Rachel Garcia

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Nov 25, 2012
1,437
83
USA
Good look at her spins. From game with Arizona.

AWESOME Shaker. Thank you for making that and posting. Very cool!!
 
May 14, 2018
3
1
Southern Indiana
Just getting starting on spinning the ball with DD... Is this the ideal grip and spin for a rise ball? It looks like its not a 6-12 spin to my eyes, but I'm new to this board and softball pitching in general...
 
May 2, 2016
10
1
I know she is really good, but just talking spins here. Is it my eyes or are all three pitches bullet spin? It looks like the movement is from the different way she flips her wrist at release, not different spins.
 
Nov 25, 2012
1,437
83
USA
don't want to hijack this thread on Rachel's spins but this is related and pretty cool to see. Please note, without the high tech stuff Shaker add's but still pretty cool. She is fun to watch!
 

shaker1

Softball Junkie
Dec 4, 2014
894
18
On a bucket
I know she is really good, but just talking spins here. Is it my eyes or are all three pitches bullet spin? It looks like the movement is from the different way she flips her wrist at release, not different spins.
My opinion, same spin thrown to different locations, changing speeds. Does she move the axis slightly to get movement? The curve looks like it has some break. I don't have a lot of video on her. Not sure if this is her only grip, just throws these 3 pitches? This is what was highlighted in the beginning of the game. Found it very interesting considering she is one of the top pitchers in the game That's one thing I love about the playoffs, slowmotion of actual spins.
 
Apr 12, 2015
792
93
I would say most top pitchers don't have proper spins on their pitches. The announcers don't help: anything thrown down is a drop, anything thrown up is a rise, inside and outside are screw and curve, regardless of spin axis. They are the top pitchers because they have great velocity and are able to effectively change speeds combined with pinpoint accuracy.

Many will have great spin axis on one of their pitches, such as Barnhill with her rise, but having multiple proper spin axis' is rare. The last one to have really great command of the rise-drop-curve trinity was Osterman as far as I can recall.
 
May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
most pitchers aren't willing to sacrifice speed, at least temporarily, to learn proper spin axis.
the recruitment process is also to blame.
every D1 coach in the country is drooling over a 14-15yr old that can chuck 60mph+.
but I doubt any of them early-recruit a kid in the low 50s with proper spin on 2+ pitches?

Once you hit varsity and 16u/18u travel ball,
it's almost too late to learn those proper spins, because the stakes of sacrificing speed are now so much higher.
And your speed is what got you to that point.
(and you probably already *think* that you "have" these various pitches already, unless your PC is a knowledgeable stickler...)

In the Garcia vid above,
I do see her altering her hand/wrist position on the three pitches.
I imagine that when she throws her rise, the wrist is in it's most extremely "cupped" position.
This will "lift the narrows" of the ball, and get that bullety-rise axis turned slightly upward.

Also interesting to note about Garcia:
her backswing/upswing ball is facing up to the sky (this is atypical), and wrist is forcebly "cupped" on every pitch.
 
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