Like the DROP because

[Hillhouse]

Riseballs win you games. Dropballs win you championships.

 

[CoachJD]

So what's the best collegiate pitch? A drop?

I don't think it's a single pitch. It's being able to locate a couple pitches, mixing speeds. You have to keep hitters off balance.

 

[YOCOACH]

I absolutely agree @CoachJD . That said, the most devastating battery is a great drop ball pitcher that has a drop that falls off the table and a catcher that the pitcher has absolute confidence in them dropping and blocking it. JMHO

 

[Shiloh]

I don't think it's a single pitch. It's being able to locate a couple pitches, mixing speeds. You have to keep hitters off balance.

I think it's a single pitch (like last night, Webb = slider, Rogers = submarine, Doval = high heat) and then being able to throw other things for strikes, offspeed or not. Mediocrity with several pitches won't work.

 

[Cornbread]

Riseballs are great in TB and HS. A kid with a decent rise will be all state.

Rises aren't nearly as effective in college.

At the collegiate level, modern bats allow batters to hit the ball out of the park without barreling up the bat.

For female fastpitch, riseballs are very easy to hit if the batter can pick the pitcher. The flight path of the ball is flat at the plate, so if a better keeps a level swing plane, they can really smack the ball..

Few pitchers throw a good rise. Mostly, it is a bullet spin pitch.

I agree with this. I’ve never coached on the collegiate level. Just high school and travel. On those levels even a curve ball that stays flat will win games due to hitters not adjusting. So it makes sense that the higher you go the drop could be better.

 

[radness]

Crush all pitches

 

[CoachJD]

I think it's a single pitch (like last night, Webb = slider, Rogers = submarine, Doval = high heat) and then being able to throw other things for strikes, offspeed or not. Mediocrity with several pitches won't work.

I agree.

What I meant was it's not any particular pitch across the board. I do agree that each individual having one dominant pitch with complimentary pitches is ideal (well, "ideal" is multiple plus-plus pitches, but let's not be greedy).

Edit: I should add that my preference is a good changeup. IMO, the hardest part of hitting is timing. If a hitter has the speed timed, she can adjust to different locations/movement. But a good changeup not only is itself an effective pitch, but now you're able to throw off timing on all the other pitches.

 

[riseball]

My DD threw a rise, CU, and 2 seam FB in college. Her regret was not developing a good drop. When she got to the SEC she found that the front corners of the plate where often not part of the strike zone. The drop was the only pitch that could be thrown with the full ball on the plate and not get hammered. I now tell all my pitchers headed for college that they must have a serviceable drop so they can stay in the circle when blue is squeezing the zone.