Over the last 50 years or so I have rarely seen a pitcher either male or female throw with a 6/12 rise ball spin. Of the very few I have seen, it was chuck and duck because their rise ball seemed to be more flat than the 5/11 spin which curves and rises. When people say there are many different ways to throw a rise ball, what does that mean exactly? Different grip? Different release technique? Does bending the index finger 3 degrees more represent a different way to throw the rise ball? Does resting the ball more on the middle and social finger rather than on the index and middle finger represent a different way to throw the pitch? What other way is there to throw a rise ball than having elbow in and palm out? Sure you can make slight adjustments with upper body tilt to help spin orientation. You still have to have the axes of rotation more or less going from 1st to 3rd base even if it's not perfectly horizontal to the ground. Another example, you have to get under the ball. Getting under the ball with palm facing the catcher at moment of release will most likely give you a bullet spin if the ball comes out the side of the index finger like it does for a rise ball. In most cases, the orientation of the hand at release seems to be the major problem area with most pitchers trying to learn to throw this pitch. Another thing that seems to not be mentioned is... why a bent index finger whether it lies more to the side of the ball or on top makes such a big difference? I remember an elite pitcher throw a very good rise ball with a fastball grip but this is extremely rare.
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