Three 12u pitchers compare mechanics

[coachdan]

I took some slow motion video of my pitchers from our 12u travel team practice. Warning...this video is about 7 min long. There are 3 different pitchers in the video and I would like to here what everyone thinks about each pitchers mechanics. When making comment please refer to shirt color (Pink, Blue, White) to ID which pitcher you are refering too.

Also just based on video which pitcher do you think would be the best pitcher.

YouTube - clippers pitchers 3-14-10.wmv

 

[Dave D]

Pink--She comes pretty close, in my eyes, to replanting, though I doubt she's ever going to get called for it. Her drive leg seems to drag through the end of her motion--it doesn't snap up behind her like I like to see. That tells me she's not getting much out of that replant. Others here will probably disagree with this, and I may be off base. I like the way she gets her nose out over her toes in the open position--not leaning forward so much as creating space for her arm swing. Her posture seems good, especially at finish. I'd like to see her from the front because it's hard to tell what her power line mechanics look like. Her glove doesn't seem to be swimming out, though.

Blue--This girl is leaning way froward at release, swimming her glove out, and just doesn't appear to be in balance through her motion.

White--I like her posture and motion a lot. She looks to be the strongest of the bunch. Finish position looks good, too. She could probably get more out of her pre-motion by loading her legs a bit more.

I like what all three are doing in their windups. I refer to it myself as Hillhouse style (taking glove and ball back to same side). All of my pitchers have adopted this method, and it has worked out really well so far. Overall, a nice looking group of pitchers. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd rank them white #1, pink #2, and blue #3.

 

[coachdan]

Pink--She comes pretty close, in my eyes, to replanting, though I doubt she's ever going to get called for it. Her drive leg seems to drag through the end of her motion--it doesn't snap up behind her like I like to see. That tells me she's not getting much out of that replant. Others here will probably disagree with this, and I may be off base. I like the way she gets her nose out over her toes in the open position--not leaning forward so much as creating space for her arm swing. Her posture seems good, especially at finish. I'd like to see her from the front because it's hard to tell what her power line mechanics look like. Her glove doesn't seem to be swimming out, though.

Blue--This girl is leaning way froward at release, swimming her glove out, and just doesn't appear to be in balance through her motion.

White--I like her posture and motion a lot. She looks to be the strongest of the bunch. Finish position looks good, too. She could probably get more out of her pre-motion by loading her legs a bit more.

I like what all three are doing in their windups. I refer to it myself as Hillhouse style (taking glove and ball back to same side). All of my pitchers have adopted this method, and it has worked out really well so far. Overall, a nice looking group of pitchers. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd rank them white #1, pink #2, and blue #3.

Dave you are spot on........ Your ranking of the pitchers was great. The girl in the white is much more consistant and hits her locations well and throws in low 50's (50-51mph), Girl in pink throws hard 53-54 mph but is not as consistant and struggles at times with her control, the girl in the blue is new to our team and we are working with her now.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Yes, it is white, pink and blue. I do call replant on blue, because it is so far from the pitching plate and I am finding with one of my students that it gets worse as the game progresses - and then, it gets called at the very worse time. Plus, it is one of those things that the opposition's fans can start harping about.

Watch that the girl's glove arms aren't swimming out and off the power line.

Pitchers with a strong elbow whip needs to ice their elbow, when she is icing her shoulder. (I think it is blue).

All 3 need to finish in a more defensive position, even when practicing, with their glove up.

 

[BoardMember]

I must be completely color blind. Blue isn't even close to re-planting. She drags on the side of her foot.

Pink howerer, NOT ONLY completely replants, landing flat footed and repushing from that point, but she steps forward with her pivot foot to start the pitch.......It's no wonder pink throws the hardest. Watch the VERY FIRST pitch in the video......

Although Blue has a small leap, Blue is a "bowler" with very little leg drive.........But no replant for sure.

White has the best I/R mechanics......Although she struggles over the top with re-positioning of the ball......

I don't particularly like the posture from any of them.......

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Yes, my mistake. It is pink that replants.

This is very nice video, by the way.

 

[coachdan]

I must be completely color blind. Blue isn't even close to re-planting. She drags on the side of her foot.

Pink howerer, NOT ONLY completely replants, landing flat footed and repushing from that point, but she steps forward with her pivot foot to start the pitch.......It's no wonder pink throws the hardest. Watch the VERY FIRST pitch in the video......

Although Blue has a small leap, Blue is a "bowler" with very little leg drive.........But no replant for sure.

White has the best I/R mechanics......Although she struggles over the top with re-positioning of the ball......

I don't particularly like the posture from any of them.......

BoardMember can you explain what your are talking about with the girl in the white "over the top Mechanic" any suggestion on how to fix. What is it about there posture that you don't like ?

 

[coachdan]

BoardMember can you explain what your are talking about with the girl in the white "over the top Mechanic" any suggestion on how to fix. What is it about there posture that you don't like ?

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[sluggers]

All of them have their upper bodies too far forward. They are all losing power.

Pitching is about transfer of linear momentum. That is, the pitcher gets her entire body moving forward toward the target, abruptly stops the body, and transfers the momentum through the body to the arm, which is then transferred to the ball. So, the pitcher wants to minimize forward body motion prior to release. When these girls shift their upper body forward, they are losing speed.

All three are way over their front foot at release. I've attached a picture of Osterman. Pink is the worst, then blue, then white.

I don't do this very often, but I've attached a shot of my DD pitching. Her upper body is also too far forward, but even well after her release, her upper body is only slightly in front of her feet.

Blue and pink are also closing their upper bodies too early.

 

[Mike]

sluggers
"All of them have their upper bodies too far forward. They are all losing power."

Ill second that. Seems very common amongst young pitchers. I gave an analogy the other night to 5 girls 9yo thru 12yo. Pretend you are sitting on top of a car that is moving 10 MPH and hits a solid brick wall, you will fly off of the car a certain distance. Now pretend you are sitting on the same car going 10 MPH only this time the wall is moving at 5 MPH when you hit it.
You will not fly as far, Right? I told them when they plant it needs to be a solid wall, there arm circle is the car and the ball is them sitting on top of it, if there bodies are moving forward at release the ball will not go as fast or far. Even the 9yo understood that analogy. Is it just me or is working with kids very challenging?

Mike