What is a fast ball in FP?

[X pitcher]

Coach James, Imagine sitting there watching TV just spinning the ball with the finger tips. You don't need a grip to keep the ball from slipping out of your hand because there is no arm circle and delivery.
The ball rolls to the finger tips with no thumb to resist spin and you can spin the heck out of the ball. Now grip the ball between the thumb and the three finger and try to get the same spin. It's different, right? More thumb on the ball, or in the grip, the less spin and later release you get. Less thumb on the ball, or in the grip, means more spin and a proper release point, because the ball does not have to fight getting out of a grip or friction between the thumb and fingers that spin the ball. The thumb position is between the 2 closest seams where ever the smallest of hands has to be to get the 3 fingers across the seam to get 4 seams spinning forward. It will take a little time for a younger pitcher to get comfortable with less grip, but enough grip to not loose the ball during the arm circle.
Just get as much thumb out of the grip as possible to get through the arm circle.

 

[X pitcher]

I think I am on everyone IGNORE list.

 

[Perfect Circle]

Not Mine ... I would never put anyone on that micro modarater. I love to see the big boyz and gal earn there status...lol ... They might just be still looking up the answers to the other post...HaHa there all at practice I hope. We won our scrimmage 18-0 The team even brought in there 12u pitcher. DD drove a hard line drive thru SS, and was walked 2 times. Sled in home twice...She seen nothing but fastballs... lol

 

[CoachFP]

I think I am on everyone IGNORE list.

Not mine big fella!

 

[X pitcher]

Not mine big fella!

Do I make sense or is it most are on the roll over, and back arm swing page? I know we're on the same page. But we are the minority in the female FP world, I guess.

 

[FrozenRope]

Can someone enlighten me to something? Why is a fastball such a dirty word/pitch around here? I fear that some mommys and daddys of young pitchers can be brainwashed into thinking their little 8,9 or 10 YO pitcher is being taught incorrectly because fastball is such a dirty word and it's the staple of being for 10U pitchers. In MY opinion, the drop is a VERY easy transition once your little pitcher gets the hang of the fastball with good mechanics. Let's be honest here, the MAIN difference between a drop and the FB is the dead 6-12 spin on the drop, vs the common off center spin on the FB. Does the FB have a place in the game? Sure it does. The drop promotes the weak ground ball outs. What if the preferred out is a weak pop up to prevent the runner on 3rd from scoring on a throw to first? Most girls at 10, better yet let's make that 12U cant throw a rise. If they do, 9 out of 10 times it's a high fastball..... oops, "Did I say Fastball"? My DD has gotten rid of the 4 seam FB... THAT is her drop. She just focuses on a 12-6 spin.

 

[X pitcher]

If I enlighten you then no one else will speak up. I do try to explain that a fastball is a bad peel drop, because of a wrong grip. The wrong grip restricts spin and makes for a late release point. FP is meant for vertical movement, even at the youngest ages. That means drops, because even the biggest girls don't throw with enough speed and back spin combine to have even good rise balls. There are few with vertical rise balls. Most girls can spin the ball forward even at a young age. The grip does make a difference.

Ball spin for a RH pitcher's drop ball, with forward spin is counter clockwise.
Peel drop spin would be 6-12 and roll over drop spin would be 12-6.
Then there is seam spin too. Is that enough light on the fastball?
People who teach a fast ball don't know the grip for a peel drop.

 

[splinterpicker]

I look at the FB as a basic pitch that all others are based off. I have not seen any drop balls gunned at 70 mph. My dd fastest pitch is her fastball. I hear parents of young kids talk about their dd 6 pitches. Their only comparisson is what they see on tv. I wish the games on tv had more catcher views during games to show young parents and pitchers what the pitch is suppose to do. There is a trend to give poorly thrown pitches a name so a parent or pitcher can save face.

 

[X pitcher]

I look at the FB as a basic pitch that all others are based off. I have not seen any drop balls gunned at 70 mph. My dd fastest pitch is her fastball. I hear parents of young kids talk about their dd 6 pitches. Their only comparisson is what they see on tv. I wish the games on tv had more catcher views during games to show young parents and pitchers what the pitch is suppose to do. There is a trend to give poorly thrown pitches a name so a parent or pitcher can save face.

Then look at Chelsea Thomas's 70 MPH peel drop.

 

[X pitcher]

I look at the FB as a basic pitch that all others are based off. I have not seen any drop balls gunned at 70 mph. My dd fastest pitch is her fastball. I hear parents of young kids talk about their dd 6 pitches. Their only comparisson is what they see on tv. I wish the games on tv had more catcher views during games to show young parents and pitchers what the pitch is suppose to do. There is a trend to give poorly thrown pitches a name so a parent or pitcher can save face.

Then look at Chelsea Thomas's 70 MPH peel drop.
If you look at the new pictures of peel drop grips you can make your DD's fastest pitch a peel drop. Ricketts throws a 70 MPH Roll over drop, with an angle on it, not a curve drop, like the CROP they call it on TV.