RISER
- This is my favorite pitch. When thrown effectively with speed, it's virtually unhittable. As with all breaking pitches, there are a number of ways to grip and release the ball. Above are two examples of the most popular grips.
- This pitch requires a long stride, getting your feet out in front of the shoulders so you get a slight lean back. This allows you to get under the ball and drive it upward.
- There are two release styles, the door knob and the scoop. I found that the door knob works best for me, but play around with both to see which works best for you. The door knob pushes out in front of the hip, rotating the fingers as if you are turning a door knob. The spin should be the same as a spiraling football. The scoop comes through with your wrist out to the side and hand scooping under the ball, giving it the same rotation as a fastball, but the angle of your body helps drive the ball upward.
- This is one of the few pitches where it is acceptable to leave your drag foot behind and kind of rock back on it to acheive the proper body angle. Be sure to follow through with the elbow pointing in the catcher's glove.
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