Left-handed Pitcher, what say you?

[SETPRO]

Quickest way to ruin a pitcher is to make them a pitcher. Why? Because the number one winning game coaching priority for young players is to throw strikes. And they never learn how to most effectively use their body to throw (pitch) the softball.

"My philosophy" for developing a high-level pitcher:

Focus on total player development hitting, fielding, overhand throwing, running speed and quickness. Make yourself valuable as an overall player. This will give you the best chance for future softball playing opportunities.

Find yourself a pitching instructor who emphasizes pitcher throwing athleticism and velocity development. No more than 25% of your instructional time should be focused on throwing strikes.

If at all possible play and rec league type games where you can pitch but outcome (winning) is not number one priority.

"Contributed at the plate and as a pinch runner, batting .406 in 32 at-bats, registering 13 hits, 13 runs scored, a pair of doubles and eight RBIs … Stole four bases on five attempts … Showcased her versatility in the postseason, registering a hit, two runs and a stolen base in the Big 12 Championship game vs. Texas (5/13) … Scored a pair of runs in the WCWS Championship Series as a pinch runner, scoring two more runs than she gave up in the circle." Jordy Bahl 2023

Enjoy!

 

[CoachCeetar]

SETPRO you're not doing any favors in the "non-AI" dept with stuff like that.

 

[cnardone]

2. I've never noticed a difference in righty/righty, lefty/lefty, lefty/righty, or righty/lefty matchups the way baseball seems to. I'm not really sure why that is.

Watch video of Randy Johnson or Adam Ottavino, they are low 3/4 arm slot. When L on L or R on R, the ball is being released seemingly from behind your head. There opposite side hitter can just pick up the ball better.

I think the other factor is that the majority of braking pitches in baseball get both drop and run, (the good ones) getting really tight down and away. I know this is not an absolute, but I don't think that the average drop (or rise for that matter), get nearly as much side to side movement as baseball.

 

[Hillhouse]

I think the other factor is that the majority of braking pitches in baseball get both drop and run, (the good ones) getting really tight down and away. I know this is not an absolute, but I don't think that the average drop (or rise for that matter), get nearly as much side to side movement as baseball.

That's an excellent excellent point. I hadn't thought of that. You're right, dropballs tend to go straight down. Riseballs, bullet spin and backspin would go straight up. You don't really have the pitches that run in and out. Yes, I can make it cut with finger pressure but, it's not something I relied on. 99% of the time if I wanted a dropball to outside on a lefty or in on a righty, I would throw and inside or outside drop. Trying to get fancy with making the ball do multiple things takes away from the simplicity of what a great pitch a dropball actually is. I digress..

That make a lot of sense though about why the RHB/LHP and vice versa are more strategic in baseball. Excellent.

 

[CoachCeetar]

That's an excellent excellent point. I hadn't thought of that. You're right, dropballs tend to go straight down. Riseballs, bullet spin and backspin would go straight up. You don't really have the pitches that run in and out. Yes, I can make it cut with finger pressure but, it's not something I relied on. 99% of the time if I wanted a dropball to outside on a lefty or in on a righty, I would throw and inside or outside drop. Trying to get fancy with making the ball do multiple things takes away from the simplicity of what a great pitch a dropball actually is. I digress..

That make a lot of sense though about why the RHB/LHP and vice versa are more strategic in baseball. Excellent.

I might argue that that fact makes it MORE strategic in softball, and the platoon effect is actually similar on breaking pitches, it just gets smoothed by all the rise/drop pitches.

In baseball, you generally have pitches that you ONLY throw to lefties or righties because of the way it breaks and the angle it's coming in at. But if that's not happening as much in softball, that means that the pitches that do break, or pitchers that throw more horizontally breaking pitches, even a little bit, can unleash those pitches at more strategic times. So while the platoon advantage might not be huge on a drop ball, it might be significant on the curve as it tails away from the batter and employing it strategically might pay dividends.

 

[RADcatcher]

In fastpitch
Being that pitches are released in the area & height of the strike zone.
A basic curve stays almost flat from release point to the strike zone.
( leaves the pitchers hand as a strike and stays that same height, easier to visually track)

-Which is different than in baseball where the pitch is released above the strike zone and is going down into the zone and curving.
( most cases baseball released above the strike zone, pitch going down into the strike zone >other than those extreme side arm pitchers)

In Fastpitch
Have always found it a dangerous element for a left-handed pitcher to throw a *basic curve into the Wheelhouse of a
right-handed hitter. And the opposite
a right-handed pitcher throwing a curve into the Wheelhouse of a left-handed hitter.

If a pitcher were being asked to throw anything that's going to curve
into the Wheelhouse of a batter.
Would want it to *also be
either Dropping or Rising.

 

[CoachCeetar]

In Fastpitch
Have always found it a dangerous element for a left-handed pitcher to throw a curve into the Wheelhouse of a
right-handed hitter. And the opposite a right-handed pitcher throwing a curve into the Wheelhouse of a left-handed hitter.

correct. this is why it's called a platoon advantage.

 

[tomorrow]

In Fastpitch
Have always found it a dangerous element for a left-handed pitcher to throw a *basic curve into the Wheelhouse of a
right-handed hitter. And the opposite
a right-handed pitcher throwing a curve into the Wheelhouse of a left-handed hitter.

If a pitcher were being asked to throw anything that's going to curve
into the Wheelhouse of a batter.
Would want it to *also be
either Dropping or Rising.

Do you use this same logic with a screwball? Dangerous to throw a screwball, a right-handed pitcher into a right-handed batter?

 

[RADcatcher]

Do you use this same logic with a screwball? Dangerous to throw a screwball, a right-handed pitcher into a right-handed batter?

I actually commented to that but deleted thinking maybe taking this conversation off course

Yes. Similar disaster happens when somebody is throwing/calling a pitch location of a screwball type spin
> To the outside of the plate
from either Lefty's to lefties or righty to righty.
* think screw is a less drastic effect though than the curve spin which is more East-West ish. Curve spin causing more explosive impact with the Wheelhouse of the batter.

imo a screwball is a trajectory pitch rather than a movement pitch.
While spin can visually affect what the batter is seeing...without real movement and specific location it offers no advantage to the pitcher. Even when thrown inside is often ripped. Simply get out in front and rip it down the Third Base Line.

It is kind of a leaner pitch that Slants itself minimally. So if it's tried to be thrown on the outside of the plate it will tend to be a leaner towards the plate.
Some people will see that as deceiving a batter. But developed batters will see that as a meat pitch because if it has no downward or upward trajectory it's just another flat pitch. Rip it!