Rise Ball Speed

[coach james]

Depends on what you’re throwing. A bullet spin rise relies on speed and lack of spin pulling the ball down. The more backspin and the higher the spin rate, the more speed comes off the pitch.
Backspinners who achieve insane spin rates appear to be throwing a magical, floating change up.

Not a curve, like the announcers say....
It's an off speed, low rise.

 

[Hillhouse]

Not a curve, like the announcers say....
It's an off speed, low rise.

I'd be curious how often that ball is popped for a HR.

 

[curveballer124]

I played and still play on occasion men’s Fastpitch. Truth be told I never noticed much difference in speed from my dropball to my riseball. I throw Bp all the time to the team I coach most of those girls think my riseball is faster.....

My daughter who plays D1 ball will say her riseball is faster then her dropball and I tend to agree. She has pretty good spin on her ball as well not quite 6/12 but pretty good..... Bill would confirm he coached her for a bit!

I think when girls are first learning to throw a riser it starts off slower but eventually the speed will come. Once they get comfortable with the mechanics of the riseball.

 

[FuryMike]

Depends on what you’re throwing. A bullet spin rise relies on speed and lack of spin pulling the ball down. The more backspin and the higher the spin rate, the more speed comes off the pitch.
Backspinners who achieve insane spin rates appear to be throwing a magical, floating change up.

Sometimes referred to as a high change

 

[Lance Steckler]

"high change' usually equals pitchers that get whiplash

 

[mmeece]

I think sometimes it depends on the grip used/needed by that pitcher to get the best spin. My dd threw a decent rise with one grip that was about the same speed as her drop, but threw much better spin axis and rate and movement with a no thumb grip that cost her quite a bit of speed. She switched back and forth at times but I always thought the one that came in more off-speed was a better pitch and caused some strange looks from coaches and batters. Batters made contact at times but they never did hit that pitch hard.

 

[Hillhouse]

Absolutely, a "change-rise" will get some strange looks. And it will get it's share of strikeouts too. Here's a potential problem:

If they have ANY kind of pick on the pitcher and know that change is coming, anything left up in the zone will be punished more than something down in the zone. With a low change up, and assuming the batter is fooled by the pitch, the hitter will be out on the front foot fooled by the speed but also have to go DOWN to hit the ball. Any contact made usually isn't done with great force. (and anyone saying they won't swing at a change up that's too low has obviously never faced one before). Change ups are thrown when the pitcher is betting the hitter will swing hard. Regardless of where the ball is pitched, the hitter will be swinging. So, the last thing we'd want is something up in the zone they can make contact with, the higher the pitch the easier it is for bat control, even if it means just punching the ball over the SS or 2nd. Statistically speaking, a ball up in the zone (riseballs) are going to be hit for HR's much more often than anything low (drops).

Considering that even 90lbs slappers are capable of hitting a ball 250' these days due to bats and balls, a change up kept low is less likely to be taken outta the yard. Playing percentages, a change up with a drop is the better way to go overall.

Just food for thought.