A message to coaches from a pitching instructor.

[uncdrew]

We throw tons of riseballs. It's her main strikeout pitch. Part of the rise comes from releasing a bit lower and angling the ball more upward. The backspin probably helps a tiny bit keeping it from dropping as fast.

It's thrown hard. As fast as a fastball. Same for our other two pitchers.

 

[BucketDud]

Yes, my DD has tended to have a natural drop spin. She told me her last game against a strong 16u team (she’s 13) that they were saying watch the rise. I looked at some of the video and understood why they said that even though she doesn’t throw a rise.

So then I reviewed her video for fall I noticed the largest percentage of her strikeouts were on high, “rising” fast balls. I didn’t even realize she was throwing them on purpose until now, since we hadn’t really practice that.

Now she’s currently been learning a backspin rise, but I still have trouble wrapping my head around how that the backspin does anything (but slow the pitch down).

Here is a clip of a high fastball. The trajectory of the ball is up. What does a riseball do differently?

https://x.com/mckenna2028/status/1721634076170264894?s=46&t=qj9j6qlUnc2Dbct9riiFSw

I do think there is a difference. I caught a college catcher this Summer and she showed me difference in her high fastball vs a rise. It was incredible just how much different they were.

Always felt like I had really good hands receiving the ball but her rise several times clipped off the top of the glove. Felt like it had extra jump to it at the end. I'm sure science might say otherwise but did feel like it explodes above the bat in those last couple of feet.

 

[Chilixa]

We throw tons of riseballs. It's her main strikeout pitch. Part of the rise comes from releasing a bit lower and angling the ball more upward. The backspin probably helps a tiny bit keeping it from dropping as fast.

It's thrown hard. As fast as a fastball. Same for our other two pitchers.

Just curious, do you know what kind of rotation she gets on the pitch? Is it close to 6/12 spin. Or is she not as focused on the backspin as much as the angle and speed? Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[daywalkerdad]

I do think there is a difference. I caught a college catcher this Summer and she showed me difference in her high fastball vs a rise. It was incredible just how much different they were.

Always felt like I had really good hands receiving the ball but her rise several times clipped off the top of the glove. Felt like it had extra jump to it at the end. I'm sure science might say otherwise but did feel like it explodes above the bat in those last couple of feet.

Depends on which science you use. The science of human perception or physics.
I think physics says you need over 3000 rpm for that effect. However as I understand it. The brain is expecting for the ball to drop, when it does not it appears to jump. That is all that really matters, will a hitter perceive a rise.

 

[BucketDud]

Depends on which science you use. The science of human perception or physics.
I think physics says you need over 3000 rpm for that effect. However as I understand it. The brain is expecting for the ball to drop, when it does not it appears to jump. That is all that really matters, will a hitter perceive a rise.

Probably right. I can tell you my brain was definitely expecting something different each time

 

[uncdrew]

Just curious, do you know what kind of rotation she gets on the pitch? Is it close to 6/12 spin. Or is she not as focused on the backspin as much as the angle and speed? Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We certainly strive for 6/12 spin, and we work on that spin with the spinner disc training thingie. And as she warms up from close to catcher she has 6/12 spin.

In a game? Not so sure it's always 6/12.

I should probably film it and slow mo it and check. I'm a bit lazy like that.