Long time purker and I have several questions!

[javasource]

I won't speak for them... but I'll give you my opinions:

1) The majority of people on this site are helping someone else... so the vantage point of "coaches eye" has become the norm on here. It was backwards for me, too. Your description is backwards, though... RHP's never face 1B, you must be a lefty.

45-degrees is open, IMO... like, the door is half-way open. You can't be a degree of closed... but a door can be partially open.

I think you're referring to the clock... but perhaps I'm wrong...???

2) Resistance is created with the front leg... you're talking about two different legs. For the record, I don't like rear zombie leg... and Rick is referencing posture on a drop ball, to which I completely agree.

3) When you're powering the whip, being "DFP open" allows you to do so. That's +45-degrees (facing third more than home)... or across the body. The hip snap Rick references is something that happens after ADduction. One is a focus on what happens from 12-8... the other a focus on what happens from 8-6... per se...

4) I'll let BM chime in on that...

 

[JJsqueeze]

ps. Play nice this time.

x 2........

 

[Swingz]

I won't speak for them... but I'll give you my opinions:

1) The majority of people on this site are helping someone else... so the vantage point of "coaches eye" has become the norm on here. It was backwards for me, too. Your description is backwards, though... RHP's never face 1B, you must be a lefty.

45-degrees is open, IMO... like, the door is half-way open. You can't be a degree of closed... but a door can be partially open.

I think you're referring to the clock... but perhaps I'm wrong...???

2) Resistance is created with the front leg... you're talking about two different legs. For the record, I don't like rear zombie leg... and Rick is referencing posture on a drop ball, to which I completely agree.

3) When you're powering the whip, being "DFP open" allows you to do so. That's +45-degrees (facing third more than home)... or across the body. The hip snap Rick references is something that happens after ADduction. One is a focus on what happens from 12-8... the other a focus on what happens from 8-6... per se...

4) I'll let BM chime in on that...

Yea I butchered that...rh third base!

 

[Swingz]

Java

Thanks for your response, The 45 degree thing is clear now.

The question for me still remains, how can you you get up on the rear leg and still have a resisting front leg. It seems as every pitch from Balswick is a drop ball then? I do realize we are talking about 2 different legs. It just seems to be a contradiction.

Thanks!

 

[Swingz]

Would you say that being completely DFP closed would cause the hips to push rearward and result in poor posture. In other words facing 3rd base and being to sideways!

 

[Swingz]

I think of it this way. When the pitcher is facing the catcher, she is closed. When the stride occurs, the hips open. As the stride foot lands (say at 45 degrees), I've heard people describe that as 45 degrees open, and/or 45 degrees closed.



I don't know if this is what you're asking, but I prefer a slight "reverse posture" at release. I know some PCs want more weight forward for certain pitches like drop balls.

Pitchers have various degrees of shoulder/hip closure at release. I think Amanda is very closed at release, and Cat more open. JS described the concept of shoulder-hip disconnet, which to me is the bigger issue and one you want to avoid. Where the shoulders over rotate and the hips stay more "open".

He's just messing with us. I've heard him refer to the hips/shoulders as 45 degrees open, and/or 45 degrees closed

I'm no expert, these are just my opinions.

PS. play nice this time.

Good info and don't associate me with the guy who visits here often and then has to leave. I know all about it and its a distraction that I'm not interested in.

Thank you!

 

[jryan15]

IMO if you get all (or close to) completely open (sideways), you are going to need some level of hip or shoulder closing to load your throwing arm. If not, I doubt you will get any significant whip out of the IR mechanic. If you adduct while completely sideways, you will not load your arm (ER), and instead you will likely have to push the ball across the body.

I see the throwing arm loading in pitching similar to that of the overhand throw. To me, a pitcher standing completely open with the ball behind her is not much different than someone overhand throwing using "L" drills.

In the overhand throw, the throwing arm gets loaded as it ER's while the body turns forward. The ball and the hand resist the change in momentum, and creates ER stretch. In pitching if you are not completely open, the adduction move of the upper arm will load the throwing arm behind the pitcher because it will force the arm to stretch beyond the relaxed standing "L" position. Using the hips or shoulders (like the OH throw) can also load the pitching arm. I am sure that if you can do both explosively at the right time, they will both add to the amount of stretch (whip).

 

[javasource]

Java

Thanks for your response, The 45 degree thing is clear now.

The question for me still remains, how can you you get up on the rear leg and still have a resisting front leg. It seems as every pitch from Balswick is a drop ball then? I do realize we are talking about 2 different legs. It just seems to be a contradiction. I

Thanks!

Your stride leg is what you're getting up on... as it is the one that is posting against the drive outward.

I would only guess that Rich starts beginners with a drop... but that doesn't mean that he doesn't stress the importance of resistance on the front side...

... in fact, the two work famously together. Front side resistance can allow the rear leg to come forward... or enables it to. Frontside resistance doesn't mean angle back a ton... it's a way stopping forward momentum to power the pitch. When you stop forward momentum... stuff lagging behind will come forward. The degree of posture is dependent on the pitch you are throwing.

Think of a train hitting a wall... the back comes forward. They don't contradict one another, they compliment one another. Hope that helps.

 

[Jojo]

I am about to bust a rib with these thread titles lately.

 

[javasource]

Would you say that being completely DFP closed would cause the hips to push rearward and result in poor posture. In other words facing 3rd base and being to sideways!

That would be DFP open.

IMO, I don't like completely open or completely closed. With beginners I'll lean towards more open (facing 3rd). This is one of those variables we have to be mindful of... there is no perfect degree of open... so, as long as the degree that they utilize allows them to maximize the pithing movements, I celebrate the accomplishment. Think range... not an absolute number. 45-70 degrees OPEN is what I'm after INTO RELEASE... but will adjust this to the athlete. Anything less than 45 open (before 9 o'clock... ball behind them) is less than ideal, IMO. If you watch Sarah... and remain mindful of where the ball is... in respect to how open she is... you'll see what I'm talking about. After the release of the pitch is what we typically see... just need to retrain what our perception versus what the reality is... which is why slo-mo video is so helpful.