Screwball Video

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Apr 12, 2015
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Is the discussion by some to suggest that a screwball can only travel on a flat plane?

No. The recent discussion is based on this challenge:

Sluggers and I have $100 each to give anyone with video proof of a 3-9 screw ball (RHP) that breaks. I’ve seen a handful of scrops, but never a screw ball that wasn’t anything more than drive left and throw right.

Which has nothing to do with whether any pitch called a "screwball" can be effective or not, but deals with a very specific scenario.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
...point is the word 'scrop' is a twisting in and down pitch.

That is to say screw-drop...
Acknowledging it is a form of screwball.
__________________
The challenge is 9-3 spin $100

Does the pitch have to
spin inward and be flat
Or can it
spin inward and move up/down
(that video post #223 is a great example of spin)



'Scrop' is the YES answer to that
 
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
The challenge is to prove the existence of a 3-9 screw ball. A game ready pitch that truly moves opposite of a curve. If it exists, being able to see the release from up close would be awesome. Like this:

 
Dec 6, 2019
382
63
I'm not sure if you are talking about the slo-mo starting around 0:17 or not. For clarity, the slo-mo looks to my eyes to be 3 to 9 rotation. For a RHP to a RHB that is screw spin. As for the first two "live action" pitches, they are obviously too fast to see the spin, but I'd hesitate to call the first one a curve (unless maybe trying to throw a back-door curve).

You're right. I was talking about the first live action pitches. First one is definitely a curve.
 
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
Bump

@RADcatcher, the offer is $100 from me and $100 from sluggers for video proof of a 3-9 spin with movement, along with an up-close, slow motion video showing grip and release.

Ultimately, being able to teach such a pitch is the goal.

Meanwhile @Shawn, for girls who come to me with requests from their coaches to teach them a screwball, I tell them to throw a semi-spiral FB inside. I have 100% positive feedback from coaches so far!
 
Last edited:
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
If someone could show me how to teach a consistent 1:30-7:30 scrop, I’d fork out $100 for that as well. I can’t speak for sluggers on this one, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he or others would love to know how to teach it.

I’ve seen 4 people throw it. 2 were girls throwing pretty much side arm and it was their only pitch. I’m pretty certain they were eventually called for IP’s by any official who knew that aspect of the rule. The other two threw them inconsistently using a split finger, four seam grip. One was Edy Fontaine who hasn’t posted here in years, and the other is my daughter who occasionally pulls one out of nowhere and can’t replicate it…

A consistent scrop would be a deadly pitch, but dang if I can figure out how to throw it—let alone teach it!
 
May 15, 2008
1,913
113
Cape Cod Mass.
The secret is here Ken.



Tipped bullet spin with a 2 seam grip. But the spin and the seam orientation have to be correct. We've all caught a pitch that broke unexpectedly and can't be duplicated. The horseshoe part of the seam needs to be located on the aerodynamic 'horizon' where the air flow separates from the ball. The ball moves away from this seam location so for a screw break the seam would have to be on the left side of the ball, that is something which is hard to figure out. If you can get a pitcher to throw the correct spin, half bullet-half top, start experimenting with a two seam grip. A two seam grip with the middle and ring fingers on the seams gives you the best chance. Since this is a seam shifted wake pitch it doesn't depend on Magnus force (3-9 spin) so RPMS are not important.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
3-9 may be an illusive fun thing to seek...

But thankfully exact 3-9 is not needed to make a pitch break in.

That knowledge is free, worth more than $100 bucks and is already proven.
 

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