Rise Ball

College ball

What a difference 3 feet makes!

 

Three feet plus the fact . . .

that the hitters you are facing are usually only the best one or two hitters from any HS team. List the names of the NC HS seniors who are signed with D1 programs this year. It's a very short list!

 

yep. gold and A ball in the travel circuit should be at 43' despite having a young pitching staff! challenges and work contiunes!!

 

If I am not mistaken I believe that all of the 18-U ASA is going to be at 43 feet this year. Is that correct CFball?

 

3 feet

I am not sure why the list of NC Seniors going D-1 is relevant to my point. However, I do know that the list you are referring to is getting longer each year! But back to my point.....Crystal Cox at Carolina, for example, had 8.8 K's per game this year. McKensie, at WCU, had 7.5 K's per game. Imagine what those numbers would be if they were throwing from 40 feet!!! And might I add against D-1 hitters!! I would like to see the list of hitters that would NOT strike out more than half the time if college was at 40 feet!! I am sure it would be a very short list!! But again, this is hypothetical. Hopefully high school will go to 43 feet soon.

 

After this weekend who cares about HS softball???

I know that I should not say that but I am just a prickhead!! :banginghe :imagestor

 

The most effective defense for a rise ball pitcher is to place the hitter
deep in the box, on the chalk. It causes the pitcher to adjust release points and makes the catcher adjust to more movement, as the ball leaves the zone...
Batter needs to focus on at a swing zone low in the slot, not at the belt.

Same defense can be used for a drop ball pitcher... your not gonna get many called strikes when the pitch short hops the catcher...

The most effective rise ball, does not go out of the zone...
Back door rise starts below the knees, then flys into the zone..

 

I'm glad we agree

Charlie, right? I've seen travel ball coaches tell batters to get in the front of the box for years during my daughter's career. When this happened we just smiled and watched the K's mount up. I've never understood the logic of placing the batter closer to the pitcher. I see the same thing when "pitchers are too slow to hit". Of course what this means is that the batters aren't very good hitters. They are triggering on the pitcher's release rather than seeing the ball and have no ability to react to the ball. As a pitcher's Dad I love all these foolish ideas about hitting. It made her job that much easier in HS/Travel Ball. Of course, in college you don't see so much "foolishness" so the job is much harder!

As for the "low rise" you describe I've seen very girls at any level who are able to throw it. In fact, most rise balls I see are really nothing more than high fastballs. That said the high FB located well can still be very effective againest most HS batters, especially if thrown 60mph+. Most see it so well they can't resist swinging but if thrown above the hands will rarely be hit.

 

Mr DukeDog4...

Shhhhh... don't tell anybody... the secret will get out...
and put a bunch of rise ballers out of business... lol

Most hitters do not understand " situational hitting or swings ".
The best fast pitch hitters; break swings down by pitches, not at bats...
They focus is to a certain swing zone, or slot....

The trick is teaching the hitters to think like a pitcher.
They don't call it a hitters count for nothing.

A rise ball that runs out of the zone, is designed to be just that...a ball.
It's intention is to entice an aggressive batter. The good one's are thrown
off speed and runs up and out of the zone.

Most successful college programs place their kids on the back line.
It defends well against rise balls, drops, and off speed. Check out the CWS this week.

Thinking you can hit a rise ball consistently in from the front of the box will
only get you more time to think about it...as you drag your bat back to the dugout..

Any pitcher, catcher or coach that has a clue recognizes that they have an advantage when they see a batter who favors the front half of the box...

The definition of insanity is to continue doing something the same way you always have, and expecting a different result....

See you on the field.

 

Hey Duke,

You need watch the freshman pitcher from S.W. Randolph High School, she can throw all three pitches and be effective...ask Monty (C.C.) she held them at bay until the 5th inning...(2) unearned runs and (1) homerun...by the books C.C. lost that game....Softball Guru