Peel Drop
Also known as: rollover drop
A peel drop is a specific drop-ball variant where the pitcher peels the hand outward at release, imparting topspin that makes the ball break sharply downward and toward the glove-side.
While a standard drop ball uses a forward wrist snap, the peel drop involves rotating the palm outward and dragging the ball off the fingertips in a peeling motion. This creates topspin with a slight outward axis, causing the ball to drop and drift laterally rather than diving straight down. It is often used to work the low-and-away corner and induce ground balls to the pull side.
Example
The pitcher peels a drop ball low and away; the hitter reaches and rolls over it into a 4-3 groundout.
Related terms
- Drop BallA drop ball is a fast-pitch pitch thrown with topspin so it sinks sharply as it reaches the plate, inducing ground balls and swings over the top.
- Spin AxisSpin axis is the imaginary line around which a pitched ball rotates, determining the direction of movement — a horizontal axis creates vertical break (rise/drop), a vertical axis creates horizontal break (curve/screwball).
- WindmillThe windmill is the underhand fast-pitch delivery in which the arm makes a full circle before release, generating the velocity that defines the game.
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