A fun drill to work on location, is to have the pitcher get set, look at the target, close her eyes and pitch. Try it a few times. She should begin to start hitting her spots.
How does she get that fastball down!?
- Thread starter lhowser
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Sounds like a good one. That goes beyond muscle memory to supernatural!
lhouser:
(A) Keep doing the quadrant drills, and keep making it harder for her. After she can put the ball in any quadrant, then go to the "9 point drill". (high and outside, middle and outside, low and outside, high and middle of plate, middle and middle of plate, low and middle of plate, high and inside, middle and inside, low and inside). If she has problems hitting the target, always go back to "over exaggeration". Get a "real plate" and put that in front of you when you catch her.
(B) At 13YOA, it is time for her to start thinking about pitching. I mentioned in my previous post about different strike zones. Ask her at the end of each game, whether she pitched or not, to tell you what the umpire's strike zone looked like. Is it rectangular, fan shaped, fist shaped, or the dreaded pipe? What is the height of an inside pitch for a strike? What is the height of an outside pitch for a strike (generally, the strike zone is larger for outside pitches)? Theoretically, the strike zone is supposed to be different for each batter. It isn't, especially for low pitches.
THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT--> Is the umpire consistent, and if not, where is the inconsistent? If you know where the umpire is inconsistent, you know where to stay away from on 3-1 pitches, but know where to go to on 1-2 pitches.
(A) Keep doing the quadrant drills, and keep making it harder for her. After she can put the ball in any quadrant, then go to the "9 point drill". (high and outside, middle and outside, low and outside, high and middle of plate, middle and middle of plate, low and middle of plate, high and inside, middle and inside, low and inside). If she has problems hitting the target, always go back to "over exaggeration". Get a "real plate" and put that in front of you when you catch her.
(B) At 13YOA, it is time for her to start thinking about pitching. I mentioned in my previous post about different strike zones. Ask her at the end of each game, whether she pitched or not, to tell you what the umpire's strike zone looked like. Is it rectangular, fan shaped, fist shaped, or the dreaded pipe? What is the height of an inside pitch for a strike? What is the height of an outside pitch for a strike (generally, the strike zone is larger for outside pitches)? Theoretically, the strike zone is supposed to be different for each batter. It isn't, especially for low pitches.
THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT--> Is the umpire consistent, and if not, where is the inconsistent? If you know where the umpire is inconsistent, you know where to stay away from on 3-1 pitches, but know where to go to on 1-2 pitches.
There are a couple things to look at if missing consistently high. First, if she is trying to "guide" or "aim" the ball, she might be leaning forward which in turn will bring her release too high. Another is to shorten her stride just a hair. If her stride is too long it will pull her release too high as well. Hope these tips help!
Heather
College Sports Recruiting
Heather
College Sports Recruiting
halskinner
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- May 7, 2008
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I'm not sure of the definitions of the two. I assume either just stepping off the mound or exploding off? If that is the case, I am a leap and drag instructor. I start all new pitchers stepping off the mound, then we eventually graduate to leaping and dragging. I hope I answered your question.
Heather
College Sports Recruiting
