Getting the curve

[ANNASDAD]

Always heard the rise ball was the hardest pitch to learn and throw, not the case with us, the curve ball is the pitch that gave us the most struggles and eye rolls!!

She has never had an issue with spin, she can spin it like a top, it's ALWAYS been body position for her! Annesdad (that's weird ), if your DD can correctly spin the ball, please please focus on keeping her front shoulder in, her throwing arm / elbow tucked in (brush) and her release point slightly out away from her body more than her other pitches. When my bonehead puts all this together, she sometimes gets a late sharp break of anywhere from 10 to 12 inches, and sometimes more!

Kill any bad habits with her body positioning now, you'll definitely thank me and yourself later!

 

[ANNASDAD]

Without that BI I don’t see an easy way to accomplish the pitch. It the arm comes flowing by the hip with no BI then it won’t get that same 3-9 spin action. Perhaps at the longer distances her BI breaks down. Just IMO that is.

This!! If the elbow flies out I don't care how much she spins it! It'll just spin and not move, and if you're catching her and watching the spin, you'll think "okay, that looks good, it's going to break anytime now?" But it won't!

 

[Annesdad]

My question for the OP would be, how are her normal mechanics? Does she have much if any brush interference? If not I would start there. Work to get proper BI and the curve will come easily with the thought of cupping the hand down the backside to release. What I mean by cupped is like the motion your make when trying to show and flex your forearm muscle bringing your wrist and hand in towards you to flex. On the pitch your knuckles should be straight out from the side and not facing the ground. Hope that makes sense.

For my DD this pitch worked nearly immediately after achieving already being consistent with good BI because she had the feel of her pinky side of hand/wrist making contact at the hip and the cupped ball spun around the ‘wrist/hip’ axis point. Without that BI I don’t see an easy way to accomplish the pitch. It the arm comes flowing by the hip with no BI then it won’t get that same 3-9 spin action. Perhaps at the longer distances her BI breaks down. Just IMO that is.

Her mechanics are solid. Yes, she does have a good amount of BI.

I'll have a look at how she's holding the ball. I don't think she's cupping her arm like that so we'll give that a try.

Thanks.

 

[Annesdad]

Always heard the rise ball was the hardest pitch to learn and throw, not the case with us, the curve ball is the pitch that gave us the most struggles and eye rolls!!

She has never had an issue with spin, she can spin it like a top, it's ALWAYS been body position for her! Annesdad (that's weird ), if your DD can correctly spin the ball, please please focus on keeping her front shoulder in, her throwing arm / elbow tucked in (brush) and her release point slightly out away from her body more than her other pitches. When my bonehead puts all this together, she sometimes gets a late sharp break of anywhere from 10 to 12 inches, and sometimes more!

Kill any bad habits with her body positioning now, you'll definitely thank me and yourself later!

Thanks! Yes I think she's not keeping her front shoulder in. I pinged her PC and she said the same thing. Also, because her front shoulder was turning she was turning her throwing shoulder instead of using her arm - kind of shrugging it toward me, the catcher. (Does that make sense?) Lots to do - hopefully she'll stay with it. PC says she wants to teach her a drop curve rather than the curve because of the strain on the shoulder that comes from a true CB. We'll see her next week. Just wanted to get some work in before the lesson.

Thanks!

 

[Tango]

I think kids cut their hand under the ball a lot without spinning the fingers. I feel that without spinning your fingers your hand will roll over. The ball will have spin but not enough. Combine no finger spin and elbow out. Nothing. DD does both some but when correct it's real good

 

[mmeece]

Thanks! Yes I think she's not keeping her front shoulder in. I pinged her PC and she said the same thing. Also, because her front shoulder was turning she was turning her throwing shoulder instead of using her arm - kind of shrugging it toward me, the catcher. (Does that make sense?) Lots to do - hopefully she'll stay with it. PC says she wants to teach her a drop curve rather than the curve because of the strain on the shoulder that comes from a true CB. We'll see her next week. Just wanted to get some work in before the lesson.

Thanks!

This is often caused by (or worsened by) trying too hard to THROW the curve instead of just focusing on the spin and ALLOWING it to curve. It's a hard lesson but once they figure out all they really have to be responsible for is body position and spin it will improve greatly from there. That's where the blindfold idea someone mentioned comes from. Sometimes it has helped my dd for me to set up on the inside corner and tell her to try and throw it there.

 

[Ken B]

Honestly, learn the curve but mainly to help teach the rise. I think the curve is the toughest pitch to master. Some can nail it, but it’s rare. The rise has MUCH more utility, especially in the same toolbox as a drop and change.

 

[Ken B]

Here’s a thread on the curve:

Palm Up Curve

Cool to see this on video. I need to cup my hand/wrist more to get it even flatter. Although I could feel brush going down to my wrist, I was doubting this until I saw the clip. Need to record myself more often! It really helps connect the dots with the cue and the reality of the visual...

www.discussfastpitch.com

 

[MNDad]

Always heard the rise ball was the hardest pitch to learn and throw, not the case with us, the curve ball is the pitch that gave us the most struggles and eye rolls!!

She has never had an issue with spin, she can spin it like a top, it's ALWAYS been body position for her! Annesdad (that's weird ), if your DD can correctly spin the ball, please please focus on keeping her front shoulder in, her throwing arm / elbow tucked in (brush) and her release point slightly out away from her body more than her other pitches. When my bonehead puts all this together, she sometimes gets a late sharp break of anywhere from 10 to 12 inches, and sometimes more!

Kill any bad habits with her body positioning now, you'll definitely thank me and yourself later!

At 14U she needs a FB, a CU and to be working on mastering a movement pitch. It doesn’t have to be a curveball. She and her PC will be able to identify what pitches come natural to her. If she’s getting frustrated try a drop or rise.

 

[Ken B]

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