Good afternoon, Mr. slider, and greetings from the Goddess of the Slider.
I am well aware that a lot of pitchers throw way over-the-top, and all I have to say is, it’s their arms if they want to take a chance on injuring them. I would not recommend throwing that way, and in many instances I have suggested that a pitcher change the arm slot—drop down to, say a 3/4 angle which would put less strain on the shoulder and arm. The fact that you brought up the subject tells me that you have reservations about continuing to throw straight overhand—not the least being that it inhibits you as far as being able to use more of your stuff, pitch more effectively.
I pitched many moons ago. I was a real honest-to-gosh sidearmer (and you know what exasperating, infuriating creatures we are!)—not much on speed, but I more than made up for it with a very good arsenal of pitches and the control and command to go with it. My best pitch—you’re going to get a kick out of this—was a hard slider that I nicknamed “Filthy McNasty” after a character in an old W.C. Fields movie, because that was exactly what that pitch was, with a sharp late break that used to give opposing batters conniption fits. My next best pitch was a very good knuckle-curve, and I built my repertoire around those two deliveries. In addition—here’s something we sidearmers have at our disposal—the crossfire, which added to the discomfiture of the hitters. Not to mention a closetful of changeups: Babe Ruth, who was himself no slouch on the mound, once said that a good changeup will cause batters more grief than just about anything else, and I picked up on that, starting with a very nice palm ball. And best of all—no sore arm or sore shoulder or sore anything else; the sidearm delivery is actually the most natural, putting very little if any strain or tension on said shoulder or arm. So you might at least experiment with a 3/4 delivery and see where it takes you, how comfortable you might feel. :baseballpitcher:
