Re-Plant, 2nd Push, what do college coaches think about this?

[GoCaboNow]

I dunno RT. your argument makes sense in a way but the brick analogy doesn't hold for me. I think a more appropriate analogy to a crow hop would be to tap the gas pedal right before the brakes. Replanting gives you a boost of power into the front side. I think there are two very practical points here.

The first is the men's game. If the replant wasn't a power adder then why do so may men's pitchers do it? The second is the over hand outfield throw. If it didn't add power then why do we all naturally do it on throws from 200 feet away?

maybe some of our men's FP former players could chime in on it with their first hand experience.

As for teaching a kid to do it. I personally think the rules will change within the next 5 years so I let DD play with a crow hop once in a while. If it does get legalized I'd like her to be able to have some feel for it. It hasn't affected her motion one bit. They really are two very distinct feels. I don't think one can easily convert one way or the other. DD finds it very difficult to crow hop effectively.

When DD first started pitching last winter we practiced mostly on concrete. She slowly migrated to a stronger and stronger drive off whatever we were using as a rubber. Before I knew it she had developed a crow hop so she wouldn't have to drag her toe on the cement. Luckily, she was so new it just took 2-3 weeks to get it out of her system, but it was still a pain, like reigning in a race horse. She still remembers the stigma of it. Now, she prides herself on driving out, but quickly getting the toe down and straight as possible. One game, in pregame warmups she called me out to the mound. I didn't know if she pulled something or what? Was wet conditions. She just wanted to show me her nice straight drag... When/if I had to tell her the hop was legal she would be pissed off.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

"replanting" is actually less efficient than leap and drag.

Incorrect. Why did you force me out of retirement here RT? We've been through the physics analysis on this before.....

First off, the replant you are talking about is not allowing the pitchers stride foot (front foot) to get closer to the batter after the initial stride foot touches down so it's not an advantage in that regards.

Wrong again.

Yes, the men's game allows a replant and they often can stride far outside the pitching circle because they don't touch down the stride foot until well after the second push with the pivot foot. I have never seen the girls/women do this second push off with the pivot foot in an attempt to get the stride foot closer to home plate. Just never have seen it.

Maybe you're watching soccer????

Secondly, to be an efficient pitcher you want all of your stored energy (momentum) going forward against a strong front side resistance (i.e. against the front planted stride foot). Any effort to bear weight on the pivot foot (replant foot) has just diverted some of the stored energy from the drive, to the back leg and back foot instead of the front side. Sluggers uses an example of a brick in the back seat of the car, when you slam on the brakes, the stored energy in the brick propels it quickly so that it is launched through the front windshield. Now let's say instead of slamming on the brakes, you tap on them a little, the brick moves a little forward and then you slam on the brakes. The brick falls into the front seat but not through the windshield because some of the stored energy was already released from the brick because you tapped on the brakes (replanted).

Flawed analogy. To correct your example replanting is like a tap of the brakes then movement closer to target then an impulse reinstatement of AT LEAST the original speed from that closer position to a stop. But now the second acceleration forward does NOT start from rest but it starts from the first pushes retained speed therefore even a further advantage.

Third, I would not teach your DD to replant because it's not only illegal but more importantly it's less efficient than leap and dragging into a firm front side.

Wrong (not addressing the legality part because that part in SB is all FUBAR)

Fourth, while drive mechanics are important, most pitchers get their velocity and good speed from excellent IR arm whip mechanics and brush interference. It's one of the reasons the "sling shot" pitchers can generate a tremendous amount of arm whip and velocity without ever leap and dragging. Girls can "leap" and "replant"'all they want but the pitcher that understands and uses internal rotation and brush interference are the ones that will be pitching for a long time to come.

So a good whip (IR, BI, yada yada) & replanting are independent in my book

To summarize, if you see your DDs fellow competitors replanting, you should crack a smile because your DDs mechanics are likely much more efficient and effective than these other pitchers mechanics. No need to sweat about it and make excuses for your DDs pitching performance. If her competitors are pitching faster than your DD its "in spite of" their replanting not "because" of it.

Go ahead and crack a smile if you don't mind inequities in the sport.....

 

[STRIKE3]

thanks everyone!