Which way does a curveball go?
Generally speaking, a ball thrown with a spin will curve in the same direction that the front of the ball (home plate side, when pitched) turns If the ball is spinning from top to bottom (topspin), it will tend to nosedive into the dirt If it’s spinning from left to right, the pitch will break toward third base
Do softball players throw curveballs?
The curveball is a breaking pitch thrown to the corner of the plate Breaking pitches are those that do not travel in a straight line After releasing it from the mound, the curveball takes a bowed and downward path toward the plate
What are the rules for slow pitch softball?
The ball is lobbed underarm and must have an arc which reaches at least six feet, but no more than twelve feet, from the ground Anything else will be called an illegal pitch by the umpire and will count as a ball unless the batter swings at the pitch
When should you start throwing a curveball?
In most cases, this means waiting until a pitcher is 12 or 13 before introducing the curveball, but it could be sooner, could be later
How do you throw a curveball physics?
When pitching a curveball, the pitcher puts a spin on the ball as it leaves his hand As it travels through the air, the spin causes the ball to disturb the air around it Specifically, the spin causes air on one side of the ball to move faster than the other, resulting in uneven pressure on the ball, making it curve
What is the fastest softball pitch ever thrown by a girl?
The fastest recorded softball pitch is 77 mph (1239 km/h), achieved by Monica Abbott (USA) on 16 June 2012 in a National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) game for the Chicago Bandits against the Carolina Diamonds in Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA
How fast did Jennie Finch pitch?
Top softball pitchers like Jennie Finch can throw roughly 70 miles per hour, the equivalent of a low-90s fastball thrown from 60 feet away There are, of course, many hundreds of human beings who can hit a low-90s fastball But most of them play professional baseball, and nearly all of them are men
What pitches can you throw in softball?
There are many different pitches which can be thrown, including a two-seam fastball, four-seam fastball, changeup, two different riseballs, two dropballs, curveball, offspeed, screwball, knuckleball and more
Is a Chinese change up legal?
It is not legal You are not allowed to continue your windup/additional rotation once the ball is released
What is not allowed in slow pitch softball?
No Stealing: Base stealing and leading off are prohibited The base runner must remain on base until the ball is hit Runners may advance only when the ball is hit within the field of play or when a batter is walked
What does catcher do in slow pitch softball?
In slow-pitch softball, the catcher’s job mostly involves throwing the ball back to the pitcher and making the occasional play at the plate Fast-pitch softball requires more equipment and a lot of skill for the catcher to do the job effectively
Can you slide into first base in slow pitch softball?
Sliding is allowed, but not at all bases Runners may slide feet first into second or third base Runners may not slide into first base or the safety base at home plate Runners may not slide head first into any base on the field
How hard is it to hit a homerun in slow pitch softball?
With your top hand, grasp your bat like a handshake, recommends Becky Wittenberg of Softball Spot Grip the bat between your thumb and index finger Pinching inside the thumb without the index finger results in slow bat movement Keep your wrists loose and your bottom hand at the approximate top of the strike zone
How do you put backspin on a softball?
Level to slightly upward swing and hit the ball just below the equator, or a tomahawk swing where the bat head is above the hands and the bat snap is timed to put backspin on the ball
Why your best hitter should bat second?
2 position gives nearly as many at-bats as the leadoff position, and it gives more opportunities to drive in runs And there’s also teams that still feel the three-hole is the spot to place your best hitter It gets the third most at-bats while typically giving the second most opportunities to knock in runs
What is a good ops in slow pitch softball?
550+ batting average to be great (the other 45% of the time you got out you still could have hit the ball hard though), 450+ to be decent/OK, 350+ to be mediocre, and anything lower to be bad
How do you make a good softball lineup?
How to make a batting order Best On Base Percentage, generally fastest as well, so could be your best slapper Next best On Base Percentage, generally fast as well, so could be your next best slapper – Also a spot for a good bunter that can move runners over and makes consistent contact on the ground
Should a 12-year-old throw a curve ball?
Probably Not “They have an obligation to protect these 12-year-old kids and instead, they’re saying, ‘There’s no scientific evidence curveballs cause damage, so go ahead, kids, just keep throwing them,’ ” Kremchek said Feb 17, 2014
Can a 13 year old throw a curveball?
James Andrews (renowned orthopaedic surgeon and medical director for the Andrews Institute) recommends that youth pitchers refrain from throwing curveballs until they have mastered the fastball and change-up and are at least 14 years old4
What pitches should a 13 year old throw?
Pitchers who are 13-16 should throw a maximum of 95 pitches; 13- and 14-year-olds need four days rest when they reach 66 pitches, and 15- and 16-year-olds need four days rest when they reach 76
What does a curveball look like to a batter?
It’s a pitch that can confuse a batter because it looks like it’s flying straight but then curves away as it crosses home plate The pitcher puts a spin on the ball when they release it from their hand This could be a “topspin” rotation, where the top of the ball spins forward while the ball hurtles towards the plate