Bullet spin

[bpeck]

I was looking at my daughter’s bullet spin and I see that it comes out of her hand as if she were twisting the ball between her thumb and index finger Anything pointers on what I could try to fix it? Gripping the ball different? I have been having her just hold the ball and roll it off her fingers, throwing it up to herself.. she can do that.. so maybe just keep working that? Its just that when she goes back to pitching, she does the same release with her hand creating the bullet spin.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

My DD would just go between the 2-seam fb to the 4-seam fb and this would put some movement on the ball.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Try a spin right spinner, or a hockey puck. Also, you can use a tiny hand sized football.

 

[Axe]

Is she young? I've seen this as a by product of having small hands. If she keeps working on a proper IR release this will go away as her hands grow and fingers get stronger. I wouldn't lose sleep over but just keep working on fundamentals. My $.02 as a bucket dad who's been through it.

 

[Axe]

Try a spin right spinner, or a hockey puck. Also, you can use a tiny hand sized football.

Good point, we've used the hockey puck to work on this as well. As a street hockey puck, there much lighter than ice hockey.

 

[Ken B]

Are you able to post some video--up close and from the side? Is she otherwise throwing well? Is this new or are you just noticing it?

Thanks,
Ken

 

[bpeck]

she is young.. she is turning 9 in November. Her I/R is coming along nicely. She does have smaller hands. Thanks.. we do have some pucks that she could use as the spinner seems to be a little big for her hand. I will see if i can get some video of her release

 

[coach james]

If her fingers are coming off the ball evenly and not feathered, then its probably spinning out due to her thumb placement. Move her thumb over to line up with the middle finger. Let the middle finger pad and the pad of the thumb become an axis on a four seam fb grip. This will get you closer to a 12/6 rotation. However, I personally like a tight bullet spin on a fb because you don't get the movement like a drop ball does with good forward rotation. Fb's should be just that....fast, with little to no movement. Bullet spin is IMO your best way to fire a fb.