How does Spin Axis Impact Pitch Movement?

Total Reading Time: 4 minutes

This week we’re talking spin axis, pitching coach mentors and swing and miss numbers … My passion is helping people and I hope this newsletter helps you!

Today's Topics:

• How does Spin Axis Impact Pitch Movement?

• Need a Mentor for Your Pitching Coach?

• Swing & Misses - Are Drops and Rises Equal?

How does Spin Axis Impact Pitch Movement?

I’m sure you’ve heard that pitches must spin in a very specific direction or else they’re wrong. As in the Rise must have a 12:00 spin and the Drop must have a 6:00 spin. I’m sure you’ve heard this too.

What if I told you that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Instead of thinking of spin in a limiting way - it’s either right or it’s wrong - think of Spin Axis in terms of movement - pitches move in the direction that they spin. That’s the truth that will help you relax from insisting your pitcher’s spin must be “perfect” and get to a place where you can use her spin to her advantage.

Check out the picture below to see what I’m talking about:

This right handed (RHH) pitcher has 3 pitches that move in very distinct directions:

• Her FASTBALL has a unique arm side run due to the fact it spins at 1:10. This also gives it some lift (or rise) as well.

• Her RISEBALL spins at 11:00 giving it some glove side run along with some rise.

• And her DROP spins at 7:00 which also gives it some glove side run and some sink (or drop)

Now, we could spend a ton of time trying to change these numbers, which I’ve definitely done before, or we can embrace this pitcher’s movement and use them in combination to her advantage.

Because of these Spin Axis numbers, this pitcher’s movement looks like this:

With an 11:00 Spin Axis her RISEBALL moves Up and Gloveside - some might call this a Rise-Curve. Again, you can try to adjust this closer to 12:00, but you’ll know initially if that’s work that will be worth the time spent. Or, you can simply own the 11:00 Rise and use it to be more Righthander dominant (since this pitcher has 2 pitches that move away from the barrels of righties).

The 7:00 Spin Axis on her Drop takes the ball gloveside while it’s also moving Down. Call it a drop-curve if you want to but the effect will be a nice pitch that moves both down and slightly toward the pitcher’s gloveside, or away from righty hitters and into the lefty hitters.

And finally, this pitcher’s FASTBALL - yes fastball - is her “unique” pitch. This pitch, thanks to it’s 1:10 Spin Axis, moves both Up and Armside (or IN) to right handed hitters. You’re right, it moves like we think Screwballs move, except most pitchers don’t have screwballs that move armside. They think they do. Hell, we think they do, but when you put them on Rapsodo, we see the pitch usually moves gloveside.

Anyway… this pitcher’s fastball moves Armside and Up. So don’t “fix” it - use it. Own it. Dominate it. In combination with her other 2 pitches this pitcher could be a very successful D1 pitcher!

Need a Mentor for Your Pitching Coach?

Right now pitching and pitching coaches are in short supply. Supply is not meeting demand, and the demand is HUGE. In fact, as I write this I know of at least one D1 head coach that cannot find a pitching coach.

It’s resulted in younger, more inexperienced pitching coaches or recent college pitchers being elevated into the role of pitching coach, with little to no training. That’s tough and a little unfair.

I’d like to help, so I’ve created a Pitching Coach Mentor Program to help guide younger pitching coaches through the rigors of the season. From helping map out a plan for the whole season, to creating individual plans to develop each pitcher, to improving specific pitches - I want to help by mentoring your pitching coach.

This consultant-type role has been around for awhile with analytics but it’s a brand new concept for pitching coaches. Right now there is a HUGE need for experienced help - so if you’ve got a young pitching coach, or you ARE a young pitching coach and you’d like some help - call me - I’d love to help! 813-268-2048

Swing & Misses - Are Drops and Rises Equal?

All pitches aren’t created equal. Take swings & misses, a RISEBALL pitcher can expect to get 25% or more swings and misses, while a DROPBALL pitcher is above average if her swings & misses are 20-25%.

This holds true for one of the best dropballer’s our sport has ever seen - Cat Osterman - so keep in mind that while all pitchers aren’t equal, all pitches aren’t equal either.

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Watch Kirk Walker talk Picking Pitches, along with inside secrets from Jen Rocha, Trisha Ford and Nate Walker in our 2024 Pitching Summit presentations.

Hope you enjoyed this Issue. If there’s something specific you want to read about send that to me at [email protected]

See You Next Week!