drop ball thingy

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Dec 10, 2015
845
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Chautauqua County
I'm trying to find the posts that talk about stringing a line x high and y distance away to help promote drop ball mechanics. I would appreciate the help and any opinions on if it works. I have read up on Hillhouse and Balswick. thanks!
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
We used a lawn chair and a bucket. The bucket was laying on its side with the mouth of the bucket facing the pitcher. She had to throw over the chair and into the bucket.

Sometimes, we would use soda cans rather than the bucket. We put soda cans on the corners of the plate and she would try to hit them.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
How far from plate was lawn chair?
We varied the distance. We started about 1/2 way between the rubber and the plate.

The objective is to have the pitcher throw the pitch up and then have the ball move down. The pitch should look like a waist high fastball when the batter commits to the swing.

I'm a believer that pitcher needs objective feedback...that is, she need to see it without Daddy or the PC telling her "good" or "bad".

I'm not a fan of the string. A 1/4 inch brightly colored rope would be better. She can easily see if the ball went above or below the rope. If you have the soda cans or the bucket at the plate, she'll immediately know if she did it.
 
Last edited:
Oct 1, 2014
2,219
113
USA
Quick tip: rather than string, rope, pool noodles or whatever get a couple chinese (yes, they're available in the USA and have probably been laying around long enough to be free of any virus) jump ropes. They will not deflect the trajectory of the ball like many other things would, which is a big thing if you have a live catcher while working on this pitch. And they are cheap!

*credit goes to Java for this tip.
 
Jun 7, 2016
275
43
We do this for curve ball. when pitching indoors, hang the CJR in center of line drawn from pitch plate to home plate, about two thirds of way to HP. Visible feedback for whether ball curves or is thrown on angle.
Ditto the chinese JR. As catcher (w/o personal protection), I can attest to that deflection is not a problem.
 
Aug 21, 2008
2,359
113
I'm trying to find the posts that talk about stringing a line x high and y distance away to help promote drop ball mechanics. I would appreciate the help and any opinions on if it works. I have read up on Hillhouse and Balswick. thanks!

Unless I'm mis-reading this... I don't think I've ever spoken of or promoted strings and lines like you're describing. I know Doug Gillis has used some kind of contraption before but I don't know if that's online.

What's the purpose behind it?

Bill
 
Dec 10, 2015
845
63
Chautauqua County
Unless I'm mis-reading this... I don't think I've ever spoken of or promoted strings and lines like you're describing. I know Doug Gillis has used some kind of contraption before but I don't know if that's online.

What's the purpose behind it?

Bill
I didn't mean to imply you promoted it. I was saying that I have read your take on the drop, keep it simple, and I have watched some of Balswick's videos. Somewhere in those posts I read about rigging up a line about 2 feet off the ground and at a distance from the rubber and using that as a training aid to get a pitcher to "feel" drop mechanics. It was also suggested to use a bucket on its side at home. These are just ways to accomplish a goal. I bought one of those hockey puck balls awhile back, used it a couple of times and shelved it. why? not because it wasn't right but because my DD wasn't at a point where it was useful. now that we understand spin and axis and how to see it during a pitch, we experiment and use this aid for feedback. players learn differnt things at different rates in different ways. I am always looking for ways to improve so that I can help my players improve. as an aside, my DD and I have been to the Dunkirk Fastpitch tourney twice in the last 3 years. Erie Bud has some great pitching, eh.
 
Aug 21, 2008
2,359
113
cv, first, I know you didn't mean I promoted it... how could I?? I am not sure I ever heard of this.

I still don't know if I understand this. How does a string help a pitcher get a feel for a drop? I have heard of contraptions of setting up string in front of the catcher and trying to make the ball go under the string but even that has never made any sense to me.

What is a hockey puck ball? Is it where the sides are smushed in??

Dunkirk huh? It's been a few years since I was there. Despite horrible conditions, the worst umpires in the world, and the great smell from the sewage plant near the fields that USED to be a pretty good tournament. Erie Budweiser was the local team I pitched for in the Erie league.

Bill
 

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