Just an observation

[Mike]

I started helping some young pitchers a couple weeks ago. I asked each girl before we got started to show me in slow motion what they think there arm does during the circle. I showed them where 9 oclock was and asked them to show me whether the ball was on top or underneath there hand at that point of the circle. The 5 that had previous help all put there hand on top of the ball and moved to pitch in a bowling type motion. 1 girl who had pitched for 2 years without a lesson, her dad said she has just always pitched how it was comfortable. She put her hand at 9 oclock with her hand underneath the ball. When I asked her why she said it just feels comfortable that way. She has some mechanics issues but actually can throw pretty hard. Long story short, I showed the other girls photos of some elite pitchers at 9 oclock, did some quick can you feel this drills and all get smiles on there faces when they get that perfect snap on release and the ball goes faster and straighter. Not really a question here just thought that was interesting.

Thanks to all that post on here,
Mike

 

[2bucketdad]

Mike IMO thethe fingers should be pointing to the sky, and the ball and the palm of the hand should be facing second base when the arm is at 9:00...

 

[RayR]

Mike IMO thethe fingers should be pointing to the sky, and the ball and the palm of the hand should be facing second base when the arm is at 9:00...

I would check out some video...you might have a change of opinion.

 

[coachdan]

Mike IMO thethe fingers should be pointing to the sky, and the ball and the palm of the hand should be facing second base when the arm is at 9:00...

2bucketdad, Take a look at these still shots that were posted in an earlier post. How are they holding the ball at 9 ocolck. I agree with MTS I think you might change your mind after look at these pictures.

 

[2bucketdad]

Again IMO, You have two pitchers throwing a curve and one throwing a turnover drop and all are past 9:00...

 

[2bucketdad]

Ok looking at pics and viedos even of my own DD's, maybe I'm looking at12:00, 11:00 and 10:00 and the wrist brgins to turn at 9:00...

 

[coachdan]

Again IMO, You have two pitchers throwing a curve and one throwing a turnover drop and all are past 9:00...

Which two pitchers are throwing a drop? #1 being the top #2 middle and #3 bottom. I really like #1 and #2 they are pulling the ball down the back of the circle vs if the ball was toward 2nd base you would be pushing the ball down the back of the circle. They all perform IR at release, these are the mechaninc that I am teaching my 12 yr old daughter for her fastball.

 

[Mike]

2bucketdad
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/767-pitching-videos.html

Check out post #2 and 3. Hand position may vary a little from 12 to release but there hand is deffinately not on top of the ball.
They are not bowling the pitch. Try this, get to an open position, put your hand at 9 oclock with your hand on top of the ball and cock your wrist back so the ball is facing 2nd base. There is tension in the forearm. Now turn your hand so the ball is somewhere between facing 3rd and facing up, there is no more tension. IMO, tension is bad, tension is slow. My point was 5 of the six girls had been taught to pitch with an incorrect arm path. The one with no lessons did what was comfortable, and threw pretty hard. That is one less battle to fight with her. I really started paying attention to all pitchers arm path after Boardmembers IR post, as a result we don't even do wrist flips any more, stay loose, fluid, sideways, flow through release and let her fly.

Mike

 

[2bucketdad]

I guess I'm lost in the wording...I see no way that the ball is being pulled if your hand is on top of the ball to me if the hand is on top of the ball the ball is facing the ground like someone palming a basketball...i see the fingers pointing up and the ball is facing somewhere between second base and third base and the pulling is comming from the elbow and shoulder not the hand...sorry I interjected my self in your thread I guess I just didn't understand what was being said or don't relieze whats going on...

 

[Renntiger]

I believe all three are throwing a down and in.

As the person who took those pictures, I can confirm that all three sequences show fast balls, or perhaps very deceptive peel-drops (the kind that Hillhouse teaches). During that same game, I captured other sequences where these ladies may have been throwing curves, risers, etc. The only time one can see the pitcher's hand above the ball at 9:00 is when Martinez was delivering one of her devastating turn-around change-ups. The early rotation of her forearm completely took away the IR snap. Her outside-in release motion (with her hand virtually in front of the ball just before release) imparted a very tight side spin to the ball, but sapped all the forward momentum from it as well, even though her arm speed, body position and follow-through were visually identical to those of her fastballs (compare the picture series below to the ones from my earlier post in the IR thread), making the pitch highly deceptive. She froze batter after batter with it, until Alissa Haber waited on one and drove it down the middle late in the game.

It was a beautiful pitch to watch, drawing appreciative "Oooooo"s from the stand every time she unleashed it on an unsuspecting victim.

Gene