after reading, watching dvds, and attending clinics and lessons over the years it seems as though most male pitchers and pcs, and some of the highest regarded academys in the country, dont believe in throwing "screw balls" or "curve balls" by contorting your arm at release, they believe in drop balls with movement in or out. Are more top level female pitchers switching to this style or are most still holding on to the old mechanics?
breaking pitches
- Thread starter wannahit
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What I think you are seeing is the improvement of the hitters and better bats, causing horizontal pitches to slowly be phased out. With the way girls are driving balls over fences, vertical pitches are gaining popularity. Throw a pitch that breaks down, to go along with in or out and you have a chance of keeping the ball in the park. I still think that the screwball and curveball are two of the best pitches in the game. You just need to make sure they are thrown off the plate.
First off, almost every girl I have ever seen try to throw a screwball does this crazy drill where they twist their hand in an effort to make the ball go to the right (if a right handed pitcher). In watching these supposed screwballs when thrown at full speed, none ever get the spin that would make it go right. The spins are usually either bullet spin or spinning right to left which would fight the angle you want the ball to go in. As Hillhouse will tell you, applying pressure to the fingers is the best way to get the ball to break in or out depending upon the pressure. It is not contorting your wrist and elbow to get some contrived action that can't be duplicated at full speed.
FiveFrameSwing
Banned
Nice post CFP.
- Apr 25, 2010
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I agree 100%! My DD's "go-to" pitch is a cutter which comes down and in on a right handed batter. When it's on and thrown at the right time, it's a thing of beauty.
its seems as though some male pcs, and some i have paid 80 an hour for instruction, claim the screw ball you step to the left(rhp) and throw in front of your hip and twist your wrist clockwise is basically a bullet spin inside fastball that you just change the release point enough to give the illusion its breaking. They had video that seems to back up this claim, and i have been around some d1 programs and watched their pitchers working on their screwballs, and i tend to agree with their evaluation, obviously it is still a valuable pitch for many pitchers no matter what the true action is, it just seems thats a lot of twisting stress on the arm for the limited action you seem to get.
I'd have to disagree that a curve moves more than a screw. I'd take a good SB pitcher over a good CB. My DD SB not only breaks more but is faster then her FB. Not uncommon for SB pitchers. Wrist snap and finger pressure is the key.
Re reading your post Screwball, mine is a lefty. I understand the arm and the pitch are very different. A fast, screwing/dropping pitch from a lefty is a killer.
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I was in the stands near the bullpen, up close and behind the catcher (Stacey Nuevman) while Finch was throwing screwballs. I called to Stacey and asked what pitch she was throwing and she said screwball. The pitches did not have the spin that would make the ball go in the direction it was going. I have been to and played in thousands of softball games and can see spin extremely well, especially when I was as close to the catcher as I was that day. Yes the pitches were going inside because they were angled inside. Any suggestion of movement would be wrong. Now her curve ball does move. Her screwball is just stepping left and throwing right. Besides, if a pitcher has to step left to throw the ball with perceived movement to the right, then that right there should tell you they can't make it move, otherwise why change the motion.
