Pitching and Pitchers Discussion How many different pitches are there in fastpitch softball?

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I want to say there are 7 or 8 pitches in fastpitch. Does anyone know how many pitches there are? Can you name them? At what age should a pitcher know how to throw them all? Generally a young pitcher starts off with the fastball along with the change up. Is there a set pattern of pitches a pitcher learns each year?

 

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I think the possibilities are unlimited and I guess the pitching coach of a couple of my pitchers last year thought that too since he had them working on 9 every week! Regardless of how many there are, a pitcher should generally not be throwing more than 4-5 of them. I am OK with pitchers learning and trying a bunch more, but I think they should ultimately settle on no more than 5. My DD who pitches in college, really only uses 3. The more important things are being able to mix up your pitches, being able to throw all of them for strikes when you need to, and being able to hit your spots consistently.

 

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Interesting concept.

Well I guess you can spin the ball up, down, left, and right. Then there is straight.

And then there is a change. So that is 6 basic pitches. I guess you can call a knuckle and additional. So that makes 7 total. Hard to argue there is more than 7 basic pitches. Now you can play the game of changing speeds and your curve and such but that seems to be it.

I am thinking the easiest spin pitch is drop. Then I would think curve right for a righty. Then a curve left for a righty then a rise. The rise seems like it would be brutal to throw.

Until a pitcher can spot the fastball I fail to see hwy they would work on much else. Maybe a change but if they can not control a fastball how are they going to control the spin pitches?

 

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2 seam Fastball, 4 seam fastball, flip change, circle change, palm change, curve, drop curve, turnover drop, peel drop, knuckle, screw ball, rise ball, screw rise.......thats 13....lol...but seriously, my DD throws 6 and can throw them pretty consistntly whenever she wants to in any count. She does not have a knuckle ball, and does not throw her fastball much if at all, so I guess thats 5 pitches she throws. Hillhouse says why would you ever want to throw a ball that goes straight, which is about the only thing I agree with him about.

 

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I like to change plane so in my mind Change Up, Drop,and Rise ball, you master those three pitches and you will have a great career. If I was gonna add one more I would say Screw ball if you can get it to bite in and down.
As a young pitcher you master your fastball. Meaning you can throw it 80 0/0 of the time for strikes then move unto change up, same thing master it, move unto Drop master it, move unto rise you will probable be about 14 yrs old at this point. You get the picture.

 

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You should be able to hit your spots BEFORE you learn the rest. So many coaches teach junk before they can hit their spots. They say they are throwing them a bone by rewarding them for doing good.
You end up with girls that have 8 pitches and can not consistently throw a strike.

 

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I asked my DD how many different pitches she can throw.
Her reply:
Balls, strikes ,hit the batter ,illegal and sometimes the wrong one.
NICE

 

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Couldn't agree more. Why teach a kid a second language if she doesn't know the first? And from what I've seen, alot of times you can't tell the difference between pitches. Most major leaguers are throwing 3 pitches with any type of consistency. What makes anyone think a high schooler can throw 8 pitches and make them work? Do what you do, better than the rest. That doesn't mean you have to do everything better than everyone!

 

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to answer the original question , it all depends on whether you are asking a pitchers dad or a hitters dad . Here's a good rule rule of thumb --If you have to ask someone " what pitch was that " when watching a girl throw then it was prob more of an Attempt at a pitch not a real pitch. If a girl really has a drop ---guess what ? it drops , if she has a screw--- guess what ?? it breaks in -- curves break out. etc etc If it's not pretty obvious what a pitch is doing it's just an attempt at throwing something and calling it a pitch.

Rise, drop, curve and change are the 4 most common . The pitch I see most consistently thrown in the 14-16 age group that actually moves is the curve. MD

 

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I asked my DD how many different pitches she can throw.
Her reply:
Balls, strikes ,hit the batter ,illegal and sometimes the wrong one.
NICE

Pretty funny!

 

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DiamondDad that's hilarious

 

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I asked my DD how many different pitches she can throw.
Her reply:
Balls, strikes ,hit the batter ,illegal and sometimes the wrong one.
NICE

Randy, thats too funny. Best to you all for the holiday, we will see you around this summer.

 

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Most of the responses are on the money. (Especially Firststrike!)

People get caught up in how many different pitches they throw or how fast they throw. The bottom line is "E.R.A.". Do you throw pitches that get people out? It doesn't matter if it's stikeouts or defensive outs.

That's what impresses me.

 

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Most of the responses are on the money. (Especially Firststrike!)

People get caught up in how many different pitches they throw or how fast they throw. The bottom line is "E.R.A.". Do you throw pitches that get people out? It doesn't matter if it's stikeouts or defensive outs.

That's what impresses me.

Nicely put, Louuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.

 

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Diamonddad's answer is much better than mine but I still need to share. I tell my girls about 2 extra pitches to try and avoid. We have the "Oops" pitch which basically is anything that got away from them and the "Oh No" pitch which is the belt high strike over the center of the plate.

 

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Diamonddad's answer is much better than mine but I still need to share. I tell my girls about 2 extra pitches to try and avoid. We have the "Oops" pitch which basically is anything that got away from them and the "Oh No" pitch which is the belt high strike over the center of the plate.

The "Oh no" pitch is the one that kills you!! :lmao::lmao: