The Wrist

[sluggers]

But again, to have a pitcher impart more spin on the ball upon release...what is your cue or preferred drill?

You are asking how to throw a drop ball.

With internal rotation, the arm is basically a worm gear and the ball is a toothed gear. Here is a video about worm gears and toothed gears.



The faster the forearm, which is like a worm gear, rotates the faster the ball, which is like the toothed gear, rotates.

You are asking about "pitcher cues," which means things you tell a pitcher to "feel" the correct motion. A cues does not necessarily describe the actual motion.

Remember that the ball should be on top of the hand at 9 and behind the ball at 6. This requires rotation of the forearm, which is the "internal rotation" everyone talks about.

So, the pitcher can either think of (1) delaying/slowing the IR as long as possible, which results in a sudden explosion of IR to get the palm to 6, (2) speeding up IR or (3) releasing the ball earlier.

Conceptually, "releasing the ball earlier" seems easier to understand.

My DD developed a drill to improve her spin and timing for a drop. Note (1) she starts the drill with the palm facing 3B at about 7 and (2) the release point in the drill is *BEHIND* her hip...so, she is practicing "releasing the ball earlier". (As an FYI, the drill is done correctly when the ball comes straight up, not when it shoots forward. The drill is mainly about timing.)

 

[SJVCoachingDad]

My DD developed a drill to improve her spin and timing for a drop. Note (1) she starts the drill with the palm facing 3B at about 7 and (2) the release point in the drill is *BEHIND* her hip...so, she is practicing "releasing the ball earlier". (As an FYI, the drill is done correctly when the ball comes straight up, not when it shoots forward. The drill is mainly about timing.)

That reminded me of this Doug Gillis video.

 

[ArmWhip]

Others say that you can add spin by ripping on the seams at that precise moment of release.

If this were possible then I think you would see a big emphasis in baseball on pitchers 'pulling down' on the back of ball at release to add more backspin.

 

[Hillhouse]

Personally, what I have found on both rise and dropballs, if I was lacking in spin for the pitch, I would increase my elbow whip. It can sometimes be easy to be lazy on pitches, neglecting to put max effort on each pitch. Sometimes it's just the simplest things that can have the biggest impacts. If I felt like the ball wasn't moving well, or I was getting hit around (more than usual!!!) I could sometimes trace my issue back to having less spin on the pitches which means less movement. So I'd exaggerate the whip of my arm as much as possible. Unless I was having "one of those days" where absolutely nothing worked and I didn't belong in the circle that day, I would usually find this would help me significantly.

The she more the elbow whips, the more the wrist and fingers will follow which generates the most spin. Those pitchers who do the wrist flips deprive themselves of this motion. Instead, they teach themselves all the action occurs in the wrist. The wrist is only part of it, and I wouldn't even consider it the primary part. You can't snap the elbow without the wrist and fingers following, but you could snap the wrist without the elbow. All anyone has to do is look at a baseball pitcher, or any kind of throwing overhand. The thought of taking the elbow away from throwing a ball that way is preposterous. But, in the world of girls softball, coaches can teach this to unknowing parents and families leave their lessons thinking this coach is helping their kid. I just don't get it.

 

[Bonesaw]

If this were possible then I think you would see a big emphasis in baseball on pitchers 'pulling down' on the back of ball at release to add more backspin.

Aren't "pulldowns" one of the main drills at places like driveline?

Not exactly the same as wrist snaps and aimed more at velo but it's still quite a big thing(for a while it seems).

 

[ArmWhip]

Aren't "pulldowns" one of the main drills at places like driveline?

Not exactly the same as wrist snaps and aimed more at velo but it's still quite a big thing(for a while it seems).

"Pulldowns, otherwise known as Running Throws, Crow Hop throws, or Run ‘n Guns, are max-effort throws with a running start thrown in the off-season".

There doesn't seem to be any emphasis on the fingers applying extra spin on the ball, more like what we call 'long toss'.

I went to a 12U open tournament over the weekend. Every pitcher that I saw warming up started with wrist snaps.

 

[Tatonka]

You are asking how to throw a drop ball.

No, that is not what I was asking. Didn't mean to muddy the discussion, it was a question that came to mind in the first page or so of this thread.

 

[Bonesaw]

"Pulldowns, otherwise known as Running Throws, Crow Hop throws, or Run ‘n Guns, are max-effort throws with a running start thrown in the off-season".

There doesn't seem to be any emphasis on the fingers applying extra spin on the ball, more like what we call 'long toss'.

I went to a 12U open tournament over the weekend. Every pitcher that I saw warming up started with wrist snaps.

That's a pretty cursory description of the drill/exercise.

I conceded that they are not the same thing as wrist snaps, but the fact that one of the most popular drills for velo (and spin if you go a bit further) in baseball is named "PULL DOWNS", led me to rebutt your post/statement that there is not a big emphasis on "pulling down" in baseball.

One thing that I have been thinking about is, to do this drill converted to underhand, you would have to do "long roll" and then do "pull ups". This all assumes using IR mechanics. Funny thought experiment and maybe a little avant garde... But since "pull downs" and such have become mainstays, so to have the upper 90's fastballs in baseball.

 

[ArmWhip]

That's a pretty cursory description of the drill/exercise.

That definition comes right from Driveline, that's why it's in quotes.

Here's what they have to say about it, there is no mention of ball-finger contact or adding backspin to the ball.

Pulldowns: The What, Why, and When

Though controversial pulldowns are a staple of our off-season program, we see them as vital pieces to train athletes to handle the stresses of pitching.

www.drivelinebaseball.com

Or if you want the full effect look at their video, it's wild, for some reason the video doesn't start at the very beginning, you have to reset the start

 

[jdint]

This guy rules.....