Paige Parker's pitches

[j2d2]

I know she has a rise ball, and a change up but what else? What was Kellani's Crop Duster? Some of you pitching gurus tell me what else might she be working on? Should be working on? What pitches other than heat, change up, Crop Duster did Kellani throw?

 

[sybarite]

They have mentioned a curve, drop, and screw-ball, but I haven't seen much of them. Keilani's cropduster was a sweeping curve that really broke, and it broke low.

 

[tycat947]

They have mentioned a curve, drop, and screw-ball, but I haven't seen much of them. Keilani's cropduster was a sweeping curve that really broke, and it broke low.

Right, and I think she developed that as she progressed and was really successful with that pitch during her junior and senior year.

 

[sybarite]

I think speedy said there had been mention of her learning the cropduster. When she develops, she will probably have the power to make that a very effective pitch to go with her current inventory. She has good control now, and she can develop some power with minor effort.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I know she has a rise ball, and a change up but what else? What was Kellani's Crop Duster? Some of you pitching gurus tell me what else might she be working on? Should be working on? What pitches other than heat, change up, Crop Duster did Kellani throw?

It has been said the name "crop" came from the pitch being a curve that also drops, thus, crop. Obviously, in baseball that is a pitch that is easy to throw. I don't think it is easy; however, to throw it under hand.

 

[BanjoCharley]

Ever watch crop dusters working the fields? They come in and then drop fast and low.

 

[Speedy17]

Ever watch crop dusters working the fields? They come in and then drop fast and low.

Most crop dusters fly and turn and drop over the fields they are dusting which is why you have the curve and drop on the Keilani pitch.

In baseball, the pitch that really drops is the split finger fastball, however, few people get it to move anywhere but down. Mariano Rivera was probably the only guy who could get it to break and drop simultaneous. This is why he threw one pitch most of his career and nobody could really adjust to it. Keilani's crop duster did the same thing. It looks like a strike but then drops and breaks simultaneously - away from a lefty and in on a righty. It would clip the front right corner of the plate (for a strike) and move completely out of the hitting zone. It was almost completely unhittable for a left-handed batter. It was tougher to control (especially in the rain) for a right-handed batter which is why Alabama crowded the plate in 2012 Championship Series.

Nothing is worse for a batter than knowing what pitch is coming and there is nothing they can do about it.

 

[SoonerinNC]

Early in her career Ricketts gave up a lot of home runs and had a number of high scoring innings. I think Parker has done better as a freshman although she had some outings such as in the first Baylor game where she also got torched.

I don't think she is dominant enough for us to win the whole thing this year unless the bats really dominate. But is she develops as Ricketts and Gascogne (sp) did we could get there later.

 

[sybarite]

Paige keeps learning. Occasionally, she seems to let things get to her, like Baylor. That happened early in the year. The Kansas game was more of a fluke. She had two bad pitches, but both were two-run home runs, and we weren't hitting at all. After looking bad, she can turn it on and look great.

We've thought how bad we were against LSU. Well, Paige pitched what, a two-or three hitter? She allowed one solid hit. Unfortunately, it was a home run. We weren't hitting at all and didn't score. She lost 1-0 on their field on one pitch. That was a power performance. We got killed, as we often do, swinging at rise balls.

 

[j2d2]

We have some awfully good hitters. None seem to learn how to hit(or lay off) a riseball. We dont seem to learn. I wish this off season Paige would wear us out throwing riseballs until we learn something. (And work on her crop duster among other pitches she might learn to throw well.)

 

[scrybe]

You guys are right about us having issues with rise balls. But when you think about it, how many other teams have you seen hit a good riser consistently? I think the best approach for our hitters is to learn how to recognize it early enough to lay off it entirely.

 

[j2d2]

You guys are right about us having issues with rise balls. But when you think about it, how many other teams have you seen hit a good riser consistently? I think the best approach for our hitters is to learn how to recognize it early enough to lay off it entirely.

I think you're right.