Third pitch?

[vdubya]

This makes very good sense. Duly noted and thanks Mark.

""Because a rh drop curve is breaking along the length of the rh hitter's bat and strong hitters will still do something with it more often than you'd like. Love the rh drop curve against a slapper though. The direction of break should always be thought of in relation to the swing plane rather than in relation to the ground.""

 

[Mark H]

Glad to help when I can.

 

[vdubya]

Follow-up

We have been working the peal drop. She had a jumpstart on the mechanics having tried this pitch as a 9u. It is amazing the difference that a few months makes! I have to attribute the early success of the drop this year to the increased velocity a little growth has afforded her. The ball is spinning very fast in a paddlewheel of 4 seams toward me.

I found a flat bench (no back) at the gym we use. I place it across the pitch path about 15 feet from home and she is able to barely clear the bench and bounce the ball on the plate at near full speed. It looks like we've found that 3rd pitch...just need to get it consistent.

The dropball seems to me to be a swinging miss pitch that would be a called ball in the dirt if taken. As such, it seems like it is best thrown when the count is 'x'-2, especially when the opposing coach or parents are giving the old 'protect the plate' cue. I'm thinking 10u here. The changeup seems to be a great 2nd or 3rd strike pitch that is thrown for a strike whether the batter swings or not. The change will probably remain the bread-n-butter at 10yo, but I want to work in the drop as a third pitch when there is a swinger or 'protector' at the plate. As always, we'll avoid a predictable pitch pattern.

Thanks for your thoughts!
Vdub

 

[Mark H]

I found a flat bench (no back) at the gym we use. I place it across the pitch path about 15 feet from home and she is able to barely clear the bench and bounce the ball on the plate at near full speed. It looks like we've found that 3rd pitch...just need to get it consistent.

This is a VERY good plan. Immediate objective feedback. One caution and one addition. She WILL break your nose, teeth or worse when she barely clips that bench one of these days if you aren't wearing gear. The addition is, add difficulty gradually the same way you add weight gradually when trying to get stronger. Raise the barrier object (I suggest using ribbon or something that won't change the trajectory if you aren't wearing gear) gradually with the goal being to clear a higher and higher object and still break the ball down to the knees or lower.

The dropball seems to me to be a swinging miss pitch that would be a called ball in the dirt if taken.
Vdub

And that's the only place many pitchers can throw the drop and still make it break for at least two reasons. One is, they only practice breaking it out of the zone as you describe. The other is, most are taught to get up over the foot to throw the drop. This screws up the geometry unless you want to throw it in the dirt. You don't really have a drop till you can throw it for a called strike and still make hitters miss IMO. Gradually raise the barrier and she will gradually raise her ability to make the ball break harder and harder.

 

[vdubya]

""You don't really have a drop till you can throw it for a called strike and still make hitters miss IMO. Gradually raise the barrier and she will gradually raise her ability to make the ball break harder and harder. ""

>>Mark, I was thinking maybe rather than raising the barrier we should just move the barrier closer and closer to the plate. Would this have the right outcome? This way we're still going for that hard drop, it gets closer to being a called strike, and we don't end up with a rainbow that has to go up before it drops. Don't know if I worded that right, but shouldn't the drop look like a nice fat flat fastball until the batter commits and then be nowhere near the swing plane five frames later. Ideally anyway.

I'm not sure of this and that's why I'm asking. I also have trouble visualizing a called strike on a drop without that pitch being either very hittable or high/rainbowing to start with. If you have time, maybe you could explain where the break in the pitch should start relative to the batter or better yet the plate. Am I right that the plate should be the relative object since the batter could be three feet 'fore and aft'?
Thanks for your contributions!
VW

 

[Mark H]

""You don't really have a drop till you can throw it for a called strike and still make hitters miss IMO. Gradually raise the barrier and she will gradually raise her ability to make the ball break harder and harder. ""

>>Mark, I was thinking maybe rather than raising the barrier we should just move the barrier closer and closer to the plate. Would this have the right outcome?
VW

Yes. Absolutely. I never used a barrier higher than approximately release point high. I have not used this with females less than five feet four so you may have to figure it out and let us know what works with a young one. Thanks for making me clarify. Once the barrier is up to release point height, you are very right. We moved it closer and closer to the plate. Which of course means you will have less and less time to react if the ball clips the barrier. Even a forty something mile an hour pitch is enough to bite you in the mouth in that case. You will NOT be able to react. Use a ribbon, twine loosely held or some such or wear the gear.