"The Crop"

[BoardMember]

Boardmember: are you going to give us some insight into "HOW" Ricketts throws the CROP; and what makes her so effective - is it her speed or is it truly the mechanics and spin of the pitch?

Sure rudy. Some important things about throwing the angled drop to the outside corner.

Stay open........Glove shoulder down.......Upper Body lean toward angle direction.........

Notice these things in Ricketts........

And here with Cat for example........

One of my students practicing these exagerations to accompish the angled drop..........

 

[BoardMember]

2 more who know how it works............

Stay open........Glove shoulder down.......Upper Body lean toward angle direction.........

 

[Rocketech1]

Great view! The regular TV angle from left field makes it look like it's breaking over a foot!

IMO her velocity of 71-72 and the angle of the pitch coming from a lefty has as much to do with her effectiveness than the actual movement of the pitch. In general, the amount of break on any given pitch does no have as much movement as we give it credit for.

 

[rudy 001]

Thanks Boardmember. What about spin or wrist action? Is it just a drop with the above listed modifications? What do you emphasize OR what "cues" are used to get them to get the right downward spin? And are there specific drills or training routines that help reinforces these described positioning of the body?

Where are you located - and do you let travel coaches come and observe as you instruct?

 

[BoardMember]

Rudy, you MUST NOT attempt to throw this pitch UNLESS you buy my book and adhere strictly to the mechanics, exactly how I explain it in my book. If you hurt yourself trying to perform this HIGHLY ADVANCED/COMPLICATE PITCH because you didn't buy my book, please call any of the pitchers shown above and complain about it to them..........

This pitch was developed by highly specialized aircraft carrier personnel in order to make sure it did not rise into the flight path of aircraft both taking off and landing on the deck. Only I have the secrets that were passed on to me by long lost aircraft carrier pitchers who have since been laid to rest or retired to the Aircraft Carrier Pitchers Hall of Fame..........Or ACPHF.......

 

[bucket pinata]

The crop has been my DDs Go to all year.front door or back door.bury the ball in your palm and throw almost the same motion and you get a awesome back door change that's deadly cause of how well it sells.

 

[BoardMember]

Thanks Boardmember. What about spin or wrist action? Is it just a drop with the above listed modifications? What do you emphasize OR what "cues" are used to get them to get the right downward spin? And are there specific drills or training routines that help reinforces these described positioning of the body?

Oh wait.........I don't have a book..........

It's essentially a peel/roll........Thrown slightly across the body line as the hips remain OPEN at 45-50 degrees. Leaning the front (glove) shoulder downward toward the outside corner but NOT bending at the waist. This position tightens the distance between the throwing arm and side helping to create tight forward spin AND the also helps the direction of the pitch across the zone by tugging the arm toward the lean.......

The pitch is thrown from the right side of the body (pitchers plate) to the left side of home plate (RH'r) across the zone.......Or an "angled drop".......The axis of rotation is NOT on the direct line from the center of the pitchers plate to the center of home plate. It IS in a straight line from the right side of the pitching plate to the left side of home plate..........

Body language helps direct the trajectory as explained above..........Right shoulder down helps rise go up-in........Left shoulder down helps drop go down-out..........For a RH'r of course.........

Where are you located - and do you let travel coaches come and observe as you instruct?

I'm in Nor Cal.........And yes, I do let travel coaches whose pitchers come to me for lessons observe........I don't allow just any travel coach to "observe" another teams travel pitcher.........For obvious reasons........

 

[CLM265]

Darn! Note to self... it's not the pitching hand shoulder up, it's the glove shoulder down.

 

[gvm]

what about the grip?

 

[BoardMember]

what about the grip?

Gripped like a 4 seam peel..........Drop the lead shoulder to the glove side and watch a conventional peel turn into a rolled peel........Angled to the outside corner..........

The beauty of this pitch is that with a straight peel on to the outside corner, the ball can have a tendency to drift back over the corner of the plate..........Because of the axis of rotation, this pitch moves down across the zone........Away from the hitter........Not just straight ahead..........