- May 25, 2010
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This is your 8u player, right?
Throwing a change up?
- Thread starter NVfishing
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Unless I don't understand what you mean, could you explain why you expect the pitching hand to move away from the pitching plane on the follow-through?
- Jul 26, 2010
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I'm expecting the pitching hand to be exactly on plane with the pitch plane on follow through. This puts it at the glove side shoulder. Just like an overhand throw finishes at the glove hand hip/thigh area. Where do you think it should be?
-W
Most baseball pitchers for example have an arm angle of 45deg or less to horizontal at release. In other words, release point is somewhere between 10 and 11 o'clock with most pitchers being closer to 10. Because of the arm angle and shoulder tilt, the hand path naturally goes across the body. In softball, the pitching hand path follows the pitching plane which has a vertical orientation with the 9 and 3 o'clock hand positions being in line with the catcher. The hand position at 12 o'clock, then at 9 and finally at release point follow an invisible wall going towards the catcher. For example, the arm angle at release is vertical (12-6). The only way the hand would end up at the glove shoulder is if the pitcher is completely sideways at release and during follow-through, which isn't the case. The front shoulder is not on the pitching plane at release or after release. Some pitchers might end up with their hand in the general area of the glove shoulder (across the body) when throwing a particular pitch such as the roll over drop. I have a number of video clips of elite pitchers both male and female and I just don't see what you are describing nor did I see this happen in my playing days. The hand follows through on the pitching plane with the front shoulder away from the plane. Some pitchers might follow-through lined up with the catcher then as a after thought, end up a bit across her body but this is after the actual follow-through has run its course so to speak. It just doesn't coincide with what I have seen over the years.
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Yes. I want her to learn it but if it affects her fastball I'm going to stop and wait till next year.
I've tried teaching the flip with little success. My approach with most students is to simply follow 3 rules. 1. Settle on a grip that feels comfortable. 2. The grip must place the ball in your palm, instead of on your fingers. 3.Lock your wrist at release -- no wrist action. Then practice, practice, practice.
I found a grip that seems to work well, and have "installed" it into several students - hold the ball with index and thumb around the bottom of the horseshoe seam. Release the ball with the hand facing into the body and the other 3 fingers off the ball. It becomes a "semi-flip" delivery. Easier to control than the flip.
Jim
I found a grip that seems to work well, and have "installed" it into several students - hold the ball with index and thumb around the bottom of the horseshoe seam. Release the ball with the hand facing into the body and the other 3 fingers off the ball. It becomes a "semi-flip" delivery. Easier to control than the flip.
Jim
DD throws her CU like her roll-over drop...but the ball as far back on the palm, almost onto the wrist, as she can get it. If anything she has to push herself harder to get the ball there than a normal pitch. Seems to work pretty darn well...when she's on I will call it sometimes 2 or 3 times to the right hitters. When a pitcher has confidence in the pitch, it's probably the sneakiest one in a 3-2 count situation, lots of K's come from it especially to the aggressive hitters.
- May 25, 2010
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Let me know if you find it has any value in 8u. What we observed here is that most of the batters at the 8u level greatly preferred the off-speed pitch, because it was closer to the speed of coach pitch.
That's exactly what I was thinking on her two best pitches. They actually look like what a lot of the other girls are throwing as fastballs. Mostly I just want her feeling comfortable with throwing it. Thought I'd start now and that will give her two years to work on it before she really needs it. We are going to still play 8-U next year and then make the move to U-10.
