Glove Hand Swim

[Ade's Dad]

I would like to know why some pitchers glove arm swims toward first more than others? I have heard all kinds of drills to fix it, but why does it happen?
Here is my take on it. I think it depends on how much a pitcher opens their shoulders is a direct link to how much their glove hand swims.(Open shoulders) no swim,(closed shoulders)a lot of swim. School me please!

 

[RubberBiscuit]

I can not school ya here but in investigating my DD's legslap I noticed that there are all kinds of different angles produced from all kinds of top-tier pitchers.

Can't wait for the expert analysis here!

 

[bobbyb]

No expert here….but my opinion is….I agree with both Ade's dad and Screwball.
It has a lot to do with how much a pitcher open/closes shoulders. Just like throwing overhand and hitting….the shoulders want to follow the elbow…just like the hips want to follow the knee.

Initially it plays a role in momentum and direction of launch/leap. Then becomes a counter weight for balance and resistance….as screwball said.

It does seem that the model thread pitchers mostly use what ever comes natural in regards to position of the glove arm/elbow etc…winging it where ever it goes without thought or any certain pattern...other than their own.

Others…like Cat seem to make a move to get the glove palm up…which wants the elbow to move in and down. To me it feels like its a more normal position to do that and not wing it out so much. So i guess it depends on the pitcher and their ability to maintain stride and balance and direction and optimum shoulder position for release.

Its not high on the priority list to me unless…it is too early winged out and affects too much shoulder closing and/or direction of the leap. Like my wife though…i reserve the right to change my opinion tomorrow… ….since I am looking at upper body stuff again lately.

 

[Rich Balswick]

I view that what the glove arm and and hand does as often being symptomatic as to how the ball is being powered thru the release area. It seems that most kids that come to me for help have been taught to force the ball thru the release area and as they muscle the pitching hand and arm forward (as they release the ball) and up with there so called follow-thru, the glove arm bends and swims to help facilitate this inefficient effort. So the fix of the glove arm primarily comes from teaching an efficient whipping action with the pitching arm which allows the hips to maintain a 45 degree angle thru the release and allows the glove arm to stay straight and drop down more comfortably in front close to the power line as the ball is released.

 

[vdubya]

Hal has a nice post describing what the glove arm should do in his "Pitching and the distraction force." Straight to the plate (think 'jab') and then recoil back to the holster. Show dd a clip of Osterman...one of the very best with respect to her glove arm specifically. Cheers!

 

[starsnuffer]

The glove hand swims to balance out something on the other side of the body. You have to figure out what this is in order to address the problem, or determine if it is a problem.

Many pitchers will cant their pivot foot towards third base before they even begin their pitch. This makes them put their energy towards their toe, or third base, so they have to use "something" to balance out the other side. This is often the glove arm, but sometimes the pitcher will "stick out their rear" for the same reason. Often these same pitchers will be "too closed" and have the shoulder issues as stated above. All because of their toe. Fix the toe, and you'll fix a lot of problems later in the chain and save yourself a lot of headache trying to cure symptoms.

-W