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Oct 19, 2009
1,277
38
beyond the fences
Oh, the rise ball my favorite pitch

My experience is that the rise does not work well until it is thrown at 50 mph.
With the proper spin(release) the pitcher 'gets under the ball on release' thus
increasing the amount of spin. The combination many times leads to an increase of speed as well.
 
Nov 1, 2009
405
0
Agree with you. Change coaches not pitching instructors. Neither is better and both types of pitchers can be effective if used correctly. If you only have a fastball then at some point, usually 43 feet you will find fast isn't enough to get out decent batters. If she really has downward movement she will be fine.
 
Quick note on when to learn the riseball.
I HIGHLY SUGGEST not waiting to learn how to spin the riseball. Note I said "how to spin the riseball", I did not say throw the riseball. These are two different things.
My experience has shown that girls that wait to long to learn the riseball have great difficulty making their fingers and wrist perform a riseball spin. They spend their first 3-4 years perfecting pitches that require the wrist and fingers to pronate at release and then when they try to do just the opposite on a riseball they can't overcome all those years of muscle memory.
Additionally, they have great difficulty getting their body tilted correctly at release to help with the needed release angle. Again, they spend their first 3-4 years trying to minimize their body tilt at release to aid in their dropball release angle and then when they try to maintain some tilt to help the riseball release angle their old muscle memory kicks in.
A pitching coach is doing a great disservice if he/she is not teaching the various spins and body release positions at a relatively early stage of pitching.

Don't confuse this with thinking these young girls will be able to go out and throw killer riseballs, curveballs, etc. I'm not!!!!! They definitely need strength, mechanics, speed, etc. to be proficient. But if you wait to long you will be sorely disappointed when the time comes.
 
Nov 29, 2009
2,975
83
Rick,

You are so right about the spin and learning how to snap the wrist. My daughter would walk around with a ball at home spinning it. While watching TV she would be spinning a ball. When she was learning how to throw the pitch I bet she spent close to 15-18 hours a week just spinning the ball for the first few months. By the time she hit HS she could throw the pitch with confidence.

Even with being out of college for a couple of years and not throwing everyday she can still spin the ball real well the muscle memory is that deeply ingrained. When we're working with a pitcher who wants to learn how to throw a rise we show the girl how to spin the ball. Then I have my daughter spin it for the girl to show just how hard the wrist needs to snap. When she does the seams are a blur and most kids reactions are "Wow" I don't know if I can do that.
 

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