3 pitches

[YOCOACH]

I was watching the Georgia Tech VS. Florida State game and Cheri Kempf made a comment that struck me. She said that a good drop is a must at the collegiate level. Personally, I agree with Bill Hillhouses's theory of three pitches. IMO, a drop, rise and change are pretty much all you need. A curve and screw is on the same plane as a fasrball so they will be hit where as having to change the swing plane has less of a chance to be hit. I'm just throwing this out there. What say you?

 

[Jabber13]

Three pitches maybe four. But not every girl can be proficient with a drop or rise. It comes more naturally with some pitchers while others struggle.

My DD throws what we call a cut ball which is basically a drop curve and sometimes a rise curve. It is her best out pitch if the ump will call the outside part of the plate. Hard to get to unless the batter is on the plate and then it is not usually hit for power but a ground ball to the right side. She is getting better with the drop but sometimes leaves it over the plate and the results can be bad.


Yes. A fastball without movement will get hit sooner or later at all ages unless the pitcher is just flat out blowing it past the batters. But even the fastest pitchers in each age group will get their fastball hit after a couple of times thru the lineup in a game.

So 3 at most 4 pitches that the pitcher is really good at is best in the older age groups.

 

[Alsmygal]

Doug Gillis has always told us that three pitches are all dd will ever need.... Drop, rise, and change-up. That's what Chelsea Thomas threw and it's also what Tori Finucane throws.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

^ The same for Candrea. "Change planes and change speeds."

 

[Greenmonsters]

True or False: a good curve (which will also drop some due to gravity) stays less on the plane of a good swing than a drop curve (assuming RHP and RHbatter)? More true/false if thrown high or low in the zone?

 

[Fastpitch86]

Been watching a lot of softball on ESPN and they seem to be throwing a lot of screw balls. Guess it's dependent on the pitcher and/or college coach.

 

[wichita]

IMO it doesn't matter what pitches you have but you better be able to change speeds. I've seen girls at collegiate level be successful with drop/rise or screw/ curve combos but they must have a change up and off speed pitch as well. Doesn't really matter if its on the same plane if the pitches you throw aren't the same speed . Pitching whether it be baseball or softball is all about keeping the batter of balance I.E. throwing their timing off.

 

[RetiredCoach]

I, basically, believe the Hillhouse philosophy of needing three pitches (drop, rise, changeup). Of the three, I believe that the drop and changeup are the most important. Drop balls tend to stay in the park and often result in ground ball outs. A good rise is very beneficial but I've seen very few good rise balls.

With that said, I like to see some side-to-side movement on the drop (rise if you have it) and even a tailing movement on the changeup. This adds to its effectiveness. As for break, I am talking more of a slider type movement than a regular curve ball. This way a pitch on the outside corner can move 3-6" and end up off the plate or a pitch on the inside corner can end up on the hands.

With this said, every pitcher has different abilities and I believe a straight curve or screw ball could work for certain pitchers.

 

[sluggers]

Been watching a lot of softball on ESPN and they seem to be throwing a lot of screw balls. Guess it's dependent on the pitcher and/or college coach.

On ESPN, every inside pitch is a screwball and every outside pitch is a curve. Turn down the sound and watch the pitches. Then, tally how many curves and screwballs you see.

 

[Stand an]

A righty throwing a righty a screwball is consistent with boardmembers advice to not "move" the ball into the barrel, but rather "move" the ball into the hands. So a lhp would use a curve to comply with that philosophy.

With there being a good mixture or lhb and rhb's in college i can see how you could make an argument for screw and curve being important.

I suppose college teams acquire scouting reports though, and try to use that info to their advantage.