Add a 3rd Pitch or Improve Speed/Control

[deboy922]

DD is a 15 year-old freshman that plays high school varsity bball, vball, & softball. Her pitching continues to improve thanks to this DFP community...thank you for everyone's help...we are grateful! She has limited time to commit to pitching and will only pitch 4 months a year due to playing other sports. She currently throws in the low 50's, has an effective change-up (that she throws on any count), and can locate her pitches. Her freshman softball season is wrapping up, and we are working on a plan for next year.

Her coach wants her to have a 3rd pitch to make her better. She has dabbled with the peel drop but not to the point of having 3 effective pitches, as working the peel then hurts her control and speed. So, I think there are about 3 options that we have for next season.

1. Work on the peel drop to try and achieve 3 effective pitches (frustrating so far and doubting if possible).
2. Try a different 3rd pitch - maybe BM's corkscrew curve or a riseball.
3. Forget a 3rd pitch. Work on increasing velocity, while keeping control & change-up sharp.

Improving drive mechanics, including sequence and drive-foot turnout will be focuses for next season.

Thoughts & experiences welcome...please comment...thanks.

 

[JJsqueeze]

The peel drop is a whole lot easier to learn than a curve or rise. I know it can be frustrating at first with how some are pulled high and some are dirtballs, but at her current speed it will be more effective than a RB. A curve would be nice, but that is also more difficult to learn usually.

 

[Little Angels Softball]

The peel drop is a whole lot easier to learn than a curve or rise. I know it can be frustrating at first with how some are pulled high and some are dirtballs, but at her current speed it will be more effective than a RB. A curve would be nice, but that is also more difficult to learn usually.

Agreed.

However, adding 2-3 mph to her fastball will improve the changeup that much more and improving location skills will make everything better.

If she's just dying to get another pitch, a peel drop is nice if her natural spin lends itself toward it. If not, go with what her natural tendencies indicate would be the logical next step. I'd just avoid the rise since her velocity isn't quite where it needs to be for that pitch to be at its most effective.

 

[Rocketech1]

She has limited time to commit to pitching and will only pitch 4 months a year due to playing other sports.

Very difficult to pitch effectively not practicing pitching 8 months out of the year. IMO, I would find at least 30 mins, 1 or 2 times a week to get in some year round pitching practice. Otherwise, she should just except the fact that she will not improve much with such little pitching practice. DD's PC had a saying, "for every week you miss of practice, it takes 1 week to get back to where you were". While I don't agree 100% with this statement, she has a great point.

With that said, I agree with JJ, convert her fastball into a peel drop and continue to "perfect" her fastball and c/u. It's the easiest transition of the other pitches mentioned.