Speed and Movement

[new2softball]

Do you need a certain amount of speed to get movement on a softball?

On my DD's current 12u team she is a "reliever" / pool pitcher. She throws 45-48 mph with decent movement on her rise, drop and 2 seam. The 2 starters throw 40 and slow enough the ball has to significantly arch to get to the plate (maybe 35). I have been told that even though they are slower, they get a lot of movement on the ball. I don't see any movement, but I am no expert. Can 12u pitchers get a lot of movement on the ball at 40 and 35 MPH or am I being sold a load of BS?

 

[BoardMember]

Do you need a certain amount of speed to get movement on a softball?

On my DD's current 12u team she is a "reliever" / pool pitcher. She throws 45-48 mph with decent movement on her rise, drop and 2 seam. The 2 starters throw 40 and slow enough the ball has to significantly arch to get to the plate (maybe 35). I have been told that even though they are slower, they get a lot of movement on the ball. I don't see any movement, but I am no expert. Can 12u pitchers get a lot of movement on the ball at 40 and 35 MPH or am I being sold a load of BS?

At 35mph...there will be a ton of movement........UP then DOWN.......

I wouldn't call it a "load"........I'd call it a "dump truck"......

 

[new2softball]

Thanks.

Maybe up and down is what they meant. lol

The person telling me was positive their pitches moved.

My only guess is that the 35 mph pitcher has some success and they thinks it's do to movement. More likely it's do to the fact that every pitch is a change up.

 

[sluggers]

I doubt that anyone on your team, including your DD, is making the ball move. My DD (D1 all conference) had only one breaking pitch.

The problem, most likely, is your DD's control. How many batters does she walk in a game?

 

[Ken Krause]

Actually, sometimes when I'm demonstrating how to throw certain movement pitches from a standing position I can get movement on the ball even though the pitch isn't thrown all that hard. Works particularly well on curve balls and peel drops.

Ball movement requires the ball to spin fast enough in the right direction. Here's where the movement you've been told about may be questionable. I can get that kind of spin because I'm a big, strong guy who has been doing this for a while. If your 12U pitchers aren't strong enough to throw more than 40 mph, they're probably not strong enough to get rapid enough spin to generate movement either. It's more likely wishful thinking. Except for a drop, because gravity can make it look like a slow pitch drops.

 

[new2softball]

Thanks for the responses.

DD walks 2 to 3 a game. This puts her control about the same as one pitcher and better than the other. I'm guessing it is because DD's fielding. She can make basic plays but she is not going to sacrifice herself to stop the ball.

My eyes aren't what they used to be but I can see movement on DD's 2 seam fastball and even her regular fastball breaks in a few inches. I don't see much movement on the rise or drop but her pitching coach likes their progress.

I've also learned that catching your daughter who is getting older and stronger and fading eye sight are not a great combination.

 

[jtat32]

You gave their velocity, but you didn't tell us how games go when they're pitching. Slow pitching, with lot's of "gravitational movement" can be confusing to 12Us if they're used to seeing consistently greater velocity.

My older DD played 12U rec as well as travel last spring. There was one pitcher, in particular, who could barely get the ball over the plate on the fly. DD couldn't hit her to save her life, but had no problem with 50 mph fastballs.