Curveball, I finally figured it out

General Pitching Topics
#1

I have the Louisville Slugger Complete Book of pitching and I have been studying the frame by frame mechanics of Curt Schilling throwing a slider. Also, I have been looking at the gif xv posted of K-Rod throwing his curveball. I havent been able to figure out why the pronation occurs after a curveball or slider until NOW!!

I had a lesson with Bill Olsen (Greg’s Dad) he runs Ultimate Baseball Academy here in omaha and he was like finish at your belt with your palm up. Thinking about it further, its one of the worst pieces of advice I have ever received. I threw a curve in practice the other stay staying fastball until PAST my head then I turn my wrist and IMMEDIATELY pronate DURING release. It has taken all of the stress off of my elbow and it is breaking dramatically more. XV if you could put that K-Rod example or whoever had it that would be great.

#2

that s what it means to “throw it like a fastball”

might meen younger kids can throw a slider

#3

Ive always known to throw it like a fastball but Ive never known pronation could occur through a breaking pitch. BOOYA. Also i figured out how to throw a slider without supination, finally.

#4

why dont people teach this
this hould be taught before mechanics
pronating will save the arm
if mechanics are bad at least he wont mess his arm up

maybe thats why K-Rod can get by with his wild mechanics

#5

i know basball and pitching pretty well but what the hell is the supination and pronation i honestly have no idea :frowning:

#6

thats just a curveball thrown properly. just the difference between the curveball you learn in your backyard with your friend and the curveball you learn by knowing what the hell you’re doing.

and travis there’s a bunch of topics about supination and pronation but long story short, hold your hand in front of you palm down, bring your thumb up and you are supinating your arm bring your thumg down your are pronating your arm. this is the action the arm does while and after releasing the ball it can go ither way. some experts say that pronating at release makes your elbow less likely to get hurt just because it makes a smoother more natural motion with yor arm.

and kelvin, pronating doesnt make any differences to shoulder related injuries and im in no way an expert but krod looks like hes going to blow his shoulder every pitches he throws.

#7

Thinking about it further… I threw a curve in practice the other stay staying fastball until PAST my head then I turn my wrist and IMMEDIATELY pronate DURING release…

Welcome to the larger worlder of competitive sports and pitching!! What you’ve accomplished is what seperates those on a career path in this sport from the park and rec player. Being able to figure things out on your own is the key. Oh, instruction helps… but like you just experienced it can only go so far. Also, sometimes a coach can mean well, but only gets accross half the story or injects something with terms and language that’s a bit confusing.

When delivering any pitch consider the grip, the way the ball sits in your hand and the type of release that you have that influences the ball’s rotation, and your natural endowments of hand size - build - height - and so forth. Hence, whatever works …WORKS… just as long as you stay healthy and injury free. And on that note, every coach that addresses you on any subject should have the eye of experience and education to assist you in that regard.

By the way, placing the ball in your hand in various ways with the seams slightly different then before is a great way to change the ball’s movement and your influence of the pitch without signaling your pitches before hand. This process - called dialing the ball, is more advanced pitching techniques, can be accomplished by first starting with your basic grip and outlining your first two fingers and thumb with a marker … deliver a few pitches, then move the fingers and thumb to various locations on the ball … deliver a few pitches and take note of the ball’s movment, … then repeat the process a few more times. Each attemp should give you witness of something that’s either usefull of not.

Again, congratulations on THINKING THINGS THROUGH and helping yourself. During your playing career … when your in a game and adjustments are necessary… you’ll do just fine by thinking that process through also. THEN and there is where a genuine pitching coach can be a career saver.

Best wishes on your baseball experience.

Coach B.

#8

you always gotta find something wrong with what i say
if your arm action is good your shoulder shouldnt be a problem

and K-Ropds a closer so he wont see that much consistant action
less chance of injury

#9

you always gotta find something wrong with what i say
if your arm action is good your shoulder shouldnt be a problem

and K-Ropds a closer so he wont see that much consistant action
less chance of injury[/quote]

he always finds something wrong with what you say, because what you say is usually wrong :wink:

#10

sometimes

K-Rod isnt gonna blow his shoulder because he doesnt pitch enough as a closer

pronation does lessen the risk of injury doesnt it
if you have good mechanics your shoulder shouldnt be a problem

#11

Hoy,

Lucky for you, you have realized your mistake in going to Coach Olson. No coach has gotten more legs from his son’s accomplishments. His teaching methods are antiquated and most are flat out wrong.

UBA/Strike Zone in the Omaha area have completely missed the boat in terms of biomechanics and modern pitching analysis. Come see me at Frozen Ropes. You’ll be amazed at the difference and how much “sense” modern techniques make.

Rich Bishop
Pitching Instructor
Frozen Ropes - Nebraska

#12

Im with bellevue U now you think emanuel and evans would get mad?

#13

Nope. I work with kids at Dana, Midland, Kearney, Wesleyan and some Jucos all the time. We had Brian Duensing in right before spring training and the Twins didn’t get mad.

Coach Evans is crazy, but I like him. He’s like alot of college coaches though, set in his ways and probably a little behind the times in terms of biomechanics. Duensing was even telling us how they weren’t picking up what caused his arm issues at Nebraska. The Twins tweaked him right away and he hasn’t had any problems with his arm in the minors.

Come in and buy an hour and I’ll throw in a video analysis. I know you’ll like what you see. Alot of the tips you are hearing on here are balls on and I can show you what it looks like in your mechanics.