looking to master. Despite what you may hear, I have seen a lot of very successful college pitchers who have succeeded in college with what were effectively well located fastballs and a solid change up.

But when they are also young, so there is also an element of getting to play with other types of pitches as they learn FB/CU to avoid boredom/starting to develop different pitches after time and so on. It also helps in seeing which pitches work for a particular player. That is how players end up as rise ball pitchers (or drop ball pithcers, or curveball pitchers, or screwball pitchers and so on). As they progress you will look to master one of these pitches. It REALLY doesn't matter which one - a great 'xxx' pitcher with true mastery of a pitch is dangerous.

Trends happen on which pitch is 'preferred' normally dependent on who are the star pitchers in the game at the time. Some coaches love drop ball pitchers, some love riseballs, some curveballs, some don't care....

Riseball pitchers are awesome... unless it is a 1 run game...
Dropball pitchers tend to get a lot of ground balls... which is great if you have A+ fielding
.. and so on.

What you don't want to be a 'six pitch' pitcher... because that generally means you haven't mastered any of them and you don't understand what pitching is about. You can be great with mastery of as few as 2 pitches (command of location, movement, change of speed and workable speed for the pitch at their level). Most pitchers don't have mastery of 3 - and very few have 4.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
I would think that balls moving on a vertical plane are more difficult to hit than those on a horizontal plane, therefore a rise and drop are more effective than a screw and curve. Or not?

You are assuming that each pitcher can master each pitch just as equally and it's simply a matter of choice to which pitch is more effective.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
Thanks. Please could you explain what this means.

The problem with riseballs is that when they get hit they tend to go far - and against good opponents that means over the fence. It doesn't even have to be a bad riseball - good hitters have a chance of barrelling up even a good pitch. There is a lot less room for error in close games.

From Bill Hillhouse:
"Whomever calls pitches for Alabama lives in dangerous waters. My rule of thumb is, with a 1 run lead there is no such thing in my arsenal as a riseball after the 5th inning. Riseballs, flat ones and good ones that were simply connected, will go out of the park more often that drop balls with good or poor movement. If I'm winning 3-1 and nobody is on base... ok, I'll dangle a few. But once a runner hits base, it's drop city and change up all day long (especially if the change up has downward spin and/or is kept low)."

I also find that a lot of riseball pitchers who throw it a lot often end up down in the count as you throw a lot of pitches out of the zone and high. That means occasionally you have to bring the ball into the zone more often.

Every pitch has it's downfall - this is the riseball's one.
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
I agree with gunner. If a girl can throw a wicked curve ball that she spots to both sides of the plate but can't master a rise no matter how much she practices it or maybe doesn't have the velocity to make it effective, the curve is simply going to be a much better pitch for her than the rise will ever be.

One pitcher doesn't have to master 7 different pitches but the 3 or 4 that any one pitcher does master might vary quite a bit from pitcher to pitcher.
 
Jul 7, 2016
35
0
You are assuming that each pitcher can master each pitch just as equally and it's simply a matter of choice to which pitch is more effective.

Yes. 2 pitchers. Pitcher #1 has mastered the rise and drop. Pitcher #2 has mastered the curve and screw.
Who will get hit more? My unqualified view is that pitcher #2 will get hit more. But was looking for other viewpoints.
We can have discussions about all the assumptions we can make in this, but I'm really looking to know whether vertical movement pitches are more effective than horizontal ones - all other things being equal.
 

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