Low Release Problem?

Hi BK -- If you have a photo of your son as he reaches his delivery point, I suspect that would help people offer better feedback. A few questions come to mind:

How old is your son? What got him started down the path he is on (a Coach, compensating for an injury, evolution, etc.)? Have you seen any impact (good or bad) on his results and physical health?

What I am envisioning from your description is a young man who is bent over forward at the waist, having extended himself, and expended the power built up in his delivery; releasing the ball after the whip has craked (if you will), rather than as the culminating crack of the whip (if I'm making any sense).

If what I am envisioning is correct, I would suggest that whatever gain your son is getting from being closer to the plate, he may be losing by delivering less power through the ball, potential control problems, and the long-term prospect for injury from leaving too much stress on the arm.

I know that my son has been taught to "stack" his body as he is coming to release (front knee over front foot, glove over the knee, chest up coming forward to the glove, head up, chin coming forward in the stack, with the spine arched coming towards release). At release point, the back has fired, and the arm serves as the end of the whip, with the ball being released about a foot or so in front of the glove; delivering as much power as possible through the ball.

He has been given high marks for his mechanics -- and results -- by coaches at all levels. Most important, his delivery is very repeatable, he has enjoyed a great deal of success, while suffering no arm problems; and he is having a blast.

If I have figured out how to do this ... below is a picture shot just as he was sqauring up for delivery in a Perfect Game tournament this past summer. He was short-striding a little in this game due to the mound being somewhat small, and his normal stride had him off the front of the mound. I'm not saying this is the end-all, but this posture coming into delivery has proven to help produce very good results, and good arm health.

BK you should release out front and at a lower plane. The higher you release the better the hitter can pick up the ball and it will leave the ball up in the zone.
Seems to me you are getting good advicefrom the scout.
What do you want closer to the plate ? His stride foot or the ball. You release out front.

quote:

Originally posted by BobbleheadDoll:
BK you should release out front and at a lower plane.

What do you mean by plane? If it's his arm slot, then to me it seems (from his posture) that he is already a pretty low 3/4 or sidearm slot now.

But this picture (most pictures) doesn't really show enough and it would be better to have a video clip. Better still from a couple different angles.

Rob I think that is SPD's son not BK's.
The low plane is realized when your chest is out over the stride thigh. Not referring to arm slot. Release should also be when you are out over the stride thigh. Young pitchers tend to release too early which is too high.

wow...ok.

I've just never heard those terms before and was confused.

Carry on...

The towel drill done properly can help to get the forward extension and release point.

BHD -- I think you are right on a number of fronts. Yes, that is my son in the photo. Yes, you want the chest/torso tracking forward over the front thigh/knee at delivery, and the ball being released out front. Trust me ... SP_son was on his way there when this picture was shot.

I put the picture up because I was not sure if BK's son was coming square "tall & stacked", from which he was bending forward during release; or if he might be coming into footstrike already bent over (and possibly off to one side) ... possibly trying to reach too far forward too fast. I have seen that, and those kids seem to struggle with velocity, control, and arm health.

Pictures or film of BK's son would be most helpful in trying to give him the best feedback.

Your son looks fine there. He is in a position to get over the front thigh and drive at the plate. No head movement is critical to unleashing max power. You have been given great advice from what I have read.

That's a good assessment there southpaw_dad - especially based on the limited information that was provided.

It sounds like trunk flexion is happening too soon. Staying stacked like shown in southpaw_dad's picture sets up the last link in the chain to fire right before the arm whips forward - it maximizes the whipping action of the arm. Flexing too soon does diminish the energy transfer.

Releasing out front is a good thing but only if done properly (e.g. using the lower half to create momentum, maintaining good posture and balance, having the timing to stay closed and rotate late, etc.)

But this is all speculation given the information provided. Post up some video and we'll be able to provide more useful comments.

So, where do all of you guys think the ball is released in relation to the body when released properly?

Hi NC ... Based on what I have seen reviewing tapes of many pitchers, I would say the ball is released approximately 1 cubit in front of the glove/chest. Not too often that you get to use Biblical weights & measures .

Supposedly a cubit is the length from your elbow to the tip of your middle finger. It seems to me that in most solid deliveries (not all), the Pitcher's throwing elbow is out in fron of their chest roughly equal to their glove, so the ball is released out in front about the length of the forearm ... hence, 1 cubit.