how can I get my pitchers to  pitch strikes consistently in fast pitch softball,?
598704
You're probably not square to the target with your hips and shoulders when landing. Your shoulders are wider than your hips so your arm can swing past the hip without interference. If you don't land square your arm has to go around the ribcage. Your arm is now not in line with the plate and inn-accuracy results. Watch the Women on ESPN, there all square or real close to square on landing. SQUARE is the answer but you can't be square with a locked elbow arm swing. The arm is a whip and needs to bend at all the joints. Watch ESPN most arms are relaxed and slightly bent. The ball must also be released at the moment you land square. This is repeatable which is the key to consistency.While there is much more to it this is the short answer.
909869
It wouldnt vary from any other form of softball/baseball.\n\nKeep your weight back\nback elbow up\nwhen the pitcher is about to release the ball begin to move the weight forward\nthe butt end of the bat should follow through towards the pitcher, leading the hands\nkeep your head down, you want to watch the ball hit the bat\npivit your back foot, somtimes called "squashing the bug"\nfollow the swing all the way through
1173324
keep your eye on the ball and swing fast. Get as far in on the plate as you safely can. That way you can at least catch a piece of it. Its your bat speed you need to increase. Try hitting skittles and let someone time you (seriously) Let them see how long it takes for you to swing and get back into stance to be ready for the next one. The skittles help your accuracy because they are small and the bright colors help you to see them. It will help your speed guaranteed. See how long it takes you to hit ten and then start over and try to beat your own speed. Do this over and over. IT works.
1125034
Relax and find your marks. If you've never pitched before you are probably not going to last long. It takes awhile to build up the stamina to pitch for a long period of time. It's not so much the shoulder and arm as it is the legs from pushing off the rubber. My daughter has been pitching for several years and it took her a couple seasons to get to the point she could pitch a full game without wearing out.
223823
Hi. I'm a pitcher in  high school girls fast pitch. I think it is a fairly easy sport. You  have to practice a lot to get good, But it's really fun.
1057992
1.  As a hitter, you look for top spin (opposite of fastball).  Also, occasionally a pitcher will drop his elbow when he throws the curve.  Look for that.\n\n2.  The best 0-2 pitch is often a fastball high and in.  It's called "wasting a pitch" but either causes an aggresive hitter to swing at a bad pitch or sets up a timid hitter to put a bad swing on a next pitch low and away.\n\n3.  For velocity and control, go with the "4-seam" grip (across the widest space between seems).
277205
In little league you only need one pitch.  That is a fastball.  Forget about the ohters.  The real art to being a successful little league pitcher is to throw strikes.  If you can throw 2 strikes out of every 3 pitches then you will do great.
299774
Usually, u use ur index and middle finger and thumb to pick up the ball. Most pro pitchers lift their leg up before they pitch, and gain wait on the foot off the ground, to make the ball go faster. For a few people, this is hard, so dont rush. It is very important on how u release the ball to. There are a series of ways to make the ball curve, go faster, etc. all over the internet. I am not a baseball player, but I observe other baseball players. \nWish I could be more help. Tomatosoup98
635065
Use a crow-step if you're an outfielder. It allows your body to help push the ball for some extra distance. Although it adds additional power to your throw, it eats up some time if you are a novice, so ask your coach about using it for further info.\n\nWhen batting, make sure to put a good twist in your hips as this adds more power to your swing. Do not focus on power, however, until you have mastered technique. Otherwise you will pick up bad batting habits. Also, ensure that you are never pulling your head away from the ball. Many unknowingly do this and whiff.\n\nHope that helps at least a little. \n\nTry browsing this for more in-depth advice: http://www.baseballtips.com/newsletter/tipsarchive.html
456723
Ok I was a left-handed pitcher and just graduated after playing in college. The best source in baseball right now for pitching is Tom House. If you are really serious about becoming a good pitching coach you'd learn as much about him as possible -- buying one of his recent books is a great option. He is not only a former baseball pitcher / pitching coach, but also has a Phd in bio kinetics. He was Nolan Ryan's, Randy Johnson's, Curt Schilling's, etc. pitching coach. For quick refence I'll go over three things: mental aspect, mechanics, and drills. \n\n1. Mental aspect. Pitching is all mental. It is as much about confidence as anything. A good pitcher is not just talented physically but also understands a batter's stregnths and weaknesses and exploits them. He also follows these goals...\n\nA.Get ahead in the count (throw a first pitch strike)\nB.Get the first out of the inning (this takes away the opposing team's ability to play small-ball)\nC.When you get a hitter 0-2 change head or change feet. That means make them reach for a pitch off the plate or brush them back inside -- this choice will become more clear when you know the hitter.\nD. Never commit a cardinal sin of pitching (0-2 to 3-2 or even worse a walk, 0-2 hard contact -- they should never hit an 0-2 pitch hard if at all, lead-off walk)\nE. Pitch down in the zone and on the corners\nF. Have command of three pitches (i.e. fastball, breaking pitch, change-up)\nG. Know the how attributes of pitches rank (1. Location, 2. Movement, 3. Velocity -- don't try to overthrow the ball)\n\n2. Mechanics\n\nA. Have good posture and good balence (be over the center of gravity, pitch off your toes not your heels)\nB. Throw with equal and opposite (if front side is high back side is low)\nC. Stay in the box keep your front elbow between your shoulder and your hips at all times, don't pull it out of the that box on follow through -- it will move the release point)\nD. Keep your head still (1 inch of head movement moves release point 2 inches...something like that not positive)\nE. IMPORTANT Throw to your glove. Hold your front side glove out, push it closer to the plate, and aim it where you want the pitch to go. When you throw move your throwing arm to the mit. It is like a site on a gun. The front side (glove) is a muzzle, your arm is the bullet. Point the muzzle and direct the bullet to it. If you miss low push out farther with your front side. The farther you extend your front glove the closer you throw to the plate, which creates preceived velocity. A good drill for this is the Towel Drill.\nF. Step over the buck with your back foot when you follow through. \nG. When you throw a curveball you wrist should be at full pronation. When you throw the pitch you do a karate chop motion. Your fingers shoould be folded over the ball. \nH. When you throw a curveball hold it in your glove a second longer before you part your hands.\nI. Change-ups are thrown with full supination -- like a screwball. Drop your thumb to your hip -- set that angle and keep it, unless you do that the pitch will be ineffective and will hurt your arm. (a left handers thumb will be facing first base at release, a right hander will face third)\nJ. Pitches are more a matter of arm angle than grip. \n\n3. Drills \n\nA. Towel Drill -- Go through your motion with an 18-inch towel held with your middle finger 6 inches down. Mark off full extension and have a buddy hold out his glove there. Try to slap his glove with the towel. If you can, move your buddy back and try again. This will help extension and is also a good way to solidify mechanics without pitching a ball. \n\nB. Knees -- start each day throwing all your pitches from both knees (both knees on the ground). This should isolate the upper body and allow you to get a feel for your pitches and help solidify release point. \n\nC. Hat drill -- Take off your hat and put it about 15 feet in front of you. Have your buddy do the same. T
536243
Here you go, just follow these simple steps.\n\n1.Hide the ball in your glove.\n \n2.Grip the ball with your middle and index fingers perpendicular to the seams at their widest point, with your thumb underneath the ball.\n \n3. Spread your top fingers apart slightly and keep your ring finger and pinkie tucked into your palm. \n \n4. Hold the ball firmly, applying pressure with your middle finger and thumb. Try not to let the ball rest in the palm of your hand, and keep your index finger relaxed. \n \n5.Wind up into the pitch. Use the same pitching motion as in your other pitches so that the batter cannot predict a curveball. \n \n6.Keep your wrist relaxed. After drawing back the pitch, hold your wrist so that the back of your hand points toward your body. \n \n7.Roll your wrist downward and to the right (if you are right-handed) or to the left (if you're left-handed) immediately before releasing the pitch. \n \n8.Release the pitch and follow through by bending your wrist. A right-hander should finish with the palm facing in toward the chest. The top of your thumb should be facing up.\n \n9.Throw the ball between the batter and home plate if you're a left-handed pitcher facing a left-handed batter or if you're a right-handed pitcher facing a right-handed batter.\n \n \n\n \n \nTips:\nYou can also try gripping the ball between and along the seams. Spread your fingers apart slightly and press your middle finger into the ball. Go with the grip that allows you a comfortable release, the proper spin and maximum control.\n \nTurn your wrist further to increase the ball's spin. You will lose some control but will gain more curve. Throw harder, and the pitch gains speed but loses some of the curving movement.\n \n \nWarnings:\nThrowing a curveball can cause serious and possibly permanent damage to your shoulder, elbow and wrist. For this reason, most managers and coaches advise that young players avoid this pitch until they reach physical maturity.
1103261
A retaliation pitch is always right unless the following:\n1. You throw at the batters head\n2. You miss him and keep throwing at him\n3. Don't hit him with a 95mph fastball\n4. Don't throw behind him\n5. Let it die  after the retaliation
1186979
Fastball, change-up, and sinker. Wait until you are older to throw breaking pitches. Also, try a knuckleball every once in a while, but don't throw them as a main pitch.
1098731
here is an oldie but a goodie, get an old tire hang from a tree. paint a small circle on it. hit the circle till you remove the paint.  repaint the circle and do it again. work on blocking the ball, have someone thow balls in the dirt to your left and right just outside the plate. not too far away from you keep your head down watch the ball hit your body or glove.  when you work on throwing down to second do not take three steps to the base. stand up and throw. one step. start slowly catch the ball. stand and throw. then keep going faster.  watch the pros on how they frame the ball. frame it where you catch it.  DO NOT MOVE YOUR GLOVE DURING THE FRAMING!!!!  I am also an umpire and we hate that
1052436
If its unlimited, obvisouly throw it as high as you can. If its 6-12 ft, find a good height that you can constantly hit while throw strikes, thats tougher as a pitchers, its like putting it on a tee for the hitter. Technique wise, i pitch with a backspin on my pitch.  Hold it with all 5 fingers, have your hand face the batter, the ball toeards second, flick your wrist dfor the backspin, thats one way to do it. You could also hold it in your palm, ball facing the batter, and throw it that way, with that you can spin the ball for a bit of a curve. Those are some ways i do it. Good Luck!!
335981
Get one of those pitchback net things and practice throwing inside the square and work on your control first and then you can add some speed.
1124851
Rest your pen, have the pitcher bunt, save the pinch hitter for later in the game. If your pitcher has that low pitch count and has given up only 5 hits, leave him in at least one more inning. If all goes right, you've got 2nd and 3rd w/2 outs and still have your starter on the mound. Just have your runners moving on the pitch to avoid DP.