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Does anybody on here watch any softball? I actually enjoy watching the games but there are a few things that drive me crazy. Number one on the list is the ridiculous announcers and their commentary on the pitchers.

I'm watching a game now (Washington and Tennessee) and the announcer keeps gushing about one pitcher throwing fastballs, rise balls, drop balls, curves, and screw balls. Problem is other than maybe the drop ball none of these pitches exist. They just showed a "rise ball" that the announcer said had a "sharp break" upwards. Besides the fact that a rise ball would have to defy gravity, apparently the announcer also ignored the ESPN pitch trak which clearly showed the pitch going perfectly straight. It only "rises" in the sense that the pitcher releases it low on an upward trajectory but it certainly doesn't "break".

The "screwballs" and "curveballs" do have the correct spin, but I have yet to see one actually break. My guess is that this fact is a function of the pitcher being so close and the size of the ball.

So here's a little decoder:

High fastball = rise ball
Fastball to arm side = screw ball
Fastball to glove side = curve ball

I simply don't get it. Fast pitch softball is a fastball/change up game. That's it and that's ok. Why there is this need to pretend all these different pitches exist is beyond me.

Rant over.
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A well instructed pitcher makes the ball spin differently for a rise, screw, curve, drop and even a fast ball.  The ball should and will "curl" or "curve" like it's supposed to when properly thrown.  What you see on TV are a lot of girls that can place the ball, can vary the speeds, and can sometimes throw quickly.  They often do not throw it properly and the announcers are incorrectly describing what is truly happening.  I've probably caught a million softballs; it does rise and curve and screw and drop when thrown properly.  I have the bruises to prove it .

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