What the pitches look like

[RingEmUp]

Came across them gem today and thought I would share.  Thoughts?

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2413861-what-batters-see-in-different-pitches-while-the-baseball-comes-down-the-plate?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

[MadMax]

I knew that about the slider's "red dot" effect from being taught to catch it. The disconcerting thing about it is the dot is off-center to varying extents, depending on how tightly its pitched.

 

This article failed to mention or depict the "Fence Clearer", which is a variation of a 4-seam fastball, wherein the spin is so non-purposeful, you can read "Rawlings" on it, and it's likely to end up over the fence. I saw alot of those as a catcher. 

[TheRockawayKid]

What they don't teach is the Knuckleball, or the pitch that makes you go, "holy F! what's going on?" 

[James Walker]

Knuckleball is easy... Minimal rotation. Thrown properly, it's a thing of beauty. Not thrown properly and you'll most likely be putting a new ball into play...

[TheRockawayKid]

Oh, I know that. I recognize it immediately. Still, it's really surprising when you see a ball with no spin come out of the hand. 

[Out&UglyToo]

The knuckleball was my best pitch, except with full count. Having served him a steady diet of wind dancers, full count is too good a time to increase the speed. Fading fastball, forkball, or sinking splitter for the out. If he fouls it off, give him full heat.

 

Now back to business - WHEN DO YOU CALL A GAME DUE TO LACK OF DAYLIGHT?

 

Ask the batter to step out, have the pitcher bring either a fastball or a curveball, then have him bring the opposite of the two. If you can't tell one from the other coming out of his hand, IT'S NOW A SAFETY ISSUE - GAME'S OVER!

 

You really don't want a batter hanging in there on a "curveball" that was really a high, inside fastball.

[Pete Peterson Sr]

Knuckleball is easy... Minimal rotation. Thrown properly, it's a thing of beauty. Not thrown properly and you'll most likely be putting a new ball into play...

 

After it stops rolling...down the street.

[maineump]

That is great if you can pick up the spin of the ball, but what if you have all the spin and no movement? We still have to call the pitches. As a catcher, I learned the 'look' of each pitch, but saw many breaking balls that didn't break and ended up in the trees.

I think when I first started umpiring years ago, being a catcher sort of hindered me. To the point of watching the spin or expecting a certain pitch and then getting burned if I didn't get what was expected. Now I just call what I see.

 

Has anyone noticed the decline in sliders and an increase in cut fastballs? I am seeing more cut fastballs in the last few years, especially at the college level. The word is that sliders are tough on the arm - wouldn't know as I never could pitch.

 

My favorite pitch if it is thrown well is the change-up. The balls just stalls then drops into the batter and the hitter screws himself into the ground.

[StrikeDavis]

When I was still playing high school ball in the early 2000s our coaches would say that sliders could really mess up your arm.  Look up some information on Rob Nen.  He had a filthy slider and numerous arm problems later in his career.  A legion ball coach I had absolutely swore by cut fastballs.  His thinking was, and I am sure it is shared by others, is that cutters are harder to pick up than sliders, especially at the amateur level.  He thought most amateur pitchers throwing curves and sliders would change their arm slot and arm action to throw these pitches, where a cut fastball is thrown the same way a regular fastball is thrown.  

[mjr_2013]

That is great if you can pick up the spin of the ball, but what if you have all the spin and no movement? We still have to call the pitches. As a catcher, I learned the 'look' of each pitch, but saw many breaking balls that didn't break and ended up in the trees.

I think when I first started umpiring years ago, being a catcher sort of hindered me. To the point of watching the spin or expecting a certain pitch and then getting burned if I didn't get what was expected. Now I just call what I see.

 

Has anyone noticed the decline in sliders and an increase in cut fastballs? I am seeing more cut fastballs in the last few years, especially at the college level. The word is that sliders are tough on the arm - wouldn't know as I never could pitch.

 

My favorite pitch if it is thrown well is the change-up. The balls just stalls then drops into the batter and the hitter screws himself into the ground.

 

Star pitcher in the local league is also my top junior umpire. He started throwing what he called a slider when was like 12 or 13... The slider started wearing on his arm so he experimented with the grip and turned it into a nasty cutter that he says doesn't affect him at all to throw, and it's more effective than the slider ever was.

[James Walker]

That is great if you can pick up the spin of the ball, but what if you have all the spin and no movement? We still have to call the pitches. As a catcher, I learned the 'look' of each pitch, but saw many breaking balls that didn't break and ended up in the trees.

I think when I first started umpiring years ago, being a catcher sort of hindered me. To the point of watching the spin or expecting a certain pitch and then getting burned if I didn't get what was expected. Now I just call what I see.

 

Has anyone noticed the decline in sliders and an increase in cut fastballs? I am seeing more cut fastballs in the last few years, especially at the college level. The word is that sliders are tough on the arm - wouldn't know as I never could pitch.

 

My favorite pitch if it is thrown well is the change-up. The balls just stalls then drops into the batter and the hitter screws himself into the ground.

I had trouble when I started with getting burned on off speed or breaking pitches hanging. Took me about a year to stop calling pitches in my head and trying to out guess the battery.

I've been seeing a lot less sliders and curves and more cut FB and split finger. Some of these kids in travel ball are throwing some nasty junk still, but it's usually the older kids.

[ZebraStripes]

That hanging slider you won't have to worry much about, it probably won't make it to the catcher.  

 

Filthiest pitch I have saw this season was a screw ball of all things in a 13U travel league in a 42-0 destruction.  Lefty through the ball, RHB bailed and it backed up over the inside corner for strike three.  At that point I still just called a normal strike call with the added "3" at the end.  I didn't have the heart for my normal strike 3 call in such a butt whooping.  

 

Which begs the off topic question....How far can I expand the strike zone if I'm already calling everything from the chin to the ankle and between the two batter's boxes as a strike for the team that is getting bombed?