CWS Announcers

[EP Dad]

All I know for sure is Ricketts is amazing and anything they say about her pitching doesn't do it justice.

 

[init4thegirls]

This could be an unpopular contribution to this thread but I am really enjoying the broadcasts. I love the fact that ESPN is dedicating more technical resources to the games. Makes them more entertaining to the average viewer. That is what it is all about with television sports and there is nothing wrong with that.

There's no reason they can't do it all the time. They waste time repeating the same stuff about the heat, yankees, lakers, jets, lebron, tebow, manning and on and on. They could cover all sports if they used their resources and time better. I have 3 espn channels and its the same stuff as sportscenter with different analyst giving their "input." I understand that its produced for an average fan, but that doesn't mean it has to be nauseating for someone who is a little more knowledgeable.

 

[Greenmonsters]

I nominate Hillhouse and Dennis Eckersley to do tonight's game on ESPN.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I nominate Hillhouse and Dennis Eckersley to do tonight's game on ESPN.

I nominate Hillhouse and Screwball to announce tonight's game!

 

[CoachFP]

Ricketts throws a better curve than Traina does. A curve has a specific palm up twist that creates real spin, so I am not sure why people argue against it being real. You can't see everything on TV, and I can tell many posters have never pitched. First, the rise is a figment, then a screw, and now the curve....

FYI: Throwing a tailing fastball is not a curve.

Not every pitch is spun properly over the course of the game. Just like hangers in baseball.

Most college pitchers throw peel drops, but only one or two that I know of throws a fastball. Teams with a fastball pitcher have made it to regionals (twice) but they have never progressed. I have never seen a fastball pitcher in college, although I did see one at a Gold tournament, and was so surprised I stayed and watched her pitch. Was not a good outing.

While some pitchers are taught a bullet spin screwball, there are real screwballs. Finch throws one. I throw one although I am not in any of these young ladies' league.

Finch does not throw a real screwball. I was behind Stacy Nuevman when she was purportedly throwing her screwball in warmups and I witnessed about 10-15 up close and personal (I confirmed it by asking Stacy). Not one of them would have had the spin that would be opposite a curveball and thus a screwball. You can believe what you want but I saw it in person and I know what pitches can and cannot do and all her pitches did were go straight and inside.

 

[CoachFP]

Well if Tincher's dad teaches it who am I too disagree. All I know is that I have seen the best of the best men's pitcher's and quite a few of the very good women's pitchers and have yet to see a screwball. When I saw Finch she was warming up to pitch with the Olympic team and I was talking with Chuck D'Arcy at the time and was about 20 feet from the catcher, who I asked politely what she was throwing. Got my answer and was thoroughly disappointed. I don't know what male taught you this pitch but I'd love to hear his name.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Really depends on what movement you would expect to see to call it a "screwball". (As seen from the catcher) most screwballs have 2-8 (and not perfect 3-9) spin. All things being equal, a ball that is spinning with 2-8 spin is going to move down and in to a RHB. The same exact pitch with say 10-4 spin (curve ball) will break down and away from a RHB. How much break is the big question, but a ball with seams, spinning with 2-8 spin will have a tendency to move to the inside and a 10-4 spin ball moves to the outside.

I think the problem most naysayers have with the screwball movement is they believe the effectiveness of the pitch is caused by the pitcher moving to the left side of the pitching plate and throwing the pitch to the inside; and less to do with the spin rotation of the ball because its very dificult to get true 3-9 spin on the screwball which would move the ball more horizontally than what actually happens.

With that said, I think the screwball can be a very effective pitch (think Meg Langenfeld 2010 WCWS) if thrown with great control and to the proper locations.

IMO, movement pitches in fastpitch do not move as much as Michelle Smith would have us believe. According to her, every pitch has "late & sharp" movement. I just don't see it.....

 

[GOINGDEEP]

And let's not forget, a proper screwball from a LHP is usually their best pitch to a RH batter. It's moving away and down from the batter. Once a LHP can pinpoint the pitch they get quite a few looking strikes, from the RH batter it's hard to judge coming from the opposite arm side to the same opposite plate side, for a ball or strike.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Really depends on what movement you would expect to see to call it a "screwball". (As seen from the catcher) most screwballs have 2-8 (and not perfect 3-9) spin. All things being equal, a ball that is spinning with 2-8 spin is going to move down and in to a RHB. The same exact pitch with say 10-4 spin (curve ball) will break down and away from a RHB. How much break is the big question, but a ball with seams, spinning with 2-8 spin will have a tendency to move to the inside and a 10-4 spin ball moves to the outside.

I think the problem most naysayers have with the screwball movement is they believe the effectiveness of the pitch is caused by the pitcher moving to the left side of the pitching plate and throwing the pitch to the inside; and less to do with the spin rotation of the ball because its very dificult to get true 3-9 spin on the screwball which would move the ball more horizontally than what actually happens.

With that said, I think the screwball can be a very effective pitch (think Meg Langenfeld 2010 WCWS) if thrown with great control and to the proper locations.

IMO, movement pitches in fastpitch do not move as much as Michelle Smith would have us believe. According to her, every pitch has "late & sharp" movement. I just don't see it.....

Both a curve ball and a screw ball do move when thrown correctly there is no doubt about that. The thing is because of how a curve and screw are thrown most pitchers can get a lot more RPMs (faster spin rate) on a curveball then a screwball. Therefore while a screwball will move in, RHP to RHB, it will in most cases break less than curveball that will move away RHP to RHB. It is simply a tougher motion on the body to generate the torque.

 

[2DDspitching]

The men don't throw it today. Men's fastpitch is smaller than it used to be, especially in my area, where it has mostly died.

It is a rarer pitch prior to Nelson, who put it on the map. Just because you have not seen something don't think you have seen the whole world of softball. Mine has really good, flat spin and I use it in BP all the time to lefties. I would ask doubters to get in the box or at least sit behind home plate when a good screwball pitcher like Nelson, Ricketts, Knight, etc. are pitching.

Why do you believe a drop ball can peel, but a screw (hand cocked to the side version) cannot? No one doubts the arm movement creates less break but that is why it can be used to get the ump's call or when you are behind. It is the de facto fastball in college today because a high peel drop is a homer every time.

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