And Steve Sax ... but only after being traded to the Yankees!!
Pitcher daughter can't throw overhand to first base
- Thread starter JennyB4Jennie
- Start date
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I threw FP until I was 46...I either threw pitches to 1B or ran towards 1B and soft tossed underhand to F3. I worked on it in practice with my F3 and F4...anything not within arms length to my right was handled by F5 or F6...that is BS her team mates are laughing...they should be helping her!!
This is great advice for come-backers. BUT what about a bunt? Is she yippy when fielding a bunt and having to change direction quickly and maybe not thinking about it as much? If she is, then maybe it's shuffle, shuffle dart on comebackers and stay out of the way on bunts and let the third basemen/catcher/firstbasemen be the fielders.
- May 29, 2015
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Turn her into a first baseman?
- Aug 21, 2008
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So, I know this sounds like an "elitist" statement and I will apologize in advance for that. I'm never going to suggest someone has to have been a pitcher to be a great coach but here is an example of a situation that most people who've never pitched cannot relate to. You guys have no idea how hard it is to throw overhand after you've thrown 20, 30, 40, 50 pitches underhand as hard as possible. IT IS FREAKING HARD TO DO.
First, as someone pointed out about Ueno, she throws the ball underhand to 1st base. Why not do that? If the firstbaseman is aware that it's coming that way, it shouldn't be a problem. I've seen people field bunts, and throw underhand to 2nd for a force at 2nd base too. While some of the "pitches" to whatever base may be off balance, if she doesn't have the ability to throw overhand at all, then I'd take the 50-50 chance with an off balance underhand throw where she's at least loose to throw it that way.
Assuming she can throw overhand ok BEFORE pitching, I have another suggestion. Again, using my own personal experience, Before the game and in between innings, I would do my warm up pitches to my catcher and when I'd get the ball back, I would throw overhand to my 3rd baseman 3-5 times until the batter was in the box and ready to go. Then, after every out, after the team threw the ball around, I would throw overhand to my 3rd baseman to keep that overhand throw loose and able to go. If there was a timeout for any reason, I would throw overhand to my 3rd baseman. Just doing it as often as I can to keep that side of my game as sharp as I could make it. As long as the batter is not in the box ready to go and the pitcher isn't delaying the game by playing catch, there shouldn't be a problem. It worked for me.
Bill
First, as someone pointed out about Ueno, she throws the ball underhand to 1st base. Why not do that? If the firstbaseman is aware that it's coming that way, it shouldn't be a problem. I've seen people field bunts, and throw underhand to 2nd for a force at 2nd base too. While some of the "pitches" to whatever base may be off balance, if she doesn't have the ability to throw overhand at all, then I'd take the 50-50 chance with an off balance underhand throw where she's at least loose to throw it that way.
Assuming she can throw overhand ok BEFORE pitching, I have another suggestion. Again, using my own personal experience, Before the game and in between innings, I would do my warm up pitches to my catcher and when I'd get the ball back, I would throw overhand to my 3rd baseman 3-5 times until the batter was in the box and ready to go. Then, after every out, after the team threw the ball around, I would throw overhand to my 3rd baseman to keep that overhand throw loose and able to go. If there was a timeout for any reason, I would throw overhand to my 3rd baseman. Just doing it as often as I can to keep that side of my game as sharp as I could make it. As long as the batter is not in the box ready to go and the pitcher isn't delaying the game by playing catch, there shouldn't be a problem. It worked for me.
Bill
Young kids grow up spending way too many hours performing drills (most of which are harmful) or warming up throwing to another person that is directly across from them. This overused repetition teaches a somewhat boring static one direction throw and trains the athleticism out of most kids. In a game, most if not all throws require movement to a ball and then a throw is made at an angle different than straight across from them with a sense of urgency. When I coached travel or H.S. - I made sure we ran drills that required movement in all directions to field or catch a ball with all their throws replicating the angles that most throws are made in a game at game speed. We always warmed up in groups of 3 or more performing speed drills from different distances using the 3 basic throws( overhand/underhand push/off the table backhand). The girl I give pitching lessons to currently started out with the same problems you are describing. She is going to be a great pitcher but her athleticism was stunted due to poor practice throwing routines. I actually had to spend several minutes of several sessions to get her where she is at today. She has improved but her team practices keep re-enforcing the bad habits.
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