- Mar 28, 2013
- 769
- 18
A local pitching coach with 30+ years of pitching coach experience and many D-1 starters to his credit penned a article that I thought would be a good read for young pitchers and coaches. Thought It would be worth sharing. Has some info in it that I found useful hope you will to.
1.Working Less But Wanting More
2.This is one is really bizarre to me but so many pitchers want to be really good without working really hard. It’s as if wanting it was really all there was to it. Which of course, isn’t the case or TONS of people would be outstanding, thin, in shape, rich, great, talented, world class… But of course most people aren’t those things. Why, because of the work involved with getting there. Most of us want things but don’t really want them bad enough to work and sacrifice for them, and that’s why so few people really are outstanding, or world class. As they say, if it was easy then anyone could do it.
•It’s easier to understand this concept in regards to the physical work necessary to be a good pitcher, but the same thing applies to the mental work as well. You’d be amazed at how many pitchers completely space out while throwing pitches – both in practice as well as games! In fact, I’ve asked quite a lot of Division I pitchers how many pitches do they throw in a game when there weren’t even paying attention. Can you guess what the answer is? 15! 15 pitches where the pitcher wasn’t even paying attention but threw the pitch anyway! Want to guess how those pitches turn out?! All it takes is one of those meatballs hit over the fence and you lose, and yet with numbers like these it’s no wonder that pitchers lose games they shouldn’t.
•This whole concept of spacing out mentally while pitching starts in practice. Pitchers do it all the time since they throw too many pitches in practice so no one pitch is that important to them. Then they find themselves in a game where the pitches are way more important, yet they have the same sketchy attention span just like practice.
•Helping your pitchers take more time on every pitch they throw in practice, allowing their minds to relax in-between pitches but then getting their brains (minds) back inside their head before every pitch is a great way to help insure your pitchers cut down on their mindless pitches.
•Whenever we ask pitchers to do something new or something difficult they’ll usually say, “it’s hard”! Well don’t stop because something’s hard. The fact that it’s hard means most people won’t do it, so you’re special if you do! Work hard, do what’s hard and make yourself special!
•1.Chasing After Complicated
2.Too many pitchers think that fastballs are for babies and that the more pitches they have the better pitcher they are. Not true!
•Control NEVER is for babies! In fact, what’s the one thing that young pitchers don’t have – control! All successful pitchers must be able to throw strikes. Not the kind of strikes that rely on a poor hitter to give them by swinging and missing, but the kind of strikes you earn by throwing to the least hittable location you can – by hitting your target! The more pitches you have that you can do this with the better pitcher you are.
•Young pitchers start out throwing their fastball for strikes but soon they get mesmerized by wanting more pitches and forget they’ve got to throw pitches for strikes. As a result, they are always falling behind in the count with their fancy pitches and can’t throw their fastball for a strike anymore since they never practice it. Sound familiar?!
•We’ve got to help pitchers to stop thinking that Simple is beneath them. Just because a fastball seems simply doesn’t mean it isn’t an important weapon for most pitchers. Strikes NEVER go out of fashion for pitchers! To help your pitchers cut down on their walks focus much more on eliminating the first 2 balls in the count. Make sure you aren’t ignoring the fastball in favor of moving pitches that aren’t being thrown for strikes (and may not even be moving).
•Here’s a great rule of thumb for pitchers, as well as for coaches that call pitches: If the first pitch is a ball, the next pitch must be a fastball! The pitcher must then throw a fastball until she gets back to being ahead in the count. This means a fastball signal & fastball pitch, and NOT a fastball signal that the pitcher can decide to ignore and then throw a movement pitch in place of a fastball. Movement pitches need to be earned through control – which means strikes.
•Pitchers must practice their fastballs every day & understand they may not be as fancy or as fast as their other pitches, but they are AS IMPORTANT!
•1.Not Communicating with the Pitch Caller
2.Just because a coach might be calling the pitches doesn’t mean that the pitchers and catchers and coaches don’t need to get together to discuss things. Meeting weekly to openly discuss things as a staff is a great way to learn what changes might need to be made as the season progresses.
•During the game the pitcher & catcher need to get with the person calling pitches after EVERY inning to discuss what’s working, what’s not working, the umpires zone, & any changes/adjustments that need to be made.
•Knowing what each pitcher thinks is working good before the game is helpful, but only for calling the first inning. After the game has started the pitcher & catcher and person calling pitches need to discuss: (a) what’s working so far in the game, (b) what the umpire’s calling and (c) what adjustments need to be made on which batters.
•This same thing happens in football. Charlie Weiss is the new Offensive Coordinator for University of Florida and one of the best offensive minds in football. When Charlie draws up a game plan he determines what play is called in based on what plays the quarterback feels comfortable with. If the QB doesn’t feel comfortable with a play, even if Weis thinks it could be a great one, he won’t call it. He said if the QB isn’t comfortable with a play, it’s likely not going to work. As for the game-plan, and the play-calling, Weis said he never waits until halftime to make adjustments. If things aren’t working early, he’ll nix the plan and start trying to come up with some plays that work, sometimes as early as the first quarter if it’s apparent the game-plan isn’t going to be effective. He said sometimes it’s meant drawing plays up in the dirt, whatever it takes to find a way to get the offense moving.
•The same thing applies to calling pitches in a softball game. If you’re calling pitches for your pitcher, make sure you know the following: (a) what pitches this pitcher has and in what order of effectiveness (b) what’s her go-to pitch (c) what pitches she uses to attack each part of the zone (d) what’s working today. When you know these things then you can use this information to call a game that uses your pitcher’s strengths to attack the hitters instead of using your favorite pitch – which might not even be something your pitcher throws (or throws well).
•1.Overlooking Practice for a Game
2.I’m constantly amazed at how many pitchers don’t practice on their own but instead wait to practice either at team practice or lessons, or both. Well pitchers, this just won’t cut it.
•Team practice is meant to help make the “team” better and not to improve player’s individual skills. Unless your team practices every day and you have a pitching coach at each practice, and you’re allowed to practice pitching as long as you need to, then your chances of getting better through team practice alone are pretty slim.
•Pitchers need to put in their own practice time, away from their team practices. Whether you have a catcher or not shouldn’t keep you from figuring out some way to practice.
•If you think you can have poor practice habbits and still pitch well in games, then you need to prepare yourself – because your story isn’t going to end well!
•Successful pitchers practice harder than the games so they’re ready when the game comes and then the games seem easy.
•1.Thinking You’re Better Than Your Teammates
2.Just because you pitch doesn’t mean you don’t have to follow the team rules. It doesn’t mean you don’t have to hustle, be on time, tuck your shirt in, get good grades, or treat your coaches and your teammates with respect. It just means that you pitch! Thinking and acting and being treated like you’re above your team only separates you from the team and every good pitcher knows she can’t be good without her teammates.
•Sure, pitchers have more pressure on them than most players, but that doesn’t mean they can treat people poorly. Be a leader, set a great example, help a teammate that’s struggling instead of rolling your eyes and turning your back on her. We all struggle at times and we all need good teammates – so start by being the BEST teammate on your way to becoming the Best pitcher!
•Be the teammate you want to have!
If you’re are a pitcher take these things to heart. If you’re a coach or parent, or if you know a pitcher then see how many of these things you can help your pitcher learn to avoid and as a result, your pitcher’s more likely to catch success instead of feeling like she’s always chasing it!
1.Working Less But Wanting More
2.This is one is really bizarre to me but so many pitchers want to be really good without working really hard. It’s as if wanting it was really all there was to it. Which of course, isn’t the case or TONS of people would be outstanding, thin, in shape, rich, great, talented, world class… But of course most people aren’t those things. Why, because of the work involved with getting there. Most of us want things but don’t really want them bad enough to work and sacrifice for them, and that’s why so few people really are outstanding, or world class. As they say, if it was easy then anyone could do it.
•It’s easier to understand this concept in regards to the physical work necessary to be a good pitcher, but the same thing applies to the mental work as well. You’d be amazed at how many pitchers completely space out while throwing pitches – both in practice as well as games! In fact, I’ve asked quite a lot of Division I pitchers how many pitches do they throw in a game when there weren’t even paying attention. Can you guess what the answer is? 15! 15 pitches where the pitcher wasn’t even paying attention but threw the pitch anyway! Want to guess how those pitches turn out?! All it takes is one of those meatballs hit over the fence and you lose, and yet with numbers like these it’s no wonder that pitchers lose games they shouldn’t.
•This whole concept of spacing out mentally while pitching starts in practice. Pitchers do it all the time since they throw too many pitches in practice so no one pitch is that important to them. Then they find themselves in a game where the pitches are way more important, yet they have the same sketchy attention span just like practice.
•Helping your pitchers take more time on every pitch they throw in practice, allowing their minds to relax in-between pitches but then getting their brains (minds) back inside their head before every pitch is a great way to help insure your pitchers cut down on their mindless pitches.
•Whenever we ask pitchers to do something new or something difficult they’ll usually say, “it’s hard”! Well don’t stop because something’s hard. The fact that it’s hard means most people won’t do it, so you’re special if you do! Work hard, do what’s hard and make yourself special!
•1.Chasing After Complicated
2.Too many pitchers think that fastballs are for babies and that the more pitches they have the better pitcher they are. Not true!
•Control NEVER is for babies! In fact, what’s the one thing that young pitchers don’t have – control! All successful pitchers must be able to throw strikes. Not the kind of strikes that rely on a poor hitter to give them by swinging and missing, but the kind of strikes you earn by throwing to the least hittable location you can – by hitting your target! The more pitches you have that you can do this with the better pitcher you are.
•Young pitchers start out throwing their fastball for strikes but soon they get mesmerized by wanting more pitches and forget they’ve got to throw pitches for strikes. As a result, they are always falling behind in the count with their fancy pitches and can’t throw their fastball for a strike anymore since they never practice it. Sound familiar?!
•We’ve got to help pitchers to stop thinking that Simple is beneath them. Just because a fastball seems simply doesn’t mean it isn’t an important weapon for most pitchers. Strikes NEVER go out of fashion for pitchers! To help your pitchers cut down on their walks focus much more on eliminating the first 2 balls in the count. Make sure you aren’t ignoring the fastball in favor of moving pitches that aren’t being thrown for strikes (and may not even be moving).
•Here’s a great rule of thumb for pitchers, as well as for coaches that call pitches: If the first pitch is a ball, the next pitch must be a fastball! The pitcher must then throw a fastball until she gets back to being ahead in the count. This means a fastball signal & fastball pitch, and NOT a fastball signal that the pitcher can decide to ignore and then throw a movement pitch in place of a fastball. Movement pitches need to be earned through control – which means strikes.
•Pitchers must practice their fastballs every day & understand they may not be as fancy or as fast as their other pitches, but they are AS IMPORTANT!
•1.Not Communicating with the Pitch Caller
2.Just because a coach might be calling the pitches doesn’t mean that the pitchers and catchers and coaches don’t need to get together to discuss things. Meeting weekly to openly discuss things as a staff is a great way to learn what changes might need to be made as the season progresses.
•During the game the pitcher & catcher need to get with the person calling pitches after EVERY inning to discuss what’s working, what’s not working, the umpires zone, & any changes/adjustments that need to be made.
•Knowing what each pitcher thinks is working good before the game is helpful, but only for calling the first inning. After the game has started the pitcher & catcher and person calling pitches need to discuss: (a) what’s working so far in the game, (b) what the umpire’s calling and (c) what adjustments need to be made on which batters.
•This same thing happens in football. Charlie Weiss is the new Offensive Coordinator for University of Florida and one of the best offensive minds in football. When Charlie draws up a game plan he determines what play is called in based on what plays the quarterback feels comfortable with. If the QB doesn’t feel comfortable with a play, even if Weis thinks it could be a great one, he won’t call it. He said if the QB isn’t comfortable with a play, it’s likely not going to work. As for the game-plan, and the play-calling, Weis said he never waits until halftime to make adjustments. If things aren’t working early, he’ll nix the plan and start trying to come up with some plays that work, sometimes as early as the first quarter if it’s apparent the game-plan isn’t going to be effective. He said sometimes it’s meant drawing plays up in the dirt, whatever it takes to find a way to get the offense moving.
•The same thing applies to calling pitches in a softball game. If you’re calling pitches for your pitcher, make sure you know the following: (a) what pitches this pitcher has and in what order of effectiveness (b) what’s her go-to pitch (c) what pitches she uses to attack each part of the zone (d) what’s working today. When you know these things then you can use this information to call a game that uses your pitcher’s strengths to attack the hitters instead of using your favorite pitch – which might not even be something your pitcher throws (or throws well).
•1.Overlooking Practice for a Game
2.I’m constantly amazed at how many pitchers don’t practice on their own but instead wait to practice either at team practice or lessons, or both. Well pitchers, this just won’t cut it.
•Team practice is meant to help make the “team” better and not to improve player’s individual skills. Unless your team practices every day and you have a pitching coach at each practice, and you’re allowed to practice pitching as long as you need to, then your chances of getting better through team practice alone are pretty slim.
•Pitchers need to put in their own practice time, away from their team practices. Whether you have a catcher or not shouldn’t keep you from figuring out some way to practice.
•If you think you can have poor practice habbits and still pitch well in games, then you need to prepare yourself – because your story isn’t going to end well!
•Successful pitchers practice harder than the games so they’re ready when the game comes and then the games seem easy.
•1.Thinking You’re Better Than Your Teammates
2.Just because you pitch doesn’t mean you don’t have to follow the team rules. It doesn’t mean you don’t have to hustle, be on time, tuck your shirt in, get good grades, or treat your coaches and your teammates with respect. It just means that you pitch! Thinking and acting and being treated like you’re above your team only separates you from the team and every good pitcher knows she can’t be good without her teammates.
•Sure, pitchers have more pressure on them than most players, but that doesn’t mean they can treat people poorly. Be a leader, set a great example, help a teammate that’s struggling instead of rolling your eyes and turning your back on her. We all struggle at times and we all need good teammates – so start by being the BEST teammate on your way to becoming the Best pitcher!
•Be the teammate you want to have!
If you’re are a pitcher take these things to heart. If you’re a coach or parent, or if you know a pitcher then see how many of these things you can help your pitcher learn to avoid and as a result, your pitcher’s more likely to catch success instead of feeling like she’s always chasing it!
