Palm Down Curve

[Tango]

DD throws a really good change that's kinda like a drop curve. Will throw it 30x in a game. PC wants her to learn a palm down curve? Never really seen one.


DD throws an a ove average palm up curve. Thoughts? She's 13.

 

[DNeeld]

When I think of a palm down curve, all I can think of is the "crop duster" Ricketts used to throw. It worked out for her.

 

[Ken B]

Throw a drop to the outside corner and call it a crop. Ricketts and Hawkins both threw this pitch. I’ll find a link...

 

[Ken B]

Dang...

"The Crop"

Dish DVR has been a nightmare for me and as I've gone back to watch games that were postponed or whatever, I've found I've missed a ton. I did not get to see anything more than highlights of OU's blowouts. I did see a clip of Ricketts' "Crop" which I'm sure was palm up. When I throw a palm up...

www.discussfastpitch.com

 

[Jay Bolden]

I love teaching the crop. If you can get the kids to learn to focus on axis of the ball coming out of the hand, you'll love it! I teach both, but I love the "Crop"

 

[mmeece]

I'm just guessing but I'd bet he wants to work on the palm down curve in order to have a full-speed pitch that spins similar to her change up. For many girls the palm down curve ends up spinning somewhere between a drop curve and curve. That might make her change a little harder to pick up as the batters become better with picking up spin as they get older. On the other hand, if she doesn't throw it well and has a good curve it may not be worth it. That said, the best change ups fool batters because they mimic the spin of one of their full speed pitches.

 

[Tango]

That's what I was thinking also. I don't know anything about the palm down curve. No clue how to teach it. Her change is very good but needs something to go with it. Do you keep the palm up also?

 

[mmeece]

That's what I was thinking also. I don't know anything about the palm down curve. No clue how to teach it. Her change is very good but needs something to go with it. Do you keep the palm up also?

They should look different enough that you could potentially keep both. If you have a baseball background think of the palm down as a slider. However, I would be sure she throws both well enough that they are effective or get rid of the one that isn't a quality pitch. At her age there is no reason not to work on both and see if one or both ends up being a high quality pitch. I know I think differently than some here, but I say try almost everything and see what she naturally does well. Once you see what 2 to 4 pitches she really throws well in a couple of years trim down to throwing and working only the best ones.

 

[Tango]

They should look different enough that you could potentially keep both. If you have a baseball background think of the palm down as a slider. However, I would be sure she throws both well enough that they are effective or get rid of the one that isn't a quality pitch. At her age there is no reason not to work on both and see if one or both ends up being a high quality pitch. I know I think differently than some here, but I say try almost everything and see what she naturally does well. Once you see what 2 to 4 pitches she really throws well in a couple of years trim down to throwing and working only the best ones.
[/QUOTE

Change is good. Curve is average but consistent. Turn over drop movement is very good but not consistent from day to day. Screw movement is very good but inconsistent from pitch to pitch. Rise shows some potential at times. Doesn't throw hard enough to be a top 14U pitcher 53/55.

 

[ArmWhip]

This is a high velocity pitch. The problem is that the release is similar to a popular change up. With this pitch you IR like you would with a fastball but plam faces in or down, the fingers go around the outside of ball to get the proper curve spin. With the change up you IR early to take the velocity off the ball and release the same way, palm facing down or in, with the fingers going around the outside of the ball. The similarity of the releases can cause some crossover contamination.