Lisa Fernandez speed

[Screwball]

It was either the slingshot or the closed hips that generated more speed. Since Ueno does it, I am going to say it is the closed hips that generate more speed. Except for curveball, where you do it for modern version.

I can tell you my speed dropped about 5 mph when I stopped doing it (for injury reasons). You could say it was because I was injured, but I improved on all aspects of speed, strength and agility when I returned after the injury (time in the gym). I know this is not the spot for comments.

Also hard to comment because the videos kind of slow the thread down when you navigate.

 

[Steve Huff]

Lisa Fernandez:

Somewhere in this thread, it is stated that Lisa Fernandez easily reached 70mph. I admit that I saw Lisa pitch only one college game at UCLA when we were in in the Tuscon tournament. However, I watched her almost every year from graduation through the '00 Olympics, mostly in the Women's Majors tournaments. At the 1999 Nationals, she threw 61mph. Lisa threw a consistent 61mph in college and until 2001. It was 2001 at the Phoenix Nationals that I saw Lisa pitching and things suddenly changed. I saw her throw a few pitches which shocked me, because there was a sudden jump in speed from the year before. I went up to Star Orullian, from the ASA Olympic Committee and sat down to ask her if my eyes and brain were screwed up. I told her I thought Lisa was throwing 67mph. She said, "exactly"! I still didn't believe it; how could someone increase 6mph in one year with identical mechanics? I went to the gun to check my perception, and the gun agreed; 67mph. I asked Star how that could be accomplished in one year, when her mechanics were identical? Star had no clue! Do you? I am not going to speculate or disparage her, but it was fact. The only pitcher I ever saw at Nationals that threw consistently at 70+ (70-71) was Michelle Granger. Michele Smith's game speed was consistently 67, and she could crank it up to 71 or 72 when needed.

What I want to point out is that Lisa never threw a 70mph pitch in her career. And I can also say that I have never seen a pitcher throw more consistently at her peak speeds in my life! She threw every speed pitch at 61mph for years, and then jumped to 67mph for the latter quality years of her career.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

This video and a couple of others tells me all I need to know about a riseball. I don't think the K-zone illustration and the angle involved, especially if done from near ground level, shows the true nature, or path of the pitch. This video shows why there are swings and misses. And if the batter is fooled, or can be fooled, then this is just a argument for superfluous purposes. All top riseball pitchers will show this trajectory as demonstrated in Dallas' or Angela Tincher's riseballs. It works, and this side view or the batter's view shows why.

Steve ... elsewhere it was shown why a panning view can be misleading.

 

[Jojo]

Somewhere in this thread, it is stated that Lisa Fernandez easily reached 70mph. I admit that I saw Lisa pitch only one college game at UCLA when we were in in the Tuscon tournament. However, I watched her almost every year from graduation through the '00 Olympics, mostly in the Women's Majors tournaments. At the 1999 Nationals, she threw 61mph. Lisa threw a consistent 61mph in college and until 2001. It was 2001 at the Phoenix Nationals that I saw Lisa pitching and things suddenly changed. I saw her throw a few pitches which shocked me, because there was a sudden jump in speed from the year before. I went up to Star Orullian, from the ASA Olympic Committee and sat down to ask her if my eyes and brain were screwed up. I told her I thought Lisa was throwing 67mph. She said, "exactly"! I still didn't believe it; how could someone increase 6mph in one year with identical mechanics? I went to the gun to check my perception, and the gun agreed; 67mph. I asked Star how that could be accomplished in one year, when her mechanics were identical? Star had no clue! Do you? I am not going to speculate or disparage her, but it was fact. The only pitcher I ever saw at Nationals that threw consistently at 70+ (70-71) was Michelle Granger. Michele Smith's game speed was consistently 67, and she could crank it up to 71 or 72 when needed.

What I want to point out is that Lisa never threw a 70mph pitch in her career. And I can also say that I have never seen a pitcher throw more consistently at her peak speeds in my life! She threw every speed pitch at 61mph for years, and then jumped to 67mph for the latter quality years of her career.

Steve, did you ever get the answer on how her speed jumped that much?
There is a kid I know that had an amazing jump in speed after entering college. I tried to write it off as maybe more strengthening exercises, because kids usually do get a little boost in college starting these conditioning programs, but this kid's speed increase was amazing.

 

[sluggers]

Come on guys...

(1) The pitchers practice much more in college than in HS.
(2) They get older, stronger, more focused and more coordinated.

HS senior girls are *NOT* fully grown. They don't reach full physical maturity until senior year of college or a year after.

 

[FastpitchFan]

I personally clocked Lisa in 2002 at 3 different times (US Cup in Hawaii, Canada Cup in Vancouver, Worlds in Saskatoon) as I was an Assistant for the Canadian National Team and doing a lot of scouting.

She was consistently throwing in the 65-67 range. In 2002, she was using the drop and the curve much more than previous years because of the new 43 feet. She threw a lot less change-ups and rise to rely more on the drop and curves.

My observations from 2002.

Marc

 

[lhowser]

Interesting! Wish there was some good high speed footage of her at both phases of her career. I have never seen any. Her mechanics definately appear different that longer pitchers like, Finch, Cat, Monica etc.

 

[RookKev]

While I agree that in trying to scientifically analyze the mechanics of pitchers, batters, and such, the video is the best tool we currently employ in my opinion, so asking/wishing it exists is simply desirable and udnerstandable. It is not a statement that someone else is lying or misrepresenting the truth. The truth is the truth, whether or not other people believe it.

 

[Lozza]

Lisa Fernendez was my idol as a kid. I was beside myself when I first met her. Still have her autograph. She was a beautiful pitcher to watch. This was in the early 90s (purely because after I met het I HAD to have her bat as she said it was the best. Got that bat off 'Santa' at 11 (I knew but Santa still brings me presents!)

 

[wannahit]

when lisa was young i believe she was instructed by ernie parker, and on all of my old parker vhs tapes he instructed to slam the door with those hips, i also have the rightview instructional pitching software with lisa instructing and she now advocates the more conventional 45 degree hip closing, do you think this change in mechanics over time could have helped the mph