Learning to spin and progression

My DD is 12 and has a great handle on a FB and CU and she has been working on the DB.
Her FB is the IR 12-6 spin and we have worked on increasing that spin rate for a DB with tips from here about releasing further back and stopping the arm.

For about 6 months there has only been a slight increase in spin rate and she wasn’t getting the feel but we have just kept at it and work it with the other 2 pitches.

In the last 2 weeks I have seen 3 pitches that were just incredible (to me) spin rates and they appeared to move or just shocked me enough to fool me. The thing is they appeared to be different spins. She also is starting to get some pitches that spin in-between her FB rate, the 3 super spins, and are DB spin as intended and might move a little more than the FB.

When I asked her if she could tell a difference in look and feel she said yes and that they felt smooth.

It is very cool to see a break thru and I’m sure it will just click at some point but I would love to hear some others experience or ideas that might help us figure it out quicker.

Is it just getting the timing perfected? Have others experienced that dramatic uptick in spin rate?

Thanks in advance!


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Fastpitch_Dad said:

When I asked her if she could tell a difference in look and feel she said yes and that they felt smooth.

Is it just getting the timing perfected?

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To me the key words are that her pitches “felt smooth.” She’s feeling the snap and not trying to make it happen. Cues are great but be careful about committing to just one grip or cue then trying to force a result. Use the cue and grip to help develop a feel for how to manipulate the spin, (spot and/or speed.). Play with several grips and cues. Along the way you’ll develop body and ball awareness (and maybe that killer off-speed pitch that just seems so easy to spot!)

Assuming it's a peel, she's experiencing 12-6 forward rotating spin consistantly through blocks of pitches, and that's wonderful. She's throwing a drop. It's irrelevant what she calls it, until recruiting begins. She's likely achieving very good posture at release, smooth contact (brush) & rotation, connection posture between the wrist & hand and pull up/roll off the fingertips. Accomplishing variations in axis can be both beneficial, and possibly a detriment. Beneficial if she understands the correlation between grips and movements and has control. Detriment if she's unsure, without control.

Bill has referenced Mike White. There's a very good reason for that. Mike was the master of location and control, seemingly every pitch regardless of the type of pitch. Why? Well, aside from his gift of intangible assets, what set Mike apart from the rest was his fluid, perfect mechanics and ability to execute on more-so-than-not every pitch he threw. Most of you wouldn't know it, but a shadow video analysis of both Bill and Mike's mechanics would be very similar.

So, give it time. Her continued maturity and practice will pay off in stages, like you've already noticed.

Posture, brush/IR, whip, fingers, etc = all pieces to the puzzle. How's her plant? Just like in hitting, core torque values are highly influenced by the plant foot. She should make sure it's strong and resistant, and with a purpose. Kinetic energy chain.

Chris

The thing is they appeared to be different spins.

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These are "sloppy" spins, where she allows the arm to float into a different position after release rather than being tightly confined.

A drop curve is simply a "sloppily" thrown drop ball. If she pays enough attention, she can learn to throw a straight drop ball or a drop curve on command.

If wants to throw a drop for a strike, she has to be very precise with her motion.

Is it just getting the timing perfected?

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Timing and strength. What is a good drop ball at 12U isn't a good drop ball at 18U.

She has to get the RPMs into the 25+ range for it to be "good".

Have others experienced that dramatic uptick in spin rate?

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My DD struggled with the drop ball for months, and then one day "got it".

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It is not enough to make the ball move. She has to learn how to throw the drop to different locations.

This is against my norm because I believe if you do it right it will work better. My dd was playing with grips and threw a 2 seam drop. I immediately ask her what she did because it moved 2x her normal movement. We have officially changed her drop grip. 4 Seam just isn’t moving like 2 seam. I know this must be the result of another flaw. However until I can find it 10” is better than 5” on a late drop

I appreciate the feedback each of you provided and it will help us.

Since my last post she has been using a 2-seam grip for the drop just to see what happens. She threw last night and is encouraged to see some real movement once in a while and I think she is on the right path. I am not sure how much difference the grip has made but it is something new to try.





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sluggers said:

these are "sloppy" spins, where she allows the arm to float into a different position after release rather than being tightly confined.

A drop curve is simply a "sloppily" thrown drop ball. If she pays enough attention, she can learn to throw a straight drop ball or a drop curve on command.

If wants to throw a drop for a strike, she has to be very precise with her motion.

Click to expand...

this is helpful. Lightbulb moment! Thanks!

I know it’s a minor adjustment my dd has her spin close about 1-7 but can only get it to break at bottom falling out of the zone. If she throws it belt high it still spins correctly but stays flat.