Responsibilty to throw pitch in dirt! or not?

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radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
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RAD, I’m agreeing with you about the drop being a great pitch to have. I just think many people think it’s just not as “sexy” as the rise, which is more of a strike out pitch. You know that‘s what us pitchers’ parents want to see more of! 😉

I’ll be honest, when my dd was younger I hated the drop. I hated catching for her as it would always catch me hard in the shins (yes, I know, shin guards). It also seemed difficult for the catchers at the younger ages to catch it and frame it for a strike (talking about 12U Little League). Also, my dd had natural tendencies to throw up pitches better, so we started focusing more on the rise at 14U and abandoned the drop.

We have now been reintroducing it over the past year. It should be game-ready for HS ball this season. The great thing about it is that she takes something off of it so it is more like an off-speed pitch which is slower than her other pitches but not as slow as her change. It should be very effective for her this year. Looking forward to seeing her use it in games.
I get your gist ;) doesnt get the big K in the books.

Nice reintroducing it!
( maybe pegging parent in the shins was off putting early on) 💁

To Vertigo's point
As for catchers needing to handle pitches early on....
Is yet another reason of bringing up catchers responsibility and it includes handling the ball.
Pay attention to required skill sets. What the catcher does or doesnt do can affect the pitcher!!

Its a fantastic reason i immediatly introduce glove speed drills!!!
Even 8 years old.

Early in video see 'glove speed' later adds ball & transition speed.
*Can do glove speed snaps by themselve no ball. To prepare muscles for explosive movements!
End of video see 'trust our glove' drill with shorts hops and transition speed.

Get RAD Catching Workout
Did i mention i love glovework?
Enjoy!
 
Last edited:
Nov 20, 2020
995
93
SW Missouri
I’m sure the drop isn’t a favorite pitch among many because you don’t see many K’s with that pitch. What you do see, though, are balls put in play to the IF which typically makes for reliable outs at the higher levels. IMO, a pitcher has a natural tendency to be really good at throwing either up pitches or down pitches so they stick with one or the other. However, you get a pitcher who can do throw both rise and drops very well, that pitcher will be hard to beat.

DD is 12 and really likes throwing a drop. Hers vary from moving an inch or so to dropping to the lower shin. I will agree that it can be a tough pitch to catch for inexperienced catchers. At younger levels though I don’t think you need it to drop as aggressively as you do at higher ages/levels. You need just enough for a swing and miss or for soft contact (as you mentioned). But that gives younger/less experienced catchers a chance to learn how to catch it.

Side story: last year we played in a rec league that required catchers to be 6ft behind home plate. It was the only one running at the time. DD lost out on a lot of strikes because her catcher couldn’t frame the drop ball. It was already too deep by the time it got to her. We didn’t play in that league again once the season was done and others opened with regular rules.

Watching elite pitchers throw a drop where the bottom just drops out is fun.

I’ll leave the rise ball vs drop ball attractiveness for others to debate - lol. I’m on board with you on pitchers who can command both. Good luck hitters.
 
Feb 15, 2017
920
63
RAD, I’m agreeing with you about the drop being a great pitch to have with what I posted above. I just think many people think it’s just not as “sexy” as the rise, which is more of a strike out pitch. You know that‘s what us pitchers’ parents want to see more of!

I’ll be honest, when my dd was younger I hated the drop. I hated catching for her as it would always catch me hard in the shins (yes, I know, shin guards). It also seemed difficult for the catchers at the younger ages to catch it and frame it for a strike (talking about 12U Little League). Also, my dd had natural tendencies to throw up pitches better, so we started focusing more on the rise at 14U and abandoned the drop.

We have now been reintroducing it over the past year. It should be game-ready for HS ball this season. The great thing about it is that she takes something off of it so it is more like an off-speed pitch which is slower than her other pitches but not as slow as her change. It should be very effective for her this year. Looking forward to seeing her use it in games.

My 14u DD gets most of her strikeouts on drops because she cat throw it to different spots. She has four game pitches, fastball, changeup, even slower changeup, and a drop. The drop she can put in three different locations and there are plenty of swings and misses.


Working on a riseball but not game ready yet.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk
 
May 27, 2013
2,353
113
I think what was frustrating for my dd at the younger ages was that initially, she was being taught a peel drop by a HE coach, and it was against her natural motion, so it was difficult for her. Now, at 18U, her PC is working with her natural mechanics to accentuate the IR motion to get more of a drop action to her FB. However, somehow she can slow it down so that it comes in a few mph slower than her FB. It’s a great pitch!
 
Aug 21, 2008
2,359
113
Thank you for this video. Really great camera views and also interesting commentary. Im interested in what someone like @Hillhouse thinks about the thinkinkg here.

Her thinking about what? That I rigorously disagree with (1:33 mark) she calls for an 0-2 change up. Bad time for a change up (statistically speaking). Please don't bomb me with messages about your kid getting tons of 0-2 change up strikeouts. I've had them too, but it's not exactly the best time to throw a change up in many situations.

Overall, you wanna keep your change up low. Throw it for a ball, down low. This way the hitter is fooled and out in front AND has to go down low to hit the ball. 2 movements from the batter's box is likely to screw up the hitter vs. keeping a change up higher in the zone and the hitter might be able to keep their hands back and still punch it over the SS's head. So, I believe it needs to be kept as low as possible. Calling for it to bounce is a different thing. Bad things happen when the ball bounces.
 
Feb 25, 2020
953
93
Her thinking about what? That I rigorously disagree with (1:33 mark) she calls for an 0-2 change up. Bad time for a change up (statistically speaking). Please don't bomb me with messages about your kid getting tons of 0-2 change up strikeouts. I've had them too, but it's not exactly the best time to throw a change up in many situations.

Overall, you wanna keep your change up low. Throw it for a ball, down low. This way the hitter is fooled and out in front AND has to go down low to hit the ball. 2 movements from the batter's box is likely to screw up the hitter vs. keeping a change up higher in the zone and the hitter might be able to keep their hands back and still punch it over the SS's head. So, I believe it needs to be kept as low as possible. Calling for it to bounce is a different thing. Bad things happen when the ball bounces.

When are you generally looking to throw a change? 1st pitch, 2nd pitch? Which counts etc
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Bad things happen when the ball bounces.
Blanket statements like
Bad things happen when the ball bounces.
Are easily replied with blanket statements like
Bad things happen when powerful hitters can reach the pitch.

Would MUCH rather have a change up bounce than float/stay up.

However because of Change Ups spin and trajectory are often more difficult dirt pitches to handle.
Obviously harder to throw out runners waiting for pitch to arrive.

As for pitch calling and sequence of.
Also has to do with what the batter looks like.
What the pitchers strengths/weaknesses are.
The catcher.

Gleened from video,
The narrator in the video was speaking directly to waisting the change up in the dirt.
Would/Could a pitcher do that. Yes.
As a blanket statement to throw 0-2 change ups all the time. No.
 
Last edited:

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
My 14u DD gets most of her strikeouts on drops because she cat throw it to different spots. She has four game pitches, fastball, changeup, even slower changeup, and a drop. The drop she can put in three different locations and there are plenty of swings and misses.


Working on a riseball but not game ready yet.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk
Like that
Change up
And
Even slower change up
With a drop & its locations!
Great Stuff!!!

A PHENOMENAL pitching instructor
Bill Owens called half speed pitches
'Half-A-Bucks'
What a joy to catch for his pitchers.
Multiple pitches and Speed variations!
ATTACK WITH THE ARSENAL
 

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