- Jul 26, 2010
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Are you implying arm slot and wrist slot to tilt axis of the normal "conventional" grip is robbing the effectiveness of the pitch ( or any pitch ).
Not really. I'm saying that any movement in the direction other then towards the catcher robs the pitch of energy that could otherwise be put into a pitch. IE if the arm circle is not on a plane parallel to the path of the ball (whatever angle chosen), then the pitcher has to expend energy to do something besides throw the ball. In this case, it is taking a moving mass (pitchers arm and ball) and altering the trajectory through the course of the pitch. Energy expended here cannot be expended elsewhere.
I agree with you that pitchers can move balls more by altering speeds and they need to figure out what works for them. One of the most effective pitches at the 14-16u level seems to be an off-speed drop ball. Off-speed curves also have a name in Fastpitch. They are called home runs. So, it seems that the direction of break is also important to note here. I have not observed an off-speed screwball or an off-speed rise ball. Off-speed fastballs are usually called meatballs so I'll rule that one out too. I'm left with thinking that variations of a dropping pitch, such as a drop, crop, or drop curve might be the only viable off-speed pitches in Fastpicth. Come to think of it, we even want our change-ups to drop or "fall off the table" just as they reach the plate.
-W