Drop what pitch?

General Pitching Topics
#1

Ok, so i’ve decided that six pitches is too many so i want to drop my curve or slider. Both are still in “trial” phases and rarely used in games, and only when i know a batter is sitting on the complete opposite pitch.

I have a good 4 seam fb and o-change so i want another good pitch to complement them. I want to focus on one pitch and develop it a lot.

Slider is about a 3 to 8
Curve is about 2 to 7

My slider is a little slow right now but it’s been getting faster as I work on it more and more.
I don’t think my curve will get must faster.

My curve is very off speed to my other pitches, and the scouting report on me says I don’t have a huge change in velocity, and that i’m a “power” type pitcher.

#2

No, you don’t have too many pitches. But if you feel you have to drop one of them, I’d say lose the curve ball. A lot of pitchers in the majors are doing very well with the fast ball-slider-changeup combo, and you have a couple of good changeups to work with. I remember my pitching coach telling me once that just about any one of my pitches could be turned into a nice changeup—and being an old snake-jazzer I had quite a few—so you actually have several of those to use.
About the slider: Jim Brosnan, in his book “Pennant Race”, describes it as a pitch that is not as fast as a fast ball nor as sharp as a curve (althoug it can have a sharp late break) but is easier to throw and control than either of the other two, and most pitchers would give their eye teeth to own a good one. I learned that pitch when I was sixteen, courtesy of one of the Yankees’ Big Three aces, and he told me “Throw it like a curve but roll your wrist, don’t snap it.” I would advise you to stay with it, keep working on it—it could develop into a devastating strikeout pitch. 8) :baseballpitcher:

#3

i’d say drop the split or change
they both do the same thing(most of the time)
batter sees fastball then the pitch drops

it also can depend on the arm angle

#4

I’m defiantly not dropping my change, and my splitter is easy enough to throw, and its effective.

my change i can throw anywhere in the zone, and i only throw my splitter low. Otherwise my split hangs and thats not good. Also i cant really throw my split for a strike, it often will hit the ground just behind the plate. If its higher in the zone it’s just a slow fastball. It’s really a swing and miss pitch, or dont swing at all

Right now my curve and slider are still not ready to be seen regularly in a game. I want to focus on one of them to develop them to be really game ready

#5

as you progress into next season, you will probably find that you dont throw one as much as the others. if thats the case just drop the one your not throwing

#6

Is there a reason you throw sooo many pitches. If you have to throw that many different pitches to get batters out then there is something wrong. However there is nothing wrong with trying different pitches in bullpens, and maybe finding one that feels comfortable, but why six. I throw four pitches, and two are fastballs, one 4 seam and other 2 seam, then a curve, and circle change. Also you have to realize that when you get up to higher levels of baseball you really need two pitches, maybe three that you know you can get over for strikes. Its pretty tough to become great at controlling six pitches.

To answer your question, I would get rid of your slider and splitter, and become great at controlling your other pitches

#7

Sorry accidentialy hit submit. :lol:

I actually wanted to say work on your slider or curve, and find which one is the best option and stick with that one. Also if your splitter is a hard pitch to throw for you, just get rid of it. I tried it myself for a while and its definitly a hard pitch to develop. Its like becoming good at a Knuckelball. Also with a splitter you need the hands to throw it well.

#8

[quote=“kelvinp”]i’d say drop the split or change
they both do the same thing(most of the time)
batter sees fastball then the pitch drops

it also can depend on the arm angle[/quote]

This is the reason why everyone always says you are wrong and argues with you. We try to emphasis building a good changeup and here you saying that it is unnecessary.

#9

a split can be used as a change right
the change and the split have the same break and purpose(swing and miss)
so what is the need for both

#10

I throw six pitches really just because i can. I only need two to get batters out. But for control i’m never overly wild, when i walk a lot of batters i’m always very close to the zone. And my split isn’t hard for me to throw, it just drops devistatingly down right when it gets to the plate. My change is my best pitch and i don’t have problems locating it. My splitter is harder to hit because it basically hits the back of the plate, but if the batter goes looking it’s rarely going to be called a hit. I only throw my splitter on a 0-2 count. I will throw my change up on any count.

I throw my fb’s, change up, and splitter well. I’m looking to really develop a good large breaking pitch.

I think i’m going to go with the slider, i’m more comfortable throwing it.