Drop Ball
The drop ball is one of the most important pitches in any pitcher's arsenal. Although there are many ways to throw a drop ball the most natural and effective way is called the peel drop. The peel drop has minimal mechanical differences from the fastball making it more natural for the pitcher and incredibly hard to detect as a batter. This pitch works by allowing the long sides of all four seams to cut the air as it approaches the plate. This spin creates a tumbling action that causes the ball to dive under the bat head of the batter. The drop ball should be thrown knee height or lower. The most common grip is a 4-seam grip just like a 4-seam fastball. The only difference is that the pitcher should bring her fingers slightly closer together to decrease the surface area of her hand on the ball. The less surface area of the hand on the ball the faster the pitch and the more spin it will have. Once mastered the peel drop is likely to be a pitchers fastest and most reliable pitch.
Drills:
Spin - Use a hockey puck or a spinner - start on one knee - use only the thumb and middle finger and make sure to keep the puck straight up and down - let the puck/spinner fall off fingers at the release - as the pitcher moves back she should pull up harder and harder with her fingers to give more spin and speed to the pitch.
Rainbows - the pitcher should face the catcher standing a few feet away. Relax arms to hold ball down by the hip. On release pull up on the the seams of the ball as hard as possible flipping the ball up into the air. Release at the hip and use the fingers to get the ball on its high arc - this is just a training tool. When throwing a drop ball from the mound the ball should never arc but be parallel to the ground and drop on a sharp diagonal as it approaches the plate.
Mound Drill - Throw on a hill to intensify the feeling of the lean of the body- pitcher must keep stride 2 inches shorter than normal stride.
Rope Drill - Place a rope 5 ft in front of plate 12 inches off the ground- the pitcher should throw the ball over the rope with it dropping below the rope before it reaches the plate.
Change-up
The Change up is an incredibly effective tool to keep batters off balance and get ahead in the count by offering them a look at a different speed. There are many different ways to throw a change-up. Some are more natural and more effective than others. The palm, circle, or knuckle change-up may be the most difficult to learn but these types of pitches are far less dangerous to the body and much more effective in reducing speed and fooling batters than the backhand change. The biggest weapon of the change up is its disguise. An effective change up looks exactly like a fastball surprising the batter with its slower speed. To achieve this the pitcher should get as much surface area of her hand on the ball as possible (the exact opposite of the drop ball). The more surface area of the hand on the ball the slower it will go and the less spin it will have. The pitcher should hold the ball firmly allowing the tension between the fingers to radiate up into her wrist and forearm. (The change-up is the only pitch where keeping a tight wrist and forearm is advised). The elbow, bicep, tricep, and shoulder, as well as the back and hips should stay loose throughout the pitch. The motion stays exactly the same as the fastball with stride and arm circle maintaining perfect mechanics. As the pitcher releases she should open her fingers as wide as she can, pushing the ball with the center of her hand. She should think about choking off her release as if giving someone a low five or pushing the palm of her hand into a wall located just in front of her hip. No matter what change up is being thrown the release should stay low and the ball should be 10- 15mph slower than the fastball.
Drills:
Back-Hand-Change - Bucket drill- Pitcher starts one stride away from a bucket the pitcher should release by popping the ball out of her hand and reaching out over the bucket(Move back accordingly - begin to use catcher)
Palm-Change - Shove It- Put the ball way back in hand and use the rock back - Move back accordingly
Self toss - Toss ball straight up in the air popping it out as high as possible extending arm fully upward.
Release - Rope drill-Pitcher at half distance with a rope 5 ft in front of the catcher and 3 feet above the ground. The pitch should stay below the rope - NO ARC
Curve-Ball
The curveball is an instrumental tool for elite pitchers. This pitch is incredibly effective in making batters fish for those outside pitches. This spin works by creating sideways spin as the seams cut through the air and bend the ball around the outside of the plate to a right handed batter. To achieve sideways spin the pitcher must create space between her arm and hip to drive the wrist snap and ball down the power line. To achieve this the stride leg must step just over the power line to the ball hand side. This allows more power through the back hip by using the front leg as a lever off of which to push. The pitcher should not change mechanics drastically but merely think about planting that foot just to the inside and throwing around the front leg. A strong back hip is incredibly important to get the pitch across the plate with correct spin and movement. There are many different grips for this pitch. The most important thing is to find one that feels good in a pitcher's hand allowing her to feel in control of the ball. Here are some you can try: (Images to follow). When preparing to pitch the curveball the pitcher should maintain fastball mechanics up until the point where she pushes off the mound. She should stay evenly balanced just like the fastball. When she drives off the mound instead of striding straight down the power line she should adjust ever so slightly (about 2in) to plant her stride leg to her ball hand side. The wrist snap is a similar motion to turning a door knob if the knob were turned down toward the ground. As the pitcher approaches the hip her hand should rotate to come underneath the ball. Her fingers should move orbitally around the ball in a counterclockwise motion - moving the index and middle finger together to point toward the hip. The release feels like a scooping twisting motion right at the hip. As she finishes her index and middle finger should rotate all the way back around to point at her shoulder with her thumb pointed toward the third base dugout.
Drills:
Release - Two knees drill- 45 degree angle to catcher at 10ft practice spin with no circle then add it once the snap is correct
Movement - Rope or noodle drill- Place a noodle or rope 5-7 feet in front of the plate. The right-handed pitcher should throw the ball on the right side of the noodle and the ball should finish/be caught on the left hand side (Move closer to the plate as she gets more advanced)
Posture/Stride - Balance beam
Rise-Ball
The rise ball is one of the most physically taxing pitches on a pitcher's body but is incredibly effective with batters that like to see the ball up in the top of the strike zone. This spin works by creating backward spin as the seams cut through the air pushing back against air particles lifting the ball up and over the bat head of an unsuspecting batter. To achieve backwards spin the pitcher must push her balance back and underneath the ball using her legs and hips to drive the wrist snap and ball down the power line. (With the fastball it is important to stay evenly balance throughout the pitch, but with the rise it is important to lean back slightly with legs and torso to help create the space necessary to spin the ball. There are many different grips for this pitch. The most important thing is to find one that feels good in a pitchers hand allowing her to feel in control of the ball. Here are some you can try: (Images to follow). When preparing to pitch the rise ball the pitcher should maintain fastball mechanics up until the point where she pushes off the mound. When she drives off the mound instead of staying evenly balanced (as in the fastball) she should allow her hips to lead every so slightly. This will allow her shoulders to lean back just a touch and make space for her arm to come through super long by her hip. The wrist snap is a similar motion to turning a door knob if the knob were turned down toward the ground. As the pitcher approaches the hip her hand should rotate to come underneath the ball. Her fingers should move orbitally around the ball moving the index and middle finger together toward the hip. The release feels like a scooping twisting motion right at the hip. As she finishes her index and middle finger should rotate all the way back around to point at her shoulder with her thumb pointed toward the third base dugout.
Drills:
Release- Spinner - Pitcher spins it back toward herself- then use the rock back to the catcher- move back with no circle to 3/4 distance- when adding circle move up and work backwards.
Big Ball Small Ball - use a baseball to allow flexibility with fingers and less effort and an oversized ball to exaggerate the motion- Start close with no arm circle then move back accordingly
Flat spins - Start releasing at the knee and using low targets- keep mechanics sound
Posture - One knee drill- most of weight on bent knee- 10ft distance focus on upper body and release point
Movement - Rope Drill- Set up rope 5ft in front of catcher- ball should start and pass below rope and finish above it
Screw-Ball
The screwball is a great addition to any pitcher's routine. This pitch works opposite the curveball offering the pitcher another chance to tempt batters who love that inside corner. This pitch spins in reverse of the curveball allowing it to bend the opposite way. The pitcher must create extra space by her hip to allow her arm to come inside the frame of the body and scoop back out behind the ball pushing it toward the right side of the plate. Much like the curveball the pitcher should adjust her stride. With the screw however the plant leg strides off to the left instead of the right allowing for more range of movement within the frame of the body. The index and middle fingers come to the inside (toward the hip) and scoop back out behind the ball toward the right. As she finishes the pitcher should relax her entire arm and shoulder allowing her thumb to turn fully toward the ground. (If unable to push the thumb to the ground the range of motion should be worked on by stretching and loosening of the muscles). The pitcher may need to catch her balance by stepping slightly off to the side with her drive leg but she should never loose control of her body or feel as if she is going to topple over.
Drills:
Movement - Rope or Noodle drill- As above
Posture/Stride - One leg drill- set up in controlled off-balance position- use full circle- after release pitcher should fall to the throwing arm side