javasource
6-4-3 = 2
I'll be in Seattle/Portland in August...
Core components of spin
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Could you explain this rule?[MENTION=11733]Tatonka[/MENTION]... Have one in NY... more than welcome to come out and use it...
The core component of spin is the axis, period. Once this is mastered, many students will temporarily lose it, only to regain it with less emphasis on "creating it"... as the muscle memory has set in, and they need not "do" as much.
All that said, recognition of the spin axis WITHOUT a striped or marked ball is critical. Otherwise, you might as well turn the lights off and pitch in the dark. Recognition is a skill that needs to be developed. Once this is in place, every fix is possible. Otherwise, they'll lose the axis, not know they did, and call you from college in tears. And... we'll be stuck at home watching replays of bullets... while the commentators try and convince us otherwise... ughh.
Once the awareness of the axis is established, then you get to work on correcting it.
Then... you start working on rates... and only then.
Repetition of a good axis will improve rates.
Spin axis is nothing more than how the ball leaves the hand... so experimenting with a revfire then becomes worthwhile. There is no magic formula... each kid needs to constantly be willing to experiment.
Good frontside resistance always helps improve the rate.
Great whip can also help.
Which fingers "hold" the ball can help.
How deep the ball is in the hand can help.
Where the seams are in relationship to the pads of the fingers can help.
List goes on and on... but until the movement you perform becomes muscle memory, the rates will sort of statically hover.
Rates:
Drop... Avg 13-16 good 16-19 great 20+ Insane 25+
Rise... Avg 20 good 25+ great 30+ insane 36+ rare 40+
Curve... depends on the placement of thumb, but usually in between.
Anyone that's familiar with the right-hand rule... the axis and speed of rotation sort of works like a speedometer (compass is a good visual, too). West is drop axis... slowest on a speedometer, north is curve and faster rate, and rise is east... the fastest. The closer you get to a rise axis, the better the Avg spin rate.
Forgot about bullet... identical to curve rates... and a great way to throw a ball to the bat.
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Disclaimer: Early morning and not enough coffee combined with the fact that I have absolutely no business being involved in a Physics discussion. My head is spinning and I'm not sure along what axis. ;-)
If the direction of torque is exactly opposite (drop vs rise) according to the perpendicular angle from the spin using the right hand rule, what is it that makes the spin rate so much faster for the rise? I can (I think I can) understand the added force on the ball causing a magnified effect on the spin but not clear why it would be greater in one direction vs the other?
I know very little but my DD has improved her spin a lot from throwing a 14" ball
javasource
6-4-3 = 2
The pull the tablecloth out effect, and well-timed IR. For a rise, fingers need to be under the ball, so the ball rolls over the index finger. For a vertical axis curve, the fingers stand tall up the outside of the ball. Truthfully, spin rates on a curve can be pretty high, too. Drop, fingers MUST be behind the ball, either parallel or perpendicular to the ground.
Think of tennis... hitting the bottom of the ball with a slice... makes that ball spin like mad... whereas a simple forehand spins forward at a much slower rate.
javasource
6-4-3 = 2
Sure.
Using your right hand...
Start with your thumb in a hitchhiking position (thumb's up, seven-up).
Cup your fingers/hand in the direction of the spin. While doing this, your thumb stays extended. Your thumb is the axis.
Ex. Drop. Thumbs up. Open your right hand in a cup position, and set your hand on top of the ball... so your fingers run from the top to the front of the ball. Look at thumb, should be pointing to left... hence the axis is horizontal.
Looking forward to this! I'm hoping to open up registration in the next two weeks.
its a great pitch, isnt it?
50mph needs about 30rps rise spin to “float” like that.
(and by “rise spin” i mean real rise spin, and not what 90% of what you see on tv is (big dot, or small dot bullets, mostly)
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