Finger pressure ball movement

[Gtrips07]

So is the movement of a ball that mimics a peel drop able to be created by thumb alignment and finger pressure. I'm thinking of Lexi Kyfoyl's drop which moves down and in to a right handed batter.

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[Gambler Bob]

Finger pressure determines how the ball comes out of the hand. Inside the ball. Outside of the ball. Behind the ball, etc. A good I/R fastball comes off the hand with the fingers inside the ball and generates 1/7 spin going down and in to a RHB. Get the fingers outside the ball and you will get 11/5 spin and it will break down and away. Adjusting the finger pressure, including the thumb will make the ball do pretty much whatever you want it to.

What I described above is a traditional pitch that utilizes the magnus force, blah, blah, blah. As mentioned by @sluggers there is more to the story, but pitchers must master finger pressure and other skills before they can move on to other pitches. I would encourage all pitchers to spend time playing around with spins, finger pressure, etc. In addition to breaking up the monotony of a BP session, to truly advance as a pitcher you need to have a keen awareness of what you body is doing. Once this is developed the possibilities are significant.

Riseball, do you have any info or more details on how to make the 1-7 spin and 11-5 spin more repeatable for a young pitcher? Also, any more details with finger pressure to make those spins have more movement on the pitch?

My daughter tends to be able to make the ball move about 50% of the time down and out to a RH batter. For the ball to move down and out the pitch always starts out low, if the pitch is higher than the waist the ball does not move. All her pitches above the waist seem to be pretty straight.

This part may seem odd but if I have her focus her eyes about 10 -15 feet in front of the rubber instead of focusing her eyes on the glove she seems to keep the ball lower and the ball moves a little better. Obviously, her eyes are not moving the ball but she does keep the ball lower when her eyes are not focused on the catchers glove.

 

[ArmWhip]

Riseball, do you have any info or more details on how to make the 1-7 spin and 11-5 spin more repeatable for a young pitcher? Also, any more details with finger pressure to make those spins have more movement on the pitch?

My daughter tends to be able to make the ball move about 50% of the time down and out to a RH batter. For the ball to move down and out the pitch always starts out low, if the pitch is higher than the waist the ball does not move. All her pitches above the waist seem to be pretty straight.

This part may seem odd but if I have her focus her eyes about 10 -15 feet in front of the rubber instead of focusing her eyes on the glove she seems to keep the ball lower and the ball moves a little better. Obviously, her eyes are not moving the ball but she does keep the ball lower when her eyes are not focused on the catchers glove.

First of all you need to know what kind of spin she throws, if you don't know that then you have no feedback on any changes you make. Take a new ball and put quarter size spots on it so that you can see how the ball spins. Finger pressure changes the way the ball spins, you can do the same thing with grip changes. For this type of movement pitch spin by itself is not enough, you also need the proper seam orientation which presents smooth area of the ball consistently in one of the forward facing quarters of the ball.

 

[softballphreak]

Just curious, since a rise ball doesn’t break, is a particular spin actually essential?

 

[ArmWhip]

Yes, a riseball needs some degree of backspin in order 'rise' or not drop as much as other pitches. Just as a drop needs some top spin.

 

[Ken B]

Just curious, since a rise ball doesn’t break, is a particular spin actually essential?

If you’re Garcia or Fouts throwing 70+ you can get away with throwing a spiral up in the zone. The rest of us will benefit from backspin. Strive for 6/12 spin with a perpendicular axis, but allow for a slightly tilted/turned axis at game speed. The closer it is to pure spin, the floatier and more off speed it becomes.