DD Pitching video

[TheRogue]

I didn't do a very good job of video with my Droid, looking at actual video cameras so I can take some good ones. Two videos from a bad angle, curve and change. She's really working on the leg drive more than anything right now. Her PC will also be her HS pitching coach, she's been with him off and on for a long time. The leg drive is what he's been working on over and over again, eventually it will click (right?). Work a lot on "falling forward" drills, things like that.

Curve ball

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Her change has always been her "out" pitch, that we have called even 3-2 with bases loaded on a very aggressive hitter

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Lots of work to do... First HS game is March 15th...but she's off for the next three weeks with an elbow tendon injury (that's a topic for another post, if she just woulda said she was hurting!).

TR

 

[Perfect Circle]

Here it is in super slow, and frame by frame. I see some swimming with the glove hand. And landing foot can out run the camera. If you can get some HD video it will help...

 

[sluggers]

You need to video her directly behind her and then directly from her side. You need to see the relationship of the arm at the key positions and how it relates to the body.

 

[CoachFP]

I don't like her motion at all. She is apparently throwing a drop of some sort but her body is angled way back like she is trying to get under the ball. She swims more than Michael Phelps. What is with that rising up at the end? That is done after the ball is gone.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Does she prefer to have the pitching mat reversed like that?

 

[starsnuffer]

Any of that loading that she's trying to do with her toe pointed to the ground is going away when she takes that first cheater step with her pivot foot. That's illegal as well. It may be a result of pitching on a gym floor, but you want to be careful with it.

When she takes this cheater step, she's turning her toe out towards third base. Instead of pushing off straight towards the catcher, she's pushing off sideways. Her glove is swimming because her energy is not going towards the catcher, it's going more towards somewhere between first and home.

First thing that needs to be fixed is that toe. She needs to learn to start by sprinting towards the catcher. I'm worried that all of this footwork she's been practicing has been done incorrectly, and thus will be more difficult to fix. You may have to go hardcore and get the foot block. She'll hate it, but she's a big kid. Power Push | Softball Pitching Aids | Softball Tools

I think many other things will be corrected if you fix this. It's first in the chain.

Good luck!

-W

 

[Steve Huff]

The only issue I have is bending the drag leg up and the hop and not having it close to the ground for balance if a ball comes at you. (I don't get too concerned if the hop is only when trying hard, due to the surface or perhaps the drop ball. But not a good idea as a habit or if it tips a pitch.)

I have anther issue; why "lift" a curve-ball?

 

[Steve Huff]

Here it is in super slow, and frame by frame. I see some swimming with the glove hand. And landing foot can out run the camera. If you can get some HD video it will help... This is good....nice drop ball !!! :{)

This is a back-flip change-up, and the first videos are of a curve-ball.

 

[Perfect Circle]

When she takes this cheater step, she's turning her toe out towards third base. Instead of pushing off straight towards the catcher, she's pushing off sideways. Her glove is swimming because her energy is not going towards the catcher, it's going more towards somewhere between first and home.

I can see that ....also the drag foot is doing the same thing.....this is why the mat is backwards....I made my DD one just like it, and put...duck taped a piece of plastic tarp 2'x3' out about 1' from the rubber...or the area she drags in...making it extra slick, and cause her to straighten the rug. Even though the coach calls strikes, she is waiting like a kid finding Easter eggs to see how much wrinkle she left...when shes not infront of the mirror Also showed her some Ballet, and how they walk on there toes. Last week I was teaching amuch older girl who had never pitched,and just for fun ask her if she had seen Ballet, where they dance on there toes. She immanently went up on both toes, to the shock of both my daughter and myself...I asked did you take Ballet ??? She laughed and said "No... Michel Jackson"...

I call it the "Magic Carpet'...can't throw out all of our indoor practice this winter...had to make it work & worth while !!!

Pitching in the House. - YouTube

 

[TheRogue]

Thanks for all the input! It's always interesting to see how so many very knowledgeable people see different things.

She's never been nailed for an illegal pitch with the slide-and-step, but I'm always concerned.

Pitching mat is too small, her stride normally lands on the edge of it, so she just turns it around.

She used to have a really nice curve-ball. We worked really hard to develop a rise ball last fall, it works really well......but ever since then she's had a problem with the curve. PC says it will come back with work, he's seen it happen quite a bit; just getting her realizing the difference.

I've never seen the Power-push...but I like it! maybe I'll whip something together with 2x4's and we'll work on that.

Again, thanks everyone for the input!