An instructors "Bag of tricks" for teaching pitchers.

[halskinner]

Lou, not on your case at all here. Sorry if it sounded that way.

I have seen slappers at all ages in my area. Some come away from games seemimg ly unscathed. Others have bright red thighs after a game. And, some have walked slowly to the parking lot with bruises, black and a little blue on their thigh. Some have quiet slaps and some sound like thunder claps.

Here is some logic for you. If your daughter went to a public place, brought a piece of wood and began slapping herself on the thigh until it was bruised and swollen. Hopefully, a concerned adult would call this in. The cops ask the kid why she was doing that? Her answer, because somebody famous does it. She would be taken to a Psyche unit for evaluation and probably have a few days to get to know the staff.

I think both scenarios are a little strange, thats all.

 

[slingnit]

Ball whip?? where did that come from??

You havent answered the question. How does the glove slap benefit the pitch or the pitcher? I dont care if you advocate it or not. You said it had nothing to do merchanics. It prevents good mechanics for sure.

I have said more than once, IT DOES NOTHING TO BENEFIT THEM, BUT IT DOES NOT HINDER THEM EITHER. Do you just read what you want? Good gosh almighty. It does not hinder mechanics, your arm is in the exact same position as my daughter's would be, the only difference you did not slap. You had to use energy to keep from slapping. My daughter let her glove keep going. And I love your over the top scenarios. If your see a girl banging her head against a tree, yeah yeah yeah.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Lou, not on your case at all here. Sorry if it sounded that way.

Not at all no problem. By the way I do have a copy of your book and one of your tactics in there does happen to be the glove slap. So I think it is a bit strange you seem so vehemently opposed to he here but actually advocate it as a possible sneaky tactic to throw off batters in your book.

Again I don't have a strong feeling one way or the other on the glove slap. If a girl doesn't mind it, who am I to argue. I don't think it causes any lasting damage. So if she's accurate with the glove slap, I'm not likely to even mention it to her. Now if Amy could produce an actual case study that it does in fact lead to carpal tunnel on the glove wrist, I'd be happy to change my opinion and agree with her that it is dangerous and should be stopped.

 

[halskinner]

Hey Lou,

Yes I do talk about it in my book. However, it is on the lines of "If you do use it , use it to your advantage. No different than me mentioning a loud grunt. If you are going to use it, use it to your advantage.

IF, I say IF, the batters are using it to time the pitch, stagger the exact time you slap your leg or grunt.

Both oof these actions CAN and are used by some hitters because it sets a pattern.

I HATE PATTERNS IN PITCHING WITH GREAT ENTHUSIASM.

Anything a pitcher does in their motions can be used to disrupt their timing of the pitchers motions. Everything in your motions CAN be used to the pitchers advantage. Every motion you make will either be an advantage for the pitcher or the batter. You have heard a pitcher is getting into a good rythm? Pitchers like that,,,,batters love that, makes the motions alot easier to time.

A smart pitcher will be very greedy with all those little advantages like exactly when they slap and grunt..

Either you are a smart pitcher, or you're not. Which one are you? That is the big question.

 

[Ken B]

IF, I say IF, the batters are using it to time the pitch, stagger the exact time you slap your leg or grunt.

Anything a pitcher does in their motions can be used to disrupt their timing of the pitchers motions. Everything in your motions CAN be used to the pitchers advantage. Every motion you make will either be an advantage for the pitcher or the batter. You have heard a pitcher is getting into a good rythm? Pitchers like that,,,,batters love that, makes the motions alot easier to time.

A smart pitcher will be very greedy with all those little advantages like exactly when they slap and grunt..

My guess would be that this advice only applies to pitchers with one speed. Seems to me that the best, most deceptive pitchers can vary their speed, spin and location with a motion that appears consistently the same.

 

[halskinner]

Most pitchers with one speed will also have a change up at slower speed. Throw two fasballs with a grunt, then a slow change up with no grunt. Then another slow change up WITH a grunt. You have just used a grunt to your advantage, and it didnt mess with the mechanics at all.

Use everything to your advantage or the batters will use it to THEIR advantage! Tactical pitching, the smart thing to do.

 

[Ken B]

I can't chew gum and walk, so I can't begin to fathom timing a grunt differently; let alone trying to remember to grunt. DD, on the other hand, loves your sub wind up and gives it a try every now and then. Kids...

 

[halskinner]

Good for her! Remember this is a step style pitch, no big push off the rubber, just a very fast step. Does she normally throw with a backswing? If so , it will take no time for her to figure out how to use thgem with each other for tremendous outcome. Yeah, she will hjave a blast!

 

[Ken B]

Not sure how she throws it. She's 50/50 now with a bum ankle so everything is step-style until the docs figure it out. She's not pitching in games right now which is heart breaking for me and hard on the team.

 

[Jojo]

I can't chew gum and walk, so I can't begin to fathom timing a grunt differently; let alone trying to remember to grunt. DD, on the other hand, loves your sub wind up and gives it a try every now and then. Kids...

I used to know a pitcher who only grunted on change-ups.