Which back swing do you prefer

[stv]

I prefer the ball hid myself. We went to her first time ever Pitching lesson (just to make sure we were on the right track) it was from a D1 pitching coach. DD was keeping the ball hid which she normally does until he mentioned that back swing arm was ok and he prefers it. Now I am not sure which to re enforce. Any comments welcome.
thanks
ss

 

[starsnuffer]

I prefer the ball hidden ala Hillhouse. HOWEVER, with this style you have to be very very careful that they don't get lazy, especially as they age and develop hips.

What I commonly see is pitchers cocking their hips to the left to make room for the glove/ball on their right. This puts them at an awkward angle at start causing a lot of momentum to go towards first base.

If you watch Hillhouse, he is very deliberate about standing tall with a tight core both when he brings his hands to his side and on the backswing. You need to make sure your pitchers do this deliberately and do not get lazy and start cocking their hip out to the side. This is much easier to enforce in practice then on the third game they pitch in the heat on a Sunday.

-W

 

[halskinner]

Can she bring the hands together in front, and immediately go into forward motion WITHOUT using a backswing? If she can pratice that wind up also and use it once or twice a batter, watch the batters just stand there frozen waiting for the rest of the wind up.

Its the same thing she already does, just without the backswing and it will put the ball across the plate a full second faster than with the backswing. It totally disrupts the hitters timing.

It will only take a game or two for her to figure out how effective that PITCHING TACTIC is and how much control she actually has over the batters.

Or you can stick with plain and simple and just be another pitcher.

sneakysoftballpitching.com

 

[stv]

Thanks for the comments any others?

 

[Lozza]

I think whatever feels more comfortable for her. Personally, I don't think either style (because that's all either is, not mechanichs but style) will make too much of a difference for what the batter sees.

 

[halskinner]

Today's hitters have problems hitting off pitchers without backswings.

I dont know why that would be. Using a backswing makes the entire pitch take easily twice as long from when the hands seperate to the point the ball is released. This is a big advantage to the batter when it comes to timing the pitcher's motions.

It also gives the batter more time to possibly see the grip and know what pitch might be coming.

sneakysoftballpitching.com

 

[stv]

Thanks for the replies. I thought it was strange that he would suggest the back swing to her, with out mentioning it to me first, after he clearly saw that she was keeping the ball hid. Knowing that was what she had been working on.
halskinner

Can she bring the hands together in front, and immediately go into forward motion

She can. I'll get a clip and post it.

It will only take a game or two for her to figure out how effective that PITCHING TACTIC is and how much control she actually has over the batters.

I think whatever feels more comfortable for her. Personally, I don't think either style (because that's all either is, not mechanics but style)

I felt I liked the keep the ball hid technique because it keeps the ball hid and she is driving off with two hands going forward ect.
Then since I told my DD that we were going to this guy because his DD is one of the Best. Instead of just asking a local HS pitcher what she thought. I had to let her do the back swing if she wanted. That being said. She throws equally well both ways and I will post a video of what Hal mentioned. Which we call. Blow out. Just blow it out off the rubber.
I was under the impression that she should stick with one wind up.

Or you can stick with plain and simple and just be another pitcher.

No she doesn't.
What do others think about having different wind ups?
Also, what other areas need tweaking?
Thanks
ss She is 11

 

[Lozza]

I know Hal thinks differently, but to me the wind-up should be the same every time. Pitching relies on muscle memory. If you're changing it constantly how are you to get that memory?

 

[starsnuffer]

I know Hal thinks differently, but to me the wind-up should be the same every time. Pitching relies on muscle memory. If you're changing it constantly how are you to get that memory?

I agree with both of you.

Logic dictates that if the pitcher practices 2 different releases all the time (as opposed to a random release every time) then they are still relying on muscle memory, the same way one might choose to impart drop spin or curve spin on release. Each pitch is practiced a million times.

-W