Intermediate

Strikeout Pitch

Also known as: put-away pitch, out pitch

Definition

Strikeout pitch adalah pitch spesifik yang dituju pitcher dalam count dua strike untuk menyelesaikan at-bat — senjata swing-and-miss paling andal mereka berdasarkan kecenderungan pemukul.

Pitcher fast-pitch elite tahu persis pitch mana yang mereka andalkan untuk mematikan pemukul: sering rise ball tinggi dan ketat, atau drop ball dari sudut luar. Strikeout pitch dipilih berdasarkan scouting (apakah pemukul mengejar bola tinggi?) dan situasi permainan, dan biasanya adalah pitch yang dibangun sepanjang at-bat dengan menyiapkannya melalui location dan jenis pergerakan lainnya. Memiliki strikeout pitch yang dominan mengubah bagaimana lawan mendekati seluruh at-bat.

Beginner tip

Pick your single best swing-and-miss pitch and commit to developing it to elite command. This means having one dominant strikeout pitch is more effective than having three average ones.

Advanced note

Develop a secondary strikeout pitch for a different hitter profile. This means for example, a rise ball for hitters who swing up and a drop ball for hitters who level out. This means. As a result, you have an answer for every batter type.

Example

Setelah dua fastball untuk menyiapkan timing pemukul, pitcher beralih ke rise ball-nya yang tinggi dan dalam — strikeout pitch-nya — untuk swing-and-miss.

How it shows up on video

On video you can confirm a pitcher's strikeout pitch by tracking which pitch type appears most frequently in two-strike counts and comparing it to swing-and-miss rate by pitch. The hitter will show the most exaggerated swing path deviation on the strikeout pitch. This means an uppercut on a high rise ball or a roll-over on a low drop ball confirms the pitch is working. Look for the catcher setting a more decisive, confident target on the two-strike pitch compared to earlier counts.

Common mistakes

Using the strikeout pitch too early in the count before establishing it with location work, making it hittable because the hitter isn't yet guessing wrong
Defaulting to the same strikeout pitch regardless of the hitter's tendencies rather than selecting based on scouting data
Throwing the strikeout pitch in a location that leaks over the heart of the zone in two-strike counts when stress is highest
Hitters over-protecting the zone in two-strike counts without identifying which specific pitch the pitcher uses to finish at-bats

In SwingVantage Motion Lab

Motion Lab identifies your two-strike pitch selection patterns and compares swing-and-miss rate by pitch type and location to surface which combination is your true strikeout weapon.

Frequently asked questions

Bisakah changeup menjadi strikeout pitch?

Tentu saja — ketika changeup pitcher memiliki kecepatan lengan identik dengan fastball-nya, ini adalah salah satu tawaran dua-strike paling andal dalam fast-pitch.

Bagaimana saya tahu strikeout pitch terbaik saya?

Lacak tingkat swing-and-miss dan called strike untuk setiap jenis pitch di berbagai pertandingan — pitch dengan tingkat gabungan tertinggi dalam count dua-strike adalah strikeout pitch Anda.