Need help from an experienced pitcher

Hello out there. I'm having a lot of trouble locating my 3 main pitches. I'll try and tell what is wrong with them as accurately as possible. If you can help, I'll greatly appreciate it. BTW, I'm a righty.

Fastball- My fastball has the speed, but it doesn't have the location. I usually have to "hang" it out there in order for it to drop in the strike zone, which usually lets it get whacked. If I try and put more zip in it, then it always goes low and left. This is a major problem, because I plan to have my fastball as my best pitch.

Slider- My slider definitely slides, but it ALWAYS slides wide left, sometimes as much as a feet out of the zone. What I'm doing is using a 2 finger 4 seam grip, just like a fastball. When my arm is coming around, I add pressure with my middle finger and turn my wrist (like turning a doorknob) when I release. Again, sugestions would be helpful.

Change up- This pitch has just confused me. I'm using a 3 finger grip and I have the ball deep in my palm. When I'm releasing, my arm is almost going straight down, sort of like trying to scratch a blackboard. I let the ball roll off my fingers. Now, it's totally inconsistent. Sometimes it looks perfect, drop is good, movement is good. Other times it looks like crap, it goes behind the batter, it doesn't reach the plate, etc.

So if anyone recognizes these problems and know how to fix it, I'll appreciate it.

Sounds like your mechanics are off.

Its hard to tell exactly without seeing you pitch.

If it is low, then your are holding onto the ball for too long.  If the ending location is left, then i would check out your arm angle when the pitch is released.

Your change up should be the same mechanics as your fastball.

A great pitcher will use the same mechanics for all pitches.  It makes it difficult for the batter to tell what is coming at him.  It makes it easier for a batter to see different mechanics for each pitch.  Basically your telegraphing the pitch before it gets there.

I would start at your fastball and work only on that until you get consistancy with it and are able to hit your mark at a high percentage. Once you master that pitch, then add other pitches, one at a time.

 

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Slider- My slider definitely slides, but it ALWAYS slides wide left, sometimes as much as a feet out of the zone. What I'm doing is using a 2 finger 4 seam grip, just like a fastball. When my arm is coming around, I add pressure with my middle finger and turn my wrist (like turning a doorknob) when I release. Again, sugestions would be helpful.

   I don't see the problem there. Throw it at the batter if it goes that far left, or for a lefty batter throw it outside.
   Getting the fastball will just take practice, but throw your change up with the same grip and movement as your fastball.

If it wasn't painfully difficult then you didn't do it right

age:18
5' 81/2"
173 lbs
goal : 195


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