Hillhouse Pitching DVDs Review

[WillyT812]

I love the discussion and the input from all. One thing to consider when thinking about the effectiveness of throwing various pitches is the slight variance in speed for each pitch. I use to coach boys in pitching back in the eighties. The resources available to an old bucket dad like myself was extremely limited in comparison to what we have today. One of my resources was a pitching book by Nolan Ryan. The only thing I remember and use still to this day when working with girls is this..."good hitting is about timing...good pitching is about destroying that timing." Nolan has said many times that all of his no-hitters came on days his curve was working flawlessly and the reason was speed change. His fastball is one speed, his curve less than that and then his change up for the opposite extreme of his fastball. All delivered with identical deliveries.

I think Bill is advocating pretty much the same. A rise is probably the fastest pitch, then the drop, then the change. All thrown for location so that even if a batter was lucky enough to connect it should be a weak hit. Each pitch also crosses multiple planes...adding to the difficulty of speed changes.

When discussing rises, drops, curves, screws, changes, etc...don't dismiss the variance in speed as the true reason a DD is getting outs versus the trickery of movement. Nolan went against the best in the world and seven times he came away with no-hitters all due to three pitches thrown to good locations for weak hits.

I tell the girls I'm training...strikeouts are gravy...weak hits is where the meat is as an effective pitcher. Speed change and location are keys to getting outs.