Release and Spin Gifs

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May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
barnhill_spin_zps94lvclkr.gif

What are we calling this one? "Upward-Tilted bullet"?
 

TMD

Feb 18, 2016
433
43
Curious about if hitters can really see the spin in realtime and react/adjust accordingly. I know my eyes aren't great, but I can't see any spin details when watching pitchers up close and in person. Everything looks easy and clear in super slow motion, but are hitters really seeing the spin of a 60+mph pitch? Are they seeing arm/hand position at release? Or are they anticipating based on count, pitcher tendency, etc.?
 
May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
Curious about if hitters can really see the spin in realtime and react/adjust accordingly. I know my eyes aren't great, but I can't see any spin details when watching pitchers up close and in person. Everything looks easy and clear in super slow motion, but are hitters really seeing the spin of a 60+mph pitch? Are they seeing arm/hand position at release? Or are they anticipating based on count, pitcher tendency, etc.?

After catching my 14yr old DD, since she was 9,
I've developed a pretty good eye for reading spin.
We don't even used a taped ball anymore.
And DD also can read her own spin on pitches without the help of a striped ball also.
She is a low to mid 50s pitcher, spinning 16-24rps depending upon the pitch.

I don't know if this becomes more difficult with greater velocity - but I suspect it does.
Less opportunity for your brain to read and process. I was able to read spin of local HS pitchers at our recent sectional finals,
this past weekend. (most were either all drop spin, or small-dot and large-dot bullet, for every "pitch" they threw. Except for 2 that impressed me with good variation on spin and axis for differing pitches...)
These HS girls hovered around 58-60.

Even in the 50s, I think it would be hard to process and make decisions about how to swing,
in real-time in a game, based upon what you perceive as how the ball is spinning.
Not saying it's impossible, but that it would take a lot of focused practice to learn this skill, I would think.
 
Last edited:
May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
Actually, I would call this Java's term "ramp ball".
But it's not thrown high in the zone at an upward trajectory.
So is it a missed location?
Or does Barnhill sometimes not achieve back-spin on a "low-rise"?
 
Nov 16, 2015
184
18
Curious about if hitters can really see the spin in realtime and react/adjust accordingly. I know my eyes aren't great, but I can't see any spin details when watching pitchers up close and in person. Everything looks easy and clear in super slow motion, but are hitters really seeing the spin of a 60+mph pitch? Are they seeing arm/hand position at release? Or are they anticipating based on count, pitcher tendency, etc.?

Yes, absolutely. they say the difference between a AAA hitter and a MLB hitter is their eyes.
 
Jun 18, 2010
2,624
38
If you see any good camera shots of pitchers from the side, shots of spin like above, or anything else noteworthy of capturing, note the Game, Inning (top/bot), Number of outs, and anything else that would help pinpoint the time and post it. I'll try to grab that event.
 

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