Category: Pitching
Type: Tip
Venue: Outdoor
USING THE POWER LINE FOR FINE TUNING
If you are working with a pitcher and you are the one catching for her, it's
tough to see exactly what is going on with the stride foot when it touches
down. You are around 40 feet or so away and, let's face it, you have a ball
coming at your nose at 45 to 60mph.
With 99% of your attention devoted to catching the ball and not getting hit,
it is very hard to try and focus on the pitcher's feet to see exactly where
she is on the power line. Unless something is DRASTICALLY off, you probably won't see it.
To check a pitcher on the power line most folks will take their shoe and
draw a fat line in the dirt right in front of the rubber. This is OK and it
will help the pitcher, however, it seldom gives the person catching a good
point of reference to see EXACTLY where the foot comes down. There is a lot
of room for error.
When I have a pitching student that I want to 'fine tune' them, ( because of
problems staying on the power line) here is what I do.
-I will drive a 16 penny nail into the dirt just behind the back tip of home
plate. I will use a roll of bright colored construction twine and stretch it
tightly from that nail at the back tip of home plate, to the front of 2nd
base. This will place the twine going over the exact center of the pitcher'
s rubber. I leave the twine lying on the dirt in that straight line.
-I will then drive a 16 penny nail, touching the twine, about 10 feet in
front of the rubber.
-Then I drive nails just behind the rubber and just in front of 2nd base.
-Then I stretch the string from home plate to the next nail in front of the
rubber and tie them off so the twine is taught.
-Then I let the string go loose and all the way around the edge of the circle
(so it is not in the pitcher's way of throwing) and tie it to the nail
behind the rubber.
-I then stretch the twine taught to the nail in front of 2nd base and tie it
off there.
Now we have a taught power line from home plate to second base, except for
the 10 feet just in front of the rubber.
Have you pitcher take a pitching position with the power line exactly under
the center of her body, feet equally far from the power line to each side.
IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE TO CATCH as your pitcher is throwing, take a position about 8 feet in front of 2nd base and get down on one knee or sit on the power line to where your eyes are directly over it. Do not move the twine
while sitting or kneeling.
Have the pitcher throw the same pitch several times and focus only on the
legs and especially the feet.
Having a thin and bright colored power line behind the pitcher will give you
an exact reference point and you will see exactly where the stride foot
comes down in relationship to the power line and any inconsistencies with
the feet.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE SOMEONE TO CATCH FOR YOU, set up a video camera at the same spot you were sitting/kneeling down. Make sure the picture shows as much of the power line behind the rubber as you can get in the shot and still see the pitcher at least from the middle of the back down.
Again, have her throw the same pitch several times and then review the tape
with her. You will both be very surprised at how much you can tell about
the pitcher's motions when you see it from behind.
As an example (R/H pitcher). If the pitcher is occasionally throwing wide
to one side or another she might very well be crossing over the power line
or landing way to the left. This will be very evident in the rear view.
Rewind the tape and watch it a few more times and you might also discover
the pitcher leaning at the waist to the opposite side of the power line to
try and compensate for the error and still hit reasonably close to the
target. Her landing might not be off by much and she might not be leaning
much to compensate for it, maybe not enough to be evident from 40 feet away
when you are concentrating on catching the ball. You will definitely see it
show up from behind when you have 100% attention on her feet and the power
line. Letting the young pitcher see it is always beneficial for them.
If you are catching the pitcher, having that bright colored twine power
line, going from home plate to 10 feet in front of the rubber, will make it
much easier to tell if the pitcher is off the power line without distracting
you from the ball coming at you. Never stare at the line, always watch the
ball during a pitch. With the line extended you will be able to tell,
fairly well, if she is off the line.
Judge the stride length of your pitcher and you can extend that section of
the line closer to the rubber than 10 feet but make sure it does not get so
close she lands on it or gets her feet caught up in it.
If you do have a video camera, also try to get shots from the left, right
and front views too. There is also much that can be used for analyzing a
pitcher from those angles.
Questions/Comments? email: smartsoftball@earthlink.net
Submitted by: Hal Skinner
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