Simple corrections during a game?

[sarge117]

There is a golf philosophy which is that you never try to correct your mechanics during a game. If you have a slice, you play it.

DD struggled this weekend. She was consistent. Unfortunately she was consistently high. Her inside/outside was fine but the ball consistently crossed the plate at shoulder level.

During a game when someone is consistently high, is there a minor correction that can be made to help adjust it down a little?

Something like shortening the stride etc...?

Clearly mechanical flaws need to be worked out in practice, but I was just curious if there are minor corrections for that can be made on the fly during a game.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I was going to say "shorten the stride." Also, throw into her own glove a couple of times, to get her release. Up and down is generally a release problem - unless she is bending at the waist, at release. I see girls go back to the bull pen, in between innings sometimes.

 

[JJsqueeze]

Understanding their motions and making corrections is a huge part of pitching and has to be done all the time. Every pitcher has a checklist they go through to make adjustments. Shortening the stride is a pretty common adjustment to bring it down, my dd also shortens her backswing to bring it down. When she throws inside she checks her landing foot position at touchdown, her hip position at release and her arm circle position (is her arm getting off plane and drifting right). i would say that one of the biggest goals of practice is getting them to understand their motions enough so that they can make on the fly corrections during the game and in warmups.

 

[JAD]

When my DD is throwing high it is usually because her release point is late. This happens a lot in the first inning because if I don't watch her like a hawk during warmups she will only throw 75-80%, then she gets in a game and throws 100% and her release point is late. DD can usually make the adjustment by the 2nd inning and does fine until she runs out of gas (@ 120 pitches).

 

[sarge117]

Thanks for the replies

When my DD is throwing high it is usually because her release point is late. This happens a lot in the first inning because if I don't watch her like a hawk during warmups she will only throw 75-80%, then she gets in a game and throws 100% and her release point is late. DD can usually make the adjustment by the 2nd inning and does fine until she runs out of gas (@ 120 pitches).

I "believe" this is EXACTLY what happened. It was freezing cold in the morning. Literally 32 degrees at game time. During warmups I think she taking it a little easy. During the game when she started bringing the heat was when it started getting high.

 

[starsnuffer]

90% of what her pitching instructor is trying to do during her lessons is (or should be) trying to teach her how to feel the changes from the instruction and corrections the PC is giving. The point is to teach the pitcher to understand what she is doing and be able to self correct.

All of the instruction, and all of the practice during the 3-5 sessions during the week are for those purposes. Put in the work, and she'll be able to self-correct in the circle.

-W

 

[slingnit]

When my DD is throwing high it is usually because her release point is late. This happens a lot in the first inning because if I don't watch her like a hawk during warmups she will only throw 75-80%, then she gets in a game and throws 100% and her release point is late. DD can usually make the adjustment by the 2nd inning and does fine until she runs out of gas (@ 120 pitches).

That is my problem with throwing too much with partial effort/arm speed. Her snap isn't "late", the timing of the snap is the same but her arm is faster and therefor farther out. My dd will work up to 100% speed but never throw only 3/4 speed before a game. Practice like you play. That is my biggest advice. You see so many kids that look smooth and controled warming up then gets in the game and gets jerky and tight, for whatever reason. Then dad is the one to make adjustment at practice, games,.... Let the kids work it out themselves, or at least as much as they can.

 

[jdp29]

When my daughter is throwing high, it is usually fixed by filling in her drag hole. It is amazing how young ladies will just throw even when the pitching circle is not to their liking. Couple of weeks ago she had a horrible first inning with 3 walks. When she came of I gave her the "what the heck" look and she said she was landing on the 35ft rubber with her stride leg. Didn't call time out, didn't motion to me to come out, just kept pitching and sliding all over it.

 

[gvm]

When my daughter is throwing high, it is usually fixed by filling in her drag hole. It is amazing how young ladies will just throw even when the pitching circle is not to their liking. Couple of weeks ago she had a horrible first inning with 3 walks. When she came of I gave her the "what the heck" look and she said she was landing on the 35ft rubber with her stride leg. Didn't call time out, didn't motion to me to come out, just kept pitching and sliding all over it.

dd was pitching and everytime she was landing it was twisting her ankle?
I saw that she was trying to fix the hole once in a while? but she didn't want to take to long and have her coach get mad at her? so she just kept hurting herself !!! UGH.... meanwhile coach is screaming to "just throw strikes"

 

[coach james]

Teach the kids to think for themselves. Don't be so quick to offer advise or corrections. They should fully understand their mechanics in how high and low pitches are timing related and left and right are typically mechanically related. Let her make her own adjustments as needed within reason... if it goes too long without correction then go to the mound and calmly and quietly remind her how constant adjustments always need to be made. Do not holler from the dugout or bench because this will only embarrass her and make the problem worse.
JMHO, James