Sure. The pitcher is the most under-rated position on the field. Because slow-pitch is a hitters game, most think the pitcher's just up there to put the ball on a T. By setting goals and working on your game, you can help your team win a lot of games.
@@utah32804 Tried them out the last couple weeks during games, I believe I need to focus more on the direction of the wrist snap and the same motion as you. My pitches tended to not have much movement when trying these, but practice makes perfect, indeed.
@@detsportsfan18 Wow, I admire your ambition trying new pitches in a game, that's great! Have you tried both pitches? Breaking to right (screwball) and slider (breaking to left)? If so, which one breaks better?
@@utah32804 My apologies, just seeing this now. I had a little success with the screwball (breaking to the right), and at times moreso with throwing it on the outside corner to right handed hitters. The hitters would be under the assumption that the ball would be outside, and would break back in on the corner for a strike.
We are 0-6 and I walk about 3 ppl a game. I'm still getting used to it. As I have never played before. I do believe the backhand throwing is a good thing. I'm the only person in my league pitching that way. So it give ppl a difference look
That's awesome Michael! It's great working on new pitches and it's even better when you see the batter's (and umpire's) eyes when that first nasty breaking pitch comes in there. They can't believe it. When you really get that break working, even if it goes in there for a ball, it makes them really think. Sometimes that's all they need to see to slow down the attack on your next pitch. Let me know if you have any questions and Good Luck!
Why not? I've played a lot of positions over the years and for softball, pitching is my favorite. If you have a good defense behind you, you can make more difference in a game than any other position and prevent as many runs against you as your best hitter can score.
I have fairly small hands. I’m having difficulty with getting wide separation between index and middle finger. Can I get same movement if I use the index and ring finger on the seams?
I'm having trouble understanding your hand position braking into the right batter. Would you say your wrist is flicked from the bottom right to the top left, similar to a diagonal line? But your release is centre to the plate? And I will say thank you so much because the whole season, I was just flicking the ball with center rotation over the plate with no thought of a left or right rotation. Last week I helped make it a low scoring game due to your techniques.
Bubbabooey, glad you're having success with your pitch development, always nice to hear. If you're asking about the screwball, breaking IN on a right-handed batter then I'll try to explain it like this. Follow the next step carefully to get the correct wrist release angle. Extend your right hand with palm down toward the plate. Now imagine grasping a glass of water with the opening toward 1st base with the glass horizontal and parallel to the ground. One more step and you'll have the right angle. Keep the glass parallel to the ground and your arm extended toward home plate, now point the opening of the glass to a spot about halfway between 1st base and the plate. Nothing should move except your wrist angle. When you release the ball you want to roll/flick your wrist up as if your rolling that glass from the bottom thumb side to the top finger side of your hand, palm down. The rotation axis should be horizontal and on a line approximately parallel with the baseline from 3rd to home. When starting out, throw down the center of the plate until you can get a feel for the break. Once you establish a consistent break, adjust your line to hit your spot. Backspin breaking pitches are a challenge so be patient and look for consistent location command in about 2k - 3k practice pitches. That's not to say you can't use it as a show-me or throw away pitch in a game sooner. Just be sure to get the break working correctly before you move on to fine-tuning your location command. Let me know how it goes and good luck!
My dad use to throw a knuckleball if the wind was blowing out. It would dance so much the hitters couldn't get a bead on it. He struck out several guys with it
So I have been practicing the screwball, but haven't been seeing any movement on the pitch. I used a striped ball and can see the spin so I know at least my grip is right, and have been using the pointer finger cue you explained in the video. I think my issue is not understanding what direction the open face of the ball should point (the side you explained would catch the air and cause the ball to run in). Should that face be pointing perpendicularly towards like 10 o'clock? Or more towards 9 to get the left to right movement? I'm a right handed pitcher, it's just hard to tell from the video how that face is exposed once you release the ball. Thanks in advance!
Hi Jon, From the pitcher's perspective, the axis of rotation should be level with the ground. Looking down on the pitch from above, with the catcher at the top, and pitcher at the bottom (as if photographed by a drone), the axis should run roughly from 10 o'clock to 4 o'clock. I hope that helps.
@@utah32804 That helps a ton, thank you! From your drone scenario, I think my pitches axis of rotation was closer to 11 or 12 o'clock to 5 or 6 o'clock. I'll work on it and get back to you!
I am a little dimentionally challenged and it is hard for me to pick up on your grip when I am looking at it face on rather than looking at it from behind or from your perspective. Could you film it from over your shoulder? Hope that makes sense...show it like you see it. Thanks
You make a good point Duane, I'm working on a series featuring one pitch per video and I'll be sure to film the grip from both sides. Thanks for the input!
Ah... I think I see where I made an error. It is the pitch to the left batter that I was referring to. I understand flicking the wrist using the index finger as a guide, then the open face of the ball as you flick. It's the ball curving to the left that has me confused. It feels natural to flick to the right upon release. But can I relate it to a counter clockwise from 6 PM (wrist 90 degrees) to 2 PM flick towards 11 AM? Actually after thinking about it, you pronated your wrist all the way to the left. So I guess its from that to release that I'm confused.
There seams to be a lot of confusion over the direction of breaking pitches so I'll try to clarify the issue here. Slider: A pitch breaking to your glove side. Screwball: A pitch breaking to your pitching arm side. A right handed pitcher's slider breaks the same direction as a lefty's screwball and vise versa. So if you're a right handed pitcher, pitching a slider breaking in on a left handed batter, you have to pronate your wrist. See the 2:10 minute mark in this video for an explanation, at the 3:10 mark I show the release snap. Let me know how it works for you. ruclips.net/video/teDXCFz_Il8/видео.html
@@utah32804 So to be clear, is your wrist prorated after release? I'm a right handed pitcher, so I'd be throwing a slider to my glove side. If so, that's where I was confused. Also I find my release results in a lot of walks and I feel bad loading up the bases. You talked about the release close to your leg, but I find I'm released it head level. What are you suggestions?
Ok, let's take your points/questions in order. 1.) "Is your wrist pronated after release?" WNA: Wrist pronation begins behind your back at the top of your windup and continues all the way through the release. As your arm passes your hip, the back of your hand and wrist should be against your hip. 2.) "I'm a right-handed pitcher, so I'd be throwing a slider to my glove side. If so, that's where I was confused." WNA: Yes, If you're right-handed, the slider will break from your right to your left as you face the plate and so, will break away from the right-handed batter. 3.) "Also, I find my release results in a lot of walks and I feel bad loading up the bases." WNA: Be slow to bring a new pitch into actual game situations. You don't want your team to suffer by practicing in the game. Just throw it once in a while, when you're ahead in the count until you can throw it with confidence. It takes a while to learn this pitch. If you haven't seen my video on this subject, take a look. I explain what is required to master a new pitch and my personal experience learning to throw the slider: ruclips.net/video/SEVs5-EQ7tE/видео.html 4.) "You talked about the release close to your leg, but I find I'm releasing it at head level. What are your suggestions?" WNA: If you're releasing at head level, I can see why you would be having control problems. Your release should be no more than 6-12 inches after your hand passes your thigh. Releasing at head level will prevent you from throwing the minimum hight pitch. I'm presently working on a new video series, "PITCHES". this series will feature one comprehensive video for each pitch with detailed instruction, drills and game application for each pitch. My first video is for the slider so stay tuned. I hope to have it completed in the next week or so. Hopefully, this will help you get on the right track. Good Luck and stay in touch.
Hi John, I've been thinking about making a series of 2 or 3 videos for beginning pitchers. I'm about to release my first of 4 video's on Slo-Pitch Power Pitching and the series covers some of the basics but it's focus will be more about teaching a "Hard Throwing" style and hence, "Power Pitching". I've been pitching so long that I sometimes overlook the obvious when it comes to new pitchers. Let me know if there is anything in particular you'd like me to cover. Thanks for the feedback!
@@utah32804 Awesome!!! I imagine it is going to lots of practice to be semi-good at pitching. If you would, i would like to see the basics, hand position on the ball, the release of the ball. For just the basic pitch at first. I want to learn to get consistent strikes before i try anything fancy.
I throw a really nasty two seamer from standard release and get a ton of backward Ks on RHH's. The problem now is I don't really have a secondary pitch that plays off of it. So now guys just look to swing to right field because if I start it over the outside-middle they won't swing because it breaks so much inside that won't stay a strike. I have a weaker knuckleball that counter spins but still pretty straight. I can't wait to try out this slider as it may help a great deal.
Hey Rob, interesting comment. So your breaking pitch is essentially a screwball breaking in on the righty? That's a great pitch if they can't sit on it. If you can get that slider going away, they'll have to look close to be sure you're not throwing a back door strike on the inside. That's a good combination, especially if you can get the pitch down and the release to look the same on both pitches. Do you throw your screwball with topspin or backspin?
@@utah32804 Yes, it's really a crazy screwball. I throw it topspin, I come slightly from the outside of my bosy to the inside with my arm swing along with the wrist snap. Without exaggeration I have to, at times, start it in the backside of the LH batters box. I end up having to work hard on sequencing with my straight ball and that lack luster knuckle ball
@@utah32804 I can send video to show it. I started pitching 2 years but have developed an acumen for it. I tried backspinning but it's very hard with me controlling it
@@caponyx I'm not familiar with that type of ball except that it looks like the seams are low and don't provide as much friction with the air as the seams on a standard ball. This could limit the break you can get. Otherwise, I see no reason it should not perform the same.
@@utah32804 and @Jon Medrozo...I play a ton of modified with the 12" Clincher and Clincher Gold...they seems make breaking balls very tough to work consistently...but the texture of the cover + the type of seems are very conducive to a good knuckleball...the flatter and harder you can get away with, the better, but it consistently gets very good, very unpredictable movement.
Excellent point, Joe! This idea is the foundation of good slow pitch pitching. Many guys don't understand this and think that if your strategy doesn't get most batters out, then it won't matter. The truth is that getting that extra out here and there is what makes the big difference.
Bahahahaaaaa - those pitches are not breaking - watch from the release to the end - its a straight line - seriously - you guys swearing pitches break - you crack me up - I've been playing softball for 50 years, at very high levels - Never seen someone throw a legit breaking pitch
As a fellow pitcher always looking to improve his game with different pitches, I greatly appreciate the tips & further education. Many thanks!
Sure. The pitcher is the most under-rated position on the field. Because slow-pitch is a hitters game, most think the pitcher's just up there to put the ball on a T. By setting goals and working on your game, you can help your team win a lot of games.
@@utah32804 Tried them out the last couple weeks during games, I believe I need to focus more on the direction of the wrist snap and the same motion as you. My pitches tended to not have much movement when trying these, but practice makes perfect, indeed.
@@detsportsfan18 Wow, I admire your ambition trying new pitches in a game, that's great! Have you tried both pitches? Breaking to right (screwball) and slider (breaking to left)? If so, which one breaks better?
Just posted a video in response to your comment, hope it helps. ruclips.net/video/q1RI5b4MTqc/видео.html
@@utah32804 My apologies, just seeing this now. I had a little success with the screwball (breaking to the right), and at times moreso with throwing it on the outside corner to right handed hitters. The hitters would be under the assumption that the ball would be outside, and would break back in on the corner for a strike.
Watched almost everyone of your videos! I'll be starting my first game on April 19th. Let's see how your advice does.
Any updates?
We are 0-6 and I walk about 3 ppl a game. I'm still getting used to it. As I have never played before. I do believe the backhand throwing is a good thing. I'm the only person in my league pitching that way. So it give ppl a difference look
I will stick with it atleast till the end of the season
Looking forward to trying these out. Thanks.
That's awesome Michael! It's great working on new pitches and it's even better when you see the batter's (and umpire's) eyes when that first nasty breaking pitch comes in there. They can't believe it. When you really get that break working, even if it goes in there for a ball, it makes them really think. Sometimes that's all they need to see to slow down the attack on your next pitch. Let me know if you have any questions and Good Luck!
I'm going to make my teams pitchers study this video... And if they dont get it im going to take over haha great video brother! Thanks for the help
Why not? I've played a lot of positions over the years and for softball, pitching is my favorite. If you have a good defense behind you, you can make more difference in a game than any other position and prevent as many runs against you as your best hitter can score.
Keep up the great work! These videos are incredible.
Great video with great tips. Can't wait to try it out.
Hi here. Great video and insight. thank you Week night Ace. Keep making videos. Fantastic.
I have fairly small hands. I’m having difficulty with getting wide separation between index and middle finger. Can I get same movement if I use the index and ring finger on the seams?
I'm having trouble understanding your hand position braking into the right batter. Would you say your wrist is flicked from the bottom right to the top left, similar to a diagonal line? But your release is centre to the plate?
And I will say thank you so much because the whole season, I was just flicking the ball with center rotation over the plate with no thought of a left or right rotation. Last week I helped make it a low scoring game due to your techniques.
Bubbabooey, glad you're having success with your pitch development, always nice to hear.
If you're asking about the screwball, breaking IN on a right-handed batter then I'll try to explain it like this.
Follow the next step carefully to get the correct wrist release angle. Extend your right hand with palm down toward the plate. Now imagine grasping a glass of water with the opening toward 1st base with the glass horizontal and parallel to the ground. One more step and you'll have the right angle. Keep the glass parallel to the ground and your arm extended toward home plate, now point the opening of the glass to a spot about halfway between 1st base and the plate. Nothing should move except your wrist angle.
When you release the ball you want to roll/flick your wrist up as if your rolling that glass from the bottom thumb side to the top finger side of your hand, palm down. The rotation axis should be horizontal and on a line approximately parallel with the baseline from 3rd to home.
When starting out, throw down the center of the plate until you can get a feel for the break. Once you establish a consistent break, adjust your line to hit your spot.
Backspin breaking pitches are a challenge so be patient and look for consistent location command in about 2k - 3k practice pitches. That's not to say you can't use it as a show-me or throw away pitch in a game sooner. Just be sure to get the break working correctly before you move on to fine-tuning your location command. Let me know how it goes and good luck!
My dad use to throw a knuckleball if the wind was blowing out. It would dance so much the hitters couldn't get a bead on it. He struck out several guys with it
So I have been practicing the screwball, but haven't been seeing any movement on the pitch. I used a striped ball and can see the spin so I know at least my grip is right, and have been using the pointer finger cue you explained in the video.
I think my issue is not understanding what direction the open face of the ball should point (the side you explained would catch the air and cause the ball to run in). Should that face be pointing perpendicularly towards like 10 o'clock? Or more towards 9 to get the left to right movement? I'm a right handed pitcher, it's just hard to tell from the video how that face is exposed once you release the ball. Thanks in advance!
Hi Jon, From the pitcher's perspective, the axis of rotation should be level with the ground. Looking down on the pitch from above, with the catcher at the top, and pitcher at the bottom (as if photographed by a drone), the axis should run roughly from 10 o'clock to 4 o'clock. I hope that helps.
@@utah32804 That helps a ton, thank you! From your drone scenario, I think my pitches axis of rotation was closer to 11 or 12 o'clock to 5 or 6 o'clock. I'll work on it and get back to you!
Great job. Thank you. Must be the one dislike isn't an Eagles fan...
So funny, you may be right. Actually, it's my son's high school baseball team, Edgewater Eagles
I am a little dimentionally challenged and it is hard for me to pick up on your grip when I am looking at it face on rather than looking at it from behind or from your perspective. Could you film it from over your shoulder? Hope that makes sense...show it like you see it. Thanks
You make a good point Duane, I'm working on a series featuring one pitch per video and I'll be sure to film the grip from both sides. Thanks for the input!
What if you cant spin the ball from a back hand motion.due to wrist injury.only side spin
Ah... I think I see where I made an error. It is the pitch to the left batter that I was referring to. I understand flicking the wrist using the index finger as a guide, then the open face of the ball as you flick. It's the ball curving to the left that has me confused. It feels natural to flick to the right upon release. But can I relate it to a counter clockwise from 6 PM (wrist 90 degrees) to 2 PM flick towards 11 AM? Actually after thinking about it, you pronated your wrist all the way to the left. So I guess its from that to release that I'm confused.
There seams to be a lot of confusion over the direction of breaking pitches so I'll try to clarify the issue here.
Slider: A pitch breaking to your glove side.
Screwball: A pitch breaking to your pitching arm side.
A right handed pitcher's slider breaks the same direction as a lefty's screwball and vise versa.
So if you're a right handed pitcher, pitching a slider breaking in on a left handed batter, you have to pronate your wrist. See the 2:10 minute mark in this video for an explanation, at the 3:10 mark I show the release snap. Let me know how it works for you. ruclips.net/video/teDXCFz_Il8/видео.html
@@utah32804 So to be clear, is your wrist prorated after release? I'm a right handed pitcher, so I'd be throwing a slider to my glove side. If so, that's where I was confused. Also I find my release results in a lot of walks and I feel bad loading up the bases. You talked about the release close to your leg, but I find I'm released it head level. What are you suggestions?
Ok, let's take your points/questions in order.
1.) "Is your wrist pronated after release?"
WNA: Wrist pronation begins behind your back at the top of your windup and continues all the way through the release. As your arm passes your hip, the back of your hand and wrist should be against your hip.
2.) "I'm a right-handed pitcher, so I'd be throwing a slider to my glove side. If so, that's where I was confused."
WNA: Yes, If you're right-handed, the slider will break from your right to your left as you face the plate and so, will break away from the right-handed batter.
3.) "Also, I find my release results in a lot of walks and I feel bad loading up the bases."
WNA: Be slow to bring a new pitch into actual game situations. You don't want your team to suffer by practicing in the game. Just throw it once in a while, when you're ahead in the count until you can throw it with confidence. It takes a while to learn this pitch. If you haven't seen my video on this subject, take a look. I explain what is required to master a new pitch and my personal experience learning to throw the slider: ruclips.net/video/SEVs5-EQ7tE/видео.html
4.) "You talked about the release close to your leg, but I find I'm releasing it at head level. What are your suggestions?"
WNA: If you're releasing at head level, I can see why you would be having control problems. Your release should be no more than 6-12 inches after your hand passes your thigh. Releasing at head level will prevent you from throwing the minimum hight pitch.
I'm presently working on a new video series, "PITCHES". this series will feature one comprehensive video for each pitch with detailed instruction, drills and game application for each pitch. My first video is for the slider so stay tuned. I hope to have it completed in the next week or so. Hopefully, this will help you get on the right track. Good Luck and stay in touch.
I am new to pitching, do you have a video of the basic techniques of pitching?
Hi John, I've been thinking about making a series of 2 or 3 videos for beginning pitchers. I'm about to release my first of 4 video's on Slo-Pitch Power Pitching and the series covers some of the basics but it's focus will be more about teaching a "Hard Throwing" style and hence, "Power Pitching". I've been pitching so long that I sometimes overlook the obvious when it comes to new pitchers. Let me know if there is anything in particular you'd like me to cover. Thanks for the feedback!
@@utah32804 Awesome!!! I imagine it is going to lots of practice to be semi-good at pitching. If you would, i would like to see the basics, hand position on the ball, the release of the ball. For just the basic pitch at first. I want to learn to get consistent strikes before i try anything fancy.
I throw a really nasty two seamer from standard release and get a ton of backward Ks on RHH's. The problem now is I don't really have a secondary pitch that plays off of it.
So now guys just look to swing to right field because if I start it over the outside-middle they won't swing because it breaks so much inside that won't stay a strike. I have a weaker knuckleball that counter spins but still pretty straight.
I can't wait to try out this slider as it may help a great deal.
Hey Rob, interesting comment. So your breaking pitch is essentially a screwball breaking in on the righty? That's a great pitch if they can't sit on it. If you can get that slider going away, they'll have to look close to be sure you're not throwing a back door strike on the inside. That's a good combination, especially if you can get the pitch down and the release to look the same on both pitches. Do you throw your screwball with topspin or backspin?
@@utah32804 Yes, it's really a crazy screwball. I throw it topspin, I come slightly from the outside of my bosy to the inside with my arm swing along with the wrist snap. Without exaggeration I have to, at times, start it in the backside of the LH batters box. I end up having to work hard on sequencing with my straight ball and that lack luster knuckle ball
@@utah32804 I can send video to show it. I started pitching 2 years but have developed an acumen for it. I tried backspinning but it's very hard with me controlling it
Rob, that would be awesome, send it to me, I'd love to see it.
I can’t seem to get these pitches to
Work on clincher balls which my league uses
Jon, does your league use the 16 inch ball?
WeekNight Ace hey it’s the 12
@@caponyx I'm not familiar with that type of ball except that it looks like the seams are low and don't provide as much friction with the air as the seams on a standard ball. This could limit the break you can get. Otherwise, I see no reason it should not perform the same.
@@utah32804 and @Jon Medrozo...I play a ton of modified with the 12" Clincher and Clincher Gold...they seems make breaking balls very tough to work consistently...but the texture of the cover + the type of seems are very conducive to a good knuckleball...the flatter and harder you can get away with, the better, but it consistently gets very good, very unpredictable movement.
Every hit is worth about 2 runs vs an out, so if you can grab one extra guy per 5 batters you take away the majority of their runs
Excellent point, Joe! This idea is the foundation of good slow pitch pitching. Many guys don't understand this and think that if your strategy doesn't get most batters out, then it won't matter. The truth is that getting that extra out here and there is what makes the big difference.
Go Eagles
Bahahahaaaaa - those pitches are not breaking - watch from the release to the end - its a straight line - seriously - you guys swearing pitches break - you crack me up - I've been playing softball for 50 years, at very high levels - Never seen someone throw a legit breaking pitch
I have I’ve seen a guy that’s pitched for 15 years and he has tons of movement and break on his pitches