Slow Pitch Curve/Slider With 30"+ Break! No Way? Watch and See!!

In this video I discuss the relationship between accuracy and movement for breaking pitches. Movement is important, but not as critical as location. I set up an experiment to measure the break of my back-spin slider, pitched with as much break as I could generate. You'll be surprised to see how much movement you can get on a slow-pitch softball.

[@bradygwilde7954]

Thank you for taking time to show us the science behind this. Your videos have helped me allot. I pitched my second game after taking your advise, and I progressed so much!! We smoked them, and my team has a new pitcher!! Thank you.

[@utah32804]

Sure, Brady. Great story and thanks for the props!

[@CMCFLYYY]

I mainly throw a knuckle right now but I'm working on a curve and screwball thanks to this channel. I've also got a 2nd pitcher on my team that throws a forward spin curve that breaks like a foot. I've seen it personally in BP and I can hear the other team talk about it after the first few batters he faces. He throws it with a 3 finger grip with his index finger on a seam and flicks that finger up on release. I've never been able to replicate it but it's the only pitch he throws, so he and I typically rotate every couple innings since our pitch styles are so different. Major props to this channel - I watch everything you put out and hope I can put the finishing touches on a curve/screwball before spring season starts.

[@utah32804]

Thanks for the props! And, good luck with your new pitches.

[@bradleycopeland4393]

Try throwing it straight (flat wrist) with pressure on your index finger. This gives just enough side spin for it to break. That is the easy one I do.

[@vwtommy07]

Thank you for all your help and videos. This is my second season pitching and last year i could only throw backspin and forward spin. thanks to your videos, I can now throw curve/ slider. in our warehouse we have set up a practice area and during our breaks i throw 15 mins twice a day. Last Thursday was our first games of the season here in WIsconsin and wouldn't you know we played the number one and two teams right of way. Against the number one team I only gave up 2 home runs and no walks in 6 innings. The number two team only one home run and 1 walk. thanks again for taking the time to make these.

[@utah32804]

Wow Tom, that's awesome! Love the idea of an indoor pitch. This should keep your progress on track on and off season. Good luck and thanks for the feedback.

[@vwtommy07]

@@utah32804 Our centerfielder said can see the balls movement from where he stands. still having problems with the pitch the breaks away from right handed hitters. It's not as consistent as the pitch breaking in on them.

[@waynesworld105]

Thank you for your videos. I've taken up softball again since I retired. Your videos have been very helpful. My pitching game is better than ever.

[@ericterry1148]

A manager that says "just chuck it up there" is one I wouldn't want to pitch for, and a pitcher who says it, isn't one I'd want pitching on my team

[@utah32804]

It always surprises me to hear supposedly smart slowpitch players (usually position players) say, "just throw strikes and field your position." I guess they just expect you to put it on a tee.

[@rahoulrdhopade6367]

@@utah32804 it's usually the power hitters playing the infield who don't think pitchers are needed for slow pitch

[@jimpeterson3806]

@@utah32804 some players don't want the pitcher to throw balls. They think every pitch should be thrown a strike. The 3rd baseman on my team is this way. Drives me crazy. He needs to pitch a few times to help him realize the importance of throwing balls off the plate at times

[@WillyDial]

i was posting about this on a site that will remain nameless and i actually got a couple of responses that "if you throw that crap at me i'll launch one back at you"... i think they just misunderstood the idea that it's a hitters game...

[@utah32804]

Just sounds like "schoolyard" smack Willy, pros/quality hitters don't talk like that, they just play. In my years of playing, I've noticed that the guys who talk the most couldn't hit me with the ball if they wanted to. We usually play some form of a shift with either SS or 2ndB behind 2nd so when they do come back at me (usually by accident) and if it's too hot for me, my middle infielder will pick it up for an easy out.

[@tater128]

I love this series!

[@ianh1010]

behind the hand camera view awesome for release. ty

[@davidcanez1990]

Excellent video, I already feel I'm a pretty good pitcher, but I'm going to study and practice what you teach in these videos religiously over the next year, I'm pretty sure I'll become a much better pitcher, thank you so much for all you do.

[@bradleycopeland4393]

I have a great forward slider and decent forward spin curve, but can't wait to work on the backspin screwball this winter.

[@barryhostbjor414]

Hey haven't seen anything from you in a while. I hope your doing well in these tough times.

[@utah32804]

Hi Barry, yes all is good, thanks for asking. Working on new videos and should get back into the swing in the next couple of weeks. Stay safe!

[@LuisDiaz-iv5pp]

I'm a pitcher in a old timers league and we use clinchers balls plus wooden softball bats , I will gladly trying to find out how to throw a curve ball or slider. I all ready throw a raising ball with hard back soon and now seeing you throwing the screwed ball gives me idea for my pitch

[@aschmidty11]

Initially I thought that pitch hit right down the middle of the zone in Chris's pitches. In the slowmo it kind of looked like it may have hit the plate just a little bit. So the batter's reaction makes a bit more sense. But you also can't let pitches that close go with 2 strikes.

[@benjaminmarkspitzke7642]

It would be cool to see an overlay of you hitting the same location with your slider, backspin and curve. Similar to the video where you overlayed the backspin vs frontspin for height, just from behind.

[@wayneclark6624]

Love your comments / instruction however it's a damn shame you can't outlaw batters seeing this - you are way more experienced at this than i but out of Dumb luck i discovered what you are showing and YES it does break !!! now spin is what i focus on or the lack of spin is the key for me

[@Chris-ss8vi]

Enjoy your videos Starting pitching this season and want to improve my skills. Can you give me the specs on your pitching box you use for practice? I’d like to build one Thanks

[@DigDeez]

That's definitely a slider as opposed to a curveball, imo. A slider slides, and a curveball ball breaks/curves.....is how I translate the pitches. I throw my slider similar to this one. I use a lot more arm jerky twist release. I think I like the ones in this video more though. Also, I can speed up the velocity on my slider in the last few feet of the ball pitched, by flicking my elbow out upon release.

[@TheBadassMick]

What arc are you pitching at? My league has a 10 foot maximum height, no way a 10 ft high ball breaks that far

[@vickieescalante3278]

I can’t throw the slider successfully the way that you teach how to do it. In this video you teach how to throw a pitch with a lot of break. Any suggestions on how to throw a slider at least 12 inches?

[@mrfewtheaquariumdude12]

Love your videos thank you for the content. Video idea: what to do after the pitch. I usually shift toward second, but I see other kind of jog straight back. Do you just square up to the ball?

[@nybirdman]

Depends where you’re pitching (inside or outside) and the way your defense is set up. If your middle infield is in double play depth, where they’re pinching the middle, go straight back. If you’re trying to get a ball hit to the left side of the infield, move your SS in the hole and drift towards third. Basically it always depends

[@vickieescalante3278]

Please show me a close up of your grip for the slider that breaks at least 12 inches. Thanks

[@karlreading8559]

Don't sweat or listen to the nay-sayers of whether or not you should pay attention to your pitch style and what's in your arsenal. Throwing a big curve really makes the difference on your weakest and biggest hitters. The difference of catching the pop-fly at the mound or getting a guy pulling dead on the line.

[@scottchapin2129]

"Ace" love the videos. Good stuff! Playing some military ball, but I haven't pitched or played softball in a very long time, over 20 years. I'm taking things very slow in order to prevent injury. My great-grandfather taught me to pitch with back-spin when I was a teenager, so the concept of backspin pitching is not foreign to me but I have a question about "hitting the targets" around home plate. (Green zones in your videos.) As I am practicing, the pitches are breaking so much (not bragging, rather pointing out the great techniques you teach) that I cannot figure out my "aim point" during my release. For example: When I practice throwing a screwball to a right-hand batter, I aim at the green zone on the outside portion of the plate. When the ball breaks, I am hitting the spot where the back foot would be located if a batter was standing in the box - not even close to the strike zone. What do I do? Aim farther left to bring it into the strike zone? (Where do you "aim your release" when throwing either screwball or slider? Looking over your videos, your release appears to be right down the middle but the ball breaks right into the strike zone.) Thanks for the tip to rid me of my frustration. Scott

[@utah32804]

Edwin, the story of your great-grandfathers "back-spin" pitching is an excellent example of its effectiveness. Most pitchers today pitch the forward-spin only and have never learned the advantages of the back-spin pitch. I'm glad you have mastered the break or movement of the screwball. Proper breaking action is often the most challenging aspect of the pitch to learn. There are two issues to address here: consistency of movement from pitch to pitch and secondarily, consistency of release point. If you are inconsistent in both, it will be challenging to fix your problem. First, you have to decide if your breaking pitch is breaking laterally the same distance each pitch. If your pitches are breaking approximately the same distance every time, then move on to the line or left-right accuracy. If the break distance varies, work on your grip mechanics until you are satisfied that the pitch break is consistent. Once pitch break is consistent, do the following to dial in your release point for the screwball. Throw 25-30 pitches, releasing your pitch directly toward the left corner of the plate. Then, note how far the ball strikes the ground to the right of the plate's left corner. If you're hitting the same spot, give or take 3 inches, you're in good shape and now only need to compensate for this distance when targeting your pitch. If your pitch break is consistent, but you're still having trouble hitting within a 3" error margin, you need to work on your line accuracy. I will be releasing a video soon on the line drill designed to improve the left-right accuracy of all pitches. Let me know how it goes and good luck!

[@scottchapin2129]

@@utah32804 thanks for the tips. I will practice what you said and let you know the outcome. Thanks again and talk to you soon.

[@locker-roomdwarf3549]

GOD BLESS

[@gtlefty]

Do you find that your pitches break more with added height?

[@utah32804]

Nicolas, I don't really see a big difference in the break with the back-spin slider once the pitch is 9-10 high or higher. If you notice in the video, the last pitch, with the greatest break is not the highest of the three.

[@kwquinn14]

I thought it was supposed to land behind the plate?

[@chadovenstone8010]

Do these grips work for fast pitch softball? No windmill pitches allowed, we can pitch as fast as possible without windmill.

[@utah32804]

Hi Chad, I don't see why the grips and mechanics I pitch would be any less effective in fast pitch since you're still pitching underhanded. I will occasionally throw a faster, if not really fast, backspin straight pitch. I throw it high in the strike zone and will often get a batter to pop it up.

[@chadovenstone8010]

@@utah32804 thank you. I will start practicing.

[@mannyortega6733]

Do you wear full gear while pitching?

[@LuisDiaz-iv5pp]

Question can I throw those pitch in medium softball or not

[@WillyDial]

ace... i think you're missing out on one of the best aspects of this pitch... since you don't throw it very often, you don't set up the deception which is a big part of my game... but i throw a lot of sliders mixed in with a backspin pitch... and mixing up how much movement it gets goes a long way in messing with the hitters timing... they have to wait to see if it breaks or not and how much... and if you have both a slider and a screwball... that's gotta be even better... especially pitching to the same players over the long term...

[@utah32804]

I'm sure your right, Willy. The pitch frequency for my breaking pitches depends a lot on the team I'm playing. For example, In our game last night, I started with my four-seam back-spin pitch against a team that had never seen me before. I got through the first three innings, giving up only one run throwing only the four-seam. They started adjusting in the forth, and that's when I mixed in the screwball. So, I was able to get through the forth with no additional runs scored. The screwball was very effective as they had not seen it all game - jammed them up pretty good. I did throw the slider a couple of times against lefties with some success. My point is that for me, every team is different, and my approach changes. They eventually earned five runs against us (we only four), but I felt pretty good about it as they were the top team in the top bracket.

[@WillyDial]

@@utah32804... as i said... this strategy works well over the long term... pitching to the same people over and over means you have to have something deceptive or they will just catch on to any one thing you do...keep this strategy in mind when facing hitters that know everything you have...

[@aaronshibby]

Are you in a asa? Or utrip?

[@utah32804]

My weekday league plays USA Softball rules, formerly ASA.

[@duanevanwinkle3488]

So would it be good to start the pitch way inside to a right handed batter and outside to a left handed batter so that they think this pitch is way off the plate?

[@utah32804]

Absolutely, I frequently use this approach the first time through the lineup to get the first strike on the batter, or a strikeout if they've taken a strike on a different pitch.

[@scott_johnson_]

I would never get a called strike at 6:23

[@bentinbama1]

Not enough speed on any underhanded slow pitch softball "pitches" for them to break...fast pitch is a different story though

[@trinoguerra7481]

Si pudiera en español

[@utah32804]

Oh Trino, I wish I could, My Spanish is so poor I don't think it would be very helpful.

[@willwill6031]

Why don’t you show your ENTIRE hand???