Specific Pitch Drills – Judi Garman & Michelle Gromackil

excerpt from the book Softball Skills & Drills-2nd Edition
by Judi Garman, Michelle Gromacki

Use these drills to develop and feel the finer points of specific pitches. Emphasizing and seeing the visual patterns for each pitch will also help develop the proper release point and follow-through. Pitching under pressure is much more difficult than throwing in the bullpen, so coaches should also use competitive drills to create gamelike pressure during pitching practice.

Drop Ball Drills
These drills can be used to work on the specific mechanics of this pitch. They teach proper mechanics and develop muscle memory.

Low Net Throws
Purpose: To focus on proper release and keeping the drop ball low.

Procedure: From a distance of about 10 feet (3m), the pitcher throws into the bottom of a catch net, exaggerating her release of the drop.

Basket Throws
Purpose: To focus on making the ball drop by using a visual target.

Procedure: The pitcher throws from the regular distance and attempts to pitch the ball into a laundry basket at home plate. This drill helps imprint the image that the pitcher should see before every drop pitch. The pitch can be thrown to a bucket, but the ball will not ricochet as much off the softer basket.

Bounce Ball
Purpose: To develop the drop-ball release and a hard snap.

Procedure: The pitcher stands across from the catcher, who is also standing, at a distance that is about half the distance from the mound to the plate. A power line is drawn. Using a two-toned weighted ball, the pitcher takes a proper grip on the ball. Starting in the open position, she simulates her motion at about 50 percent speed. The pitcher attempts to snap the ball directly into the ground and out toward the catcher. Ideally, the ball will bounce on the ground about halfway between the two and then right up to the catcher's chest. A simpler version of this drill is for the pitcher to snap the ball directly down into the ground and back up to herself. Of course, this method is not as realistic as throwing to the catcher.

Ropes
Purpose: To learn to throw drops with proper break and movement.

Procedure: Set up two tees in front of both batter's boxes. Tie a bungee cord or rope to each tee at about the height of a hitter's knee. The rope should run across the entire strike zone from one batter's box to the other. The pitcher throws the drop pitch in a walk-through motion at 75 to 80 percent speed while trying to make the ball break over the rope and into the catcher's glove. This drill simulates where the ball should break, and it forces the pitcher to make the ball move and not just throw a low pitch.

The pitcher then throws drop balls while walking through at the mound. She starts at about 75 percent speed. Every three to five pitches, she adds a little more speed until she gets to 100 percent. (This helps the player ease into the pitch, but the drop is really the only pitch that you can do this with.) Once the pitcher has gotten the hang of the drill, she throws full out from the mound.

Rise-Ball Drills
These drills can be used to work on specific rise-ball mechanics and particularly the correct spin and release.

Football Toss
Purpose: To develop the correct rise-ball release.

Procedure: The pitcher throws a junior-size football underhand to a partner. She grips the ball with all the fingers along the seam, and the thumb is on the opposite side. When thrown, the ball should spiral. If it wobbles in flight, the pitcher's palm has turned toward the catcher at release.

Long Toss
Purpose: To practice getting under the ball for the rise-ball release. This also develops body and arm strength.

Procedure: The pitcher pitches to a catcher from second base or farther away, lobbing the ball up as if she is throwing it over a telephone pole. This action forces the pitcher to get under the ball. To develop strength, the pitcher keeps backing up from second base (moving back to center field and then to the fence) to see how far she can throw it.

Changeup Drills
These drills help pitchers work on location and on keeping the delivery consistent.

Bucket Toss
Purpose: To practice keeping the changeup pitch low.

Procedure: The pitcher pitches the ball into a bucket 2 to 3 feet (.6 to 1 m) in front of home plate. She avoids having a big loop in the pitch.

Fast and Slow
Purpose: To practice changing speeds.

Procedure: Working with a catcher, the pitcher alternates throwing fast and off- speed pitches. The goal is to keep the delivery the same.

Gamelike Drills
These drills prepare pitchers for the challenges that can come during the game. The more realistic the practice, the more comfortable and confident they will feel.

Dummy or Live Stand-Ins
Purpose: To practice a pitch in a realistic setting.

Procedure: Various types of pseudohitters are on the market that can stand in and simulate a hitter. Or a teammate can stand there as a hitter (not swinging) so that the pitcher can perfect a new pitch. If the stand-in is holding a bat, the catcher must be in full gear. (We have seen balls hit the bat and ricochet into the catcher's face.) Once the pitcher feels ready, move to the field and have hitters try to hit the specific pitch that the pitcher is working on.

Play a Game
Purpose: To experience gamelike pressure during pitching practice.

Procedure: The pitcher pitches a specific number of innings with the catcher calling balls and strikes. If there is a batter standing at the plate, she should assume different positions in the box and should stand in as both a left-handed batter and a right-handed batter.

Three Points
Purpose: To create competition and pressure for the pitcher when pitching to a catcher's targets.

Procedure: The catcher gives a target; for advanced players, the catcher may also call a pitch. If the pitcher hits the target, she gets one point. If she misses, she loses a point. When the pitcher reaches three points, the game is over. Increase the difficulty by requiring every fourth pitch to be a changeup.

On the Black
Purpose: To attempt to place pitches on the black edges of the plate.

Procedure: The pitcher tries to strike out live batters without throwing a strike by placing pitches on the very edges of the plate. (Only the white of the plate is a strike.) The catcher or coach charts the location of the pitches.