Pitching tips: Pitchers helping Pitchers

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Nateorious

Addicted to Softballfans
MarlSrSoftball said:
I love those knucle balls. IMO hitters best friend
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Yea, cause who wants a bp pitch with no movement over something that is dancing.


* I know not every knuckleball has movement but IMO its the best chance to have erratic movement that can get a batter to miss by that half inch and ground out or pop up. Plus after the the floating knuckles the fast pitch is much more effective.
 
LikeMiken

LikeMiken

Starting Player
I only throw the knuckleball if it's windy or if I haven't used it on the batter yet. I know sometimes when I hit, i get surprised by the lack of rotation if they've just been pitching normal.
 
LetTheBigDogEat

LetTheBigDogEat

The Veteran
gregbishere said:
Ichiro what you should try is pitching it at max height, as soon as you release it sprint to the batter and try catching the ball right off the bat, works great for me.
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lolol. i've seriously debated this before but am afraid i'd catch one with my teeth. i have on a few occasions, with 2 outs and 2 strikes, thrown a pitch i know is going to be a strike then immediately head to the dugout. i've had at least 2 looking k's bc the batter is staring at me like WTf?

as for the knuckleball. it's slowpitch softball, the only time i've found it works is in really low levels of league ball and church league. for some reason it mystifies those guys. i can consistently make mine not spin, and generally move a little, but if the wind is blowing towards me i can really make one dance. luckily mine is almost going toward the LH box as it crosses the plate, so i know i can start it in and it come across for an unexpected strike, or i can start it middle/away and get a guy chasing as it dances away. i don't like to throw it a lot though because often times if it knuckles in, it knuckles out, and my OF don't want to deal with that.

another big thing is find out early how the ump calls. does he let you away with low or high pitches? call the corners? is he calling where it crosses or where it lands? and play to that. but more importantly, figure out what the other team is complaining about his calls. if a guy is constantly complaining your pitching flat and he's not calling illegal, throw him a flat pitch with 2strikes, hes more likely to let that go bc he thinks its illegal
 
MarlSrSoftball

MarlSrSoftball

Into Semi-Retirement Still activebut not League
Moose40 said:
speaking of knuckleballs, is a knuckleball simply a ball coming in with no rotation? is there anything else that defines a knuckleball besides that?
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Nothing besides it is easy to hit. But, and a big but, you got to have patience and wait for the ball.
 
SMAC

SMAC

mmmmmm...beeeer
After a pitcher is adequate at throwing strikes, most of it is mental. Ignore the peanut gallery. Everyone on the field thinks they are an expert on everything and few are. Savy veteran pitchers, catchers, and former pitchers know what they are doing. Occasionally someone else will throw out a good suggestion, but for the most part, they should be ignored.
 
Hammerin' Hank

Hammerin' Hank

Addicted to Softballfans
dponder said:
I don't see how quick pitching works on anyone though. I'm the batter, I control the box. I never step in for the first time without calling time and once I'm in, I never step out unless it's a foul ball. If that's the case, I call time again to make sure I'm ready. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see how this happens.
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in my league there is no "box" rule unless time is called the pitcher can pitch at any time, so the quick pitch works quite well. mostly becuz the batters box isnt clear, ie there are no lines. it is common practice to call time after each pitch.
 
oilslick58

oilslick58

Addicted to Softballfans
gregbishere said:
Ichiro what you should try is pitching it at max height, as soon as you release it sprint to the batter and try catching the ball right off the bat, works great for me.
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HEHEHEHEH

THAT SOUNDS DOWN RIGHT FUNNY TO ME. i MAY TRY THAT TONIGHT.:)
 
packerbacker796

packerbacker796

Bi-Polar as they Come
The thing I hate is my teammates always looking for me to throw strikes no matter what the count. We start 1-1 and after I lay one in there the next 2 are either deep, short, inside, outside or a little of all of them. No more fouls left with a 1-2 count the next ones are way inside.
 
Waggs14

Waggs14

Star Player
I feel like some of this is good INFO and some is not... IMO I pitch both ASA and Utrip both coed and mens the best thing you can do is throw strikes and not walk batters! It is slow pitch softball they are going to hit the ball no matter what we try to do. Yes you can make things harder on them but the good hitters are still going to hit. I can throw a knuckle and it does work from time to time. If you quick pitch its asking for them to hit at you (yes I will defend pitchers getting hit at as it is BS if your that good to hit me then put it in the gap) If its ASA i pitch the lower level or arc bc they like the higher arc they are use to, and Utrip i pitch with more arc bc they are use to flat... if he pulls everything then pitch outside, if they push it then jam them... do what you can to help you out but the best is just put it across the plate let the Defense make the play and then when your up to bat hit in some runs to help your cause.
 
LetTheBigDogEat

LetTheBigDogEat

The Veteran
packerbacker796 said:
The thing I hate is my teammates always looking for me to throw strikes no matter what the count. We start 1-1 and after I lay one in there the next 2 are either deep, short, inside, outside or a little of all of them. No more fouls left with a 1-2 count the next ones are way inside.
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this.... im allowed to throw 3 balls, and i'm going to use them. they arent going to be un-hitable but why groove meatballs across the plate just bc it's slowpitch and they're going to hit it. of course you're not going to fool anyone at 5mph. but guys wanna hit, not walk, guys get anxious, let them swing at borderline pitches
 
ImminentDanger

ImminentDanger

Up and Over
The outfielder's perception of pitching is 'Throw a strike', I'll catch it...

The infielder's perception of pitching is 'Let him hit it', I'm ready to make a double play...

The catcher's perception of pitching is 'Let the batter hit the ball', I won't have to chase it...

The umpire's perception of pitching is 'Throw it down the middle', Stop complaining about the corners...

The coach's perception of pitching is 'Just keep it away from him', you've given them too many meatballs already...

The PITCHER's perception of pitching is 'Don't throw the same pitch as last time', 'Don't let him go yard', 'Keep it on the corners', 'Protect yourself', 'Throw deep since he's forward', 'Throw short 'cause he's back', 'Protect yourself', 'Slow the pace - just wait a little', 'Quick pitch - he's not paying attention', 'Protect yourself', 'Keep it toward 3rd cause there's runners on 1 & 2', 'Give him a meatball 'cause I know he can't go yard', 'Protect yourself', etc., etc., etc. .......

...
 
RobinMichaels

RobinMichaels

Addicted to Softballfans
ImminentDanger said:
The outfielder's perception of pitching is 'Throw a strike', I'll catch it...

The infielder's perception of pitching is 'Let him hit it', I'm ready to make a double play...

The catcher's perception of pitching is 'Let the batter hit the ball', I won't have to chase it...

The umpire's perception of pitching is 'Throw it down the middle', Stop complaining about the corners...

The coach's perception of pitching is 'Just keep it away from him', you've given them too many meatballs already...

The PITCHER's perception of pitching is 'Don't throw the same pitch as last time', 'Don't let him go yard', 'Keep it on the corners', 'Protect yourself', 'Throw deep since he's forward', 'Throw short 'cause he's back', 'Protect yourself', 'Slow the pace - just wait a little', 'Quick pitch - he's not paying attention', 'Protect yourself', 'Keep it toward 3rd cause there's runners on 1 & 2', 'Give him a meatball 'cause I know he can't go yard', 'Protect yourself', etc., etc., etc. .......

...
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Something that I need to print out and throw out in the dugout for all those meatheads that keep yelling, "put it right in there!" :D
 
stickin2j

stickin2j

Good clean family fun
ImminentDanger said:
The outfielder's perception of pitching is 'Throw a strike', I'll catch it...

The infielder's perception of pitching is 'Let him hit it', I'm ready to make a double play...

The catcher's perception of pitching is 'Let the batter hit the ball', I won't have to chase it...

The umpire's perception of pitching is 'Throw it down the middle', Stop complaining about the corners...

The coach's perception of pitching is 'Just keep it away from him', you've given them too many meatballs already...

The PITCHER's perception of pitching is 'Don't throw the same pitch as last time', 'Don't let him go yard', 'Keep it on the corners', 'Protect yourself', 'Throw deep since he's forward', 'Throw short 'cause he's back', 'Protect yourself', 'Slow the pace - just wait a little', 'Quick pitch - he's not paying attention', 'Protect yourself', 'Keep it toward 3rd cause there's runners on 1 & 2', 'Give him a meatball 'cause I know he can't go yard', 'Protect yourself', etc., etc., etc. .......

...
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Truth.......
 
jbo911

jbo911

Super Moderator
Staff member
Pay attention to the padding around the cup when you're making your purchase. That is where the impact force goes.
 
russmcd

russmcd

Addicted to Softballfans
ImminentDanger said:
The outfielder's perception of pitching is 'Throw a strike', I'll catch it...

The infielder's perception of pitching is 'Let him hit it', I'm ready to make a double play...

The catcher's perception of pitching is 'Let the batter hit the ball', I won't have to chase it...

The umpire's perception of pitching is 'Throw it down the middle', Stop complaining about the corners...

The coach's perception of pitching is 'Just keep it away from him', you've given them too many meatballs already...

The PITCHER's perception of pitching is 'Don't throw the same pitch as last time', 'Don't let him go yard', 'Keep it on the corners', 'Protect yourself', 'Throw deep since he's forward', 'Throw short 'cause he's back', 'Protect yourself', 'Slow the pace - just wait a little', 'Quick pitch - he's not paying attention', 'Protect yourself', 'Keep it toward 3rd cause there's runners on 1 & 2', 'Give him a meatball 'cause I know he can't go yard', 'Protect yourself', etc., etc., etc. .......

...
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Absolute Truth, I go thru that mantra before every pitch...

As for quick pitching, as some have said, it doesn't fool your experienced or better players, to them it's a freakin T-bone, so choose your prey wisely (as said earlier). It's mainly for the mid to lower level player whose used to the high lobbing pitch. With one strike, they are all squirrely 95% of the time thinking I HAVE to hit the next pitch no matter what or I got beer next week, so you toss a fast flat pitch, whether legal or not, and you get them all bug-eyed with an oh-ish look on their face, and they swing and put it in the ground for an easy out. Pitcher and Catcher have to be in sync for this to work at it's best tho.

I also did the quick pitch thing with the batter talking to the Blue and not looking at me. (Our league rules, ASA bound, don't have a designated box time rule for the batter in the box, if he's in, it's live. IF the Blue decides to give time, HIS arm will go up and I hold.) But he was standing there after a called strike, sayin "wassup with that???" to the Blue, and I let it rip...when he turned to me, ball was more than half way to him, popped up for an easy infield out.

I LOVE the idea of 2 out's 2 strikes, throw a known strike and start walking / jogging to the dug out...I am going to try that next game...watching the ball closely, no doubt.
 
Superstar555

Superstar555

Addicted to Softballfans
packerbacker796 said:
The thing I hate is my teammates always looking for me to throw strikes no matter what the count. We start 1-1 and after I lay one in there the next 2 are either deep, short, inside, outside or a little of all of them. No more fouls left with a 1-2 count the next ones are way inside.
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I agree. We have a pitcher who just throws meat 100% of the time, while I am one to work the batter when I am ahead in the count.

Guess what guys? Working the batter means walking a guy here and there. Throwing meat every pitch may mean no one walks, but it also means we get shelled.

Personally I think that if you never walk anyone that you aren't really working the zone.
 
Pinky12

Pinky12

I love teh PINK!
Superstar555 said:
Personally I think that if you never walk anyone that you aren't really working the zone.
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I agree but also disagree. Personally I hate walking guys unless the game is close and theres guys on base and the guy up hits bombs in his sleep. Other than that walks are just free base runners, no chance of being an out. Your chances are exponentially better if the guy puts it in play at getting an out.
 
twinsdad23

twinsdad23

Addicted to Softballfans
Pinky12 said:
I agree but also disagree. Personally I hate walking guys unless the game is close and theres guys on base and the guy up hits bombs in his sleep. Other than that walks are just free base runners, no chance of being an out. Your chances are exponentially better if the guy puts it in play at getting an out.
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If you just lay the ball in every pitch you will get shelled. You need to work it some. I agree that walks suck, but it is only one base. If you are walking a small village then it is time to change pitchers but you cant just lay meat balls in every pitch. At times it can almost be a fine line just like love and hate.
 
LetTheBigDogEat

LetTheBigDogEat

The Veteran
get a good catcher, one who works the ump a little but doesnt become annoying to him. there's a fine line between where it will get you a few calls and where it will cost you a few. also one who can get into the batters head a little. if he just talks the whole game he'll get tuned out, same as yelling "good pitch" or "there it is" on every pitch. but if he does it when the guy is nervous or looking to swing, and it's going to be a close pitch, that works well. my favorite when i'm catching is having a guy whose anxious / nervous and just randomly yell to your defense "he's swingin" as the ball is halfway there. its amazing how many batters swing regardless of where the pitch is.
 
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