Curveball Footwork

[PitchingDude]

Looking for feedback on footwork for curve ball. Presently teach setting the stride foot slighty across the power line with a slight body lean in the direction of the break, then stepping back across the powerline with the drive leg after release. Basically, falling back in the direction of the lean. This motion is comes via Club K video. However, saw lots of pitchers throwing curves while coming straight down the powerline with drive leg coming through just like fastball. Would that not be extremely stressfull on the pitcher's elbow?

Movement pitches by Club K require 2 elements, angle and spin. Thus, stepping across the powerline creates an angle from one side of the plate towards the other. Then mix the correct spin in, and the ball breaks accordingly. Also, loose follow through takes the stress off the joints.

 

[starsnuffer]

Why telegraph the curve? I teach hitters to step when the pitcher steps, and if they see that step to the right or left of the power line, they know what pitch is coming.

A lot of pitchers have "quick fixes" in their motion to try to make their pitches work. The problem is that these pitchers later become instructors and teach these little "quick fixes" as the bible, and you end up with a lot of very odd things happening that should never happen.

The curve ball curves because of the spin on the ball, not because it's being flung across the body. While a pitcher can get the illusion of more break by pitching diagonally across the power line (falling to one side then pitching back across), I don't think this is a healthy repeatable motion. I'd rather focus on the spin and location while making the pitch appear to be the same as the rest from a footwork perspective.

-W

 

[Sparky Guy]

The curve ball curves because of the spin on the ball, not because it's being flung across the body. While a pitcher can get the illusion of more break by pitching diagonally across the power line (falling to one side then pitching back across), I don't think this is a healthy repeatable motion. I'd rather focus on the spin and location while making the pitch appear to be the same as the rest from a footwork perspective.

You read my mind. For the life of me I can't understand why a pitcher would be taught to dramatically change the movement of so many large muscles when trying to deliver a pitch. I teach my kids to use the same basic motion with all their pitches. There are variations between pitch deliveries. Being taught to over-step, lean and then fall back opens up too many opportunities for the timing to be off in the delivery. I teach everything to be down the power line with a very slight left-right adjustment for inside-outside pitches.

Would that not be extremely stressfull on the pitcher's elbow?

No.. The ball is spun with the wrist and fingers not the elbow. The elbow is tucked close to the body allowing the arm to move passed the the front of the body and the wrist to turn. There is a video of Cat throwing a curve in the model pitchers thread. The spin is created with the wrist and fingers.