Baseball pitching and softball pitching: Why the perplexity?

Abstract

Traditionally, the baseball pitch is considered overhanded or overhead while the softball pitch is underhanded. Within this traditional rhetoric, one assumes vast differences in the two pitching styles and thus, the common misconception of the underhand softball pitch producing less stress to the upper extremity when compared to the overhand baseball pitch. Though if we take a step away from the traditional rhetoric, we can describe both the baseball and softball pitch as dynamic upper extremity movements that requires the body to efficiently generate and transfer energy in a proximal to distal sequencing. The reality is that the true difference between the two pitches is the arm slot.

Quantitative and qualitative disparities exist between baseball and softball peer-reviewed pitching-related literature: a systematic review from 1990 to 2020

“…Obvious disparities exist between softball and baseball with regard to regulations, guidelines, 8 and popularity in the media. 21 The discrepancy between the two sports is also present in the research setting, yet the degree of disparity has yet to be quantified. As such, the purpose of this study was to quantify the disparities that exist in the peer-reviewed literature between softball and baseball.…”