For those analyzing BB swings for a reference to hit in FP

[radness]

Simple words communicated clearly!

 

[Quasimodo]

The same hitting adjustment argument could be made regarding hitting a baseball fastball vs curveball. The fastball doesn't break downward nearly as much as the curveball. And the curveball must be thrown at a more positive release angle than the fastball release angle.
So are the swings different? Yes, because the path of the ball is different so to stay on the path, adjustments must be made.
But the same can be said about any pitch, baseball or softball, FP or SP.....
you can't use a down and away swing path and expect to hit a high-n-tight pitch. Experience is a plus. The only reason the MLB guys can't hit Jennie Finch is lack of experience predicting where her pitch will end up.
Otherwise, the swings are the same.

Agreed almost completely, except that in baseball they have a tendency to preach a high back elbow, and create the 11-13 degree lift in the swing. There is also a lot of emphasis on backspin. Another issue is I think focusing on backspin is a rediculous distraction because at what point have all the relevant points of emphasis been perfected?

There is a rich guy here in the Philippines who takes his two daughters to the US for private lessons, even to play sometimes for US teams. Their coaches are baseball coaches. The older daughter is less compliant, but the younger daughter was the 17th player on our Junior National Team. She was cut this year. She has a pronounced upper-cut swing. She can hit pitches in the dirt, but she can put anything in play above the waist. The further above the knees she swings, the worse the result. It is the baseball approach. Her dad has a serious Dunnning-Kruger syndrome and has created chaos at times with players by bribing coaches to listen to him by supporting the teams, then sits in the middle of their benches dressed like an Indian guru. His daughter has never gotten one hit off better pitchers here, but he is emersed in the ideology regardless of the fact his daughter is a failure in spite of the money, travel, time, and a total of 4 private coaches. And yes she is athletic. Nice kid!

If you took the high back elbow and uppercut out of the baseball swing and apply it to softball, YES, it should be the same. I usually use pro baseball players as models of good swing mechanics.

 

[Bobby Shirer]

One swing but... and yes the ball needs to come into the strike zone, both Baseball and Softball. However path does need to be considered.. since most people agree the barrel should be on that path as long as possible since the hitters timing isn't perfect. Paths are different for baseball and softball. Majority of the pitches do tend to come down slightly(different opinion on riseball) in both baseball and softball.. but one does have a flatter trajectory. If you want success in baseball or softball you need to consider this.

If you were to look at the way gravity alone affects the ball, the softball pitch comes in at a steeper arc than the baseball pitch.
Gravity affects objects based on time alone. If both pitches are in the air for the same amount of time, they both fall an equal amount. Since the baseball is pitched from 60 ft and the softball 43 ft, if they're both in the air for the same amount of time, the arc of the baseball will be flatter than the arc of the softball.

60mph softball .43 seconds from rubber to plate
95mph base ball .43 seconds " "
Gravity will cause the ball (s) to fall 2.95 feet in .43 seconds
In baseball the fall will take place over a 60 ft distance
In softball, only 43 ft.
The baseball arc will be flatter in this case.
Ain't physics fun?

 

[BigSkyHi]

If you were to look at the way gravity alone affects the ball, the softball pitch comes in at a steeper arc than the baseball pitch.
Gravity affects objects based on time alone. If both pitches are in the air for the same amount of time, they both fall an equal amount. Since the baseball is pitched from 60 ft and the softball 43 ft, if they're both in the air for the same amount of time, the arc of the baseball will be flatter than the arc of the softball.

60mph softball .43 seconds from rubber to plate
95mph base ball .43 seconds " "
Gravity will cause the ball (s) to fall 2.95 feet in .43 seconds
In baseball the fall will take place over a 60 ft distance
In softball, only 43 ft.
The baseball arc will be flatter in this case.
Ain't physics fun?

Garbage in - garbage out. Both pitchers are much closer to home plate when they release the ball than the 60 ft and 43 ft mounds.

 

[radness]

If you were to look at the way gravity alone affects the ball, the softball pitch comes in at a steeper arc than the baseball pitch.
Gravity affects objects based on time alone. If both pitches are in the air for the same amount of time, they both fall an equal amount. Since the baseball is pitched from 60 ft and the softball 43 ft, if they're both in the air for the same amount of time, the arc of the baseball will be flatter than the arc of the softball.

60mph softball .43 seconds from rubber to plate
95mph base ball .43 seconds " "
Gravity will cause the ball (s) to fall 2.95 feet in .43 seconds
In baseball the fall will take place over a 60 ft distance
In softball, only 43 ft.
The baseball arc will be flatter in this case.
Ain't physics fun?

 

[julray]

If you were to look at the way gravity alone affects the ball, the softball pitch comes in at a steeper arc than the baseball pitch.
Gravity affects objects based on time alone. If both pitches are in the air for the same amount of time, they both fall an equal amount. Since the baseball is pitched from 60 ft and the softball 43 ft, if they're both in the air for the same amount of time, the arc of the baseball will be flatter than the arc of the softball.

60mph softball .43 seconds from rubber to plate
95mph base ball .43 seconds " "
Gravity will cause the ball (s) to fall 2.95 feet in .43 seconds
In baseball the fall will take place over a 60 ft distance
In softball, only 43 ft.
The baseball arc will be flatter in this case.
Ain't physics fun?

Ain’t it? Softball pitch is flatter... well a good pitcher..

 

[radness]

The sports science behind hitting softball versus baseball.
Simple words clearly communicated.

The Sports Science Behind Hitting a Softball Versus Hitting a Baseball | LeagueApps

Using technology, The ESPN Sport Science team compares the difficulties of hitting a softball versus a baseball.

blog.leagueapps.com

 

[Quasimodo]

Has anyone ever hit off the old school 2 wheel jugs machine? When we used to hit off it coach would always put the bottom wheel spinning way faster than the top wheel which put some serious backspin on the ball. Whenever someone would hit it for the first time they were almost always underneath it as the backspin kept it from dropping as much. You had to make a conscious effort to get more above the ball than you though you had to. Now that I think about it - It also wasn’t coming off the mound so it was released from lower. To @Cannonball’s question - I wouldn’t say I changed my swing in that instance, but I definitely changed my target to above the ball to compensate for the machine. What I perceived to be above was actually the middle resulting in hard-hit balls.

In 2016 I was discussing coming to the Philippines to work with programs there. They were in the 16 team WBSC World Championships in Surrey, BC. Meaghan King of Florida State was pitching against the Philippines. She struck out 17, all on the rise-ball, and a no-hitter. Of course the next year she won the WCWS. I told the girls to skin the cover off the top of the ball and stop swinging for the middle. They had no idea what I was talking about. They got beat 2-0. But unless a rise-ball pitcher can put 40% of her pitches in the strike-zone, I tell my players to stand in the back of the box and ignore it. So of course I agree with you.

 

[Quasimodo]

Ain’t it? Softball pitch is
... well a good pitcher..

Don't forget the difference in wind resistance in your formula.

 

[Quasimodo]

There is an abundance of elite softball players providing proven swing mechanics.
Applied knowledge to the sport at hand is a teachable aspect to learning.


Wont disagree that a person crossing from baseball to softball cant teach both.
Emphatically will state not all coaches instructors or otherwise have the understanding to develop youth.

True, very true!