My 12U DD missing away

[MattM]

I am in no way a pitching coach.

However I recall Bill Hillhouse stating that missing up or down is a timing issue and left and right is a mechanics issue.

I think you are right that Bill does talk about mechanical issues that pull the shoulders out of line for left or right misses. I think this would explain misses but for a consistently off the mark to one side is more what I was referring to.

Every pitchers issues are different but my DD does something very similar to the OP. When she starts to warm up at full pitch, the first couple of pitches she consistently misses to the arm side of the target which for her is the the right. In about 10-20 pitches she slowly reels it in to the target until she is locked in. So in warming up she is first establishing her timing and natural IR release for that day and not so much worrying about direction. After she establishes her release timing she is adjusting her aim until she locks it in and then she is good to go.

 

[texasheat]

The reason I bring this up is that she is pitching illegally. If this was USA sanctioned softball. Both feet have to be in contact with the pitching rubber pursuant to rule 6.

Rule 6 was changed this year to allow a pitcher to only have one foot in contact with the pitcher's plate.

https://cdn4.sportngin.com/attachments/document/6d13-2043632/2020_USA_Softball_Rule_Changes_New_Rules_PP_Final.pdf

 

[texasheat]

Misses away consistently. I que her to aim it at a right handed batter and she misses down the middle but up. Any help is appreciated

Really need a video from behind the plate to properly diagnose this issue. This is a mechanical issue. An alignment issue. In order to see what is causing the alignment problem, we need to see a view from in front of her just like in order to fix a car's alignment you have to have measurements from in front of the car, not from the side.

Otherwise it's just a bunch of guessing.

 

[Tango]

Got it on the big screen. She never completely covers IMO. Her shoulders go past 45% and not covering gives a little screwball action. Seems are differently facing towards 1st after release. I posted a few things earlier but I would also work on her glove movement being more forceful.

She looks like a great left handed athlete and is doing a lot correct. Has the tools.

 

[Hawk_]

I will say that as a baseball guy my whole life....I really admire y'all who know pitching this well. I am trying to pick up what I can, but I will always refer my pitchers to their pitching coaches for corrections. I ask for key phrases to put in their heads as they are pitching and that's it.
I'll stick to fielding and hitting lol

 

[ArmWhip]

On the mechanical side I want to know:

How does she do against left handed hitters, is she regularly coming close to hitting them?

What is the spin on her fastball and does it change when she aims at different targets?

When you ask her to throw to an outside target against righties does she throw it way outside?

In your opening post you said 'aim at a right handed batter' are you talking about actual batters or imaginary ones?

 

[tomorrow]

On the mechanical side I want to know:

How does she do against left handed hitters, is she regularly coming close to hitting them?

What is the spin on her fastball and does it change when she aims at different targets?

When you ask her to throw to an outside target against righties does she throw it way outside?

In your opening post you said 'aim at a right handed batter' are you talking about actual batters or imaginary ones?

These are good questions

 

[Cornbread]

On the mechanical side I want to know:

How does she do against left handed hitters, is she regularly coming close to hitting them? Hits them

What is the spin on her fastball and does it change when she aims at different targets?
Changes closer to 6-12 when she aims it inside. Spins it like a fastball should when she throws it away

When you ask her to throw to an outside target against righties does she throw it way outside? Haven’t tried that

In your opening post you said 'aim at a right handed batter' are you talking about actual batters or imaginary ones? Aim at a RHB front hip is what I tell her

 

[ArmWhip]

I slowed down the video and looked at it frame by frame, she has great mechanics. I have seen many pitchers with excellent control and technique that is not nearly as good.

"Normal" fastball spin varies from pitcher to pitcher, from topspin to bulletspin. When you say 'normal' I assume that you mean halfway between bullet and top.

When she releases her fastball does it come off the finger tips or side of the index finger? She may not know this and it might take some time for her develop the feel for it.

I would try to get her to throw topspin. I would explain what it is and how the hand releases the ball, with the palm facing the plate when the ball rolls out off the finger tips. Once you explain how the pitch is thrown I would have her focus on the spin of the ball and not on what the hand/fingers are doing. It's important that she pays attention to how the ball is spinning and let's her body/hand/fingers figure out the mechanics.

When it comes to making subtle changes in mechanics it's better to let the body figure it out and keep the mind from trying to direct things.

 

[Cornbread]

I slowed down the video and looked at it frame by frame, she has great mechanics. I have seen many pitchers with excellent control and technique that is not nearly as good.

"Normal" fastball spin varies from pitcher to pitcher, from topspin to bulletspin. When you say 'normal' I assume that you mean halfway between bullet and top.

When she releases her fastball does it come off the finger tips or side of the index finger? She may not know this and it might take some time for her develop the feel for it.

I would try to get her to throw topspin. I would explain what it is and how the hand releases the ball, with the palm facing the plate when the ball rolls out off the finger tips. Once you explain how the pitch is thrown I would have her focus on the spin of the ball and not on what the hand/fingers are doing. It's important that she pays attention to how the ball is spinning and let's her body/hand/fingers figure out the mechanics.

When it comes to making subtle changes in mechanics it's better to let the body figure it out and keep the mind from trying to direct things.

Yes on fastball spin being between bullet and topspin. I’ve used the cue spin it forward and it helped some. We’ve worked some yesterday and noticed her stride getting way open. Gonna post some more videos soon. Appreciate everyone’s advice! We are working through it!