[CardinalSagehen]

There is very little pressure on your shoulder throwing underhand
It’s a natural motion

And FAR less pressure on your elbow.

I think many are familiar with the stories of Jenny Finch and other great softball pitchers befuddling all-stars like Barry Bonds and ARod with softball pitches.  In those matchups, the pitcher used a softball (larger and slower than a baseball) but pitched from a softball mound (closer).  The time it took for the pitches to reach home plate was similar to a high-end fastball from 90 feet. But the MLB players had no chance even to make contact, because they had no experience reading and reacting to those pitches.

I wonder if anyone's ever tried letting a softball pitcher use a baseball from 90 feet.  How fast can she throw it, can she control it, and can baseball hitters track it?  Of course, with some practice, I'm sure the hitters could mash it, or else we'd see more Dan Quisenberry's in MLB.  But I'm thinking about this as an unexpected novelty - a scenario where a woman softball pitcher would be brought in as a surprise to the other team and it would only have to work once or twice.

I know nothing about softball.  I assume this experiment doesn't work from 90 feet with a baseball, but not sure.  Just for fun, anyone know?

[CardinalSagehen]

There is very little pressure on your shoulder throwing underhand
It’s a natural motion

And FAR less pressure on your elbow.

I think many are familiar with the stories of Jenny Finch and other great softball pitchers befuddling all-stars like Barry Bonds and ARod with softball pitches.  In those matchups, the pitcher used a softball (larger and slower than a baseball) but pitched from a softball mound (closer).  The time it took for the pitches to reach home plate was similar to a high-end fastball from 90 feet. But the MLB players had no chance even to make contact, because they had no experience reading and reacting to those pitches.

I wonder if anyone's ever tried letting a softball pitcher use a baseball from 90 feet.  How fast can she throw it, can she control it, and can baseball hitters track it?  Of course, with some practice, I'm sure the hitters could mash it, or else we'd see more Dan Quisenberry's in MLB.  But I'm thinking about this as an unexpected novelty - a scenario where a woman softball pitcher would be brought in as a surprise to the other team and it would only have to work once or twice.

I know nothing about softball.  I assume this experiment doesn't work from 90 feet with a baseball, but not sure.  Just for fun, anyone know?