Screwball

[_MIA_]

Low 80s pitchers go to D2/JC. They did fine. Go to a D2 game, they are full of them. But they won't get outs only throwing FB.

I mean you could have at least quoted my whole post....

 

[sb4fun]

Much of this is not directed at you, but
That pitch is probably tilted with an axis about 8:00-2:00 on the clock, and tilted with the 8:00 axis is tilted back just a little; in other words the spin is facing or turned toward the batter a little. Nothing unusual about it. I teach a rise-curve, pulling the release up toward the glove shoulder. Just moves it in on a LH batter a little, or from a Lefty in on a RH batter.

Ask any batter to set a ball on a batting tee to hit it as hard as she can. They will set it approx. waist high. Preferred pitch locations are generally mechanically horizontal. Swings low outside present problems, and pitches on the inside paint at the knees are very problematic as well. Riseballs at the top of the zone are problematic. That is why I believe in focusing on the vertical pitches, drop, change, rise. They for me are foundation pitches you learn to command. And you can survive on only these 3 pitches. Curve-balls are a supplemental pitch. Screwballs thrown regularly become homeruns. If you can't command your pitches then you are a "7 pitch pitcher", in other words you are a batting practice pitcher.

@Quasimodo You are partially correct. For the other girl's ball that breaks in to right handed batters, yes it's close to a 2-8 bullet. With my DD, the rise spin is tight, near perfect 6-12. Not sure why that breaks right...but it sometimes does. Both are righties.

A fastball

@625ender No...it's not a fastball. Balls can sometimes move in a different direction than it's spin. I'm just saying it's quite possible that many of these high-end pitchers who say they throw a screw aren't getting the spin right but the ball could still move in on a right-handed batter.

 

[Quasimodo]

@Quasimodo You are partially correct. For the other girl's ball that breaks in to right handed batters, yes it's close to a 2-8 bullet. With my DD, the rise spin is tight, near perfect 6-12. Not sure why that breaks right...but it sometimes does. Both are righties.

Well I don't believe in ball magic. If it moves in, and even 3 inches it is a great addition on a RH batter. But the axis must be tiled toward the righthanded batter. It has backspin, but my guess is there is a "red dot" in the catcher's viewpoint on the right side of the ball, left side to the pitcher, moving it toward the batter. It is not a negative even with a left-handed batter, especially on the corner of the throwing hand.

 

[Bonesaw]

Well I don't believe in ball magic. If it moves in, and even 3 inches it is a great addition on a RH batter. But the axis must be tiled toward the righthanded batter. It has backspin, but my guess is there is a "red dot" in the catcher's viewpoint on the right side of the ball, left side to the pitcher, moving it toward the batter. It is not a negative even with a left-handed batter, especially on the corner of the throwing hand.

A knuckleball moves(as pointed out by others) with no spin. Is it not plausible that a ball can be spinning in such a way that the forces that move a knuckleball can move a spinning ball?

 

[radness]

A knuckleball moves(as pointed out by others) with no spin. Is it not plausible that a ball can be spinning in such a way that the forces that move a knuckleball can move a spinning ball?

 

[Hillhouse]

A knuckleball moves(as pointed out by others) with no spin. Is it not plausible that a ball can be spinning in such a way that the forces that move a knuckleball can move a spinning ball?

I didn't follow this question. You lost me.

 

[ArmWhip]

This has been posted before. The ball does not break in the direction that would be predicted if you only considered Magnus force. The ball breaks away from the right handed hitter but it doesn't have 'curve ball' spin.

Dissecting a Mystery Pitch

baseball.physics.illinois.edu

 

[Bonesaw]

I didn't follow this question. You lost me.

Sorry. Sb4 said he has seen his dd's pitches breaking in ways which dont align exactly with the spin. Then Q said he doesn't believe in "ball magic" and that the ball always breaks relative to it's spin.(correct me if I'm wrong Q)

I am not attacking or saying I know anything(definitely dont!) Just hoping Q(Or you) will share insight.

 

[Bonesaw]

This has been posted before. The ball does not break in the direction that would be predicted if you only considered Magnus force. The ball breaks away from the right handed hitter but it doesn't have 'curve ball' spin.

Dissecting a Mystery Pitch

baseball.physics.illinois.edu

Nice thank you!

 

[Quasimodo]

A knuckleball moves(as pointed out by others) with no spin. Is it not plausible that a ball can be spinning in such a way that the forces that move a knuckleball can move a spinning ball?

It moves by magic right? Or is it that variations in friction, caused by slight spinning or tumbling, causes the ball to move toward least resistance? If not, and if I am wrong, then please explain the physics of your claim. I am certain Bill Hillhouse can't, because he understands. A pitched ball can have a angle variation of 15 degrees or so and move a little different. You can't see it at this level. Maybe you can at youth levels.

In fact I know Bill does, and I do, teach pitches with just finger pressure resulting on spin tilt. Of course a drop-ball is more affected by the gravity assist than a rise-ball. But that is exactly what I am doing when I teach a rise-curve. It still has backspin but it is not 12-6, or 11-5. It is just twisted on the axis. It might resemble the 4th photo, but I hope the 3rd photo.

Look at the photos below and tell me how they will break. In particular the first photo?
It is a 12-6 spin, but twisted or angled away from the flight path. How will it move as a drop or rise? The last one even a little more angled than shown here in the last two photos can be created with just finger pressure on a drop-ball, moving down and in on a RH batter.