Feedback on Mechanics

[coachdan]

I'm looking for some feedback on the Mechanic of one of my pitchers. This girls is 16 yrs old (playing 18u showcase ball and a 2011 graduate) and avg 62-63 mph with a one time high of 66. The video was shot at 300 fps.

YouTube - BB pitching

 

[CoachFP]

I'm looking for some feedback on the Mechanic of one of my pitchers. This girls is 16 yrs old (playing 18u showcase ball and a 2011 graduate) and avg 62-63 mph with a one time high of 66. The video was shot at 300 fps.

YouTube - BB pitching

Why does she bend way down like that. All it is doing is adding extra work for her besides hindering her ability to get a good push off of the rubber. Have you ever watched an Olympic race? If bending way down like that would create more power, would they do it?

 

[cshilt]

A whole lot to like there. I agree that the bending at the waist is extraneous, but she does put it to good use by getting an excellent sprinter's start off of the pitcher's plate. The things I would work on is keeping the hips open longer and getting a touch more lean.

Granted, Jennie is throwing a riseball here so the shoulder tilt is highlighted, but compare the hips and tilt.

 

[halskinner]

I'm looking for some feedback on the Mechanic of one of my pitchers. This girls is 16 yrs old (playing 18u showcase ball and a 2011 graduate) and avg 62-63 mph with a one time high of 66. The video was shot at 300 fps.

YouTube - BB pitching

That motion is called a 'Forward dip'. I have seen the angle alot worse than this but I would expect her lower back hurts after a game.

The forward dip was deemed an unsafe movement several years ago. A bunch of pitchers were dignosed with spinal stress fractures in the Sacrum spine area and that exact motion was blamed by the Ortho Surgeons.

Was she taught to do that by an instructor???

 

[coachdan]

She was taught the "DIP" start to try to get the sprinters start and drive off the rubber.

How about the back swing that looks to be very high also and I think she could get more elbow whip at the bottom of the circle.

 

[sluggers]

I hate the big dip at the beginning. In addition to what Hal says, it is an energy waster.

It is one thing to pitch a couple of time limited tournament games. It is another when she is playing in college going 7 innings game after game, as well as pitching for 2 hours at practice every night. The kid for Northwestern does a big dip, and she has serious control problems.

As far as a sprinters start, you are seeing things. Her left leg more than half way through the backward swing is STRAIGHT. Basically, all she is doing is bending over and swinging her arm back. She is generating ZERO extra energy with the dip.

Also, she is giving the hitters a wonderful view of her grip. I notice she is using a three finger fastball. HS batters and 18U teams won't pick it up. College batters will appreciate the advance notice of the pitch.

 

[BoardMember]

Quite simply.......this kid is outstanding........One to watch......And is headed for greatness IMO.....

I personally wouldn't teach/allow this extreme pre-bend "windup".......but Abbott seem to handle it pretty well.......I'd be afraid of the excess energy expendeture when facing 5 straight Sunday games.........But hey......if she's in shape.....

Her arm swing length is acceptable.......If you picture her "stood up" you'd see the swing is "visually" exagerated by the foward bend.......and really isn't that far in relation to her torso.........And in fact would remain below her shoulders if "stood up"............

I'd love to know who her instructor is........I'm assuming she didn't learn these high level delivery mechnics through watching DVD's..........

OUTSTANDING on all accounts.........

The very first thing I noticed is something I thought I was the only one who taught......

The BIG slide across the mound with the pivot foot is ensuring a great transfer backward to set up the forward push........

It also sets her up on a force line down the outside corner........I LOVE THIS method of using the ENTIRE length of the pitching plate to our advantage..........

VERY HIGH LEVEL IMO........

 

[coachdan]

Thanks to everyone for your reply.

 

[WndMillR]

Feedback

I am her pitching instructor

This was a complete tear down that has taken place over the past year, to correct serious mechanical flaws she had developed.

Every pitcher develops a "style", some more aggressive than others.
Our focus with her has been to aggressively attack a batter with hard down movement, which can only be consistently achieved with an early pre-movement (slide), and explosive attack posture towards the plate. She struggled before by being "too tall", thus blocking herself at release, which eliminated power and consistency within the strike zone.

She is still learning... I agree that the "DIP" shown in the video
(note that it is 1 pitch in time) could be considered a little extreme at this point. I am confident that she will find a consistent rhythm as she grows with confidence and experience. A year ago, she was throwing 54 mph, she is now throwing 62-63 consistently, with hard downward movement. She hit 66 twice on the Rev Fire at Winthrop University at the Queen of Diamonds showcase earlier this Fall.

Thanks for your feedback.

Hal Skinner... long time, no talk....I'll tell Hoppe I heard from you..

 

[halskinner]

I am her pitching instructor

This was a complete tear down that has taken place over the past year, to correct serious mechanical flaws she had developed.

Every pitcher develops a "style", some more aggressive than others.
Our focus with her has been to aggressively attack a batter with hard down movement, which can only be consistently achieved with an early pre-movement (slide), and explosive attack posture towards the plate. She struggled before by being "too tall", thus blocking herself at release, which eliminated power and consistency within the strike zone.

She is still learning... I agree that the "DIP" shown in the video
(note that it is 1 pitch in time) could be considered a little extreme at this point. I am confident that she will find a consistent rhythm as she grows with confidence and experience. A year ago, she was throwing 54 mph, she is now throwing 62-63 consistently, with hard downward movement. She hit 66 twice on the Rev Fire at Winthrop University at the Queen of Diamonds showcase earlier this Fall.

Thanks for your feedback.

Hal Skinner... long time, no talk....I'll tell Hoppe I heard from you..

Hey Charlie. Had'nt heard from you in so long I thought you retired. Still have that newspaper pix of Rich and Eddie that he sent me years ago, from Sept 1999, they were in Alaska. Eddie was and still is one of my heros.

The young lady in question IS doing a forward dip. However, as I kind of eluded to, it is a very mild one from videos/pix I have seen. I have seen them dip down to where their chest almost touches their knees, WAY past a 90 degree bend.

The farther they bend over and THEN start to stand tall again AS they start their forward drive from the rubber. THAT twisting and force being used to drive the torso upwards, the entire body forwards AND trying to open up all at the same time is a killer on the Sacrum spine. It has been responsible for spinal stress fractures in the Sacrum spine area.

Tell Rich I said hey and That I said he is still homlier than me.

Teach em good!

Hal