PITCHERS TOOLBOX

[radness]

Whats in your pitchers toolbox?
What pitches are you using?
Whats working?
Whats in the works?
Instructors what are you teaching?

*Please share age or bracket for understanding level and strategy!


On the Original O.C. Batbusters
Pitchers at 14yrs toolbox~

Julie Carpenter
Rise, curve, drop, changes, fb
( Became Edison High School Sunset league div.1 starting pitcher as a freshman. Took us to CIF honors each year. Went on to throw for Texas AM)

Cindy Bird
Rise, drop, changes, fb

Michelle -?-
Drops mostly, changes, curve

 

[Tango]

06 SE Batbusters

FB (drop), curve, change, rise, drop (off speed drop Curve) This was used as her change and is her best pitch but a little hard for a true change.

Working hard on downward movement on her FB. Spotting the rise up and in.

 

[Hillhouse]

I had 3 tools: strike 1, strike 2, strike 3. Although sometimes my tools would break and it'd be: strike 1, HOMERUN.

I've never made a secret of saying a pitcher needs 3 pitches: rise, drop, and change. I've come around a little, and changed my mind somewhat, on the curveball. Only because (in my experience) girls seem to struggle hitting it, but I'm not sure why. Most pitchers throw their curve on the same plane and it doesn't go up or down. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't reply about how your kid has a wicked "drop curve" or a "crop" (which I've renamed a "Crap"). I was speaking generally about how curveballs in softball are thrown. Personally, I think trying to make the ball do 2 things at once is a dangerous thing to do, if it doesn't drop or curve you may have a pitch right down the middle. Why not just throw an outside drop? Worst case scenario, if it doesn't drop, it'd still be outside. If you miss your outside location, you can still depend on the downward movement for them to "mishit" the ball. Risking one over the middle with polycore balls and composite bats is Russian Roulette.

Every pitch thrown can be varied in speed by how much hand is put on the ball. More hand means less speed. So, if your kid is throwing a drop (for example) and is using all 4 fingers, then the pitch will be slower than if she was using 3 fingers. And 3 fingers is slower than 2 fingers. That said, a girl has to use what God gave her. If the hand is very small, she'll NEED to use all 4 fingers. But then the goal is to not suck it back into the palm as much, if possible. Less hand means more speed. And that works in reverse too, she can ADD fingers to the ball to take 3mph off the pitch and still get the same spin and movement. This is changing speeds, not change ups. Similar to watching an MLB game and the pitcher throws 96 mph, then 92, then back to 95 then down to 89. He's adding more hand to make the ball go slower. Not a change up..... changing speeds. It's an important distinction.

I had a new student the other day who came from another coach, and had about 10 pitches. Including but not limited to a 4 seam drop and a 2 seam drop. They didn't understand my confusion at that, my inability to understand why that would be 2 different pitches or why you'd want to throw anything with 2 seams. But I digress. Her "toolbox" was pretty heavy so we lightened it quite a bit and got rid of some of those "tools" in lesson #1. In fact, personally...... I think that's why those ridiculous wristbands were invented a few years ago with the pitches: girls like this one had 10 pitches but the catcher only has 5 fingers so they needed a new system. LOLOLOLOLOL.

 

[ArmWhip]

I have a pitcher right now who throws a good drop/curve (rollover). If she throws it with more top it goes down, if it has more side spin it curves more. It's going to do one or the other, it never goes straight. I also think that horizontal break down in the zone can be effective. The lower the pitch the more angle the bat has, the higher the pitch the flatter the bat angle. So horizontal break can work down in the zone.

 

[Rolling Hard]

The best pitchers have 3 pitches. Fastball,screw and rise, or then a fastball, curve ball, drop. And change up. There is really only 3 pitches. OK, 4, knuckle something. The best pitch one can learn is strike one.

 

[Hillhouse]

The best pitchers have 3 pitches. Fastball,screw and rise, or then a fastball, curve ball, drop. And change up. There is really only 3 pitches. OK, 4, knuckle something. The best pitch one can learn is strike one.

I completely disagree. But I guess that's what makes discussion boards fun.

 

[radness]

[QUOTE="Hillhouse, post: 572487]
Every pitch thrown can be varied in speed by how much hand is put on the ball.
[/QUOTE]
Nice!!!!
Pitches varied in speed!
Excellent tools!
Pitching instructor Bill Owens calls those
"Half a Buck"

When calling pitches had a distinct sign for the change.
And a seperate sign for "Half a Bucks"
Would use the sign for the other pitches and would wiggle that sign as an indicator...
"Take some off it!"

Example
Solid two finger= drop with speed
Wiggle two finger= drop take some off


As for the curve MR.B was chatting about.
Imo it adds another dimension of spin to deception.
Useful in bunt situations too.
Good set up pitch mixed with other pitches.
Dont like to throw it into the wheel house tho....BOOM

Recognizing not all pitchers throw a rise effectively...the curve can compliment the drop.
Especially when they each can be thrown with distinction or combo into curve'drop.
Add the times when batters will stay away from it, and wonderful framing called strike occurs!
Creates another zone for batters to consider thats not straight either.

As for whats hittable or not level vs. up or down.
Batters tend to have strengths anyway...that could easily be a drop or rise also.

Like the mentioning of throwing at different speeds best !!!!
"Half a Buck" mix it in !!!

 

[radness]

The best pitchers have 3 pitches. Fastball,screw and rise, or then a fastball, curve ball, drop. And change up. There is really only 3 pitches. OK, 4, knuckle something. The best pitch one can learn is strike one.

The best pitch looks like its going to
be a strike and isnt !

Pitchers start by learning to throw a strike.
However that strategy needs to turn into
PURPOSELY not throwing strikes.

 

[sluggers]

Throw my $.02...

Most pitchers have control of three pitches. The curve drop is simply a poorly thrown drop ball. If a pitcher doesn't get the 6-12 spin right, the ball tails to the outside.

 

[BT3100]

DD's PC teaches her to move the ball up and down in the zone (rise, drop).
Change speeds (change up)
And have but not use too often curve and screw.
Fastballs only when necessary