Ready for 3rd pitch

[pitchmom]

So she's not accurate on hitting her spots at this point in time? Or they're more hit then miss, or more hit than miss?

Well......she is accurate, but not 100% of the time. Like I said, she is newer into pitching and does need to spend a lot more time mastering this. Of course, the main pitching lesson is still being spent on the fastball and hitting spots.

What is her change up like? Is it consistent? Does she miss it a lot?

Her changeup does need some work. And, we are spending more and more time throwing it. Unfortunately...where I live, we don't have a lot of options for throwing over the winter. We have our weekly lesson and then a softball practice and that's it. Once we thaw out, we will triple our throwing time.


If the answer to that is yes, then why is the pitching coach pushing her to learn a third pitch?

I think the work "learning" is wrong. It's more like introducing/experimenting. She is teaching her it for the excitment....something new. We will spend about the last 10 minutes experimenting with it. We don't expect her to throw it in a game situation at all this summer. (unless she picks up on it and is a natural at throwing it) Her pitches will be the FB and change. But, I like the poster that said...you don't/won't know what your go to pitch will be until you are introduced to different pitches.

 

[CoachFP]

My point is why experiment until you do certain things right? If you are throwing a fastball and changeup with very good location and command, by all means experiment. When you are having trouble with the 2 you have, don't introduce more trouble.

 

[Jojo]

Diddly Drop. I added the diddly because drop wasn't long enough to post.

 

[LAdad]

A good pitching coach picks the pitches based on the player; blanket statements that the third pitch should be a drop for everyone are nonsense.

An important consideration for a 13-year old is to keep her interested; by all means, learn a new pitch. You don't have to be an absolute master at one pitch before you can move on to the next one. My daughter's third (or second?) pitch was a curve, which is much more effective for her than either change-up or drop.

 

[SoftSocDad]

A good pitching coach picks the pitches based on the player; blanket statements that the third pitch should be a drop for everyone are nonsense.

An important consideration for a 13-year old is to keep her interested; by all means, learn a new pitch. You don't have to be an absolute master at one pitch before you can move on to the next one. My daughter's third (or second?) pitch was a curve, which is much more effective for her than either change-up or drop.

Outstanding post and agreed.

 

[CoachFP]

If you have to "keep her interested" then maybe she shouldn't be a pitcher to begin with.

 

[Coach JV]

A good pitching coach picks the pitches based on the player; blanket statements that the third pitch should be a drop for everyone are nonsense.

An important consideration for a 13-year old is to keep her interested; by all means, learn a new pitch. You don't have to be an absolute master at one pitch before you can move on to the next one. My daughter's third (or second?) pitch was a curve, which is much more effective for her than either change-up or drop.

Excellent! The PC we use for TB has taken one of my pitchers who throws hard but has little control of FB,
and turned her into a 'curveball pitcher' Based on this girl's mechanics, she exclusively throws
the curve and change. She has climbed the ladder from #4 pitcher to solid #2 in 6 months.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

If you have to "keep her interested" then maybe she shouldn't be a pitcher to begin with.

I think you are missing the point. Even the most dedicated pitcher will find new ways to challenge herself, whether its working on a new drill, pitch, etc. so they can grow in the position and stay hungery. No one likes to do the same thing, the same way every day. Pitchers spend a lot of time each week doing a repetitive motion, why not introduce a new pitch that will make the practice fresh, new, challenging and exciting for her.

 

[pitchmom]

I think you are missing the point. Even the most dedicated pitcher will find new ways to challenge herself, whether its working on a new drill, pitch, etc. so they can grow in the position and stay hungery. No one likes to do the same thing, the same way every day. Pitchers spend a lot of time each week doing a repetitive motion, why not introduce a new pitch that will make the practice fresh, new, challenging and exciting for her.

Thank you SoCal
My daughter loves to pitch.....but she is constantly wanting to learn new/more. I understand that she needs to have a solid base, but it's not like we are all of a sudden shifting her lessons to the curve. We are intruducing.....letting her get a taste of it.

 

[Coach]

3rd pitch

I believe that if she is hitting her spots throwing the fastball and change up then move to another pitch.If she cant put it where you want it your wasting your time.My DD is 11 and she can throw fastball change drop rise and cruve consistantly and hit spots.It take a lot of work once she learns the other pitches she will then have to be able to get her follow through right and snap the right way.If you want success then work on spins if you don't have spin you have no movement.Not sure who your pitching coach is but my DD goes to a D1 College coach and our third pitch was a drop and work on spin,spin,spin and more spin.QUOTE=pitchmom;50927]1st pitch-fast ball
2nd pitch-change up


My DD is ready to start learning a 3rd pitch and her pitching coach has suggested the curve. My question......what has been everyone elses DD's 3rd pitch[/QUOTE]