Fouts turned in the best performance by a pitcher at the CWS. Then, yesterday, she turned in the worst performance of the CWS, allowing 8 runs in less than three innings.
Why? Was she replaced by a body double?
I've got three theories.
1. The Alabama pitch calling system was hacked. Alabama signals from the dugout to the pitcher and the catcher at the same time. Thus, the signal is easily seen by everyone at the stadium.
In reality, breaking the system would be very easy...Fouts only throws three pitches, and she only uses three locations for each pitch. Rise balls are always high (high inside, high outside, high middle). Fastballs and change ups are always low (low inside, low outside, low middle).
There was lots of video of her over the two previous games. So, breaking the Alabama pitch calling system should be very simple.
A code breaker would know the pitch see threw, and also the signal from the dugout. So, a quick review of the video would reveal the Alabama pitch signalling code.
It is ironic...breaking the pitch signal code for HS and TB is hard because the pitchers aren't reliable. They make mistakes all the time. But, high level pitchers rarely mess up a pitch...so, you know exactly what pitch she was trying throw.
Even more ironic--the way to stop code breaking by the opposition would be to let the catchers and pitchers call the game.
2. Her control was off.
She was way off her targets. She was missing the corners by 12 inches, not a 2 inches.
And, when she needed a strike it was *always* low inside or low middle.
3. Her rise wasn't working.
Fouts throws a bullet spin rise. (As @DrRiello likes to call it, a "ramp rise".)
The problem with a bullet spin rise is that if the seam orientation is not correct, it is simply a fastball. (The beauty of the 12-6 rise is that, even the spin is off, the ball is still going to move quite a bit.)
Why? Was she replaced by a body double?
I've got three theories.
1. The Alabama pitch calling system was hacked. Alabama signals from the dugout to the pitcher and the catcher at the same time. Thus, the signal is easily seen by everyone at the stadium.
In reality, breaking the system would be very easy...Fouts only throws three pitches, and she only uses three locations for each pitch. Rise balls are always high (high inside, high outside, high middle). Fastballs and change ups are always low (low inside, low outside, low middle).
There was lots of video of her over the two previous games. So, breaking the Alabama pitch calling system should be very simple.
A code breaker would know the pitch see threw, and also the signal from the dugout. So, a quick review of the video would reveal the Alabama pitch signalling code.
It is ironic...breaking the pitch signal code for HS and TB is hard because the pitchers aren't reliable. They make mistakes all the time. But, high level pitchers rarely mess up a pitch...so, you know exactly what pitch she was trying throw.
Even more ironic--the way to stop code breaking by the opposition would be to let the catchers and pitchers call the game.
2. Her control was off.
She was way off her targets. She was missing the corners by 12 inches, not a 2 inches.
And, when she needed a strike it was *always* low inside or low middle.
3. Her rise wasn't working.
Fouts throws a bullet spin rise. (As @DrRiello likes to call it, a "ramp rise".)
The problem with a bullet spin rise is that if the seam orientation is not correct, it is simply a fastball. (The beauty of the 12-6 rise is that, even the spin is off, the ball is still going to move quite a bit.)
