RH...Does stepping left of the power line cause the ball to go inside to a RH batter.

I'm trying to figure these inside/outside pitching mechanics. wouldn't foot placement be a large part of it? honest questions here.

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Let go of this idea that you can teach a kid about foot placement and that is somehow going to teach her DD how to throw inside and outside. "Control" doesn't work that way.

If you do the math (Going into Rain Man mode...), the difference between a pitch down the middle of the plate and either an inside or an outside pitch is 1 degree. *ONE DEGREE*. So, you are trying to write down a set of instructions for a 12YOA child so she can change the release angle by 1 degree of a hand moving 50MPH to 60MPH. the concept is ridiculous.

The only person who can teach a kid to hit the corners is the kid. No one can do it for her.

First and foremost, the kid has to have a good motion with brush interference (BI). No BI, no control.

If your DD has a good motion with BI, then here is how *SHE* learns it:

You get behind the plate, and you tell her to throw one inside. Anything off the left side (catcher's viewpoint) is OK. It doesn't matter if you catch it or not. When she does that, you tell her to throw one outside. Again, you don't care as the ball goes outside.

You keep doing it until she can rotate between inside and outside pitches--she keeps trying to throw inside until she throws one inside, and then you switch until she throws one outside, and then you switch again. Make a game of it to see how many pitches it takes each time.

When she can rotate between inside and outside, you then change what is "acceptable" for a pitch to count. E.g., you say, "If I can't catch it, it doesn't count". When she gets that, "If the ball is more than 6 inches inside or outside, it doesn't count". Then it is "if the ball is more than one ball width off the plate, it doesn't count". Then it is, "If it is not over the black, it doesn't count."

When she gets the concept of left/right control, then start working on up/down control. Same drills.

When she has can do left/right and up/down separately, then you combine and start working on hitting the corners of the zone.

You are also teaching her a process for how to fix a control problem.

My DD did these drills for years...with me and then when she pitched in college.

thank you. this is exactly what we are doing. I have noticed that we can slide on the plate a little, left or right, but it's basically what you said.

Are hips the reason for my DD missing to throwing arm side so often?

[video]https://youtu.be/zoqFoU0LxkE[/video]

Cornbread said:

Are hips the reason for my DD missing to throwing arm side so often?

[video]https://youtu.be/zoqFoU0LxkE[/video]

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Nice hip snap! Lot of good things going on there at a young age!

Cornbread said:

Are hips the reason for my DD missing to throwing arm side so often?

[video]https://youtu.be/zoqFoU0LxkE[/video]

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I know this is a month old so sorry for missing it but looks real good to me! She appears to step just right of her powerline which according to Java and Drive Mechanics is where you want to be. BM has stated when learning IR you should tend to miss right which is good. For your DD, if she is missing to the left then that is not a bad thing at all.

In regards to earlier posts about stepping to the left or right to throw different pitches I am not sure I am a proponent although some are. I tend to fall in the Hillhouse camp that you step the same way everytime and that is what I have taught.

With all that said, and as mentioned, Java has a great segment on stepping left of the powerline for a RHP. Which would actually be stepping straight. Many will step onto the powerline which is actually stepping right (for a RHP). I still find the topic interesting and really not sure which is best although I trust Java on this one. However, there are some really good ones like Abbott who step across on every pitch.

Almost feel as if it may depend on the girl and what is more natural for them based on all the different body factors (see Drive Mechanics if you want more). Maybe, maybe not, but I do think that stepping on it is probably not the best thing to do. Although I can find plenty of pitchers who do just that. Again, really interesting stuff that I like to try and understand and will not bore anyone with how the hips, shoulders, etc are all affected by the stride angle.

coachbubbles said:

Nice hip snap! Lot of good things going on there at a young age!

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Can you explain what hip snap is supposed to be and what it's supposed to do? I don't see her hips doing anything unusual in that clip . . . might be confusing to new folks who are wondering and trying to teach their kids.

Classof2020 said:

Can you explain what hip snap is supposed to be and what it's supposed to do? I don't see her hips doing anything unusual in that clip . . . might be confusing to new folks who are wondering and trying to teach their kids.

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DD’s PC describes it as the back hip slamming into the front hip whereby the hips themselves snap/slam parallel to the powerline. If you just watch the hips you can see them slam to a stop on a firm front side. Most young pitchers don’t have this figured out but it helps tremendously with speed and also sequencing. This might not be the term used by others but I think most agree with the concept of the rear leg closing into the front.

coachbubbles said:

DD’s PC describes it as the back hip slamming into the front hip whereby the hips themselves snap/slam parallel to the powerline. If you just watch the hips you can see them slam to a stop on a firm front side. Most young pitchers don’t have this figured out but it helps tremendously with speed and also sequencing. This might not be the term used by others but I think most agree with the concept of the rear leg closing into the front.

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Ok thanks this I can see and picture now what you were expressing. For some reason the term snapping in my head had me looking for something that was like opening and closing or something rotating - which I didn't see. She does look controlled and firm and I can now picture the term snap more as in something sharp and tight, etc.