SSW Pitch Design using the Spin Visualization Tool

In modern pitch design for softball (and baseball) making potentially small adjustments to the grip and spin direction is often the difference between success and, well, mediocrity. Tools like Rapsodo and others and video like OnForm and others can show how the pitch is actually thrown. But pitch design requires creativity in making adjustments and the Spin Visualization Tool (and perhaps others?) is a critical component of the coach’s toolbox.

It’s available for use for free at https://scout.texasleaguers.com/spin. Here are some settings to help you get started is using this tool.

There are 5 pieces of input needed to able to make a ball spin in any direction with any seam orientation. The five are Orientation Top, Orientation Front, Spin Tilt, Magnus Efficiency Gyro Angle and Magnus Efficiency Gyro Pole. The Spin Rate can be anything and something around 180 is good for viewing the ball. On the display, the button in the upper left starts and stops the rotation and the two buttons on the upper right toggle between the view from the pitcher and catcher.

The default settings (0, 0, 12:00 P. M., 0, 3:00) are for a baseball 2 seam fastball. Changing the tilt shows a softball 2 seam fastball (0, 0, 6:00, 0, 3:00) and also changing the top gives a 4 seam fastball (90, 0, 6:00, 0, 3:00).

Magnus Effect Pitches

All examples below show the settings for a right handed pitcher. These settings will produce the commonly used spin where each rotation has 4 seams providing the maximum potential of creating a high air pressure area on the part of the ball with the seams moving directly to the catcher.

Pitch Type	Tool Settings
Magnus 4 seam fastball or drop ball	90, 0, 6:00 P. M., 0. 3:00
Magnus Curve	90, 0, 9:00 P. M. 0, 12:00
Magnus Screw ball	90, 0, 3:00 P. M., 0, 6:00
Magnus Rise ball	90, 0, 12:00 P. M., 0, 3:00).
Magnus Drop Curve	90, 0. 7:30 P. M., 0, 10:30)
Gyro Ball	90, 0, 6:00 P. M., 90, 9:00)
SSW Rise Ball	0, 0, 10:30 P. M., 52, 1:30)
SSW Rise ball Rapsodo Measured 8 inch vertical break on this pitch	0, 0, 8:41 P. M., 64, 11:41)
SSW Drop ball	Settings coming soon
SSW Curve ball	Settings coming soon
SSW Screw ball aka 2 seam fastball	Settings coming soon
SSW Drop ball aka 2 seam fastball	Settings coming soon
1 Seam Fastball aka Drop Curve	Settings coming soon

SSW spin can also be used to throw drop balls, curve balls, screw balls and many other many other movement pitches. Those are discussed in another paper. There are also many pitches that use both SSW and Magnus effects such as the one seam fastball