RHP vs LHP

[Alsmygal]

I asked this in another thread but didn't get a response and probably should've posted this new thread anyway so I wouldn't hijack the other one.

Anyway, does a LHP really have a natural curve to their pitches vs RHP? My daughter is a lefty and her pitches do drop and curve away from a RHB, and we've had two pitching coaches say that's the advantage of a LHP. I guess I just don't get how that could happen since the motion is the same but only backward from a RHP.

Can someone explain it to me? I just can't understand it quite yet.

 

[Ken B]

Sounds like a LHP screwball and if she can figure out how she's doing it and keep it in her toolbox, I'd say embrace it. My guess is that it it would be good to use against a LHB...

 

[Greenmonsters]

Lefties and natural movement - reality or myth? Paging GoingDeep

 

[starsnuffer]

"Natural movement" is just a bucket-dad term for bad mechanics.

The pitcher, no matter which arm they throw with, should be able to throw the ball exactly where they want it with exactly the movement they want it to have. If a "fastball" is dropping down and in, it isn't really a fastball, it's a breaking ball.

Sure, it can be a useful pitch, but is the goal to have a kid who's doing a great job striking out other 12 year olds or is the goal to develop a pitcher with sound and effective mechanics who is able to utilize her talents to achieve her long term goals?

-W

 

[cmustangsfp]

I posted this response in your other post Alsmygal.
Why do tractor trailers have to make wide right hand turns but not wide left hand turns? It is because we in America drive on the right side of the road. Perhaps it is because of the ball coming off of the left side of the batter (as seen from the pitcher mound) (who most of the times is a righty). Maybe i am reaching? I have 3 DDs that pitch, 2 righty's and 1 lefty. The lefty seems to be able to get the outside of the plate strikes better than the righty's (when facing a right handed batter). My wife seems to think it is because the ball is coming off the left side of the body and starts off more on the outside of the plate (vs a RHB).

I also have one of my 3 DD's that has a funky twist to her arm, she was trying to throw drop balls but couldn't get it right, it acted more like a screw. After consulting with 2 PC's they noticed that her arm twisted in a way that doesn't allow it to come through normally like other students do, so we decided to use it to our advantage.

 

[JAD]

My DD is a RHP and has slight screwball break (we call it a "tail") on her FB. The tail is created by the pressure she puts on the ball with her fingertips during release. Her index finger is much stronger and longer (better leverage) than her pinky. A LHP would probably have a screwball "tail" on her FB for the same reason - a LHP's screwball will break away from a right handed batter (like a RHP curve ball).

 

[RubberBiscuit]

C'mon folks - the fear of hijacking is causing inefficiency. I just posted the best ever response to this in the other thread ;-)

But seriously - maybe we should have a house rule that it's OK and Expected that the post-originator can direct a potential hijack off their thread and only them. (Kinda like the originator owns that land) I know when I start a thread I many times LIKE where it takes us.

Just a thought.....

 

[JAD]

C'mon folks - the fear of hijacking is causing inefficiency. I just posted the best ever response to this in the other thread ;-)

Copy and paste it here too! You can also add a link back to the original thread. I know it is not going to be considered "efficient", but more people will get to read the "best ever response"!

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Lefties and natural movement - reality or myth? Paging GoingDeep

Haha, this is a topic that's been argued for as long as I've been around pitching. Not sure we will be able to settle it, but I'll give my 2 cents since DD is a LHP. Not all LH people can pitch, just like not all RH people can but.........................

First of all, only 10-15% of the worlds population is left handed. And I'm guessing less than .1% of that pitch. Naturally we get use to a RHP and facing a LHP takes some getting use to. RH batters will see 100's of pitches a season being thrown from "behind" the batter and develop a mental-visual "tunnel" for it's flight path. A RH batter may only see a handful of pitches a season from a LHP. <-------------This simple fact alone makes them "seem" to be harder to cleanly hit.

( disclaimer*** I've been working with young baseball pitchers lately so I may need to edit as I'm jumping not only from BB to FP, but then to LH FP..............again )
Is the movement natural? Maybe the tendency is there but it still needs "development". Where is the toughest pitch location to hit, low and away. So that's where we focus on the most with LHP's. Coming from BB we see getting the ball to "move" is easier when throwing to your arm side, mostly due to greater pressure from your pointing finger. But let's not forget that thumb position and wrist slot have effects on movement too. For these reasons the repetitions of throwing "low and away" good LHP pitchers develop some type of moving fastball and seem to develop it faster and more effective than their RHP counterparts.

Now, with all that said I'm going to throw a wrench. Personally I believe a good LHP will beat a RHP of equal abilities 8 out of 10 times based on the reality they are just...............different. The mind is very powerful but it's also susceptible to repetitious perception. Sometimes the slightest vary can create an "illusion". Let's say a RHP can move a ball 5" and so can a LHP, but our minds not being use to a LHP.............that 5" may look like 7-8". A pitch may "look" to be coming inside and go out, a mis-fire while the old noodle is reconfiguring and adjusting.

It's almost a level of "confusion" to the batter along with good mechanics of a pitcher. It would be like you teaching your DD to drive here in the USA and then flying over to Europe and handing her the keys. Even though she may be a great driver at home, because of the "mirror effect" she's going to be most apprehensive which effects the way the brain fires for a while.

DD has had quite a few former college BB players catch her in warm ups when she'd pick up with other teams over the years. Almost everyone had trouble catching her for the first __ pitches ( and I use to laugh with them about their skills ). It was not that she is some super human, just simply because it's DIFFERENT.

Hope this all came out right, had to rush it and got a meeting in 15 mins. I'll check back.

 

[CoachFP]

I have a crazy response but this may have something to do with it. When learning to write, a right handed person is going from left to right which is somewhat natural. Lefthanders have to cock their hands and go opposite what is their natural inclination. I believe that by doing so they develop tendencies which help when throwing a ball since they have this embedded hook in their writing hand. Therefore they are able to curve the ball more naturally than a right hander. What do you guys think?