One of the things I love about Boardmember is his excellent observation skills. A while back he discussed what the pivot actually does just prior to the leap. Guess what, most elite pitchers actually turn their pivot foot (in fact that is why it is called a "pivot foot"!) a little bit sideways not straight down the powerline like sprinters do. Sprinters keep their shoulders square to the finish line during and after the push off which helps them get power and speed for running, whereas good pitching mechanics require the immediate opening of the hips and shoulders to get "open" during the leap and stride, which is not the goal of running.
So the question is, do you want to spend hundreds of dollars on a device that keeps the pivot foot straight (like the sprinter blocks in running) or do you want to use a device that allows the foot to pivot like what actually happens during pitching? The second device is something called a "pitching plate" and can be used for free on most softball fields or if you want to splurge can be purchased for about $25
Well said Rocket, thanks.
This is precisely why I said "it is RECOMMENDED that the drive foot stay pointed down the powerline". As you and others have stated, if you watch videos of great and successful pitchers you will notice that they all have many similarities and many have differences too; some ever so slight. One detail that slightly differs is the angle position of the pushoff foot (I think Finch turns her foot more than others).
But from a teaching standpoint, I've learned it's best to recommend that the foot stay pointed straight ahead while in contact with the plate. One benefit of this is that it will discourage the pitcher from opening up too soon. As your body turns open after push-off, the push-off foot will take a natural position, which might be turned at a 45-degree angle with the toe dragging. Having the laces stay pointed straight ahead througout the entire motion, including the drag while you are open I would think could create discomfort in the hip region.
I actually started a thread on this specific topic some time ago...
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/12501-push-off-foot.html
