Developing a New Pitcher

[uncdrew]

when and how often do you warm your pitchers up at tournaments?

This one is tougher, and here's what we came up with. I expect (and hope) someone has a better plan:

1. Team arrives an hour before the game, meaning they're on the field ready to go one hour before first pitch.
2. 10 minutes stretching and exercises (lunges, toy soldiers, etc.)
3. 10 minutes throwing, starting close, working back
4. 20 minutes hitting. Ideally three stations (tee into net, soft toss heavy balls, cage)
5. Pitchers go through the three hitting stations first, so they then come to me and we warm up while other doing hitting.*
6. 10-15 minutes of grounders and pop-flies.
7. Head to bench, do team cheer, game starts

* In step 5, as the girls come to me, we go through our warm-up drills. All four girls are taught by the same Tincher professional, so we have our set routine. After 20 or some warm up drill pitches, I have them do about 8 fastballs, 3 change-ups, and then finish with 2 fastballs for strikes. Trying to end on positive note.

So going into game 1, any of the 4 could be ready to pitch, and all have warmed up. How long do they stay loose? I'm not really sure.

But then during the game, when we know or expect we'll make a pitching change the next inning, when the girls are at bat I take the next pitcher out of the dugout and do warm up drills. Sad that she and I can't really watch the team bat, but we're getting them ready to go in.

Works pretty well for us.

 

[jsoftballcoach]

when and how often do you warm your pitchers up at tournaments?

Generally, all pitchers warm up before games unless they are back to back, starting pitcher warms up with starting catcher, and before a pitching change pitcher will get warmed up on the side.

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[Ken Krause]

When I was coaching teams, I usually warmed up two pitchers before the game. One was the starter, one was the expected replacement if the starter had trouble. The second pitcher, when I had the opportunity, would usually sit the bench. She might be the DP if she was a good hitter, but otherwise I wanted her available to do a quick warm-up again if the starter began to struggle.

If the second pitcher in was having trouble, I'd pull #3 out of the field if she was playing and try to get her warmed up. I definitely tried to never put a pitcher in the game cold. That's a recipe for disaster.

Developing pitchers were used in pool play or games during the week (essentially "friendlies"). Sluggers is absolutely correct that pitchers need circle time to develop. And they need to be put into situations where they have the potential to succeed. Going in with bases loaded is better-suited to experienced pitchers.

I also agree with the philosophy of "stepping down to step up." Playing for a lesser team, even if you lose a lot, can be very beneficial if it gets a pitcher quality circle time. I've seen that benefit pitchers many times.

One of the most recent was a student who started out playing for a C team that had Daddyball coaches. She couldn't get much circle time because the coaches favored their daughters. She was good enough to move up and be a #3 on a better team, but instead went with maybe a low B team instead. They didn't win a lot, but she pitched a ton as the #1 - in fact too much because they didn't have anyone credible behind her - and really developed her game. This year she's playing on a solid A team and thriving. Her dad is on DFP and posts occasionally so maybe he'll weigh in as well.

I don't think she would be the pitcher she is today without playing on that low B team. She is having no problem pitching to A-level competition.

 

[BT3100]

We had a TB coach at 12s who would never let the pitchers warm up enough before going into the game. DD and I would arrive to the fields 30 minutes before show up time and I would warm her up. You gotta do what you gotta do. And I agree 100% with all of Ray's points in post 2
Good luck and keep working hard.

 

[Agbracing]

At the younger ages and starting out circle time is critical for development. In 10u my DD never really had a great defense behind her but got plenty of game pitching. While at times it was very frustrating it also taught her to be a pitcher and not a strike thrower. I have seen girls that had great defense and consistently throw strikes at 10u get hammered as they age up.

If I was going to make suggestions I would find a team that she would be in the top 2 pitchers. So she can get pitching time and develop her craft. From time to time go and pick up with a better team in some bigger tournaments. To check where she is in her development. There is a point when they stop progressing that it would be time to start moving back up to better teams with better pitchers and battle for position. The competition will make her better if she has the right chemistry for pitching. Also find a coaching staff that has pitching knowledge. It makes a big difference in understanding proper warm ups, practice, over use and pitch calling.

 

[efastball]

[close your eyes, coaches]

Coaches do not 'develop' players. They recruit players. Do not depend on a coach to develop your player.

Get instruction on your own, and/or do it yourself. Work on velocity, and movement. If you're not measuring velocity, you're probably wasting your time. You will play somewhere if velocity is good.