Baseball Training ?s: RE pitching

[Kevin T.]

This might be a little long, so thanks if you read through it and extra thanks if you have any insight. First off, thanks Dos for the workout routine I pulled off our your website and for helping me with it here in a different thread. I've been using it and easing my way into the olympic lift pulls. I think I'm going to find a broom stick and try and work on some olympic lift form pretty soon. Anyway, this year I decided not to go out for pitching as last year my arm was pretty weak and I didn't do too well in tryouts so I just gave it up. Anyway, a year later, I'm 3 inches taller, 30 pounds heavier, and a hell of a lot stronger. My arm has gotten stronger, my legs have helped my explosiveness, my hips are a lot more flexible, etc.

I'm a lefty and was talking the other day with another kid who plays a lot of really competitive travel baseball and he asked why I don't pitch. I just shrugged and said something about never really pitching growing up. I never did pitch a lot growing up because I was the best fielder on the team. I had my coaches tell me all growing up that they'd like to pitch me more but they couldn't because the infield would fall apart. (I play 1st base and bail/have bailed a lot of kids out) Anyway he told me he noticed I had a nice loose arm and that I threw pretty hard. This has gotten me thinking. Being a lefty, there's the automatic value if you can pitch well. We have 2 lefty sophomores on the varsity level already, but my coach loves lefties and believes you can never get enough.

Not pitching a lot growing up, I never developed or worked on mechanics. So, honestly, I have no clue if I would have decent mechanics. And last year, we didn't have a pitching coach on the JV level, so there wasn't any help there. This year, the school has brought on a coach who pitched in college and knows a lot about pitching to help out the JV and Freshman team. So, there's now somebody who knows what he's doing, and he's a lefty to boot. Also, my high school has a pitcher who went D1, is extremely knowledgeable about pitching and is now coming back to help the team on the weekends. The coach is trying to set up something where he'll help us over the summer and in the fall and winter with pitching. So basically, I see this whole situation as a new door opening for me, and quite frankly, I wanna see if I have what it takes to pitch regularly. I'd like to start this year throwing a few innings on the JV level to adjust to the stamina needed and just get used to pitching again.

So, my questions are: are there things I should be working on specifically for pitching? Are there specific aspects of my training I should focus on? I know that being able to transfer the power from your legs and core into the throw is vital, so how can I work on not only being more powerful, but being able to transfer that power? What can I do to work on my shoulder/rotator cuff stability? I know that Dos works with college ball players, that the newly arrived Eric Cressey trains great athletes, and that some of your here have played ball, so I figured I might as well post this and see if any of you have some insight. I know I'll have to work with pitching coachs on mechanics and those aspects of pitching, but I'd like to be able to boast the physical attributes that will help me excel going into that. Thanks

[RedLefty]

Wow, you're right, you've got a lot going on there. You probably remember my background from previous posts to you (lefty, D2 college 1B/pitcher/OF), so you know I've been exactly in your shoes.

There are some basic tenets to shoulder stability, but some of it really depends on the shape/flexibility of your shoulder girdle, as well as your training and injury history. I'll be happy to get more into it later after I've had time to put my thoughts together a little better.

For now, as you've already said, core and lower body power are paramount. Hopefully I'll be able to tell you more later on the training/stability stuff. I'm also glad to answer question on pitching mechanics, even though your customized coaching will obviously come from the guys who see you in action every day.

Is this for next season, I assume? I thought most high school seasons were already well under way this year.

[Kevin T.]

Yea RL, I knew you were a lefty who played all the positions I do, so I was looking forward to your insight. The ultimate goal is for next season, but I'd like to start a little bit this year on the JV level, just to get used to it and let the coach see what I have so he can tell me what I have to work on. We have 5 games next week and not so many pitchers on JV, so almost everyone will be pitching and the head coach said I'll be pitching an inning or two in a game or two. So, the fact I'll be pitching a little plus the kid talking to me, plus the realization that I have 2 very knowledgeable guys right there, one of them everyday, all just got me thinking more seriously about pitching. So yea the end result will be for next year. Right now, we've played 5 games, so we have about 10-15 left plus by the end of the year I'll most likely be up to varsity playing first base on occasion when a kid finally can throw again. The mechanic basics aren't that bad, it's just fine tuning them to my style-my body, how I throw, etc. that i'll need to work on. Thanks for taking the time to read through that and I look forward to any more insight you got

[ninja]

I'm going to be all over the map on this one, so bear with me here........


I was fat, my mechanics sucked. I threw low 3/4 and my body was flailing everywhere.

Got my mechanics completely redone, helped my curve and my fastball and helped find a consistent arm slot. What I found helped a lot was not so much transferring the weight to my right foot as I stepped off, but using it as a cue to get the rest of my body in motion. Your mechanics will obviously be different than mine, but these are just basic guidelines.

Try to mirror your right arm's motion with your throwing arm. Not exactly, but you want to follow your right arm. Separate your hands roughly at the time you start to stride out from the peak of your leg raise. Extend right arm to target, left behind. As you bring your throwing arm forward, pull your right back into your chest. Don't pull to the side of the chest, pull into it. Hip flexor flexibility is key here (mine sucks) and as you release the ball you want to lean over your front foot, and the back should follow it.

Definitely get the obliques working as well as the hip flexors. I'm no pro bout I would recommend diagonal lunges, because it mimics the motion.

[Kevin T.]

Nick I know what you're talking about with the lead arm. I went to a clinic with the NJ Jackels when I was younger and one of their pitchers taught me that and said that it helps whip the arm around.

[RedLefty]

Do you point your lead hand (Dennis Eckersely) or your elbow (Andy Pettitte)? Just curious, since for some guys it can affect balance.

[Kevin T.]

Hmm, I don't know how to explain it but I'll try. I'll put my elbow out at just over a 90 degree angle and then extend my hand. I was watching Smoltz pitch today and found a pic of him that seems to be close to what I do.