curveballerguy124 wrote:Blind Assassin wrote:curveballerguy124 wrote:Blind Assassin wrote:For Osterman and Abbott I wouldn't consider illegal leaping as demonstrating proper mechanics. In the end, mechanics are important, but battling overuse is of utmost importance. Don't let your kid throw more than one game per weekend. Don't have them practice pitching daily. Give them at least three months off every year. Let your kid be a kid.
Osterman and Abbot have amazing mechanics and that should not be overshadowed by their "leaping" they play ISC international rules so what they do in international play is perfectly legal. Moreover, the "leaping" has no effect on their mechanics whatsoever nor does it change their mechanics in any way shape or form. They are just allowed to become more aggressive on their push offs which as a result the pivot foot sometimes losses contact with the ground.
Nonetheless both had stellar collegiate careers at Tennessee and Texas and pitched during a time when BOTH feet had to be on the rubber.....
I agree overuse can be an issue however, pitching with proper mechanics lessens the likelihood of overuse injuries at last n my opinion.
Your answer would be great IF you were teaching kids under ISC pitching rules. Leaping is illegal otherwise and holding two pitchers that cheated during their younger years as models of pitching mechanics doesn't speak well. The sad part is that they would have both been extremely good without cheating.
Dragging the push foot off of the pitchers plate vs. leaping from the pitchers plate is the definition of a change in mechanics. If it was no change or no advantage they wouldn't have cheated. By your definition they could easily have dragged and it wouldn't have changed their pitches at all.
I'm sure you have a vast knowledge of pitching from your many years of being on the mound.....However I still pitch mens fastpitch where I leap for the most part. However sometimes I drag just like the girls do because leaping is very tiring!!! Nonetheless, my "absolutes" don't change those are my mechanics, I still land with a firm front side, I still drive with a strong backside, my arm still brushes against my body at the point of release and my shoulder still rotates inward as I finish.....These very same things you can witness Osterman and Abbott doing flawlessly with every pitch!! Understand something none of that changes when I go from leaping to dragging or from dragging to leaping and from what I can tell none of that changes on them either.
If you would like a demonstration I am at The Softball workshop in Anaheim Mon. Wed and Thursday evenings come see for yourself I'll be glad to show you.
Nonetheless Osterman and Abbott have a picture perfect arm whip and proper throwing technique if they didnt I'm sure team USA would not have selected them to represent our country and they would have been labled cheaters!!
You pitch, I get it. I have eyes and I know the rules. Osterman and Abbott are leapers. They cheated in college and they cheated at the Olympics. Period. You site Garcia and are correct with her mechanics.
There are also differing opinions as to what actually constitutes proper mechanics. Pitching legally would be my #1 requirement. From there different piching coaches may have their own opinions. My kid went to pre-pedophile Mike Smith, Dave Lindsay, and Don Sarno. Her mechanics were excellent. I listened to knowledgeable softball folk that said that pitchers could throw an unlimited amount of pitches each day because throwing a softball was different than throwing a baseball. It was all bullshit. Prior to her shoulder operation my kid couldn't wash her own hair.
I don't doubt that you are an excellent pitcher and pitching coach and I think your opinion is valid. My opinion differs based upon my experiences and what I have seen in my 20+ years of coaching.