Ryn swings for hitting coach Rob Crews...

[Wellphyt]

Not sure about other parts of the country, but in my area a riseball thrown above the letters is generally called a ball. IMO, hitting a riseball is more mental than mechanical, assuming the batter understands the concept of matching the plane of the swing with the plane of the pitch. If a batter is anticipating a riseball, they need to think about raising their sights, leveling out and getting on top of the ball. Ted covers this in "SOH" as it relates to him facing pitchers that threw high heat.

"High-riding fast ball pitchers like Feller, have to be adjusted to by thinking about swinging down on the ball, though in actuality you aren't swinging down at all, but simply getting more on top. It feels that way because you've started higher and you've shortened your swing to be quicker.

"Many times in my career I'd be late-underneath-a high fast ball and I'd think to myself, "Be quicker, get on top". I'd psyche myself that way."

--Ted Williams

It's just common sense that you have to level out on the high pitch. Even my daughter understands the basic concept of getting on top of the high pitch. Maybe Ted didn't have to face Jennie Finch, but he did have to face Bob Feller. High heat is high heat, and IMO the mental approach and the physics involved are the same.

Batter's need to understand that the pitch at the letters is closest to the hands and requires more quickness. The added quickness comes from knowing before the pitch is thrown that you have to level out and get on top. It's mental. If the batter anticipates incorrectly and the pitch is lower, it is easier to adjust down and drop the barrel on the ball. If on otherhand the batter anticipates a pitch at the knees and gets a riser at the letters, they can forget about it.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Not sure about other parts of the country, but in my area a riseball thrown above the letters is generally called a ball. IMO, hitting a riseball is more mental than mechanical, assuming the batter understands the concept of matching the plane of the swing with the plane of the pitch. If a batter is anticipating a riseball, they need to think about raising their sights, leveling out and getting on top of the ball. Ted covers this in "SOH" as it relates to him facing pitchers that threw high heat.

"High-riding fast ball pitchers like Feller, have to be adjusted to by thinking about swinging down on the ball, though in actuality you aren't swinging down at all, but simply getting more on top. It feels that way because you've started higher and you've shortened your swing to be quicker.

"Many times in my career I'd be late-underneath-a high fast ball and I'd think to myself, "Be quicker, get on top". I'd psyche myself that way."

--Ted Williams

It's just common sense that you have to level out on the high pitch. Even my daughter understands the basic concept of getting on top of the high pitch. Maybe Ted didn't have to face Jennie Finch, but he did have to face Bob Feller. High heat is high heat, and IMO the mental approach and the physics involved are the same.

Batter's need to understand that the pitch at the letters is closest to the hands and requires more quickness. The added quickness comes from knowing before the pitch is thrown that you have to level out and get on top. It's mental. If the batter anticipates incorrectly and the pitch is lower, it is easier to adjust down and drop the barrel on the ball. If on otherhand the batter anticipates a pitch at the knees and gets a riser at the letters, they can forget about it.

Years ago I recall Mike White reviewing the hitting of riseballs as one of his points of emphasis during a hitting session.

He had the entire group of hitters bat against him as he threw them riseballs (Mike is a very accomplished pitcher). He told the group ahead of time that they were going to be pitched riseballs. Despite knowledge of the pitch, everyone KO’d. Then Mike showed them how they could flatten the barrel in their stance in preparation for dealing with a riseball in the event that they anticipated a riseball. Mike pitched riseballs to the group again, and this time around everyone hit.

Not that this is the only approach, or even the best approach, to dealing with hitting a riseball when you know it is coming … but the point is, there are mechanical approaches to dealing with a riseball when you anticipate that it is coming. It is not all ‘mental’.

 

[Tewks]

I need to track down a SB pitcher and have her come in and throw everything she's got to me. The hardest I ever faced was 97 and that was fast... I need a better frame of reference. A few years back I worked with a kid who played in a competitive men's fastpitch league. Said the rise was the hardest pitch to learn to recognize... but that was the key to having success with it.


As for Finch's changeup... you ever mix in a curve ball or change when the kid isn't expecting it? I think it was Sean Casey that got a scouting report on her tactics and hit the change, but the others were there trying to hit her gas. I'm not saying its easy... but I am saying that when all you are thinking is gas from a new release point and off-speed isn't on your mind at all, you are going to look foolish every time. Casey was still early, but hit the ball decent to the pull side and Finch was shocked.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Have to agree with FSS about how to hit the riseball. During an elite showcase last year. We faced one of the top riseball pitchers in our state. The first time we faced her she ate us up. The next time we faced her we beat her pretty easy and her dad asked me later that summer at the NFCA camp how we did it. Bustos gets the credit. You start the elbow higher than a normal pitch and adjust down. Take that pitch away from her. We have been called out on many rise balls and if I have a runner on third and 2 strikes I don't want the umpire to determine the outcome. The video of Bustos that was posted and taken down in the 2004 games was and inside riseball that she baited the pitcher to throw her. Just because it was out of the strike zone and you have a hit and run on, doesn't mean you can't hit the pitch. We tell our hitters let the umpire call safe and out. We teach them to hit anything close to a strike.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Tewks: Finch is not a good riseball pitcher. Working with her in a clinic , her change up is wicked. The best riseball pitcher, is Bill Hillhouse. If you get a chance go to one of his clinics and face him. He throws batting practice to teams in this area, but he travels all over the country and if you look at his web page, you might be able to meet up with him. I know I will never try to catch him again! his web page http://www.houseofpitching.com/ He has the best DVD on the market on how to throw the rise ball. When my dd was young and was learning the riseball, she learned to throw it from Bill.

 

[Tewks]

Tewks: Finch is not a good riseball pitcher. Working with her in a clinic , her change up is wicked. The best riseball pitcher, is Bill Hillhouse. If you get a chance go to one of his clinics and face him. He throws batting practice to teams in this area, but he travels all over the country and if you look at his web page, you might be able to meet up with him. I know I will never try to catch him again! his web page Bill Hillhouse: House of Pitching Softball Academy He has the best DVD on the market on how to throw the rise ball. When my dd was young and was learning the riseball, she learned to throw it from Bill.

I know he was in Maine recently and I know the guy who set up the clinic. I will do my best to organize some ABs against him.

 

[Wellphyt]

Years ago I recall Mike White reviewing the hitting of riseballs as one of his points of emphasis during a hitting session.

He had the entire group of hitters bat against him as he threw them riseballs (Mike is a very accomplished pitcher). He told the group ahead of time that they were going to be pitched riseballs. Despite knowledge of the pitch, everyone KO’d. Then Mike showed them how they could flatten the barrel in their stance in preparation for dealing with a riseball in the event that they anticipated a riseball. Mike pitched riseballs to the group again, and this time around everyone hit.

Not that this is the only approach, or even the best approach, to dealing with hitting a riseball when you know it is coming … but the point is, there are mechanical approaches to dealing with a riseball when you anticipate that it is coming. It is not all ‘mental’.

"And, in order to be even quicker, I'd make one other adjustment: I'd flatten out my bat a little at the stance (as opposed to holding it vertical to the ground). This decreases the loop of the swing and allows me to get on top of the ball quicker."

--Ted Williams

I consider how a batter holds their bat an issue of style and not technique. I guess you could say that Ted made a small mechanical change to his stance when he felt he needed to be especially quick. I still think this falls into the mental approach category. Meaning the batter is mentally preparing ahead of time to get on top and quicken their swing. I know, I know...splitting hairs

 

[Wellphyt]

Definitely go see Bill Hillhouse if you get the opportunity.

 

[Greenmonsters]

I need to track down a SB pitcher and have her come in and throw everything she's got to me. The hardest I ever faced was 97 and that was fast... I need a better frame of reference. A few years back I worked with a kid who played in a competitive men's fastpitch league. Said the rise was the hardest pitch to learn to recognize... but that was the key to having success with it.


As for Finch's changeup... you ever mix in a curve ball or change when the kid isn't expecting it? I think it was Sean Casey that got a scouting report on her tactics and hit the change, but the others were there trying to hit her gas. I'm not saying its easy... but I am saying that when all you are thinking is gas from a new release point and off-speed isn't on your mind at all, you are going to look foolish every time. Casey was still early, but hit the ball decent to the pull side and Finch was shocked.

Go for it, Tewks. And good luck! Don't know if you can find top end Ps cuz its early HS and mid-college season, but UMass and Denise Davis' Planet Fastpitch aren't far from you if you're looking for a hook up. Back in the day I faced live low 90s in BB, still can hit 65 machine SB, but live SB heat and junk scare me!