- Jul 31, 2008
- 2
- 0
I found this site last week & find it very helpful. I thought I'd see if anyone can help some mechanical issues I am trying to rid my 12 year of. She will be moving up to U14 next season & she has had a good year this season but now we need to clean up some bad mechanics she has been struggling with & I'd like to get it cleaned up as quickly as possible so we can real start to pin-point locations better, pick up more speed & continue to develop the peel drop. She is a RHP who throws 51-52 mph & has a super change. She is still working on the drop as it is not ready for game situations yet as she does not have her release lined out yet. The low ones have a lot of movement but bounce in too early. When she brings it up - it is straight down the middle & would get tattooed..... Anyway, I don't have video but hear is a very accurate description that seems to be a consensus: I believe all of these issues tie together.
Problem #1. It's obvious when watching her that her hips are getting in the way. She is not getting open enough (shoulders included) & then closing them too soon. At times it's as if she almost has to bring her hand around her hip. If she doesn't really maintain her proper arm speed on the change, she hits the hip. As she explodes out, her glove hand tends to fly towards the 1st basemen.
Problem #2. Her glove hand. As she explodes out, & her glove hand gets just over eye level & then it is flying out towards 1st base. I believe this is pulling her shoulders & hips with it & is part of the 'hips in the way problem'.
Problem #3. She seems to have lost her awareness of her power line. She always now seems to be stepping over the power line towards the 3rd base side & many times if off balance upon finishing her pitch, falling of to the 3rd base side when she finishes. At her mechanical worst, you can see her falling off the 3rd base side as her wrist is turning around her hip & the ball drives across hard to the outside of the plate. It looks like it would be painful.
Side note (if this helps): She seems to look better & have more velocity when performing what I'll call a walk over where she is about one foot in front of the rubber, simply rocks back on her push put & explodes out from there. She does go to a pitching coach once per week but we have not got it worked out yet as late season practices & a bunch of tourneys at the end of the season have limited some of their sessions.
Anyway, that's where we are at. Any help would be appreciated.
Problem #1. It's obvious when watching her that her hips are getting in the way. She is not getting open enough (shoulders included) & then closing them too soon. At times it's as if she almost has to bring her hand around her hip. If she doesn't really maintain her proper arm speed on the change, she hits the hip. As she explodes out, her glove hand tends to fly towards the 1st basemen.
Problem #2. Her glove hand. As she explodes out, & her glove hand gets just over eye level & then it is flying out towards 1st base. I believe this is pulling her shoulders & hips with it & is part of the 'hips in the way problem'.
Problem #3. She seems to have lost her awareness of her power line. She always now seems to be stepping over the power line towards the 3rd base side & many times if off balance upon finishing her pitch, falling of to the 3rd base side when she finishes. At her mechanical worst, you can see her falling off the 3rd base side as her wrist is turning around her hip & the ball drives across hard to the outside of the plate. It looks like it would be painful.
Side note (if this helps): She seems to look better & have more velocity when performing what I'll call a walk over where she is about one foot in front of the rubber, simply rocks back on her push put & explodes out from there. She does go to a pitching coach once per week but we have not got it worked out yet as late season practices & a bunch of tourneys at the end of the season have limited some of their sessions.
Anyway, that's where we are at. Any help would be appreciated.