- Aug 21, 2008
- 2,380
- 113
I have found, in my experience, that learning a "curve" ahead of the rise makes learning a riseball later much more difficult. However, learning a rise first will make a curve infinitely easier. This is because a curve, in it's truest sense (not stepping over the right to throw the ball left) requires a turn of the wrist. Turning the wrist on a rise is the #1 cause of bullet spin instead of backspin. Now, that said, I think pitch #2 should be a change up. However, assuming she's throwing with a 12" ball, there is never a really bad time to start learning the spin of the riseball since it is soooooo difficult to do and takes a long time in most cases.
And I find it unfortunate that many girls think and believe they truly have 5 pitches, not based on good pitching but on poor hitting and not knowing the difference. When I pitched, I knew if I got away with a pitch or not. I never had dillusions I got that hitter out on skill when it was pure luck, meaning the ball didn't move or didn't go where it was supposed to but I still managed to get an out because the hitter didn't square it up. (sorry to hijack the thread)
It sounds like Joe720 is describing the change up the way I throw mine. A cross between a flip and turn over. When done right, it's impossible to detect and looks identical to other pitches I throw from a mechanics standpoint. In turn, this helps me stay in a rhythm because I'm not changing my delivery from pitch to pitch. The term "horseshoe" change up is a pet peeve of mine. I have no idea what that means other than that's how the ball is gripped. Gripping the ball like a horseshoe does not say how the speed is taken off the pitch. So, it's possible to grip the ball with a "horseshoe grip" and still flip it backwards.
Bill
And I find it unfortunate that many girls think and believe they truly have 5 pitches, not based on good pitching but on poor hitting and not knowing the difference. When I pitched, I knew if I got away with a pitch or not. I never had dillusions I got that hitter out on skill when it was pure luck, meaning the ball didn't move or didn't go where it was supposed to but I still managed to get an out because the hitter didn't square it up. (sorry to hijack the thread)
It sounds like Joe720 is describing the change up the way I throw mine. A cross between a flip and turn over. When done right, it's impossible to detect and looks identical to other pitches I throw from a mechanics standpoint. In turn, this helps me stay in a rhythm because I'm not changing my delivery from pitch to pitch. The term "horseshoe" change up is a pet peeve of mine. I have no idea what that means other than that's how the ball is gripped. Gripping the ball like a horseshoe does not say how the speed is taken off the pitch. So, it's possible to grip the ball with a "horseshoe grip" and still flip it backwards.
Bill
