Providence College

[ArmWhip]

Today I took a ride to Providence College in Rhode Island to watch their team play. It was the first time I had been there. I took my pocket radar and my video camera as I always do. The bullpens were screened in but the home one had a hill next to it and I could see one side pretty good so I started filming. There was a tall rangy guy in there working with pitchers. I worked my down the hill to try and get some shots through a gap in the screening at the back of the pen. The head coach and pitching coach came right over and asked me who I was and what I was doing. I immediately apologized and told them that I was a pitching coach on Cape Cod and that I also coached varsity and 14U travel teams and that I took video to show my students. That satisfied them, the pitching coach asked me if I had ever worked for Bill Belichick, which relieved my sense of alarm. I chatted with him a little about the state of high school softball in general. When they introduced the players and coaches I learned that the guy I talked to was Bill Hillhouse. He was a lot bigger than I thought, I've seen those pictures where he's flying off the mound and figured him for about 6ft, not so.

The Providence starter had an unusual pitching motion, she really dipped throwing shoulder down very low. She threw a 65mph fastball/drop/topspin pitch and a 57mph riseball. She also had a very unusual changeup, 43mph, and with a lot of spin. The pitch really floated, I have never seen a changeup that looked like this, it had backspin with a little curve tilt to it sometimes. From what I could see on my camera it looked like the pitcher had some kind of reverse backhand action. Rather than roll her hand around the outside of the ball she had her hand rolled to the inside. I'm guessing that it's kind of like a riseball hand action/position but the IR takes place after release. I never thought a backspin changeup would work but coming out of her hand with a flat trajectory made it look like a riseball and it baffled the hitters.

So if Bill reads this maybe he can explain how his pitcher throws this pitch and how it spins. Or maybe I'm reading more into this than is really there.

 

[4 girl's dad]

We went to a few lessons with Bill and he taught us his change up. Sounds a lot like what you are describing. It’s a back hand change up. You look exactly the same as a reg pitch but as the hand/ball whips forward, you hang on and fully turn the hand over and let the ball come out of the back of the hand and finish up by the opposite shoulder for more deception. It’s similar to a flip but with your hand going more across the body and instead of the release coming from the finger tips, it is more from the side by the pinkie.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[Hillhouse]

Today I took a ride to Providence College in Rhode Island to watch their team play. It was the first time I had been there. I took my pocket radar and my video camera as I always do. The bullpens were screened in but the home one had a hill next to it and I could see one side pretty good so I started filming. There was a tall rangy guy in there working with pitchers. I worked my down the hill to try and get some shots through a gap in the screening at the back of the pen. The head coach and pitching coach came right over and asked me who I was and what I was doing. I immediately apologized and told them that I was a pitching coach on Cape Cod and that I also coached varsity and 14U travel teams and that I took video to show my students. That satisfied them, the pitching coach asked me if I had ever worked for Bill Belichick, which relieved my sense of alarm. I chatted with him a little about the state of high school softball in general. When they introduced the players and coaches I learned that the guy I talked to was Bill Hillhouse. He was a lot bigger than I thought, I've seen those pictures where he's flying off the mound and figured him for about 6ft, not so.

The Providence starter had an unusual pitching motion, she really dipped throwing shoulder down very low. She threw a 65mph fastball/drop/topspin pitch and a 57mph riseball. She also had a very unusual changeup, 43mph, and with a lot of spin. The pitch really floated, I have never seen a changeup that looked like this, it had backspin with a little curve tilt to it sometimes. From what I could see on my camera it looked like the pitcher had some kind of reverse backhand action. Rather than roll her hand around the outside of the ball she had her hand rolled to the inside. I'm guessing that it's kind of like a riseball hand action/position but the IR takes place after release. I never thought a backspin changeup would work but coming out of her hand with a flat trajectory made it look like a riseball and it baffled the hitters.

So if Bill reads this maybe he can explain how his pitcher throws this pitch and how it spins. Or maybe I'm reading more into this than is really there.

Hello ArmWhip, I wish I had known this was you too... we could've chatted a bit more. A little bit of a backstory for you... while playing in Clearwater Florida over Spring break, one of our opponents had a spy sent over to our dugout. I am not kidding. There was a guy lurking by our dugout, then he proceeded to come near the fence where we give signs, information, charts, etc. He was literally on his tip toes trying to look over our trainer's shoulder to see our charts and whatever else he could find. It turned out, that guy was the father of one of the coaches we were playing. However, he wore no logo's or apparel advertising his affiliation. He didn't seem to make much of an effort to hide his quest for info either. So, after that, the head coach (and assistant whom was the one who asked who you were) have been beyond paranoid. Personally, I didn't care. "Let him film" was my attitude but I'm in the minority on most things. Anyway, it's all good.. you're welcome anytime. Let me know when you're coming and I'll organize a tour... bring your team. BTW... I'm 6'3. Ok, so I assume you're talking about game 1 of our doubleheader? The one that went 13 innings? That pitcher was Dani Alvarez. In the 20 years I've done pitching lessons, I've never seen a pitcher like her in the female game. Her ball spins belong in men's fastpitch, talking about hardcore 6/12 on a drop and almost 12/6 on a rise. She is a freshman and has the ability to be amazing. When I got to Providence in the fall, and began to pitch with the pitchers and catchers, learning their strengths and weaknesses, I knew she was different. Similar body frame to my own, and we had to tweak her motion which has put a solid 5 mph on her. When she's on, she's hard to square up at the plate because of her movement. You just don't see this in the college game. She also has the ability to be lazy, miss her spots, and look aloof out on the rubber. What pitcher doesn't have that quality right? But, when she's on, she's tough. Providence is never going to attract a fireball pitcher who strikes out 18 per game. We have to pitch to our defense and use pitch selection smarter than the hitters. I always tell the girls that when they are out there, I am channeling my own self through them... calling pitches exactly as I would if I was out there. Prior to coming here, I was a staunch advocate of letting the catcher call pitches. But learned quickly that nobody was taught HOW to call pitches or situations at younger ages. Throwing riseballs with runner on 3rd and 1 out.... that's a no-no. You need a ground ball, not a fly out that will be a sac fly. Basics that I learned were not so basic. So far, we are at 20 wins for the season with about 3/4 of our losses being 1 run. The team won an entirety of 13 games last year. So, there's bright things happening.

So, the change up. 3 of 4 Providence pitchers modified their change ups at my instruction, as 4 girl's dad said: bringing the back of the hand to the opposite shoulder. Kind of a cross between a backflip and a turn over change. When done right, it's undetectable and virtually unhittable. Funny story, about 10 or so years ago... a guy sent me his DVD for an "endorsement" it was called the "triple pitch". Basically calling it a dropping, curve change up. And he made a video about it. I was 10 minutes into it when I realized it was the exact way I threw my change up. However, the video went on to say you could change speeds by using 2 seams vs. 4 seams, etc. What a bunch of BS!!!! The amount of seams have nothing to do with speed, I was so disgusted. Anyway, the 1 pitcher (Alvarez) who's change up we're talking about here, doesn't throw her's the same way. And when I got here, I observed her throwing and we discussed her change. There wasn't enough of a speed drop for my liking in how she did hers. So, we adjusted her grip by taking her thumb off the ball and spinning it like a curve. By taking the thumb off the ball, she spins it with her first 2 fingers only, getting tons of side spin, and USUALLY some dropping action by it losing it's velocity on the way to the catcher. So, she basically grips it like a riseball, but without a thumb. Slightly more in her palm than a rise but, not all the way sucked into the palm.

Hopefully next time we can actually meet and shake hands.

Bill

 

[ArmWhip]

Bill, thanks for the reply. I sat behind home plate for most of the game so I got a good look at what she was throwing. The few times I was able to focus on her changeup spin I saw a lot of side spin plus at times it tipped up. From my perspective the flat trajectory, which you don't associate with a changeup, was very deceptive. Normally you don't want a changeup to float , you want hitters to swing over it. When I looked at my video I saw that coming down the backside her arm/hand position on the changeup and riseball were nearly identical, right before release the wrist was cupped a lot more on the change. I was trying to figure out what I was seeing, I would never have thought of trying to throw a changeup with that kind of arm/hand action. One other thing that impressed me was that whenever I had my pocket radar on that pitch it always read 43mph. The next time I come to watch a game I will stop by and say hello. Thanks.

 

[ArmWhip]

One other question. Dani Alvarez has an extreme shoulder tilt at release. I have only seen this a couple of times before, it is very uncommon. I'm guessing that you didn't teach her this, that it is something that she developed on her own. What are your thoughts about this type of mechanical action in the fastpitch motion. One example that I often use with parents and new students when explaining the correct fastpitch action is that of skipping a stone on a pond, I contrast this with bowling. I have the student demonstrate skipping a stone then straighten her arm a little and stand taller. Dani Alvarez is definitely 'skipping a stone'.

 

[Hillhouse]

Alvarez just won Big East pitcher of the week for the 2nd time this season!!! How cool is that for her?

You're right, I didn't even meet Alvarez until we both got to Providence. Her dad is a fastpitch pitcher in Southern Cal and does lessons out there, he taught her from then until now. Since coming to PC, we have worked to tweak her motion but the overall mechanics have not been messed with. By tweaking I mean, the bend forward she's doing is new. Prior to that, she was completely upright/erect and not generating much push off the rubber from the upper body. Since the change, she's picked up several MPH but not changed the other aspects of her delivery.

The amount of spin she puts on her change up helps it float and defy gravity but, the 43 mph speed USUALLY makes it fall on it's way to the plate. If her release point is off, it will seem to go in a line or possibly even rise due to the lack of gravitational pull. This is not the desired effect or desired result but it happens. Yes, she does "cup" her change more, which means more hand on the ball. Remember, more hand equals less speed. So, pitchers can ALWAYS take speed off their dropball, for example, by adding fingers or putting it back in the palm. This is not a new change up, it's changing speeds. Big difference. If adding an extra finger or 2 on the ball takes off 4mph, it may not be noticeable to the naked eye but will definitely effect the hitter's timing. Instead of it being a line shot up the middle, the hitter could be slightly out in front inducing a ground ball to short.

Bill

 

[BC77]

One other question. Dani Alvarez has an extreme shoulder tilt at release. I have only seen this a couple of times before, it is very uncommon. I'm guessing that you didn't teach her this, that it is something that she developed on her own. What are your thoughts about this type of mechanical action in the fastpitch motion. One example that I often use with parents and new students when explaining the correct fastpitch action is that of skipping a stone on a pond, I contrast this with bowling. I have the student demonstrate skipping a stone then straighten her arm a little and stand taller. Dani Alvarez is definitely 'skipping a stone'.

Hello, I have a question for you. I noticed Bill Hillhouse is no longer at Providence, just seemed to disappear from roster. Any idea what happened there?

 

[Hillhouse]

I resigned last week. Sorry, nothing salacious or scandalous to report. I sincerely hope PC continues on their current trajectory and success. They've had a MONSTER year and it's what the program really needed. The team is in excellent hands with the 2 coaches, and I'm sure they'll make a great fulltime hire in the summer.

Bill

 

[Gags]

Bill,

I was about to email you too to see if you were going to be traveling with the team down to DC for the Georgetown series. Based on the above description of Alvarez, maybe I'll still try to see a game. I've heard good things about the facility Georgetown plays at (Washington Nationals Academy in SE DC).

Best of luck with your next endeavor!

 

[BC77]

Thanks for the info Bill. That's a bummer... my daughter was looking forward to potentially having you as a coach. Your video instruction alone has benefited her! She's the pitcher from Los Angeles.
I wish you the best.