Welcome to Baseball Pitching Training
Baseball Pitching Exercises Article
This is a selection made from among articles on Baseball Pitching Exercises. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.
Outthinking the Batter When Pitching In Baseball
from:by Jimmy Cox
A boy may have a strong arm and know all the mechanics of pitching, but if he doesn't think about the hitter's weaknesses and strengths, he'll become nothing more than a "thrower" and will not help his team much.
A pitcher, even more than a catcher or manager, will know which of his deliveries the batter can or cannot hit. That is, if he studies the hitter constantly. This is just as true in Little League ball as it is in the Major Leagues. As a matter of fact, the younger the hitters are, the more faults they have. Thus, the young pitcher has a great advantage if he thinks about the hitters. Here are some general principles to follow.
Try to get "ahead" of the batter with the first pitch. That doesn't mean to groove the ball waist high and over the center of the dish. That means get the ball in the strike zone where you think the batter is weakest. If the batter stands so far away from the plate that his bat will not reach the outside corner, there is only one thing to do - pour that fast ball over the outside! If the hitter crowds the plate, fire it over his fists! Now then, if he looks strong at the plate and you know nothing about him, your best pitch is always low and outside or high and inside. Once around the league, the average pitcher should know something about the hitters. Don't worry about not learning all there is to know about every hitter. If you find one or two with weaknesses and can get them out consistently, you've made a good start.
The "situation" (as covered in Chapter 16) tells the pitcher a great deal about what to throw. If he expects a sacrifice, for example, he should pitch high, which will increase the possibility of a pop-up.
If a runner on 3rd streaks for home on a "suicide squeeze" play, he has to keep the ball away from the batter and put it where the catcher can make the tag. (Throwing at the feet of a right-handed batter is recommended; pitch-out if a lefty is at the plate.)
If the pitcher suspects a steal, he shouldn't throw a slow curve but stick to the fast ball.
When a pitcher has a 3-ball 2-strike count on a hitter, he should go to his best pitch. If his "best" is the curve, use the curve. It it's the fast ball, use the fast ball. Remember, though, that the "best pitch" may vary from game to game.
Try not to throw the same pitch twice in a row. Change speeds. Move the ball around the strike zone, always shooting at the corners. In doing this, your objective is to upset the hitter's timing. This is especially important when the pitcher faces the league's best hitters. The long foul, remember, is just another strike.
The pitcher who gets two quick strikes on the hitter should "waste" the next one by putting it where the batter can't possibly hit it.
Don't curve ball a weak hitter! Don't let up on a weak hitter! If the hitter is really weak, the fast ball can overpower him usually. If you throw the curve, you're throwing a slow speed pitch and it may be the only one this hitter can get his bat on.
If you're getting a hitter out regularly with one pitch, don't start experimenting with another.
If you're striking a lot of batters out and the game is going well for you, keep that pitching foot on the rubber and pitch as fast as the umpire will let you. On the other hand, if things are going bad, stall all you can to "cool off" the opposition.
About the Author
Want Baseball Training Tips & Tricks? These Little-Known Secrets Will Have Your Youngster Hitting The Longest Yard Over The Boundary Fence!
Click here for FREE online ebook!
http://www.baseball-training.org/
Baseball Pitching Exercises Specific links
Watch Free Videos At Mevio!
- Tons of Free Videos, Only At Mevio.com
-- http://www.mevio.com/
Learn How To Stay Young and Feel Great
- Free Advice For Boomers From Experts Around the Country
-- http://www.boomj.com/
The fastest and easiest way to chat with anyone.
- Chat with anyone, anywhere, anytime with Utterz.
-- http://www.utterz.com/
American Idol Gets Fourth Judge
- One of the fastest growing sites on the net, and yea, theres a reason
-- http://www.holytaco.com/
Does That Movie Suck?
- If it's crap, we'll tell you. Spill.com movie reviews and community.
-- http://www.spill.com/
Baseball Pitching Exercises News
Helton not giving up ship - Denver Post
Helton not giving up ship Denver Post, CO - "If I wasn't a baseball player, I would just be that guy in the office complaining about a little back pain. But I have to hit major-league pitching. ... |
One bad year didn't shake Lee's confidence - MLB - ESPN
One bad year didn't shake Lee's confidence - MLB ESPN - He attacked the offseason with vigor, in particular concentrating on his abdominal exercises since an ab strain in spring training last year in part ... |
There are only so many pitches in one arm - News-Leader.com
There are only so many pitches in one arm News-Leader.com, MO - Wheat shuffled off the field, head down, unsure of why his prized pitching arm wouldn't work. The 16-year-old right-hander had been the workhorse ace ... |
Women get inside dope on Phils - Philadelphia Inquirer
Women get inside dope on Phils Philadelphia Inquirer, PA - It was a beautiful morning, with 122 women of all ages, doing stretching exercises on the field, trotting the bases, playing catch in the outfield in ... |
Health has played a key role in Moyer's long career - Belleville News Democrat
Health has played a key role in Moyer's long career Belleville News Democrat, USA - The (Frank) Jobe exercises were huge for me --way back before the medical technology was what it is today. They got me through many dead-arm periods and ... |
Dave Newhouse: Drawing upon greatness - Oakland Tribune
Dave Newhouse: Drawing upon greatness Oakland Tribune, CA - He exercises regularly, and he's a trim 91. Stengel's already in the Baseball Hall of Fame after managing the New York Yankees to 10 pennants and seven ... |
Former Reds No. 1 shouldering blame - MLB.com
Former Reds No. 1 shouldering blame MLB.com - Gruler used acupuncture and both weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing exercises to regain strength in his shoulder, but to no avail. ... |
Sign-ups - El Paso Times
Sign-ups El Paso Times, TX - Private pitching lessons: Former pro baseball player, Alex Peña, is offering private pitching lessons to baseball players 14 and under. ... |
Mets 5, Padres 3 A Weary Wright Hits a Walk-Off Homer - New York Times
 New York Times | Mets 5, Padres 3 A Weary Wright Hits a Walk-Off Homer New York Times, United States - Wright explained that he did two sets of 10 repetitions for six weight exercises. He said he did it twice a week for all sections of his body and that, ... |
Astros place Matsui on disabled list - MLB.com
Astros place Matsui on disabled list MLB.com - "We're going to face a few pretty tough left-handed [pitchers] here pretty quickly," Cooper said. "He'll be a guy that can help us either catching, ... |