Internal rotation early? Spin trouble

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Jun 16, 2019
38
8
Hello all. My DD is 10u and is working on IR. She will have been pitching for 1 year next week. Well, our new PC has his balls taped to work on 6/12 spin for fastball, and we realized she does not get the right spin very often. So, yesterday I slowmotion videoed her and thought it looked like she was starting IR to early? I am not sure if that is really the problem, so I am going to try and post a video. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you





 
Nov 8, 2018
774
63
Doesn’t look early at all. She is driving g to her right though. Pretty bad. That would cause her to come across her body right to left.
What kind of spin does she have when it’s not what you want. ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Jun 16, 2019
38
8
Doesn’t look early at all. She is driving g to her right though. Pretty bad. That would cause her to come across her body right to left.
What kind of spin does she have when it’s not what you want. ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The spin is different everytime. At it's worse it looks like bullet spin. The closest she gets to 6/12 is 11/5. Some of her releases look like a feathered release, where her index finger comes off last.. I attached a screenshot picture

On the drive to the right.. do you mean stepping way to the right on the powerline? Would cones fix this?
Thanks for the reply
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20190813-101816_Video Player.jpg
    Screenshot_20190813-101816_Video Player.jpg
    131.8 KB · Views: 51
Apr 12, 2015
792
93
The spin is different everytime. At it's worse it looks like bullet spin. The closest she gets to 6/12 is 11/5. Some of her releases look like a feathered release, where her index finger comes off last.. I attached a screenshot picture

You nailed it. Bullet spin is caused by a feathered release. She actually has excellent IR. When thrown without manipulation, a good IR throw will have 12/6 spin that is to the left from the catcher's perspective. Like this:


If you notice the ball has true 12/6 spin, but is yawed slightly to the left. This can give the appearance of 11/5 spin, but it is not.

Just my opinion, but your daughter looks good. Like...really good. I wouldn't tweak too much looking for a specific spin axis at this point. Might do more harm than good.
 
6/12 is going to rise or drop depending on the direction of spin according to theory. Any variation close to that should have some side to side movement. So down and over. What you are trying to avoid is the bullet spin which keeps the ball straight. Straight pitches are easier to hit.
 
Nov 8, 2018
774
63
The spin is different everytime. At it's worse it looks like bullet spin. The closest she gets to 6/12 is 11/5. Some of her releases look like a feathered release, where her index finger comes off last.. I attached a screenshot picture

On the drive to the right.. do you mean stepping way to the right on the powerline? Would cones fix this?
Thanks for the reply

Yes. Her plant is over the power line to the right. Cones, drive on a power line so she can see where she ends up. My dd started doing f this at the end of the season. For no reason. We just put her on the power line and made her drive straight vs crossing over. Every time she pushed off she would look down and know where she landed.
It WILL change her release. She may hit her hip a few times. But she will adjust.
You can have her drive off a 12” board too and that will force her to stay in the middle. The fear of falling off will motivate her.

Ps. My dd throws her fast ball very similar. Leading with the pinky. She does not have a 12/6 spin. Her drop does. Now, keep in mind we don’t throw a lot of fast balls now in 14u because they tend to get hit so she will keep them in the river or high or low. Then use other pitches to hit the corners.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Jun 16, 2019
38
8
You nailed it. Bullet spin is caused by a feathered release. She actually has excellent IR. When thrown without manipulation, a good IR throw will have 12/6 spin that is to the left from the catcher's perspective. Like this:


If you notice the ball has true 12/6 spin, but is yawed slightly to the left. This can give the appearance of 11/5 spin, but it is not.

Just my opinion, but your daughter looks good. Like...really good. I wouldn't tweak too much looking for a specific spin axis at this point. Might do more harm than good.

wow, thank you for the reply!! I happy to know that the pitches she throws that appear to rotate 11/5 are what I am supposed to be looking for and are actually 12/6 spin.
 
Jun 16, 2019
38
8
Yes. Her plant is over the power line to the right. Cones, drive on a power line so she can see where she ends up. My dd started doing f this at the end of the season. For no reason. We just put her on the power line and made her drive straight vs crossing over. Every time she pushed off she would look down and know where she landed.
It WILL change her release. She may hit her hip a few times. But she will adjust.
You can have her drive off a 12” board too and that will force her to stay in the middle. The fear of falling off will motivate her.

Ps. My dd throws her fast ball very similar. Leading with the pinky. She does not have a 12/6 spin. Her drop does. Now, keep in mind we don’t throw a lot of fast balls now in 14u because they tend to get hit so she will keep them in the river or high or low. Then use other pitches to hit the corners.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The wood plank is a very good idea. We will try that. Thank you.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
Hello all. My DD is 10u and is working on IR. She will have been pitching for 1 year next week. Well, our new PC has his balls taped to work on 6/12 spin for fastball, and we realized she does not get the right spin very often.

You are getting some good advice.

Don't worry about the spin on her FB. It is not worth the effort. Her spin will become more consistent as she pitches more. When she starts learning pitches, she'll become more aware of how to spin the ball.

As pointed out by Riello and others, she *does* need to work on her lower body mechanics.
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,468
Members
21,443
Latest member
sstop28
Top