My 12U DD pitching

[Six11 Hitting]

Cailie pitching 2-2-12.MOV - YouTube

This a short Youtube video of my DD throwing a fastball. She just turned 12. I slowed it way down to help with evaluating.

Any input is appreciated...

 

[redhotcoach]

My only advice is turn the camera/phone sideways. I did the same thing first time.

 

[Six11 Hitting]

Thanks, I figured that out after I was home already.

 

[sluggers]

Honestly, I don't see much to fix. Perhaps she could work finishing in the "4 position" and not bring the right leg around. But...

You can play around with little tweaks like this forever. Your time might be better spent working on the rise, location and speed.

 

[Six11 Hitting]

Thanks. I'm trying not to come off as one of those dads that thinks his kid throws 18 pitches but in reality she can't throw any accurately. Right now she can spot her fastball, riseball, and changeup in and out. She also throws a curve that is fairly accurate. We are really hitting speed hard right now. She throws hard but I think we need a couple more mph before the season starts.

Any suggestions to get more speed out of her would be great!!!

 

[Six11 Hitting]

Can you explain more about finishing in the 4 position?

 

[sluggers]

It is tempting to go for 2 more MPH...but, really, it is not worth it at her age and at her level. You and her need to do the boring, time consuming work on location with her pitches.

Why? She is already starting to mature, so she'll gain more MPH simply by getting bigger and stronger. So, yes, you might pick up 2 more MPH now, but in a year, she'll add 5 or 6 MPHs without doing anything, so adding a couple of MPHs now is pointless.

Michael Jordan was not the best player in the world when he entered in the NBA. But, every year, he found a weakness in his game and he worked on it. So, do what Jordan would have done. You have identified her weakness (location), so put the work in to fix it.


Video on the "Figure 4"

 

[Six11 Hitting]

That is very good input. Thank you. I will try and work the finish in the 4 position with her tonight. Will that help keep her hip back during release? It seems to me her hip might be getting in the way slightly.

 

[Jillsdad]

(unimportant question) How fast does she throw?

 

[sluggers]

Your DD is way past worrying about hip closing. She does a great job of staying open through release. So, here is the problem:

Pitching is about momentum transfer. The concept is that the pitcher gets her entire body moving in a straight line toward the catcher, and then stops everything but her arm. This causes the body to shoot out of her hand. So, it is similar to putting a brick on the dashboard of the car. If you want the brick to go through the window, you slam on the brakes.

So, your DD is letting the lower part of her body move forward after release. Here is Osterman. Watch the *LOWER HALF* of her body and specifically note where her left leg (she is a lefty) ends up. None of her lower body moves forward after release. Now look at your DD's lower half. Your DD needs to keep her right leg behind her left foot.

[video=youtube_share;7LqYXr98HA8]http://youtu.be/7LqYXr98HA8[/video]

Here is Kaitlin Ingelsby, University of Washington:

[video=youtube_share;mYP5MNg4VLA]http://youtu.be/mYP5MNg4VLA[/video]