Feedback on pitching mechanics 14 yr old

[RookKev]

Dan,
Dd looks solid. The comments are just that, try not to take it quite so personal. I know any negative comment feels like an attack, but realize, the only one with a horse in Your race is you. You posted here, you must have expected some feedback...and to think none of it would be critical is kind of niave. Tiger woods, even at his apex, had Hank Haney...everyone needs correction.

I agree wit the airborne issue. Is she pitching on a baseball mound? It looks elevated a bit. That could definitely affect viewing angles and the way it looks like she is going airborne. The foot position on her plant foot is where I would also start. If she moves that foot forwards about 2 inches I think she will get enough forwards drive as her toe rolls over the front lip of the rubber that she will get two benefits. One it will promote her drive to be more forwards and less up. It will also get her toe drag more toe oriented and less arch of her foot. My daughter was dragging hard on the inside of her foot like yours and started complaining of knee pain. When we got her drag more vertical...(look at ringer cleats and where the toe plate is at, that is your desired drag location.), the pain went away immediately.

Your description of her velocity is extremely encouraging. If she can stay healthy, she could go far. My daughter is only 12 so, I'm pretty green here, but I do study a lot, as most of the people on this site do. Can you dd hit? How's her overhand throw? Good luck and hang in there, people only want to help, and a lot don't have time nor patience to 'shine' up there posts so us protective fathers don't go into 'taken' mode!

 

[coachdan]

Generally, she looks good. You asked for suggestions, so here they are:

1) She is off the ground a little, but it could be because of a trench. I don't know.
2) As darken said, she is leaning forward. Her weight needs to be back a little more.
3) Her arm is never straight. At 9, she needs to have both arms fully extended and pointing at the target. The idea is to have the arm straight as possible at the top, then bend at the elbow, and then throw. Your DD gets a bend as soon as she finished her backswing and never straightens her arm out again.

1) I do see what everyone is talking about with her pivot foot leaving the ground and the back foot not on rubber. I'm not overly concerned about the leap because the video was shot at 300 FPS and it makes it much more noticable. Here is a the same video I sped up and it is not as noticable. The back foot is a problem and would be call for IP no question. Plan to start work on that drag getting more on the toe and off the side of the foot.
amanda full speed - YouTube

2) I see the slight lean forward and we will start work on more resistant with the stride leg. Even with that lean she still can't get the rollover drop she struggles with it.

3) question about your point number #3. What could she gain by having the arm straight other than a little longer lever to throw with. I believe that what she would gain with the longer lever she would loose in whip on the down swing because once she locks out the arm it is extremly difficult to get it unlocked. I teach her to never lockout/straighten her arm because of the reason listed above. Here is a video of Hillhouse stop video at the 4 sec mark, arm is not even close to being straight at top of circle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prG9yybV-Do&feature=player_embedded

 

[lhowser]

If she is throwing 57-58 at that age and with some of the issues pointed out by others she is way ahead of the curve. That is fantastic.

She looks a lot like my 11 year old mechanically. There is something they both do that I don't really like and maybe some here have an opinion. She opens her hips more than her shoulders and I think she should be the opposite to create more of a stretch. It is evidenced to me in the back knee opening so far probably facing beyond third base, maybe even short stop. It causes that anchor drag of the back leg. I don't see this often with top college pitchers but I see it here and with my DD. I think it may be similar to not having a good coil and stretch when hitting. I suggest comparing that part of her motion (hip position relative to shoulders) to pitchers in the model pitchers thread. maybe something there will click. it is something I am looking into.

 

[Jojo]

If she is throwing 57-58 at that age and with some of the issues pointed out by others she is way ahead of the curve. That is fantastic.

I agree, 58mph is not average with my 14yr olds.

 

[RookKev]

What is the attitude she has during that pitch?

 

[coachdan]

Its the I HATE THAT CAMERA look!

 

[sluggers]

Here is a video of Hillhouse stop video at the 4 sec mark, arm is not even close to being straight.

Uh...perhaps you need to clean your glasses.

 

[coachdan]

Uh...perhaps you need to clean your glasses.

Maybe you need to clean your glasses.....I said the 4 sec mark and that is at the top of the circle not at 3 oclock. Lets see a still shot at 12 o'clock and see if arm is bent or straight.

 

[BoardMember]

Because your DD "pushes" the ball up the circle........She exibits excess radial-ulnar (forearm) rotation that puts her hand on top of the ball through the transition over the top..........

Watch the clip from the 7 sec. mark to the 11 sec mark. Watch the excess forearm rotation put the hand ON TOP of the ball from 12:00 to 2:00.........



This excess forearm rotation is being caused by the ball position STARTING in the upswing.....She MUST rotate her forearm on the way to get the ball to the proper position by 12:00........And by doing so, continues to rotate it over the top to 2:00.......

Because she's on top of the ball at 2:00, she limits the amount of I/R available in the release phase from 3:00 to 6:00.........As the ball trys to get back to facing UP from facing down.........There isn't enough time to accomplish this in the downswing.........

If she would stop pushing the ball up the circle and rotating her forearm to "fix the problem" it creates......The ball would be facing the catcher at the top.......And facing the sky at 3:00 creating the most "whip" for the money..........

I'd suggest "pulling the ball up the circle" to eliminate the excess forearm rotation that is putting her on top of the ball on the downswing..........

 

[coachdan]

Thanks BM......that is something I didn't see or quite understand thanks for your insite