

## GIVE ME THE BALL

### Transform Yourself Into a Big-Game Pitcher

by Dan Blewett

© 2017 Dan Blewett, All rights reserved. Adapted from Pitching Isn't Complicated by Dan Blewett

No part of this publication may be reproduced or retransmitted at any time, in any form, without written permission from the author.

Smashwords Edition

## MY STORY

I was fortunate to play five years of Division-I baseball and six seasons of professional baseball. My career lasted until the ripe age of 30. When I say that I was fortunate, what I really mean is that I was born with good genes. Genes are a major piece of the puzzle, however I'm talking less about being blessed with natural speed, power or agility. Rather, I had a genetic predisposition to put in work. The thing was, up until high school, my work-ethic gene had not been expressed, nor had my genes for grit and determination. I needed a spark.

In 2004, I graduated from high school without a single scholarship offer. I visited one junior college program and figured that if no other schools came along, I'd just go there. Or, maybe I'd enroll in the military; I believed I'd have made a good soldier in the special forces.

A few days after graduation, a family friend asked a Division-I coach to come out and watch me pitch. When he agreed, I had my chance, and wanted to seize the opportunity. I made sure everything was in line, so that I could impress him. As it turned out, I did – I earned a roster spot, but no scholarship. To get any playing time, Coach explained, I'd have to get a lot better in a hurry. But, I could be on the team.

My switch flipped.

I became a different person that night. I realized I wasn't anywhere close to as good as I thought I was, and I didn't want to see my career come to an end in four years. My clock was ticking, and I had to find ways to get better...fast.

I was the last pitcher on the depth chart my freshman year, but became the #1 just two years later. I went on to add over 10 miles per hour to my fastball, learned to pitch, and earned two All-Star Selections in professional baseball.

The athletes who make it to the top are not always the most talented, and few ever max-out their potential. In this pursuit of potential, most don't know what it takes to one day be as good as they could possibly be (or get anywhere close).

I asked a lot of questions, watched the habits of players better than I, found some great mentors and experienced a lot of failure. Failure made me better, helped me understand my weaknesses and build solutions to bolster them. Making something of myself proved very, very hard.

But, despite injuries that never relented, and a constant struggle against time and rising standards, I didn't give up.

Learn from my mistakes, use my knowledge and make something of yourself. Dan

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## Table of Contents

Introduction

CHAPTER 1 | HOW WE (ACTUALLY) THROW STRIKES

CHAPTER 2 | PITCH SEQUENCES AND LOCATION STRATEGIES

CHAPTER 3 | SITUATIONAL PITCHING

CHAPTER 4 | MENTAL TRAINING GUIDELINES

CHAPTER 5 | PRACTICING AND PREPARING LIKE A PRO

About The Author | Dan Blewett

# Introduction

Give me the Ball!

When the team is in a bind, the Ace of the staff puffs up his chest, looks coach in the eye and says, _Give me the ball!_ It's a declaration of his confidence, his ability, and his desire to put his team on his back.

But, most pitchers don't have this mentality, even when they _do_ possess the physical ability to be an Ace. The million- dollar question is, why? Why do some pitchers have this killer instinct, while others do not?

Inner strength and confidence arises from three main factors: courage, experience, and preparation. When an athlete has done the work in practice and put in the hours to be exceptionally prepared, fear fades away. When an athlete has been there before, fear fades away. And when an athlete naturally loves to compete - and has guts - fear fades away.

I remember the first time I changed the oil in my Jeep. I was 16, and terrified that I would ruin my beloved vehicle if I didn't put everything back together just right. One year later, I had changed the clutch in that Jeep, in addition to a new rear axle - two very complex jobs. I even helped my brother put a new engine in his '66 Mustang. Neither of us were scared to tackle that massive task, despite my intense anxiety over a mere oil change just 12 months earlier.

Because I gained experience and started learning the ins and outs of auto maintenance, I grew more and more bold, confident and savvy as an amateur mechanic. And, just like I did under the hood, I gained similar levels of confidence over the years as a pitcher. As I learned new concepts and used them in games, the game slowed down and I no longer doubted my ability. Starting out as a no-scholarship college pitcher, I retired at age 31 with two professional All-Star selections. Oh, what experience, knowledge and competitiveness can do. Sometimes, an instruction manual is all it takes to go from scared, to bold.

### Helping Pitchers Want the Ball

In this book, you'll learn pitching strategies that will cover the mental aspects of the game. These often-overlooked factors are critically important, yet are often only learned at higher levels of baseball, by which time many pitchers have already been cut or hung up their cleats once and for all. I want you to learn them now, so you can extend your career and spend many more years making amazing memories on the diamond.

The goal is to acquire as much knowledge as possible, so that every time a pitcher steps onto the mound, he has the tools to maximize his ability on that day. No matter the physical tools (or lack thereof), being a smart, savvy pitcher will help a pitcher get more outs in fewer pitches, and allow him to be a dominant force for his team.

Whether you're a pitcher, coach or parent, this book will give you expert guidance into the world of pitching strategy. If it helps you, please recommend it to another coach, parent or athlete who needs a helping hand to get a little more strength of will, confidence and courage.

# CHAPTER 1  
HOW WE (ACTUALLY) THROW STRIKES

Alignment of three crucial body parts allows the pitcher to throw the ball to the desired location; these body parts are the eyes, shoulders and chest. Although many errors may derail the pitcher and cause missed pitch locations, consistent alignment means consistent accuracy. Adjusting the focal point to better guide pitches to the desired target location is how good pitchers adjust to errors in the targeting system.

One overlooked aspect of pitching mechanics is the actual mechanism of throwing strikes. While having repeatable, consistent mechanics is important, it's only half of the equation. We have to ask ourselves how the pitcher is able to differentiate his pitches – high, low, in and out. How does a pitcher actually make a pitch go to one spot or another?

### Pre-Pitch Visualization

This is the blueprint behind a pitch – pitchers who are more in tune with their minds will visualize the exact shape and location of every pitch. It's almost like a catalog of pitches – the pitcher nods his head for curveball down and away, and immediately the visual image of a curveball breaking sharply down and away pops into the mind. The more vivid the pre-pitch image, the more likely the pitcher is to execute the pitch the way he envisions it.

### Visual Targeting Via the Focal Point

When the pitch is chosen, the visual targeting system takes over. It's crucial for the pitcher not only to visualize where his pitch will end up, but also to lock eyes on the location where the pitch will start. Focal point is the term for the spot on which the pitcher will lock his eyes as the starting point for the pitch. Target refers to the end location of the pitch (usually, but not always, the catcher's mitt).

The focal point must be adjusted for the amount of break likely to result; if the pitch breaks down- ward 10 inches, then the focal point should be 10 inches above the desired location. The only way for a pitcher to adjust his location is by trial and error – he picks a focal point, throws his pitch, and assesses where the pitch ends up. If the pitch ended up in an unintended location, he will then analyze his mechanics and the shape of the pitch to determine what needs to improve in the delivery of the next pitch.

Some pitchers pick up their target early before their delivery, and some look away briefly as the leg kicks before reconnecting with the focal point. Regardless of the method used, the pitcher should have a strong visual connection with his focal point to engage with it as long and as firmly as possible.

Three-Part Alignment

Once the focal point is chosen, the pitcher must somehow get his body to throw to that exact, often tiny, location. To do this, the pitcher must align three parts of his body with the focal point during his delivery to the plate.

### Part 1: The Eyes

The eyes must lock on the focal point and stay strongly engaged with it for the duration of the pitch. If the eyes cannot lock on the focal point, the body will be like a ship without a captain – without direction.

### Part 2: The Shoulders

The torso will always follow the shoulders; when the shoulders stay closed to the target, so must the torso. When the shoulders align with the focal point, so must the torso.

Because the shoulders will steer the rest of the body into position, they must point directly at the focal point. This means for balls up in the zone, the shoulders maintain a slightly higher angle. For balls headed down in the zone, the shoulders should tilt slightly lower.

Understand, however, that shoulder alignment should happen automatically if the pitcher is visu- ally engaged with the focal point.

### Part 3: The Chest

The chest, which is upper body's center of mass, is far and away the most important element of the alignment system. Even if the eyes and shoulders lock and track to the focal point, the chest can, and often does, derail the pitch from its course

The chest must push directly forward to the focal point. The eyes lock, the shoulders track the torso, and finally the center of the chest drives to the focal point.

When the pitcher flies open and over-rotates, the chest will veer away from the focal point, taking the arm and baseball with it. Because the arm is connected with the torso, it will always follow the center of mass. If the center of mass drives toward the focal point, so will the arm.

### Putting it All Together

If the three parts of the system align – eyes, shoulders and chest – the pitcher will throw accurately with consistency. But, there are many reasons the pitcher's targeting system will misalign, causing erratic control and missed locations.

### What About the Stride?

The stride will be mostly constant with only minute, imperceptible differences in pitch location. While the stride will follow the direction of the eyes and shoulders, it will still land in nearly the exact same spot on every pitch, give or take an inch or two. The directional differentiation of one pitch to the next is physically made in the shoulders and the chest – the chest will push slightly toward the location, even though the stride lands in a somewhat neutral location.

Screwing up the Target Alignment System

A number of common errors may cause a pitcher's targeting system to misalign, resulting in errors in location.

### #1: Rotation error

The chest must drive forward to the focal point. As mentioned above, if the torso is too rotational, the center of mass will veer away from the focal point, taking the arm with it and causing a missed location.

Example of a rotation error resulting in arm drag

### #2: Arm swing error

The arm is not mentioned in the alignment system because it should come into position naturally. However, pitchers often get lazy with the backswing of their arm, preventing it from attaining the high cocked position when the body is ready to accelerate. Sometimes, the pitcher is sluggish in bringing his arm up, and simply breaking the hands and moving the hands up faster will remedy the problem.

However, mound height is a typical culprit when pitchers fall off-rhythm with their arm swing. Atypically high mounds keep the pitcher in the air longer during the stride, which disrupts the timing of the hand break and arm swing. Unusually low mounds force the pitcher to land sooner, which means the normal cadence of the arm swing will not be fast enough to reach normal height. These mound errors, however, are usually remedied within a few pitches or batters – a pitcher must adapt quickly to sort out his timing.

Another common source of arm swing errors is switching from the windup to the stretch. Stride air-time is very different when changing from high leg kick to slide step, often affecting arm swing timing.

### #3: Fatigue error

Fatigue may prevent a pitcher from reaching optimal height on his arm swing, which will cause an arm swing error. Pitchers also tend to rotate more as they tire, an attempt to gather more power from the core when fatigued. This will cause a rotation error. Lastly, leg fatigue will negatively affect stride length and forward momentum, which in turns prevents the torso and chest from pushing forward to the target, resulting in balls left up in the zone.

### #4: Visual error

If the eyes don't pick up the target soon enough, it is almost guaranteed that the pitch will end up in a random location. The pitcher still may throw the ball in or around the strike zone, but full control over the pitch is impossible. Pitchers will sometimes lose focus and fail to pick up the focal point adequately, which will result in a visual error and loss of accuracy.

### #5: Head error

Head errors are a combination of a visual error and a rotation error in which the head pulls to the gloveside, causing the center of mass to go with it. Pitchers who excessively tilt the shoulders and head to the gloveside usually have difficulty throwing strikes.

Example of excessive head tilt resulting in poor release

### #6: Stride error

The stride foot should consistently land toward the center of the plate, which is a neutral location. However, some amateur pitchers will close off too much (landing too far on the armside of the body), stride too far to the gloveside (landing too open), or present other variations in their stride length or direction. A stride error is one in which the body can't track effectively to the target be- cause the stride foot lands too far from neutral. Common example: pitchers who land too closed cannot locate well, if at all, to the gloveside third of the plate. This is because they increase the distance their body must rotate to reach a release point on the gloveside of the plate.

### #7: Leg drive error

This is typically, but not always, a sign of fatigue – when the legs don't propel the pitcher down the mound as forcefully as normal, the arm lags and the chest will not drive adequately forward. The pitcher will often tilt his shoulders upward to combat this leg fatigue, resulting in a severe break- down of the targeting system. This error is produced by fatigue, laziness or lack of proper teaching on how to use the legs.

### The Vector System – Intentional Erroneous Focal Points

The reality is that big league pitchers aren't capable of throwing a strike 100% – or even 75% – of the time, on average. And, major leaguers hit their spot exactly much, much less than that. But, knowing how to adjust from missed locations is a huge part of being a good pitcher. Changing the focal point to account for the break of the pitch is a sensible and necessary move. But on fastballs, where the focal point is the target, the pitcher must choose a focal point that matches his typical miss, a phenomenon I call vectoring. Good pitchers adjust their focal point to accommodate an expected miss of location when they can't find a mechanical fix to solve the accuracy problem.

Let's use an example to explain:

A pitcher aims to throw a fastball to his catcher's mitt down the middle of the plate. Upon delivering the pitch, he misses badly high – about 18 inches above his target. Assuming he can't get his mechanics to adjust, the pitcher must pick a location that will account for his miss, even if it's severe. Assuming the catcher's mitt isn't 18 inches off the ground when set up for a low strike, the pitcher must pick a spot on the ground to account for his typical 18-inch miss. This pitcher intently stares at the front edge of the plate as he attempts his next fastball. Because he misses well high of his target, his "miss" is now a strike – the focal point placed on the plate allowed him to miss it high, which then becomes a low strike.

The vectoring system works remarkably well not just for breaking pitches, but also for days when the pitcher struggles to locate in general. By defining a pattern of misses, the pitcher can accurately choose new focal points that allow him to "miss" into the strike zone.

# CHAPTER 2  
PITCH SEQUENCES AND LOCATION STRATEGIES

Logical pitch sequences save runs. The goal of any pitch sequence is to disrupt a hitter's timing, making him uncomfortable and indecisive. Moving the ball in and out, up and down, while changing speeds and mixing pitches, will accomplish these goals.

Pitch Location Basics

Every pitcher must master a handful of locations for each pitch in his arsenal. For each location, the pitch will take a slightly different shape, making it essentially a different pitch altogether.

### The Fastball

Variation #1: "Called Strike" Fastball

Counts used: 2-0, 3-0, 3-1

•This fastball will be thrown down the middle when the pitcher is way behind on the count and desperately needs a strike.

• Typical location: Down the middle

• Sorry, but because you fell way behind, you don't have a choice.

Variation #2: "Contact" Fastball

Counts used: 0-0, 1-0; 1-1; 2-1; 3-2

• This fastball is not a "gimme," but also needn't be too precise. When even or slightly behind in the count, the pitcher should move the ball slightly off the middle of the plate while still giving himself a lot of plate to work with.

• Typical Location: Inner or outer halves

Variation #3: "Ahead in the Count" Fastball

Counts used: 0-1; 1-2; 2-2

• The pitcher has worked himself ahead in the count, so the hitter should not see a pitch anywhere near the heart of the plate. As the pitcher gets farther ahead, his pitches should move progressively toward the edges of the plate

• Typical Location: Inner or outer thirds

• Note: 2-2, while an even count, is included here because the hitter has seen four pitches. The more pitches a hitter sees, the more likely he is to make solid contact. Thus, 2-2 often requires a more precise pitch because the hitter has had a long look at the pitcher's offerings.

Variation #4: "Strikeout" Fastball

Count used: 0-2. (Use in additional two-strike counts as situation dictates.)

• 0-2 is the one chance a pitcher has to attempt to strike the hitter out. Anything can happen once the ball is put in play, and, on average, a quarter of balls put in play find a home – a hit or error. Even if the pitcher makes a great pitch and gets weak contact, he cannot protect against the blooper or swinging bunt. So, when 0-2, the pitcher is far enough ahead to safely attempt a strikeout. If he fails, he simply continues to work toward weak contact. Strikeouts are always outs (ignoring the drop third strike rule). Weak contact can have any number of outcomes.

• Typical location: Just out of the strike zone, typically up, outside or inside.

### The Changeup

### Variation #1: "Called Strike" Changeup

Counts used: 0-0, 1-0, 2-1, 2-0, 3-1, 3-2

• The hitter never expects changeup when the pitcher is behind in the count, so the pitcher has tremendous room for error. Because the hitter is expecting fastball, even a mediocre changeup down the middle of the plate will be effective due to speed change and movement.

• Typical location: Down the middle

### Variation #2: "Contact" Changeup

Counts used: 1-1, 1-2, 2-2

• The hitter is even or behind in these counts and has possibly seen a changeup at least once. Thus, we want the changeup to be down and toward the edges of the plate, ensuring weak contact.

• Typical location: Down, regardless of location. And on the halves or thirds of the plate, depending on movement.

**Is your changeup your best pitch? If not, take my free online course,**  How to Throw a Filthy Changeup. Click here to start the course.

### Variation #3: "Strikeout" Changeup

Counts used: 0-2. (Use in additional two-strike counts as situation dictates.)

• This changeup needs to produce a strikeout. Again, in an 0-2 count, even weak contact is unacceptable. Strikeout or ball.

• Typical location: Starts at kneecap, ends up bouncing. Can be middle or on thirds of plate, as long as it ends up in or very near the dirt.

The Breaking Ball

Variation #1: "Called Strike" Breaking Ball

Counts used: 0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, 3-1, 3-2

• The ability to throw a breaking ball for a called strike is an important attribute separating elite pitchers from everyone else. Being able to throw a hard-biting pitch (remember – don't ease up on it) that breaks into the strike zone convinces the hitter to expect any pitch at any time.

• Typical location: Breaking into the heart of the strike zone, ideally between knee and mid-thigh height.

Variation #2: "Ahead in the Count" Breaking Ball

Counts used: 0-1, 1-1, 1-2

• The 1-1 count is included here because it is a very high contact count, meaning hitters often swing on it and put the ball in play. Therefore, this pitch works best when it crosses farther away from mid-plate.

• Typical location: Ending height between mid-shin and the knee on outside third of the plate.

Variation #3: "Strikeout" Breaking Ball

Counts used: 0-2. (Use in additional two-strike counts as situation dictates.)

• This breaking ball starts as a low strike and breaks into the ground between the dirt in front of the plate and the point of the plate. It is unacceptable to throw a curve catchable in the air on an 0-2 count. Catchable with mitt on the dirt is OK.

• Typical location: Starts as a strike, breaks out of the zone into the dirt and/or off the edge of the plate.

### Discussion of the Above Recommendations

_The Big Point:_ As you get strikes, move the ball farther away from mid-plate. This concept seems obvious, but many pitchers seem to have little to no grasp of it.

The pattern outlined above that applies to all of the pitch variations is very simple: as the pitcher gets further ahead in the count, he should move his pitches farther to the edges of the plate. The more work the pitcher has done to throw strikes early and get ahead, the harder it should become for the hitter to get a decent pitch to hit. Watch a big league game – what do they throw on 0-2 counts? It's almost always a fastball up or just off the plate or an offspeed pitch in the dirt; it rarely fails. Progressing toward the edges of the plate is what pitching is all about. Even if pitch selection is poor, as long as location is good, good things will happen. This is because the barrel of the bat lives in the middle of the plate. One of my favorite quotes is from coach Brooks Carey:

"The barrel is the shark; the end-cap and handle are minnows. The sharks swim in the middle of the plate; the minnows swim on the corners. You can swim with the minnows all day long, but don't you go swimming with the sharks...they bite."

However, as has been explained in numerous places in this book, none of these ideas are set in stone. Everything provided in this pitch sequence chapter is what makes sense most of the time. It never makes sense to throw a pitch right down the middle on 0-1, 1-2, or 0-2. It never makes sense to bounce a curveball on 3-0. However, throwing a changeup down in the zone on 3-2 might make sense, as might a curveball in the dirt on 1-1, or any number of scenarios.

There's a tremendous amount of variability in baseball requiring judgment made during the game that we can't predict here in conjecture. Maybe a hitter loves curveballs down the middle and looks for them – it wouldn't make sense to throw this hitter a curve down the middle in any count. Remember: we can apply generalizations to most situations, but the final call must be made according to the game situation and the pitcher's read on the individual hitter.

### Expanding the Strike Zone

Consistently hitting a location is the best way to force both the hitter to swing at it and the umpire to call it. Pitchers who are all over the place but occasionally throw a beautiful pitch right on the black rarely get a strike call. But pitchers who consistently pound the middle, then the half, then the third, then finally the black of the plate, pulling the hitter and umpire out there, forcing swings and strike calls. After all, if a hitter will swing at a pitch one inch off the plate, why wouldn't he swing at a pitch two inches off? The best way to get more strike calls and swings at quality pitches is to simply throw more quality pitches.

### Effective or Perceived Pitch Velocity

This is a crucial concept to understand, as it refers to the way location, bat speed and pitch velocity interact to affect a hitter's ability to time a pitch. In essence, this hinges on two maxims:

1. To hit the ball hard, the hitter must get the barrel of his bat on the ball.

2. To do this, he must time his swing with both the speed of the pitch and its location.

The implications of these maxims:

• To get the barrel on pitches on the inside of the plate, the hitter must swing earlier because the barrel of the bat must be in front of the plate to hit the ball squarely into fair territory. This effectively decreases bat speed because the hitter's bat must travel farther to meet a pitch on the inside part of the plate.

• To get the barrel on pitches on the outside of the plate, the hitter can wait longer to swing because the barrel of the bat will be deeper on the plate when contact is made. This effectively increases bat speed because the hitter can catch up to a faster pitch on the out side part of the plate.

• When hitters are behind in the count, they wait longer to swing, which effectively

decreases bat speed.

• When hitters are ahead in the count, they can be aggressive, which effectively increases bat speed.

• After seeing fastballs, hitters' timing mirrors the fastball velocity, effectively increasing bat speed.

• After seeing multiple offspeed pitches, timing mirrors the offspeed velocity, effectively decreasing bat speed.

• Decreased batspeed = increased perceived pitch velocity.

• Increased batspeed = decreased perceived pitch velocity.

Good pitch sequences follow the rules of perceived velocity. Most pitchers have heard "hard in, soft away." This adage is a very simple summary of perceived velocity, as throwing off speed pitches away (soft) slows the hitters effective bat speed, making pitches in (hard) seem relatively faster and thus more difficult to catch up with. The + or - designation below shows how the pitch might appear faster or slower than its true velocity.

The Rules of Pitch Sequencing

Rule #1: Progressively move off of the plate.

As the pitcher throws strikes, he must make subsequent pitches harder to hit – the simplest way to do this is by moving their location farther away from the center of the plate. I discussed this above, but it needs to sink in – the more strikes gained on the hitter, the more the hitter should feel impending doom.

Pitch 1

Pitch 2

Pitch 3

Rule #2: Change speeds according to effective velocity.

Let the hitter's batspeed be the guide – by mixing pitches according to the maxims of effective velocity, timing will be optimally disrupted. Hard in, soft away; hard up, soft down.

Changing speeds is crucial to any pitcher's success, but the hitter's bat speed and timing needs to be the guide. A few ways of judging the hitter's bat speed include:

1. Spot in the batting order. Hitters 1-4 have the best bat speed; 7-9 have the worst; 5-6 are somewhere in between.

2. Foul balls. On a fastball thrown down the middle, does the hitter hit it up the middle, spray it foul the opposite way, or pull it foul? This will give clues about the hitter's bat speed, timing and tendencies. A foul ball straight back means the hitter is slightly late, not "right on" the pitch as some like to think.

3. Swing quality. Is the swing short and compact or long and loopy? Does the hitter step straight ahead, closed or way open? This will affect their ability to hit certain speeds and locations.

Above all, make a hitter prove he can hit the fastball before throwing him too much offspeed. Too many pitchers with good fastballs throw changeups to those who couldn't even catch up with a fastball.

Rule #3: Be predictable until it doesn't work.

Pitchers who have great offspeed pitches will typically throw them to get swings and misses later in the count; after all, why wouldn't they? If a pitcher has an incredible curveball and has a hitter 0-2...it makes good sense to throw a curveball.

But, if a pitcher throws a curveball every time he gets 0-2, hitters will start to catch on. But, if it works once, try it twice. If it works twice, try it thrice. If something is working, force the hitters to prove that it no longer works – many pitchers would be shocked at how stupid hitters can be, and how little they catch on to patterns. If a pattern works, stick with it until it's very obvious that it doesn't. If predictable is effective, then why bother being unpredictable?

Rule #4: Be wary of repeat at-bats.

Rule #3 states that we should stick with what works until the hitters adjust. Most hitters will start to catch on in the second and third time through the order. Bad hitters get themselves out on the same pitches; good hitters refuse to let pitchers get them out the same way twice. So, when hitters start coming up a second and third time, it's time to reevaluate strategy by asking a few questions:

• Are the hitters starting to take pitches that they swung at earlier?

• Are more balls being hit hard? If so, why?

• Are hitters starting to swing earlier?

• Are hitters taking big hacks at certain pitches (like they know what's coming)?

If the answers to the above are no....keep on dominating and don't change a thing. If "yes" pops up one or more times, it may be time to start changing the pattern by mixing up the counts in which one or more pitches are typically thrown.

Rule #5: Change and mirror eye level.

Hitters get comfortable when they know a pitcher is going to throw consistently into one part of the zone. They can then plant their feet and focus on a smaller area of the strike zone. Good pitchers will mix their fastball location to mirror both the starting and ending points of their breaking balls.

Curveball pitchers have an advantage because a high fastball will look like a curveball that drops in for a called strike. For these pitchers, when the hitter sees the ball going up, he won't know if it's a fastball or a curve for a strike; thus he is forced to swing at both pitches. Additionally, curveballs that break into the dirt start at the same point as fastballs thrown down the middle. Changing eye level with high effect is easy for these pitchers.

For those throwing predominantly changeups, sliders and sinkers, the fastball should stay down in the zone, where these three pitches break most sharply. Sliders and changeups that start high stay high, whereas curveballs can start high and break low. Thus, hitters know that when a slider/ changeup/sinker pitcher leaves a ball up in the zone, it's going to be an easy pitch to hit. By keeping the fastball and offspeed arsenal down in the zone, all pitches will look similar out of the hand.

But, it's still a good idea to regularly change eye level at least some of the time. We never want to leave balls letters-high in the middle of the zone, but moving the ball up and in makes a big impact on a hitter's comfort level, as I will discuss below.

Rule #6: Be scary. Throw inside.

Hitters don't want to get hit in the face.

Commanding both the inside and outside of the plate is crucial to a pitcher's success. The outside corner gets a lot of press as being the most effective location, but when hitters consistently see it, they will start to cheat and lean over the plate. Throwing inside and outside keeps hitters honest and allows the pitcher to throw to all locations of the plate.

Additionally, throwing hard fastballs up and in, even ones that aren't strikes, is probably the single most effective thing a pitcher can do to "open up" the outer half of the plate.

Again, when pitchers are consistently throwing strikes, a hitter learns that he can be comfortable in the box because strikes aren't threatening his safety. Too many pitchers who are good at throwing strikes end up with little to no "presence" on the mound. Hitters need to know that they don't control the plate and aren't allowed to dive in and take big cuts at strikes. We keep these hitters in check by reminding them that if they aren't ready to move, they probably won't get out of the way in time.

Hitting batters is not necessary to be intimidating, nor is what I am advocating in this book. But I am advocating throwing hard fastballs inside from time to time to make sure hitters know they can't dig in, lean over the plate and expect to hit fastballs on the outside corner. Imagine if you were on deck, and the pitcher had just hit the previous two batters with 95-mph fastballs. How would you feel about getting in the box? Would you be eager to lean over the plate to shoot a changeup into the gap? I don't think so. Therefore, you as a fearful hitter would be less likely to hit a ball in the middle of the plate that normally might be easy to hit.

While throwing strikes is crucial, so is the occasional brush-back to make sure the hitter respects you. If he moves his feet after throwing inside, you've done your job and he won't dig in as confidently on the next pitch.

Rule #7: Double up.

_Don't do this:_ Fastball. Curveball. Fastball. Curveball. Fastball.

A sequence like this one is ineffective and does nothing to alter the hitter's timing. Hitters adjust to speed the more they see it. A good example is early in the season – hitters struggle to hit good fastballs because they only saw BP speed during the offseason. Yet, the more they see it, the more their eyes adjust. The same happens in a microcosm during at-bats – hitters adjust to speeds when they see them over and over. So to best exploit and use effective velocity to one's advantage, we want to double up pitches more often. This isn't to say always double up; but, as a rule of thumb, know that if it's the right pitch call on one pitch, it's probably a still a good call on the next pitch.

Additionally, there's nothing more demoralizing for a hitter than a pitcher who throws two breaking balls in a row for strikes. The helpless look on a hitter's face after such a display of offspeed command is priceless.

_A better sequence:_ Fastball. Fastball. Curveball. Curveball. Fastball. (Go sit down)

Rule #8: Misses are still effective.

Many pitchers make the mistake of thinking that when they throw offspeed pitches for balls, they don't fulfill their purpose; this isn't true. Any offspeed offering will affect the hitter's timing, though those thrown for strikes will have the greatest effect. Even if a pitcher misses with a few offerings, it's still setting him up to beat the hitter when he subsequently changes speeds.

Rule #9: Pitch to strengths first.

Say a hitter can't hit an inside fastball. Should the pitcher throw inside fastballs? Well, it depends on whether or not that inside pitch is a strength of the pitcher.

Scouting reports can lead pitchers astray when the focus turns to pitching to weaknesses instead of pitching off strengths. What if the scouting report said that a hitter can't hit lefties well? Should a righthander switch his glove and pitch with his left? We'd all agree – of course not.

So if a pitcher can't throw an inside fastball very well, it's simply not the right pitch to throw, regardless of the scouting report. Too many pitchers get beat throwing pitches they can't execute a high percentage of the time because they're trying to exploit a hitter's weakness. If the pitcher tries to go inside and misses (which he often will if it's a weakness), where will the miss be? Over the middle of the plate. What will happen to that pitch? Something bad.

It's better to pick and choose ones battles and stick with strengths. No hitter, especially at the amateur level, is without multiple weaknesses. So, it's easier to just keep searching for a weakness that is also a pitcher's strength. Plus, hitters get themselves out on easily hittable pitches all the time, so it's not necessary to attempt to shoot only for weaknesses.

Rule #10: Learn from it.

Great pitches will sometimes get clobbered; bad pitches often get popped up. There's never 100% certainty of any outcome, but it is important to analyze risk and reward and cause and effect. The best thing a pitcher can do is simply think hard about his pitch selection then remember what happens. Every pitcher will select pitches according to his strengths and weaknesses, style of pitching, level of courage, aggression, etc. What matters most is that there's a good reason behind a pitch call. If there is, then no second-guessing is necessary, even if he decides he might not throw that same pitch again.

Rule #11: Force hitters to repeat bad swings.

If a hitter swings very late on a fastball, throw it by him a second time. And, if he swings late at that one, throw it by him a third time. If a hitter takes an atrocious swing on a curveball, throw it again – exploit his ugly swings. When hitters take bad swings, it's a good sign that they struggle with that pitch in that location. So, don't do them any favors by switching to pitches that they might be more comfortable with – make them repeat their ugliest swing. Once you see them start to adjust, then move on to other locations and pitch selections.

Rule #12: If they're down, keep them down.

The last thing a pitcher wants to do is get from 0-2 back to 2-2 or 3-2. If you're ahead in the count, force the hitter to swing while he is disadvantaged. While we don't want to leave the ball down the middle of the plate, we still want to be aggressive with offerings – pitches that will entice swings. Common, faulty wisdom is to "waste" the 0-2 pitch; we don't want this. What we want is a ball that looks like a strike on 0-2, and a very difficult to hit strike on 1-2. Many pitchers get too fine on 0-2 and 1-2 and end up throwing pitches that never have a chance to be a strike, and thus quickly find themselves back in even counts. Attack and force them to swing while they're down.

**FAQ** – _Should I "waste" a pitch on 0-2? I don't want to give up a hit._

No. Let's think about this:

0-2 is the most advantageous count. "Wasting" a pitch implies throwing a useless pitch to move the count to 1-2. We want the hitter to do one of two things on 0-2: strike out or take the pitch for a ball. Because the goal on 0-2 is to get a strikeout, thus ensuring that the batter will not reach base by hit, error or fielder's choice, we must throw a pitch that appears to be a strike but ends up an unhittable ball. If we throw this pitch correctly, the hitter should not be able to even make contact – foul or otherwise. So, if he swings, he strikes out; if he takes, he gets to 1-2. Wasting a pitch is the wrong term – we want to throw a zero-sum pitch – strikeout or ball; nothing in be- tween. And, we need to still be efficient with pitch counts, so getting a hitter out on the minimum number of pitches should always be the goal – 0-2 strikeouts require 25% fewer pitches than 1-2 strikeouts.

# CHAPTER 3  
SITUATIONAL PITCHING

Understanding when to be more aggressive with offspeed pitches, when to pitch for contact and when to look to a strikeout can save a pitcher runs and wins. Pitching to the score, ending two-out innings as quickly as possible, preventing manufactured runs, knowing the batting order and pitching to preserve momentum all play a huge role in a pitcher's effectiveness.

Baseball is a game of constant risk and reward that changes according to the count, the score, the inning and the amount of runners on base. Learning to pitch effectively to the situation is a skill that comes with experience and confidence, but having a good understanding of how risk and reward changes will steer an inexperienced pitcher in the right direction.

Situational Pitching Maxim #1: Get back in the dugout.

Pitching is much like golf – the less you play, the better you play. Golfers want fewer strokes, and pitchers need to throw fewer pitches and face fewer hitters. Regardless of the situation, efficiency and getting hitters out quickly must be the number one goal.

A common mistake inexperienced pitchers make is getting too fancy with two outs. While legitimate two-out rallies happen, they're rare – other than a homerun, it takes at least two base runners to manufacture just one run, and hitters are generally demoralized when coming to the plate with two outs, especially when the bases are empty.

A "shut-down mentality" is what a pitcher needs when he already has two outs. His game plan should be to more aggressively attack the strike zone, which usually means more fastballs in fastball counts and going after the white of the plate. Assuming a pitcher doesn't walk anyone, to score a run it will take three consecutive singles without another out – an unlikely out- come regardless of the game situation.

Nothing frustrates managers, scouts and teammates more than a pitcher who gets two quick outs just to start walking hitters. Once two outs are recorded, the inning must be completed as quickly as possible. Get back in the dugout as fast as you can.

Situational Pitching Maxim #2: Pitch to the score.

Way Ahead

If your team has a lead of five runs or more, it's unlikely that your opponent will bat in enough runs to catch up without the aid of walks. If your team has a large lead, it means two things – your team has hot bats and their team has "mop-up" pitchers in the game. So, it's safe to assume a big lead will continue to grow.

The pitcher's job when given a large lead is to force hitters to earn their way on base. While this is always the pitcher's job, it becomes paramount with a lead. This is because a team that's down is unlikely to string together the 10 or so hits required to score five or more runs. But, four walks and six hits will do the job just the same with much less effort. Most big leads form and evaporate because a pitcher is doing a combination of bad things – walking batters and giving up hits. It's rare that a pitcher will give up six runs on zero walks.

Way Behind

This is the time to prove your worth to a team and be tough for them. The only way to come back from a deficit is to stop the opposing team's momentum while building your own offensive momentum. Typically, as discussed in the previous paragraph, your team has given up a large amount of runs because of control problems – walks and hit batters plus hits. So, the first thing a team needs from a "mop-up" pitcher is strikes. Throw strikes and stop giving the opposition free bases, from which only one or two hits will score runs.

Most games get out of hand because when a pitcher gives up a handful of runs, he mentally gives up. This allows the floodgates to open. But, the "chip away" mentality is the only way to get back into a game – throw quality innings while hoping the offense can provide a run or two per inning.

Close Game

This one doesn't require much explication – if the game is tight, make good pitches and battle your opponents. May the best man win.

Situational Pitching Maxim #3: Make them earn a manufactured run.

In certain situations, a batter can help score a run by simply putting the ball in play without a base hit. No hitter executes these manufactured situations perfectly every single time, so an intelligent pitcher can maximize his chances of preventing the hitter from succeeding at what is usually a somewhat easy job.

Runner on Second with Zero Outs

_What the hitter wants to do:_ Place a ground ball to the right side.

This is simple baseball – with a runner on second and nobody out, a ground ball to the right side is the easiest solution to advance the runner to third. Once on third, the runner will score on a ground ball to the middle infield (provided they play back) or a sacrifice fly.

So, screw him – let's make that job difficult.

_What the pitcher wants to do:_ Get a grounder to the left side (among other things such as a pop-up or strikeout)

If the hitter is a righty, the solution is simple – pound the ball inside. How is a right-handed hitter going to hit a ground ball to the second baseman on a fastball at his fists? The answer is that he's not. Pitching a righthanded hitter inside will make it virtually impossible for him to do anything but pull the ball or hit a weak, fisted grounder back to the pitcher. Good fastballs inside are also tough to lift, so a deep fly ball won't be happening, either.

A good breaking ball or changeup down in the zone, especially after some hard fastballs in, will also be a good choice – a hitter out on his front foot trying to hit a pitch down in the zone will typically hit a roll-over grounder, which for the righty goes to the left side of the infield, preventing the runner's advancement.

If the hitter is a lefty, his job is super easy – he just has to roll over on a ground ball. So, pitches down in the zone won't work as well, because if he gets any piece of a nice breaking ball, it's probably going to the right side of the infield. But, the solution is still straightforward – pound the ball away, forcing him to pull an outside pitch if he wants to advance the runner. Lefties naturally like to pull a bit more than righties, so it'll take a good approach for him to get the job done on any pitch located on the outside third of the plate.

Runner on Third with One or No Outs – Infield In

_What the hitter wants to do:_ Lift the ball deep into the outfield.

_What the pitcher wants to do:_ Keep the ball on the ground.

Righty or lefty hitters get the same dose in this situation – fastballs tightly in. The goal with the infield in is, well, to keep the ball on the infield. If the pitcher gets a ground ball to an infielder, the runner either has to hold or is cut down at the plate.

The ball is most easily lifted when the hitter can extend his arms, and when there is air beneath the pitch. So, our two points of attack are inside below the hands or down – two locations more likely to produce a grounder.

It's also crucial in this situation to understand the implications on pitch selection. If the infield is drawn in, it means the potential run on third base is important. So, everyone's mindset must be: don't let that runner score. While no pitcher wants any runner to score, this situation is different. What's different is that pitch selection can be less conservative with regard to location and pitch selection. The salient feature is that there's an open base behind the lead runner, so walking the hitter isn't much of a bother.

In an ordinary 2-0 count, for example, it usually makes sense to go with the high-percentage strike pitch, the fastball, even though the hitter also expects it. But with an important run at third and with first base open, there's little harm done if the pitcher walks the hitter while trying to throw more offspeed pitches in fastball counts. In this situation, we only care about the runner on third. So, we can try extra hard to get the hitter out by throwing pitches we might not normally throw (again – offspeed stuff when behind in the count, or strikeout pitches in any two-strike count) to try to keep that run from scoring. And what happens if we walk that hitter? We have first and third, can allow the middle infield to play for a double play ball that will end the inning if there's one out. Or, if there's no one out and the infield stays in, big deal – we still only care about the runner on third.

But, regardless of pitch selection, location is still king. If the pitch goes up, the hitter is simply going to toss his bat at it; up into the outfield it will go, and the runner will score.

Runner on Third with One or No Outs – Infield Back

_What the hitter wants to do:_ Lift the ball deep or hit a middle grounder.

_What the pitcher wants to do:_ Get a grounder to a corner infielder.

In all of the situations presented in this chapter, we know that more than just a ground ball will get the desired result. Strikeouts are huge with runners on base, and pop-ups to the infield keep everyone at bay. But, we have to first get to two strikes to even think about strikeout strategy, so the scope of this chapter is more of the initial at-bat approach. If the pre-pitch mindset is, "Get a ground ball to the third baseman!" – great, we have a plan. And if, while executing that plan, we get to two strikes, even better – now the plan can change to "Screw this guy, I'm striking him out!"

With a runner on third and less than two outs, the infield will typically play back to trade an out for a run. They will do this in non-critical situations such as the third inning or when one team or the other has a decent lead and wants to avoid a big inning. Trading the run for an out with a runner on third means that a rally basically ends once the bases clear.

So, a grounder up the middle is going to be fielded by the shortstop or second baseman and thrown to first. To avoid giving up a run in this situation, the ball must be directed to one of three players who will go to the plate if the ball is hit sharply to them – the pitcher, first baseman and third baseman.

The strategy for this situation is similar to the others – pick a side of the plate and force the batter to either yank an outside pitch up the middle or get his hands in fast enough to barrel up an inside pitch to the middle of the yard. If a pitcher hits his spots on the thirds of the plate, it won't be easy for the hitter to punch one up the middle. But, realistically, it's not easy to ensure that he hits the ball to a corner infielder, either. The goal is to simply have a plan, attack it, and hope for the best.

Additionally, any situation with first base open gives the pitcher a chance to exploit a hitter a little more than normal. If a hitter has proven he struggles with breaking balls, throw him a few more than normal – make him really earn that RBI. With a base open, you can bounce a few more sliders, curves or changeups trying to get that swing and miss. You can treat a 1-2 or 2-2 count like 0-2when there is a base open behind a lead runner.

Bases Loaded

Pitching with the bases loaded is especially difficult for three reasons:

1. A walk forces in a run, so strikes must be thrown.

2. Pitching inside leaves less room for error – a hit batsman results in a run.

3. It's scary to throw strikes because a hit scores multiple runs.

The one-pitch-at-a-time mentality is especially crucial with the bases loaded. With so many possible negative outcomes, the way out of trouble often seems impossibly long and difficult; it's easy to get frustrated. The fact remains that pitching with the bases loaded should be internalized the same as any other situation – the pitcher needs to simply make one quality pitch at a time.

Any time the bases are loaded with no one out, the goal is simple: damage control. Escaping this situation with two or fewer runs scored is a good outcome. When one or no runs score, the pitcher deserves a big pat on the back.

Games are often won or lost based on one big inning rather than many one-run innings. So, when a pitcher finds himself with the bases loaded and no outs, he first must think about getting an out, which, again, starts with a quality strike. Falling behind in the count means a pitcher must come up with fastballs when a hitter is more than willing to take a homerun hack in hopes of being a hero. A 2-0 count with the bases loaded is the worst possible place for a pitcher to be.

The Quickest Route Out

With no outs, the fastest path out of the inning with no runs scoring is a strikeout and a double play. So, the pitcher must pave this path by starting off the at-bat with strike one. If he can get to two strikes, he must possess a razor-sharp focus to make a great strikeout pitch. If the strikeout can be made, help is on the way – quality pitches down in the zone and to the thirds of the plate will produce ground balls. A hard ground ball on the infield can produce that double play that quickly ends the bases-loaded threat.

But, getting out of the jam with zero runs isn't realistic most of the time, and surrendering one or fewer is a job well done in damage control. It starts with quality strikes in hopes of inducing ground balls.

General Bunt Situations

Pitchers sometimes get themselves in trouble trying to prevent bunts. A bunt is a free out – take it. But if a pitcher has solid command and wishes to make life difficult on the bunter, he can do a few things:

1. Brush him back.

2. Throw in tight.

3. Throw a strikeout breaking ball.

Hitters don't like getting hit in the face.

I know that statement continues to be shocking, but it's true – most hitters will avoid putting their moneymaker in harm's way. So, if a pitcher is confident in his ability to come back with strikes and not walk the hitter, he can certainly throw one up and in to scare the would-be bunter. Few hitters, after being brushed back, will boldly put their faces down by the plate to poke that outside fastball. Is this a waste pitch (which I said didn't exist earlier)? Not exactly – it's a purpose pitch in that it can accomplish a major task – reduce likelihood of a subsequent bunt attempt. Plus, if the hitter attempts to bunt a brush-back, he'll pop it up or at least be down 0-1.

Beyond the purely purposed brush-back pitch, it is difficult to bunt balls thrown close to the body. Pitching inside to a hitter who is squaring to bunt will make it tough for him to both square the pitch up and avoid being hit simultaneously.

Fastballs inside and up are difficult to bunt, as are breaking balls thrown down in the zone. It's important to understand, though, that the goal of a bunter is to place the ball on the ground. A breaking ball breaks downward, so when thrown over the plate, this downward break can aid the bunter in keeping it out of the air. So, throwing breaking balls for strikes isn't a great idea, but throwing them for a strikeout (bouncing on the plate) will force the hitter to lunge and stab at the ball, resulting in misses. If the hitter gets down in the count while trying to bunt, a good strikeout breaking ball can be a great way to get the punch out and prevent advancement of the runner.

Directional Bunts

In many cases, a hitter will need to bunt to one foul line or the other to ensure the lead runner can advance without being cut down by a well-placed fielder. Depending on the situation, either the first or third baseman will be avail- able to sprint in and not worry about covering a base. Because of this, the bunter will attempt to avoid bunting in that direction.

An example: with a runner on second base with zero outs, a team tries to sacrifice the runner to third. The first baseman has no runner to hold, so he plays very close to the plate and sprints even closer when the hitter squares to bunt. If the hitter bunts to the first base side, the ball will be quickly fielded and the runner will likely be thrown out at third. So, the hitter is expected to bunt to the third base side to ensure the runner can advance. The third baseman must stay at the base to receive the throw, leaving the pitcher to field a bunt to that side. In this situation, we have the following breakdown:

_What the hitter wants to do:_ Bunt to third base.

_What the pitcher wants to do:_ Induce a bunt to first base.

As we previously discussed, the solution to this problem is straightforward: throw pitches to the side of the plate that we want the ball to go. If the pitcher wants the hitter to bunt to the right side, he should throw to that side of the plate – it's tough for the hitter to get his bat around the pitch to bunt it the other way. Regardless of the situation, if it's clear a directional bunt is needed, pitch to a location that makes executing that direction difficult.

Situational Pitching Maxim #4: Pitch to who's up, who's on deck, and who's on base.

You see this in the Major Leagues all the time: The pitcher's spot is up next with two outs and a base open; what does the team do? They walk the 8-hole hitter to bring the pitcher up. While an extreme example, this makes sense – why bother taking a risk with a relatively weaker hitter is on deck? This is called "pitching around a hitter," and it's a very important concept. It rarely means walking him intentionally – it usually means throwing filthy pitches at very precise locations so that only one of two things will happen: if he swings at it, he's going to make poor contact, and if he takes it'll either be a ball or a tough strike.

The salient feature is having a base open. If first base is unoccupied with a lead runner on second or third, there's little harm in walking a batter, especially with two outs. With two outs and no one on base, it's best to take chances with whoever might be up, because they can't do much damage with empty bases. Understand, though: We don't just walk the hitter, we just choose pitches that are both more difficult to throw and more difficult to hit. This might mean throwing a 2-0 slider or a 1-1 changeup on the corner of the plate. Because the base is open, we can take chances throwing pitches difficult to hit for even the oppositions best hitter. There's no reason to throw a 2-0 fastball down the middle when there's a place to put him.

The applications of this stem from a few qualities of the hitter on deck:

1. His skill – How good is he?

2. His day – how is he hitting today?

3. His handedness –lefty or righty?

Some pitchers are better at matching their armside with the hitter – you see MLB managers looking for lefty-lefty pitching matchups all the time. If a pitcher is a lefty and a lefty is on deck, he might pitch around the righty at the plate because he's more likely to get an out against the guy on deck.

If a hot hitter is at the plate, they might pitch around him to get to the relatively colder hitter on deck. If the guy up has hit two doubles in two at-bats, whereas the on-deck hitter is 0-for-2 with two pop-ups, it's obviously better to pitch to the guy who's struggling. And if the hitter is just re- ally good in general, regardless of his previous at-bats, he's always a possible candidate for a pitch-around. Sensible pitch calls take into account the skill of the hitter and the pitcher's likelihood to get him out.

All of this is simple risk vs. reward. With a runner on second or third and first unoccupied, the risk involved in issuing a walk drops dramatically – the lead runner does not advance, the double play becomes in order, and no runs are forced in. This allows a pitcher to pitch around a hitter if he chooses it prudent, based on the skill of the hitter who's up relative to who's on deck.

Situational Pitching Maxim #5: Ride the Momentum Wave.

Say your team just got you the lead with a nice rally. Or, maybe they battled to close a big gap and tighten the game. What's the worst thing a pitcher can do in the inning that follows? Walk the leadoff hitter.

The best pitchers feed off momentum and do their part to continue a rally. A rally is not just a collection of runs, but a collection of energy gained by a team when innings are successful. A successful offensive inning must be continued by a successful defensive inning to keep the rally alive. And, the sooner your hitters get back to the plate, the greater the chance of continuing the rally.

When a pitcher's team provides him with precious runs, he must get excited, focused, and run out the mound to keep the knife pressed to the other team's throat, so to speak. The entire game can shift when a team's offense grabs three runs and its pitcher responds with a 1-2-3 inning.

While a pitcher can't control what happens after he releases a pitch, he has full control over his focus and approach before the pitch. Focused pitchers, while riding a rally, will attack the strike zone and aggressively pursue outs.

# CHAPTER 4  
MENTAL TRAINING GUIDELINES

It's a common misconception that good pitching mechanics must produce good control; this isn't always the case.

When pitchers with good, repeatable mechanics struggle to find the zone, the cause of this trouble is rarely physical. There's a simple test to see if the mind is the weak link: compare bullpen accuracy to in-game accuracy.

If a pitcher can throw strikes consistently in the bullpen, but not once inserted into a game, there's only one variable at play – the mind.

The fear of getting hit hard, giving up runs and being embarrassed on the mound hinders the control and aggressiveness of nearly all pitchers. Those who succeed are the ones who learn to manage or eliminate these fears.

Mental Traits of Effective Pitchers

#1: Aggressive

The pitcher must throw strikes. Consistently walking hitters is a sure path to destruction. Good pitchers aggressively attack the strike zone without fear of the results. If a pitcher becomes obsessed with what might happen when he throws a pitch over the plate, crippling anxiety will ensue. The reality is that even good hitters often miss very hittable pitches. The pitcher needs to remain aggressive at all times and force the hitter to react to him, not vice versa.

#2: Combative

Being combative means having a competitive attitude toward the hitter. The hitter is largely irrelevant, the pitch must be thrown to the desired location regardless of what the hitter chooses to do with it. Yet, pitchers throw better with disdain and anger toward the opposing team. When a pitcher is prepared to fight, he will subsequently find himself inflating his own ego and finding fault in his opponent. This builds confidence, and confidence wins.

#3: Reassuring

I could use the term "confident," but it is overly broad. Pitchers who are reassuring remind them- selves in times of duress and poor performance that they're still great, still capable, and still have better days ahead of them. When something goes wrong, they don't worry; they ride out the storm because they know the boat can't possibly sink.

#4: Forgetful

It's a timeless adage that baseball players must have short memories; it's true. A pitcher will throw countless pitches, innings and games in his career. If he's lucky, he will give up thousands of hits before retiring (a sign of a long career!). Those distraught and discouraged with poor results often let one bad pitch or at-bat ruin the rest of a game, one bad game ruin a week, and a bad week ruin a month. Those who can quickly shake off failure give themselves the best possible chance for future success.

#5: Observant

Learning the nuances of baseball is as simple as paying attention. The best players pay attention whether in the game or the dugout and constantly assess risk and reward, cause and effect, and the habits of other players. Too many pitchers don't pick up on hitters' habits, nor learn pitch sequencing or situational pitching because they're not engaged with the game. Because a pitcher will only pitch, on average, 5-15% of his team's total innings, it's important that he pay attention to the game the other 90% of the time; most of the learning will take place when not on the mound.

#6: Analytical

"I threw this pitch and that happened."

"I missed that spot because my mechanics did this..."

The best pitchers are their own pitching coaches, constantly assessing why they succeed, why they fail and how to make adjustments along the way. When one is observant, he sets the stage for self-analysis, and self-analysis leads to self-discovery.

#7: Arrogant

The time to be humble is after the game, when the job is done. Before the game, arrogance needs to be the prevalent attitude – are you better than your competition?

"You're darn right I am – by a long shot. This team has no chance of even sniffing the baseball today. Runs? They'll be lucky to get a single hit. Even on my bad days I'm unhittable."

There's no room for doubt, humility or second-guessing. You're the best there's ever been. Period. If they get a hit, it's a fluke. If they get a bunch of hits, wow – they won the lottery.

#8: Unfettered

To be unfettered means being confident, focused and undeterred in the face of adversity. Pitchers will find themselves in the most stressful situations of any player – one pitch can, and often does, determine the outcome of the entire game. Bases loaded with no outs? Winning run on third? A 3-1 count on the cleanup hitter? Thousands in the crowd screaming against you? Hecklers in your ear? Great pitchers learn not only to remain calm, but to thrive amid pressure and distraction.

#9: Disconnected

After a bad performance, a pitcher often has multiple days until he gets a chance to rectify it. Dwelling on a poor outing will only cause more stress and anxiety the next time out. It's important to separate oneself from baseball when off the field, for the sake of personal happiness. Your personal life should never suffer because of a bad game, and baseball will stay fun and exciting if two separate lives are lived.

#10: Consistent

Routine is important, and developing one requires a pitcher with a focus on organization – arranging his life in a structured manner to ensure consistency. The best pitchers learn what works for them, develop a plan around it, and then stick to it every time. Regardless of the between- game and pre-game ritual, the best pitchers adhere to them because consistency eliminates variables that might have a negative effect.

#11: Myopic

Myopic means near-sighted. It's demoralizing to think that every time a starting pitcher goes out to the mound, he's expected to complete seven innings while surrendering three runs or less. It seems an impossible task to think that one could throw a shutout – nine innings with no runs – or an even bigger task: a no hitter or perfect game. But, these good performances happen, and pitchers churn out great ERAs over long seasons. They do so by breaking games into small chunks.

It's seemingly impossible to get 27 hitters out in a row without allowing a base runner. But, is it possible to get through one perfect inning? Sure. Better yet: get one hitter out? Definitely. Even smaller: make one good pitch? Absolutely.

A perfect game is composed of nine innings, which we can subdivide into nine one-inning challenges. Each inning requires only three outs. Each out only requires, on average, four good pitches. Four good pitches are made one at a time, and so we arrive at the smallest unit in baseball: the pitch.

What we want is a one-pitch mindset. Make one perfect pitch. Then when that's complete, make one more perfect pitch. When all is said and done, a perfect game is thrown one pitch at a time. Breaking the game into manageable chunks will make it seem easy.

"I can make one great pitch. If I do that over and over, I'll have pitched a great game." Easy.

Creating and Enhancing Positive Mental Traits

Positive Self-Talk

This is exactly what it sounds like: talking to yourself with words of encouragement and positivity. Confidence stems not only from past experiences of success but also self-worth. If others tell you that you're good, you'll believe it. And, if you can reassure yourself, you'll believe that too.

"You're the best. No can touch you when you're on the mound."

"You dominated last inning. Keep it up. One pitch at a time. They can't hit that slider." "That last hitter was a fluke. They can't hit you. Keep doing what you're doing."

Positive Comparison

Positive comparison entails finding a player better than you, such as a Major Leaguer, and ex- pounding upon similarities. An example:

"I have a great curveball and really good control. Cole Hamels also has a nasty curve and can throw the ball anywhere he wants, any time he wants. If Cole Hamels pitched today against this team, he'd probably throw a no-hitter with 20 strikeouts. I'm a lot like Cole Hamels; chances are pretty good I'll throw a no-hitter today."

It doesn't matter how accurate the comparison is – grab any common thread and pull on it – it will inspire confidence in a good outcome.

Trading Places

Another effective mental technique to boost confidence is visualizing the opposition, the fans, coaches and announcers talking positively about you. Say you have a 2.00 ERA and are 4-0. The opposing pitcher has an ERA of 5.50 and is 1-3. Who are others expecting to win the game? You, of course – the pitcher with the sterling ERA and win-loss record.

In this scenario, everyone on the opposition and in the stands would be talking about how tough a pitcher you were, how tough the game would be for your opposition, and how unlikely it is that you would be beaten. If you heard them say these things, wouldn't it make you feel powerful and confident? Absolutely it would. Well, chances are that people are saying those things. So, picture yourself outside, in the stands or in the dugout and visualize what they'd be saying about you. Picture the opposing players groaning about seeing your name on the lineup card. Picture the hitters rolling their eyes as they begrudgingly walk up to bat and admit defeat after you strike them out.

Even if your numbers aren't great, you have qualities that make you a sleeper, right? So, picture yourself next to a parent in the stands who knows how good you can be. If you're getting innings for a team, it means that they believe you have enough good qualities to do the job.

Listen in on those conversations:

"Yeah, his ERA isn't great, but he's just one start away from turning it around. His changeup is re- ally filthy when it's on, and I've got a feeling it will be there today. The other team is going to really have their hands full if they take this game for granted."

Whatever you think your positive qualities and best abilities are, picture other people talking about them.

### Meditation & Visualization

Meditation is the best means with which to change ones psyche. Every pitcher can benefit from it because it allows the pitcher to practice developing an optimal mental state. An optimal mental state for many will be one of relaxed, confident aggression, but is different for everyone.

To meditate, all one needs is a relaxing, quiet place and twenty minutes of time. I suggest the following:

• Start at a time when you don't have to rush to finish. If you want to meditate for 20 minutes, give yourself 40 before having anything to do or anywhere to be.

• Lay on your back on the floor or sit upright on a soft cushion – being comfortable will prevent your body from aching and cramping, which will detract from the experience

• Focus on relaxing first. Let the shoulder blades melt into the floor.

• Utilize a belly breath – breathing with the stomach moving in and out boosts relaxation and oxygen uptake.

• Count the breaths. This is a great beginning technique to keep extraneous thoughts at bay.

• Realize that being antsy, bored and generally uncomfortable at first is normal. Trust us and keep going – ride it out and the feeling will fade in a week.

Meditation is highly personal and infinitely customizable. The biggest piece of the puzzle is learning to become comfortable doing nothing. Most people at first feel like they have to get up and do something, that they literally cannot meditate. But, after forcing themselves to do it consistently for just a few days, the anxiety starts to subside, replaced by a much broader feeling of relaxation and wellbeing.

Staying Present

The first task in a meditation practice is learning to become quiet with the mind, in a state that I refer to as present. Being present means staying focused on what's here right now, ignoring what happened in the past and what might happen in the future. For a pitcher, being present means being fixated on _this_ pitch. The previous pitch is irrelevant, and the next pitch is irrelevant; all that matters is this one right now. Execute in the present without heeding anything else.

The best way to learn to stay present is by counting the breath. If we're living, we're breathing, so the breath will obviously follow us onto the mound. Because one cannot breathe in the past or the future, turning the focus to the breath can serve as a home base to get the mind off of distractions. Most, if not all, distractions in baseball are caused by negative outcomes that just happened (giving up a home run) or might happen (the winning run is on third, or a scout is watching in the stands).

When we count the breath, we learn to return our minds to that which is inherently present. When we focus on being present, all that which attempts to distract us from the past and future cannot take hold. And, because belly breaths help calm the physical body, we can utilize them during competition to help return us to a calm, relaxed state when the game gets stressful.

The Mind-Body Connection

We all remember our best games – we pick a pitch, throw it flawlessly, grab the ball again and re- peat. We can barely recall any thoughts, any fans screaming, any wind, sun, rain or other distractions; everything just flows. This state of being "in the zone" is a meditative state – when we make one movement followed by another with no mental stoppage time, we're in a perfect balance of mind and body. Ideally, the mind gives the body a command, and the body, without inhibition, acts on it. This connection gets disrupted, though, by doubts, fear, and negativity.

"You're not good enough."

"He hit a bomb off you last time."

"If you don't throw well, that scout won't sign you." "This is a big game; everyone is counting on you."

All of these doubts and negative thoughts cause the body anxiety and tension. The apprehension felt by the mind is transmitted to the muscles, preventing them from performing their task as they naturally would. By heeding negative thoughts in the mind, the physical body cannot perform at its full capacity.

The way we take the power back and be rid ourselves of negative thought is not by eliminating it; we will always have doubt and discouragement flowing through our minds. What we do is let it pass through unnoticed. Sure, the doubt still enters the mind, but we ignore it like a crying child if we pay it no attention, over time it blends into the background as white noise, with no message and no ability to deter us. Listen to ten people talk at once and what do you hear? Nothing but noise; no specifics, no words and no phrases. We build our shield of armor against negativity and doubt by staying present and building confidence through experience, positive visualization, positive self-talk and positive comparison.

Clearing the Canvas

Mental training master Alan Jaeger, in a meditation seminar, gave the analogy of a television set to illustrate how meditation paves the way for visualization. Imagine a person painted a white X across the center of a TV screen. With the television turned on, the background of the television program would make focusing on the X very difficult. Yet, if one were to turn the TV off, the blackness of the set would suddenly make the white X pop out in great clarity. The mind is this same way – if we wanted to visualize ourselves performing well on the baseball field, or in any other aspect of life, the images would be much clearer without the background noise clouding the picture. Background noise in our minds consists of random thoughts as well as doubts and negative thoughts, both of which are very destructive to our physical abilities and confidence.

Visualization

Once we learn to meditate in a relaxed, comfortable state and stay present, we become more capable of visualization. When we have cleared our canvas, so to speak, we can start to place ourselves in stressful positions. While in the relaxed, comfortable state of meditation, entering a stressful situation becomes much easier. Picture yourself in a bases-loaded situation with no outs. How will you get out of it? Well, when visualizing the situation, you pick the pitches, pick the out- comes, pick your psyche and paint the rest of the picture. You can watch yourself dissect a hitter for a quick strikeout, followed by the magical 6-4-3 double play induced by an amazing curveball. Because it's all up to you, in your head, you can make yourself look heroic every time out.

These visualization sessions begin to seem very real, to the point where physical effects can actually be felt. A common situation of anxiety is throwing an offspeed pitch when behind in the count. When calling a 3-1 changeup in a meditation session, the body may tense up, if ever so slightly. Then, once the pitcher consistently sees himself succeeding throwing that 3-1 changeup, he will start to feel relaxed instead of anxious – he learns that he can do it. Then, when he finds himself in that same situation in a real game, he will associate those feelings of relaxation while meditating on those 3-1 changeups. And, if he doesn't, all he has to do is take a belly breath and return himself to the present. Visualization gives the pitcher the ability to practice his mental state while not in competition.

Bringing it All Together

Meditation can have a profound effect on any person, athlete or otherwise, by fostering feelings of relaxation and serenity amid stress. But, like any other skill, mental training takes practice. A daily meditation practice is needed to make permanent changes, but it requires only 20 minutes

of time. Everyone has 20 minutes to spare – it's only a matter of whether they take mental training as seriously as physical training. To start a meditation practice, one needs to perform the following:

1. Set aside a 25-40-minute window in which to meditate

2. Find a quiet place to lay or sit comfortably

3. Relax. Let the body go completely limp

4. Belly breathe and count breaths

5. Allow the mind to relax and go any place it likes

6. If the mind is cluttered, counting the breaths will help to clear it

7. Once relatively clear, start a visualization that fosters a change you want to make

8. Hone in on details and make the situation as real as possible

Creating a Routine

A routine is very important. Doing the same things on game day keeps extraneous variables from getting in the way of your success.

Your routine is highly personal, so it would be difficult to define guidelines. But, a good routine before taking the mound on game day, whether as a starter or reliever, entails some of the following elements:

1. Physical preparedness

2. Reflection and meditation time

3. Consistent food and drink

4. Superstitions, if necessary

It's easiest to give an example. Here's the routine I followed as a starter in professional baseball, assuming a 7:05pm game time with 5:30pm report time.

10:00am: Awaken, stretch out the whole body and throwing arm before breakfast.

10:30am: Light breakfast consisting of water, coffee, protein shake and fruit.

10:30-1:00pm: Catch up on emails, phone calls, TV, reading, homework or business.

1:00pm: Eat lunch – plenty of water, fruit, veggies, meat and nuts. This was my final big meal, as I never felt like eating too much before my starts.

2:00-3:00pm: Meditate for 60 minutes. This was crucial to getting relaxed and preparing myself for the task at hand. I would review information on the team I was facing and my game plan, visualizing myself executing flawlessly and confidently.

3:00-4:30pm: I would start to get antsy, and would generally just kill time before leaving for the field. I'd usually stretch my hips and shoulder a second time. I'd sometimes read, watch TV or a movie, go to a movie theater by myself occasionally, or just sort of space out around the house.

4:30-5:15pm: I'd typically arrive at the field earlier than necessary and maybe catch the last few rounds of batting practice to cure my nervous boredom.

5:15-5:35pm: Meditate for 20 minutes. This was my final preparation and a more aggressive meditation. This would leave me feeling passionate, excited and focused about destroying the opposing team. This was a very vivid meditation because of the clarity gained by my earlier meditation session.

5:35-6:00pm: I'd very slowly and meticulously put on my uniform. I liked to take my time and not feel rushed. I'd then stare at my cleats for 5-10 minutes in a sort of meditation before heading to the training room to stretch.

6:00-6:15pm: Quick stretch in the training room to get blood flowing. Headphones would be on, blasting aggressive music. Street Sweeper Social Club, Rage Against the Machine, Korn, Chevelle, Fort Minor, Three Days Grace and Metallica were common choices.

6:15pm: Head out to the field. I would sit on the grass, headphones on, soak up the sun for a few minutes and get some last stretches in.

6:30pm: Start moving. My warm up routine consisted of the following:

• 2-poles hard jog

• Walking high knees, hamstring kicks, lunges, drop lunges, side shuffles, power skips, tempo skips, lateral tempo skips, and finally 4-6 hard 10-yard sprints.

6:35pm: Start throwing. I'd get my catcher and we'd slowly move out to about 180 feet or so, longer if I wanted to. Once I reached max distance, I increased my velocity slowly until I was throwing about 90% effort at 180 feet. I'd start to walk in about 5-10 feet at a time, throwing has hard as I could possibly throw to my catcher.

6:45pm: Once about 60 feet from my catcher, I'd throw 3-4 fastballs with intent to hurt him. Then, I'd back it down to about 75% and warm up all of my offspeed pitches. After about 5-10 of each, we'd head to the bullpen.

6:50pm: Bullpen would begin. This was scripted exactly as laid out in chapter 13.

6:58pm: Bullpen complete, I'd walk up to the dugout wearing the angriest face I could muster.

7:03pm: Anthem time: Let's go!

# CHAPTER 5  
PRACTICING AND PREPARING LIKE A PRO

There is a very specific method followed by all professional pitchers. They don't just play catch; they always throw to boost weaknesses, hone mechanics, improve arm health and stamina, and maintain optimal sharpness.

It all comes down to how you practice.

More so than mechanics drills, focused practice provides the greatest benefit to a pitcher. It is important to remember that the vast majority of a pitcher's throws will be made in practice – playing catch and throwing bullpens. Most amateur pitchers only focus on good habits while on the bullpen or game mound, but this leaves a lot of wasted practice time.

Consider the following rudimentary math:

Say that a pitcher, on average, throws five days per week and rests two. His career starts at age 8 and lasts until age 18 – 11 full years of baseball. Let's suppose the pitcher takes 12 weeks off from baseball per year, leaving him on the above schedule of five days per week for 40 weeks per year.

Two days per week, only catch is played – an average of 70 total throws each day. The other three days are comprised of two bullpen days and one game day. On each of these three days, 25 warm up throws are made, along with an average of 40 pitches on the mound. This adds up to 335 total throws per week.

So, adding up the above numbers, we get 215 "catch" throws – low-speed throws made while playing catch or warming up. Game and bullpen days add up to 120 throws. So 215 out of 335 total throws is 65%. Thus, the pitcher spends 65% of his life throwing at low-speed, and only 35% throwing at high-speed on the mound. Obviously, this scheme would vary from person to per- son, and other activities such as long-toss and flat-ground work wouldn't necessarily be deemed "catch." Nonetheless, the point is that the pitcher is going to be defined on his greatest workload, which is, overwhelmingly, low-speed throwing.

If 65% doesn't seem like that big a number, let's consider how those 215 throws add up over the course of a pitcher's career. Eleven years with 40 weeks of throwing at 215 low-speed throws per week adds up to almost 95,000 throws. Another 120 high-speed throws add up to 53,000 throws, leaving us with a difference of 42,000 throws – no insignificant number. What will separate the elite-level pitchers from the rest is what they make of those 95,000 low-speed throws. If these throws are made practicing excellent mechanics, working on developing feel for offspeed pitches, and generally focusing on being a better pitcher, anything is possible.

### Coding a Throwing Program

A coding system makes writing throwing programs more concise. First, we abbreviate as follows:

• Fastball = FB

• Changeup = CH

• Breaking ball (Slider or Curve) = BR

Then, we indicate pitch sequences by grouping pitches into sets. Examples:

• 1 set: 1FB-2BR = 1 fastball followed by 2 breaking balls (3 total pitches)

• 3 sets: 1FB-1CH = Alternate fastball and changeup (6 total pitches)

Lastly, we can indicate location:

• FB/IN = Fastball inside

• CH/OUT = Changeup outside

• BR/DWN = Breaking ball down

• FB/UP = Fastball up

• BR/MID = Breaking ball middle

Optimizing Practice Time: Playing Catch

Rule #1: Always throw exclusively with proper mechanics.

Every lazy throw reinforces poor mechanics and thus does not make the pitcher better. Every throw should be made from the stretch utilizing some form of the pitcher's game mechanics or a drill that reinforces a good habit.

Rule #2: Don't overthrow.

Many pitchers make the mistake of trying to prove their arm strength every single day. Throwing at slower speeds allows more throws to be made before fatigue, giving the pitcher more practice. More quality throws equals more skill. There is nothing wrong with making 100-plus throws during catch as long as the throws are light in effort.

Rule #3: Give targets.

This seems obvious, but many partners will simply stare into the clouds and neglect to give a good target for their throwing partner. Working on the target alignment system in practice is crucial, and it all starts with a solid connection to the focal point.

Rule #4: 90% hit rate.

A pitcher who can't hit his partner's glove during catch will have no chance of hitting his spots in a game. The best pitchers always focus and challenge themselves to never miss – 90% of throws should hit the partner's target during catch.

A Sensible Game of Catch

Throws 1-7: All FB. Use a mechanics drill that improves upon a bad habit.

Throws 8-15: All FB. Work from the slide step.

Throws 16-20: All FB. Work from the windup, leg kick or slide step.

Throws 21-40: All FB. Stretch out to whatever distance is desired.

Throws 41-70: Return to distance suitable for pitch work, typically 45-60ft. (or beyond)

\- Work from windup, leg kick or slide step.

\- Ask partner for a target and throw all pitches.

\- Work on engaging the focal point.

\- Use a combination of 1FB-2BR & 1FB-2CH sets.

Optimizing Practice Time: Flat Ground

A "flat-ground" is a bullpen thrown on flat ground at low speed, often at a shorter than regulation distance. Most college and pro pitchers will throw flat-grounds at a 50 foot distance, 10 feet shorter than regulation.

Rule #1: Get down.

Crouch for your partner and have him crouch for you. The flat-ground is a time to work on downhill angle on pitches, which will more closely simulate the release angle seen in games.

Rule #2: Work on weaknesses.

Move the ball in and out, up and down, but focus most specifically on improving weaknesses. Elite pitchers use their flat ground and bullpen sessions to find solutions to problems seen in recent outings.

Rule #3: Keep it short.

Flat-grounds fulfill a specific purpose – more game-like than catch, but less intense than a bull- pen. Some pitchers throw a short (10-15 pitch) flat-ground every single day. Others like them slightly longer (20-25 pitches) the day before an outing or to replace a bullpen with less effort. Regardless, keep it short and focused – 25 throws maximum.

Rule #4: Low-effort.

Relievers throw more flat-ground sessions than starters because they have to make sure they are fresh on any given day. Starters can plan out the four days between starts, but relievers cannot. So, relievers throw more low-effort flat grounds than bullpens, and both starters and relievers keep the intensity very low – typically 50%.

A Sensible Flat-Ground Workout

Warm-up throws 1-7: All FB. Use a mechanics drill that improves upon a bad habit.

Warm-up throws 8-15: All FB. Work from the slide step.

Warm-up throws 16-20: All FB. Work from the windup, leg kick or slide step.

Flat-ground session: Return to distance suitable for pitch work, typically 45-60ft.

_(20 throws)_ \- Work from windup, leg kick or slide step – whichever is most troublesome.

\- Work on engaging the focal point.

\- Work in and out, up and down, but spend the most time on weaknesses.

\- Use a combination of 1FB-2BR & 1FB-2CH sets, or call pitches like in a game.

Optimizing Practice Time: Bullpens

Bullpens are practice sessions thrown off the mound. Bullpens are high intensity, typically about 70% effort but ranging from 50%-100%.

Rule #1: Long pens are for preseason only.

For starting pitchers, preseason is only one time of year when it's appropriate to throw a bullpen of more than 40 pitches. Starters must get their conditioning up by increasing their pitch count before opening day, so bullpens during the preseason may reach as many as 80 pitches. All other times of year, bullpens must be much shorter.

Rule #2: All in-season bullpens are 35 pitches or less.

A common mistake made by amateurs is throwing long bullpens. During a competitive season, there is no reason to ever go beyond 35 pitches, and even 35 pitches is a bit much. The magic number is 25- 30 – get on the mound, quickly address weakness, then get back off. Throwing arms have limited energy and need to heal between outings – stress levels must stay low between in-game performances. Throwing too much between outings will add fatigue and stress to the arm.

Rule #3: Low-effort; Be a cheetah.

During the season, the pitcher should be careful to complete each bullpen with the least energy expenditure possible to do the job. This refers to energy (glycogen) stored within the key muscles of the arm and shoulder. Sometimes, a pitch needs to be thrown at full-speed to work the kinks out. But, most of the time a bullpen thrown at 50-70% will do the job of perfecting a pitcher's feel and preparing him for his next outing. Professional pitchers almost never throw above 70% on the mound between starts. Cheetah mentality is key – conserve energy and only throw hard when absolutely necessary during the season.

Rule #4: Get better.

Too often, pitchers use their bullpen sessions simply to re-inflate the ego. Bullpens must be short, and as such quickly working on weaknesses must be the primary objective. The most attention should be paid to the weakest pitches and locations in the arsenal while not neglecting the strongest pitches and locations. Having a set bullpen workout, as outlined below, is helpful. But, the bullpen should always be tailored to the skillset of the pitcher and his strengths and weaknesses.

A Sensible Bullpen Workout

Flat warm-up throws 1-5: All FB. Use a mechanics drill that improves upon a bad habit.

Flat warm-up throws 6-25: All FB. Work from the windup, leg kick or slide step.

\- Move back in distance until arm is warmed up to initial bullpen intensity.

Flat warm-up throws 26-37: 12 throws: 4 sets: 1FB-1CH-1BR

Bullpen session: 3 Pitches: 3 FB down the middle.

_(30 pitches)_ 6 Pitches: 3 sets: 1FB/IN-1FB/OUT

6 Pitches: 3 sets: 1FB/IN-2CH

6 Pitches: 3 sets: 1FB/OUT-2BR (substitute CH if no BR)

9 Pitches: Work on weaknesses/pitch sequences/simulated game.

Optimizing Practice Time: Pregame for Starters

Want an easy way to spot a rookie? He's the guy throwing 100 pitches in his pregame bullpen; it never fails. Pregame is a crucial time where optimum volume and intensity can make or break a pitcher. Inexperienced pitchers will tire themselves out before even getting into the game – they throw too early, too much and too hard.

Rule #1: A warm-up shortens the warm-up.

It's important to use a full-body warm up routine – the warmer the body is when it's time to start throwing, the fewer throws it will take to get loose. Remember that fewer warm up throws will preserve more energy for the game. And, muscle contraction speed increases with muscle temperature – the warmer your muscles are, the higher velocity potential you will possess.

Rule #2: Adrenaline is an old friend.

Adrenaline is great – pregame excitement aids the warm up process and reduces the amount of throws needed. The more nervous the pitcher, the more he can count on his body responding with hormones to warm him up quickly.

Rule #3: Back it up.

Every pitcher is different. While extreme long-toss is not required, getting stretched out by throwing longer distances is a good idea. Long toss is typically more helpful in the warm-up process than simply throwing harder at shorter distances. Throwing at longer distances helps build arm extension, which is crucial to throwing at maximum velocity.

Rule #4: Light it up.

The pitcher must throw at 100% velocity on the mound before worrying about location and offspeed pitches. I take this stance because in my experience with throwing velocity, a pitcher's velocity does not reach a true 100% level until 10-plus throws at maximal effort. Thus, I feel that the first 4-6 fastballs of the pregame bullpen should be thrown as hard as possible with no regard to location. Then, when the arm is moving at maximal or near-maximal levels, the pitcher can dial in his control. The pregame bullpen should pre- pare the starter to locate all pitches at full-speed; a 75-90% effort bull- pen will not accomplish this.

Rule #5: Mix it up.

Mix all the pitches in the pregame bullpen, and spend extra time on those pitches that are a struggle to throw with typical break or location. Not every pitch will be at its best, so spend extra pitches attempting to boost the weak links.

A Sensible Pregame Warm-Up

Flat warm-up throws #1-5: All FB. Use a mechanics drill that improves upon a bad habit.

Flat warm-up throws #6-25: All FB. Work from the windup, leg kick or slide step.

\- Move back in distance until arm is warm to initial bullpen intensity.

Flat warm-up throws #26-37: 12 throws: 4 sets: 1FB-1CH-1BR

\- Approximately 50-75% effort

Bullpen session: 4-6 pitches: Wind up. All FB thrown as hard as possible.

_(30-40 pitches)_ 3 Pitches: Wind-up. 1 set: 1FB/IN-1CH/MID-1CH/DN

3 Pitches: Wind-up: 1 set: 1FB/OUT-1BR/MID-1BR/DN

3 Pitches: Slide step: 1 set: 1FB/OUT-1CH/MID-1CH/DN

3 Pitches: Slide step: 1 set: 1FB/IN-1BR/MID-1BR/DN

3-4 Pitches: Slide step: Throw more of whichever offspeed pitch is weaker.

10-15 Pitches: Wind-up: Work on weaknesses/pitch sequences/ simulated game at 100% intensity.

Optimizing Practice Time: Pregame – Relievers

"Pregame" for a reliever is actually during the game, but a reliever's pregame is the brief few moments before being inserted into the action.

Rule #1: Conserve warmth.

Relievers should wear a jacket unless the hot sun makes it too uncomfortable. A warmer body means shorter warm-up time, and the bullpen is a poor venue to run around and perform a rigor- ous warm-up. Most amateur ballparks won't even have a dedicated bullpen area.

Rule #2: Short and intense.

Any type of whole-body warm-up before being inserted into the game must be short and intense; the goal is to get as much blood moving as fast as possible.

Relievers also must be prepared to enter the game in a hurry – within the time it takes for one or two hitters to complete their at-bats. This means that throwing warm-ups must also be short and intense.

Rule #3: Save it for the game.

The relief pitcher is given eight warm up pitches on the game mound, so getting 100% ready in the bullpen isn't necessary. Pro pitchers often get about 90% ready in the bullpen then finish their warm-up on the game mound so that they don't expend extra energy.

A Sensible Pregame Warm-Up

Rapid-fire catch: Throws #1-5: All FB. From the slide step throwing back and forth quickly

at low-intensity.

Flat warm-up throws #6-15: Mix of all pitches; Slide step or leg kick

\- Increase velocity/intensity until about 75% effort.

Mound warm-up pitches #16-25: Increase velocity/intensity until about 90%.

4 Pitches: 1 Set: 4FB

3 Pitches: 1 Set: 3CH

3 Pitches: 1 Set: 3BR

\- Additional pitches as needed to get ready.

Note: Alternating pitches, while ideal in practice sessions, is not as efficient on time or energy for relievers. Inserting a fastball between every offspeed pitch would add a lot of additional pitches to the warm-up, which relievers need to avoid.

Optimizing Practice Time: In-Game Warm-Ups for All Pitchers

In-game warm-ups aren't just to get the arm back up to full-speed after a long sit on the bench. A good warm-up strategy will help the pitcher address weaknesses and improve his arsenal as the game progresses.

Rule #1: Heat up fast.

Pitchers only get six pitches between innings; they shouldn't make any pitches at less than 90% effort. The first pitch, when the pitcher is at his coldest, can be of lesser intensity than the subsequent lot. However, each warm-up pitch should have a purpose, and low-intensity throws don't help the pitcher warm up fast enough.

Rule #2: Don't have to throw them all.

Six pitches is not a lot. As such, it's best to work on the offspeed pitch that needs the most work and trust that the other offerings are still in good shape from the previous inning.

Rule #3: Finish from the wind-up.

Conventional wisdom is to throw the "coming down" pitch (thrown to second base by the catcher) from the stretch. But, because this is the last warm-up a pitcher will get, and because his first real pitch will be from the wind up, we should make this last warm-up from the wind up as well.

Rule #4: Work on missed locations.

Can't hit the outside corner with the fastball? Can throw the curveball down in the zone but not for a strike? Spend the warm-up working exclusively on these trouble locations.

A Sensible Between-Innings Warm-Up

If both offspeed pitches need equal work:

Pitch 1 – Wind-up: Fastball 90% effort

Pitch 2 – Wind-up: Fastball 100% effort

Pitch 3 – Slide step: Changeup 100% effort

Pitch 4 – Slide step: Breaking Ball 100% effort

Pitch 5 – Slide step: Breaking Ball 100% effort

Pitch 6 – Wind-up: Changeup 100% effort

If one pitch needs more work than the other (change up needs work in example below):

Pitch 1 – Wind-up: Fastball 90% effort

Pitch 2 – Wind-up: Fastball 100% effort

Pitch 3 – Slide step: Changeup 100% effort

Pitch 4 – Slide step: Changeup 100% effort

Pitch 5 – Slide step: Fastball 100% effort

Pitch 6 – Wind-up: Changeup 100% effort

Optimizing Practice Time – Long Toss

Long toss has become a topic for heated debate in recent years – some love it, some hate it. A poll of Major League players would likely reveal that many use it religiously. I believe long toss has tremendous value. Yet, before we get into my argument for the efficacy of long toss, let's first discuss: _what is long toss?_

Long Toss, Loosely Defined

Long toss can be most basically defined as throwing long distances on a higher than normal trajectory. This vague definition could potentially mean lots of things, but I think most of us agree that "long toss" implies just that – throwing relatively long distances. I'm going to define this as distances that represent 75% or more of a pitcher's maximum distance throw. Many Major League teams define long toss as throwing at a 120-foot distance. But, considering the vast arm strength of these pitchers, 120 feet is, in reality, short. If a pitcher overthrows first base the ball will fly farther than 120 feet. Rather, a better definition is: throwing at 75% or greater of one's maximum throwing distance. That's what I would call long toss.

Theory of Long Toss

Long toss, in theory, provides the user with a few different training benefits:

• Increased extension (reaching out to a distant target)

• Resembles shoulder tilt seen while throwing downhill on mound

• Encourages fluidity of arm action

• Encourages slow and gradual warm up

• Provides a velocity goal (throw farther to throw harder)

• Hitting a partner at long distances demands greater accuracy

• It is governed by autoregulation (more in this in a bit)

• Teaches the pitcher to keep weight back longer

### How to Long Toss – The Jaeger Method

The biggest proponent of long toss in the baseball industry is Alan Jaeger. Alan has taken what was a loosely defined methodology and shaped it into a specific training protocol. As such, I feel strongly that the best way to perform long toss is by using Jaeger's method. It is recommended that you visit his website at http://www.jaegersports.com/Arm-Strength-and-Conditioning/ for more in-depth instruction. I have personally used this method for many years and have been a lifetime long-tosser. I only endorse methods that are proven, through experience or otherwise, to be effective. The following is my interpretation of the Jaeger method.

The Stretching Out Phase

1. Start very close to your throwing partner and gently begin to toss.

2. The arm will start to gradually overthrow your partner as it gets warm and loose. This is the signal to start moving back.

3. Move back gradually at the pace dictated by how your arm feels.

4. Arc the ball at a high release angle (30-40°) while your partner continues to slowly move back. The point at this phase is to reach, extend, and be relaxed - not throw bullets.

5. Do not rush the process. Take as much time as is needed to reach maximum distance.

6. At maximum distance, spend as much time as you'd like throwing at a high arc, reaching out to challenge yourself.

The Pull Down Phase

1. Once at maximum distance and ready to come back in, the goal is to compress the max- distance throw into a shorter, bullet-throw.

2. Lower the focal point on your partner and drive the ball at a downward angle.

3. Do not slow the arm down – throw as hard as possible while maintaining the fluidity, extension and arm speed from the high-arc, max-distance throws.

4. Come in gradually, a few feet and a few throws at a time. Take as long as is needed.

5. It will be very difficult to hit your partner while keeping arm speed at 100%. It will be necessary to drastically lower the focal point as distances close in on 150 feet or less. This may mean aiming to throw into the grass up to 30 feet in front of your partner.

6. Continue to throw hard, challenging yourself to keep the max-effort arm extension and speed as you get close to your partner.

7. It is recommended that you don't get closer than 70 feet to your partner if you're a very hard thrower. It can be dangerous for those not used to catching high speeds.

### Reasons Long Toss Can Benefit a Pitcher

Here are a few reasons why I believe long toss can benefit a pitcher:

1. Teaches Autoregulation

Autoregulation is a crucial term that is most seen in strength training. It refers to one adjusting his training workload according to how he feels that day. Strength training provides simple examples:

On Monday, I felt strong. In a maximum-effort set, I squatted 400 pounds.

On Thursday, I squatted again. But, 375 pounds felt as heavy as 400 did, so I did not push beyond 375 and called that my "max" for the day.

Too often, people get caught up trying to meet or exceed their lifetime maximums every session and get hurt because they don't listen when their body is telling them that it's fatigued or over- worked. You can't be at your absolute best every single day!

Because long toss requires a gradual, relaxed warm up and has no set number of throws, it can be easily autoregulated. If one day, the arm feels great and can throw 350 feet, awesome! If the next time out 300 feet feels like a chore, then don't go beyond that. All that matters is stretching out, reaching that day's max, and learning to listen to how the body feels. This is a good lesson for pitchers – just because you hit 95mph last time, doesn't mean your body is capable of it today. Every day the body has a different limit that must not be exceeded.

2. Builds Extension

From my work teaching amateur pitchers to throw harder, I've found that extension toward the target is a crucial determinant of velocity. This means reaching forward to the target rather than attempting to yank the ball downward. The best teacher I've found for this, besides using a radar gun in an indoor setting, is long toss. Long toss, with the target way in the distance, cues the thrower to automatically reach out and not be lazy with the finish of his throw. It is much easier to reach maximum speeds attempting to hit a distant target then to throw to a short target. When the target is close, the perceived amount of effort to hit the target is small. When the target is far in the distance, the perception is that a greater amount of effort is required. I have found that it is easier to achieve higher velocities after long tossing than simply warming up at a short distance.

3. Teaches Fluidity

All high-velocity movements have a unique combination of fluid motion and intense muscle con- traction. You cannot effectively sprint while tense, throw while tense, swing while tense, or jump while tense. Many pitchers, when they try to throw harder, end up throwing with less velocity because they tense their muscles, resulting in an arm that does not move efficiently. The hardest throwers have a perfect balance of intense, powerful muscle contraction with optimal relaxation.

Sure, one could tense up during long toss. But, starting very softly, moving back gradually and practicing the long, high-arc lobbed throws teaches the pitcher to stay calm while throwing with minimal effort. Lobbed throws are, by nature, relaxed. This transfers into pitchers who learn to stay relaxed and fluid while throwing at long distances and high efforts.

4. Teaches Release Adjustment

When moving from the max-distance throw to the pull down phase, it takes quite a lot of effort to compress throws from 40 feet off the ground to only 4-6 feet. Attempting to crunch the ball lower and lower while maintaining arm speed is good practice for driving the ball down in the strike zone.

Additionally, learning to use the focal point to one's advantage is central to the pull down phase of long toss. Pitchers need to adjust their focal point on breaking balls, change ups, and poorly-located fastballs during the game. While long tossing, if one doesn't move the focal point drastically lower during pull-down throws, the ball will sail over the partner. Learning to not overthrow the partner has great carry over to effective use of focal points during games.

5. Increases Accuracy

One of my mentors talked with me about how in the Vietnam War, one of his platoon members, standing a few feet from him, was hit in the chest with a rocket fired from a mile away. "Over such a long distance, the difference between which one of us lived and died was an insignificant millimeter in that soldier's aim."

When throwing a long distance, release point inconsistencies of only an inch can result in a ball that pulls many feet off target. For two pitchers to long toss and consistently hit each other with- out moving is an impressive feat of accuracy. Mechanics have to be very sound and repeatable to effectively long toss without chasing errant throws all day.

6. Provides a Unique Stimulus

Training the same way for a lifetime may satisfy the rule of specificity of training, but it does not supply the body with an adequate stimulus to keep progressing. It is my opinion that throwing at different angles helps keep the arm refreshed and stimulated in ways that help build more velocity. This is based on my observations of this phenomenon in strength training and other areas of practice – exercise variation and periodization allows for plateaus to be breached. I am confident that future research will corroborate changes in muscle activation patterns in long toss versus flat ground versus mound throwing. These changes in activation could have a positive effect on the development of throwing velocity.

### Rebutting the Detractors of Long Toss

There are Major League organizations that refuse to allow their pitchers to long toss. There are also many pitching experts and coaches who believe it to be ineffective, inappropriate and possibly dangerous. These claims and my counterclaims can be summed as follows:

1. "Long Toss is Inappropriate"

The crux of this matter is the principle of specificity, which states that the best way to increase skill is to perform exercise that most closely mirrors it. In pitching, the most specific exercise is pitching from a mound at 60 feet, 6 inches. Long toss detractors say that by throwing at an up- hill angle on flat ground, the movement is inappropriate practice for downhill throwing off of a mound.

This argument, however, is open to attack on a few fronts. Other training principles, such as the principle of diminishing returns states that when an athlete becomes very well conditioned at a given exercise, his gains will taper off as he reaches his genetic potential. Throwing off a mound as the only form of throwing practice, therefore, could be subject to diminishing returns. As we all know, if more throwing caused more velocity, professional pitchers would throw harder as their careers wore on. We know this is not the case for several reasons, including wear and tear on muscles, tendons and ligaments, but also possibly because the arm is no longer stimulated in a new way. Most pitchers do throw harder from throwing more often, but only as they reach physical maturity. Most pitchers plateau at velocity levels by age 21 or so, if not before.

The principle of variation states that for new performance gains to continue, the exercise regimen must be varied with new exercises and activities to stimulate the body. While specific training is, of course, good training, variation must be present in a training program for the body to continue to progress. Long-toss detractors do allow their pitchers to throw on flat-ground between outings, which arguably comprises more throws during a long career than their mound throws. This is inconsistent with their fervor that only specific throwing (off a mound) is appropriate practice.

2. "Long Toss is Ineffective"

Detractors of long toss discuss that because long toss is less specific to throwing downhill on a mound, that any increased throwing distance will not transfer to the mound. This line of reasoning is flawed because a major part of throwing a baseball at high speed is about the intent to apply high force. Any throwing exercise or drill that teaches a pitcher to apply more of his avail- able force to the baseball will have a positive effect on his throwing velocity at any angle – uphill, downhill or flat. The act of attempting to throw a ball farther is a good drill to teach more force application – more distance means the pitcher was successful in applying greater force. If he can then summon this same technique with his downhill mechanics (he will have to practice on a mound), then long toss will have had a positive effect.

Additionally, think of the accuracy required to hit your partner in the chest from 300 feet away. The release point window for the ball to fly almost perfectly on target over such a distance is remarkable. Just a few inches or degrees off line, at that distance, can result in accuracy errors of multiple feet. If one can be accurate from longer distances, shouldn't it make throwing accurately at shorter distances easier? It is reasonable to conclude that long toss can help improve accuracy.

3. "Long Toss is Dangerous"

A recent study by the ASMI showed increased stress at the elbow during higher angle throws. The study by Fleisig, et al, 2011, can be found here:

Biomechanical comparison of baseball pitching and long-toss: implications for training and rehabilitation. Journal of Orthopedic Sports Physical Therapy. 2011 May;41(5):296-303. doi: 10.2519/ jospt.2011.3568. Epub 2011 Jan 5.

Although this study concludes that long toss results in higher elbow stress, there is yet no causal link between pitching injuries and long toss. Greater stress does not necessarily mean injurious. Every pitcher has a different capacity for stress that must not be exceeded, and it is unknown if the extra stress exceeds this limit, especially when compared to the rigors of throwing competitively for 1000+ pitches during a summer.

More research needs to be done on this topic. Anecdotally, thousands of pitchers claim that their arms feel and perform better when long toss is part of their routine. Conversely, there are also pitchers that don't like or find benefit in it. There are many sporting activities and training exercises that increase stress on the joints to elicit a training effect. It is unknown, yet possible that exercises and drills that cause increased arm stress can still be part of an effective and safe training program. It is my recommendation that every player merge research with experience to find what works best for him.

### Integrating Long Toss into the Throwing Routine

Hopefully you're convinced that long toss is worth addition to your practice plan. You'll need to place it sensibly into your weekly regimen. Here are a few guidelines on integration:

1. Above All: Autoregulate

Some players long toss the day after a start. Some players long toss once per week, some twice, some three times. It all depends on the player, their pitching workload, and their ability to recover. Better-conditioned, stronger pitchers can throw more between outings without adverse effects or undue fatigue. This is where strength training, conditioning and throwing meet to enhance one another.

Add one day of long toss at first and see how it affects your arm during games and during the week. No one can predict how it will affect each individual. If all is great, add in more long toss days at your discretion. Being overzealous and jumping into three days of long toss, two game days and two bullpens is not the way to approach it.

2. For Starters - Allow a Buffer of One Day

At first it's best to not long toss until the second day after a start, or the second day before a start. Allow one rest day before or after starting. If, during the season, one can handle long tossing twice between starts, so be it. But, make sure to work up to that volume and balance bullpens, games, catch and long toss accordingly. This is going to be largely up to you and your arm to determine the optimal dose.

Most 5-Day rotation starters do this:

Day 0: Start

Day 1: Off or light catch

Day 2: Long toss

Day 3: Bullpen

Day 4: Flat ground or light catch

Day 5: Start

Most 7-Day rotation starters do this:

Day 0: Start

Day 1: Off or light catch

Day 2: Heavy long toss

Day 3: Long bullpen

Day 4: Moderate or light long toss

Day 5: Short bullpen

Day 6: Off or light catch or flat ground

Day 7: Start

3. For Relievers – Buffer with Rest, When Possible

If in relief, it is harder to plan one's weekly workload. But, attempt to long toss only when you have one full day between the next possible outing. If this is not possible, shorter, less intense sessions of long toss are a good idea. These less-intense days can involve sub-maximal distances and a short or no pull-down phase. Save the all-out days of long toss for when you know you have at least one day of rest until the next possible outing.

Most relievers do this: Day 1: Pitch | Light catch or flat ground

(throwing done during pre-game)

Day 2: Off | Light long toss

Day 3: Pitch | Flat ground

Day 4: Off | Light long toss or flat ground

Day 5: Pitch | Light catch

Day 6: Off | Heavy long Toss

Day 7: Off | Flat ground

4. During the Off-Season

If you aren't pitching in the off-season (you should not be!), long toss can be done up to three or four days per week. But, again – listen to your arm. If you aren't capable of it, then don't do it.

Start with more days of light catch or flat ground throwing and less days of long toss, then skew to more long toss and less catch and flat ground as your arm becomes used to the higher workload. Saying, "I want to increase my velocity through long-toss" is not an excuse to be stupid and push your body beyond its limits. Like everything, gradually increase the acceptable dose until optimal dosing is reached.

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# About The Author  
Dan Blewett

I had a great run. After 23 years in baseball, including two Tommy John surgeries, two All-Star selections, and countless great memories in six pro seasons, I hung up my cleats.

Now, I'm passionate about sharing what I've learned all these years, in hopes I can help the next generation achieve more than I did.

My first book, _Pitching Isn't Complicated_ , is a comprehensive pitching manual. My second book, _Dear Baseball Gods_ , will be released in 2018. It's a memoir, a collection of stories and lessons I learned throughout my time in baseball.

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