Help! Lack of Drop Ball Bite

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Apr 8, 2019
214
43
What I have seen 2 million times (maybe 3 million?) is that young pitchers: 9, 10, 11 years old who can throw legit drop balls without even realizing they are doing it. The ones taught to throw a "fastball" are basically being taught a drop and they don't realize it. 99.99999% of those pitchers' have a parent who say yes when I ask, "Does the fastball drop when you're catching for her?" So, bingo they're throwing a drop already. But, to admit that, a pitching coach will be losing money because most will complicate the drop, tell them they need to do all kinds of crazy things when throwing this pitch (stepping short, leaning forward, turn the hand over after release etc. etc.) trying to make the "fastball" and drop into 2 separate pitches. If the admit that, then they won't have 5 months worth of lessons teaching them the drop and all the crazy things they need to do to make the pitch happen.
This was precisely the case with my DD. I remember watching one of your videos and feeling vindicated because I couldn't understand why her coach was bothering with a rollover. She threw drop balls unintentionally all the time when she released a little early.
 
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
Spin axis is the most important factor for a good drop. The easiest way I’ve found to teach drop spin is to adjust the brush spot on the wrist. After a few fastballs, find the pink area on the wrist where she brushes. It’s usually on the pinky side of the wrist. Now adjust the brush spot more towards the center of the wrist and check the spin. Keep moving the brush spot until the axis is perfectly perpendicular.
 
Nov 20, 2020
995
93
SW Missouri
This was precisely the case with my DD. I remember watching one of your videos and feeling vindicated because I couldn't understand why her coach was bothering with a rollover. She threw drop balls unintentionally all the time when she released a little early.

I’m in camp K.I.S.S in regards to pitching. Early on DD was taught a 12/6 spinning fastball.

So honing in her drop ball was more around creating good consistent mechanics. Which let her to find consistent release points and spin. No short step. No leaning. It’s really come on this year and she will throw it so it crosses right at the front knee. Often on the outside edge. Weaker hitters think it’s a ball and better hitters turn it into weak grounders.

Now, not to say DD has it perfect. She’ll miss the release or axis and it ends up thigh or waist high. And has paid for it. The fun of learning
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
These discussions always make me cringe.

The effectiveness of a pitch measured relative to the other pitches. If a kid throws only knee high 25RPS 12-6 pitches, then she won't have success. She has to throw pitches with different spins.

If a kid has a good a rise ball, then she can get away with a mediocre drop ball.

If a kid is going to live or die on her drop ball, then she has to be able to do a lot more with it than throw 12RPS knee high pitches.
 
Mar 17, 2022
4
3
Daughter used the peel drop and it was very effective for her, the only problem she had was the catcher had trouble catching it in high school, in college and travel ball not so much. She could change speed and rate of drop. She had long fingers which IMO helped her with that pitch. I could pitch, but I never could master the peel drop myself.
 
May 7, 2008
174
18
Hi folks, DD is an IR/Tincher pitcher (Made the switch from HE 1.5 years ago). Based on her action, her coach determined the peel (vs rollover) was the best approach to the drop for her. At release, the untrained eye would assume its a rollover style drop though given the follow through she was taught - sort of a whipping action over the top and into the near thigh after release.

THE CHALLENGE: When throwing the ball low she seems to be able to get the ball to bite and drop at the plate. It's never called a strike and doesn't appear to be a strike coming in because of how low it is. Batters correctly perceive it as a low ball so they never swing at it to produce the hoped for weak hit or swung miss. When she elevates the pitch a bit , it comes in as a fastball with no bite. Am I overthinking and should just let her work through over time? I perceive the drop to be key to her success as she's not throwing a rise yet and her curve is still developing - also with very little bite. Coach says she's seeing good spin though. Any thoughts on how to address?
Couple of things and reacting to the comments. first its a lot harder to throw a drop for a strike at 5-4 than it is at 6-0. the taller you are the easier it is to "get your 6" of drop" and keep the ball in the strike zone but still moving down. That said "bite" is really a question of spin rate. The best drill by far is the "rope or string " set at knee height 5 feet in front of the plate. Pitch over that and make the ball drop and you will get swings and misses.

Depending on your ump maybe not called strikes if they tend to call it where its caught not where it crosses. Remember a batter has a swing time in the .13 second range so they must swinging at about 15 feet out. so over the string at 5 feet puts the challenge to the hitter to hit the moving pitch. The string is the best visual feedback unless you are using some fancy system like rhapsodo. working on drop ball spin the mantra i usually teach is "get your hand on top of the ball" to spin it ( this is same as Rick Pauly teaches as best I know) . so bottom line your drop may be a strikeout pitch not a get ahead pitch depending on the ump.
 
Feb 6, 2020
100
28
Couple of things and reacting to the comments. first its a lot harder to throw a drop for a strike at 5-4 than it is at 6-0. the taller you are the easier it is to "get your 6" of drop" and keep the ball in the strike zone but still moving down. That said "bite" is really a question of spin rate. The best drill by far is the "rope or string " set at knee height 5 feet in front of the plate. Pitch over that and make the ball drop and you will get swings and misses.

Depending on your ump maybe not called strikes if they tend to call it where its caught not where it crosses. Remember a batter has a swing time in the .13 second range so they must swinging at about 15 feet out. so over the string at 5 feet puts the challenge to the hitter to hit the moving pitch. The string is the best visual feedback unless you are using some fancy system like rhapsodo. working on drop ball spin the mantra i usually teach is "get your hand on top of the ball" to spin it ( this is same as Rick Pauly teaches as best I know) . so bottom line your drop may be a strikeout pitch not a get ahead pitch depending on the ump.
I'm might be missing something, but I'm 6'2" and my daughter 5'6". I measured from the ground up to the bottom of our fingers and the difference was a little over 1". I might have excessively long arms or maybe hers are shorter than normal, but this focus on height being a major factor in a drop doesn't seem to add up to me.
 
Apr 12, 2015
792
93
I'm might be missing something, but I'm 6'2" and my daughter 5'6". I measured from the ground up to the bottom of our fingers and the difference was a little over 1". I might have excessively long arms or maybe hers are shorter than normal, but this focus on height being a major factor in a drop doesn't seem to add up to me.
Obviously you are supposed to throw the ball from the top of your head....
 

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