Finger pressure and seams

I find this thread to be very fascinating!

Would you please be able to explain how to achieve the axis of rotation on the various picture you've posted? Grip and release? I'm understanding the smooth/rough side but I can't seem to wrap my head around how to actually grip and release the ball to get the movement.

2 seam FB with some emphasis on throwing the pinky side of the ball towards the target (if needed) to get the axis about 35-45 degrees to the direction of travel

briang said:

I find this thread to be very fascinating!

Would you please be able to explain how to achieve the axis of rotation on the various picture you've posted? Grip and release? I'm understanding the smooth/rough side but I can't seem to wrap my head around how to actually grip and release the ball to get the movement.

Click to expand...

Here is a better pic of Rachel's grip

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briang said:

I find this thread to be very fascinating!

Would you please be able to explain how to achieve the axis of rotation on the various picture you've posted? Grip and release? I'm understanding the smooth/rough side but I can't seem to wrap my head around how to actually grip and release the ball to get the movement.

Click to expand...

ken b... "2 seam FB with some emphasis on throwing the pinky side of the ball towards the target (if needed) to get the axis about 35-45 degrees to the direction of travel"

briang... i'm a slow pitch pitcher so my help for you with fast pitch is minimal... i do warm up with a wind mill motion and i to get left to right movement but that's all i can help you with... ken actually described the kind of pitch i throw... except i don't use the 2 seam FB grip although i can... i grip across the seams... the important thing is you should have a bullseye between your thumb and index finger... if you make a bullseye ball, it will be easier to follow what i'm saying but it will also be useful to see what's happening in practice...

THE SMOOTH SPOT



THE BULLSEYE



THE CENTERLINE 2 SEAM FB GRIP



THE CENTERLINE CROSS SEAM GRIP

WiLD53 said:

ken b... "2 seam FB with some emphasis on throwing the pinky side of the ball towards the target (if needed) to get the axis about 35-45 degrees to the direction of travel"

briang... i'm a slow pitch pitcher so my help for you with fast pitch is minimal... i do warm up with a wind mill motion and i to get left to right movement but that's all i can help you with... ken actually described the kind of pitch i throw... except i don't use the 2 seam FB grip although i can... i grip across the seams... the important thing is you should have a bullseye between your thumb and index finger... if you make a bullseye ball, it will be easier to follow what i'm saying but it will also be useful to see what's happening in practice...

THE SMOOTH SPOT

View attachment 13351

THE BULLSEYE

View attachment 13352

THE CENTERLINE 2 SEAM FB GRIP

View attachment 13353

THE CENTERLINE CROSS SEAM GRIP

View attachment 13356

Click to expand...

wild53....the pictures are great!! I really appreciate your help. gonna give this a try tonight.

matt's picture shows rachel's grip from the smooth spot... if i'm not mistaken, rachel uses IR... i can't speak to that at all... apparently she's figured out how to get different orientations... i suspect the reason sluggers named this thread "Finger pressure and seams" is that he thinks the techinique involves differing finger presures to get different orientations... although he would have to address that to be sure...

as i've said, i pitch in slowpitch but i begin my warmups throwing windmill 15-20 throws... so i'm no expert on any of this... all i can do is desribe what i do and let you use that as a staring point... these next 4 pictures explain what i think... this should be used as a starting point to work from... getting a stable bullseye is the first step... that involves the grip mostly so make minor changes in the orientation of the grip to resolve wobbly bullseye issues...

once you have that, you can work on finding ways to change the orientation to get the desired direction of movement... i simply have my palm towards 3rd base and i turn it over at the end to get spin, simliar to what ken described... if your looking to use IR... good luck... i can't help you at all with that...

FAST PITCH GRIP



THE CENTERLINE



INDEX FINGER TIP ADJUSTMENT TO GET THE SEAM



THE SMOOTH SPOT

here's how i make a bullseye ball... i use a standard roll of masking tape or duct tape...

THIS IS THE BULLSEYE... IT'S OFFSET EXACTLY 1 INCH FROM THE SEAM



MAKING THE BULLSEYE



MAKING THE SMOOTH SPOT

And the award for over thinking what should be a simple pitch goes to ........ this thread!

this isn't about a pitch... it's about the physics... if you've described this somewhere in here before, i can't seem to find it... and trust me, i took the time to look... as a slow pitch pitcher explaining to fast pitch people, i have to admit i try not to be too succinct... at the same time i've been pretty patient in waiting for anyone to show any interest in this... so i accept your award and apoogize for having wasted your time...

although i will admit... this is not the first time i've been accused of over thinking something... i will be happy to continue to address any questions i'm asked but this really is all i have to offer on this topic... perhaps you can explain to briang how to throw all these pitches since that was his question and i have no answer to give... or point him to the thread where all of this has already been discussed...

This thread, the OP specifically with the Video explaining the Magnus effect it very interesting to me!!!
It reminds me of the Rachel Garcia thread... and what we're calling bullet spin on her rise may actually be this concept! The smooth patch is her bullseye causing a turbulent air stream...