How to Scout from the Bench ♦ Absolute Drill Series ♦ Pitching with Back Side Power Initiaition
The
Pitcher’s
Toolbox Spring 2011
A Visit to the Mound with David Price ♦ The Myth of the 120-Foot Throwing Program
The Pitcher’s Toolbox is looking for information about the following aspects of pitching: • • • •
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Delivery Drills Controlling the Running Game The Mental Game Throwing Programs (including long toss practices) Pitching Philosophies Mechanical Terminology and Training Practices Conditioning Programs (including shoulder-care exercises) Variations of PFP Drills Rehab Throwing Routines Issues and Concern The Pitcher’s Toolbox reserves the right to select from submitted articles for publication, as well as refuse materials that are inappropriate for the mission of the magazine. No responsibility is assumed for unsolicited content or photographs, nor for unauthorized material submitted for publishing from authors.
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For more information, please call at (931) 279-0807.
Spring 2011
Table of Contents
The Pitcher’s Toolbox 14
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Pitching with Back Side Initiation By John Miller, Winning Pitchers Baseball Academy
The Myth of the 120-Ft Throwing Program
By Alan Jaeger, Jaeger Sports
Managing Editor and Publisher Justin Entrekin
Cover Photo: Drew Storen, Washington Nationals. Courtesy of Winning Pitchers Baseball Academy. Photography in articles courtesy of the author unless otherwise noted. Stock photos are from the Microsoft Corporation.
A Visit to the Mound
With David Price, Tampa Bay Rays
Absolute Drill Series
By Butch Thompson, Mississippi State University
How to Scout from the Bench By Chris Welsh, Cincinnati Reds 3
© 2011 by The Pitcher’s Toolbox. The Pitcher’s Toolbox is a bi-annual publication, intended for the collaboration of sound, fundamental teaching practices for the skill of pitching. The statements and opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of The Pitcher’s Toolbox. Any advertisements in this or any other issue of The Pitcher’s Toolbox are not an endorsement of the product or company. For contributions to future issues and/or advertising rates, please contact the managing editor at coache12@hotmail.com.
Pitching with Back Side Power Initiation By John Miller Owner, Winning Pitchers Baseball Academy and inventor of Pitchers Power Drive Opposite Page: Drew Storen, Washington Nationals 2009 1st Round Draft Pick (10th Overall) from Stanford University
The Pitcher’s Toolbox
First I would like to acknowledge some great pitching instructors and peers that have helped me learn more about the art of pitching. They are Jerry Weinstein, ABCA Hall of Fame Coach and now with the Colorado Rockies, Derek Johnson, Associate Head Coach and Pitching Coach at Vanderbilt University, Brent Strom, former MLB Pitcher now with the St. Louis Cardinals, Scott Bankhead former MLB pitcher and now owner of the North Carolina Baseball Academy and Ron Wolforth, owner of Pitching Central and the Texas Baseball Ranch. I was fortunate enough to have trained with these great instructors starting as a freshman in high school through my college career. First: they all cared deeply about teaching pitching to help pitchers reach their highest individual potential. Second “they all advised to put as many tools in my “Pitchers Toolbox” as possible for development and to help keep training more challenging and exciting. This new publication the “Pitchers Toolbox” offers that same great advice…..seek to learn the knowledge from pitching professionals and then work hard to be the best you can be from your own “Pitchers Toolbox”!
dedicated workout routine. The workout routine is also essential to maintaining good arm and shoulder care to help prevent injury. In our yearly 75-member workout program we have not experienced a pitcher with an arm or shoulder injury in six years of the program. Unfortunately every year…we meet some pitchers for the first time in August due to injuries. Each injury we see is from a combination of three things…..poor mechanics, lack of conditioning, and overuse.
At our Winning Pitchers Baseball Academy in Boston we teach from a very large Pitcher’s Toolbox. Mechanics and conditioning go hand in hand at our academy. We always say “Proper mechanics can get that extra 5-10 MPH but not without conditioning”. You can take a pitcher’s velocity up to a certain level with mechanical adjustments…. but the next 3-5 mph increase comes from conditioning. Pitchers cannot maintain a consistent higher velocity without a
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Pitching with Back Side Power Initiation We start with these pitchers like we do our Winning Pitchers members ….with our ACA “Advance Computer Analysis”. There is always much to learn from the computer analysis and it is essential that the pitcher can visually see and learn what his strengths and his opportunity areas are. Equally important is the instructors knowledge and ability of translating the ACA to the pitcher and then to go out and change his opportunity areas in the pitching lane and conditioning room using many things from our own Pitcher’s Toolbox.
Four Points of Importance
We focus on pitching from the ground up (GRF – Ground Reaction Force) using the pitchers stronger lower body muscles. This all starts with the proper departure from the pitchers rubber out of the knee lift position. We call this pitching with “Back Side Initiation”. Pitching with “Back Side Initiation” sets up the four essential points of importance in a pitcher’s delivery. These four essential points are:
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Back side initiation/Hip lead/Pelvic loading
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Arm Action to Scapular Load (upper and lower body working together)
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Longer Stride to obtain chest and arm extension at release point
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Power Finish
Mastering the “Proper Back Side Initiation Departure” Leading with Hips: • •
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“Four Points of Importance” Back side initiation / Hip lead / Pelvic loading Arm Action to Scapular Load (upper and lower body working together) Longer Stride to obtain chest and arm extension at release point Power Finish
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The Pitchers Power Drive is a tool in our Pitcher’s Toolbox that we use to teach proper departure. It teaches to lead with your hips from the rubber at knee lift thus helping to set up the successful four points of importance in the pitchers delivery. With the auditory click feedback a pitcher cannot cheat….they must learn to lead with their hips to drive the power plate at the very early point of departure from the rubber. This multisensory teaching lets the pitchers hear and feel the 1/4'” steel plate drop and click. Following is a bullet format to help keep it simple:
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Sets pelvic load Keeps head over the rubber & back foot longer setting up power drive (Ground Reaction Force) Creates front hip out in front of lead shoulder – creating a 12-22 degree angle – keeping front side up going down mound and weight back Creates proper transfer of weight and timing down the mound to landing Front hip and shoulder line back up to 0 degree angle at landing. Landing is point of back side weight transfer Helps keep hips closed into landing – belt buckle to 3B for RHP and to 1B for LHP Prevents drifting, falling, casting leg, flying open Increased stride length Increase velocity potential Maximize lower half power with the arm delivery Create arm and chest extension for consistent release point Creates power finish – (Ground Reaction Force) Increase command of the strike zone – from consistent release point with increased extension Reduce stress on the arm, shoulder and elbow
The Pitcher’s Toolbox We appreciate the opportunity to share some of our pitching training offered at our Winning Pitchers Baseball Academy in this first issue of the “Pitcher’s Toolbox”.
Without proper ‘Backside Initiation with Hip Lead” there will be challenges to the “Four Points of Importance” in a pitcher’s delivery that leads to problems. This is why we teach pitching from the ground up like many other great pitching instructors do. Like the pitching professionals that I learned from in my opening paragraph…..we all can learn from each other and put more tools in our “Pitcher’s Toolbox”.
John Miller is a professional pitching instructor and owner of the Winning Pitchers Baseball Academy. He is the inventor of the Pitchers Power Drive. Copyright © 2011 by John Miller. Contact John at 252-469-5813 and research his products at:
Drew Storen, Washington Nationals pitcher who is pictured on the front cover, has trained on the Pitchers Power Drive now for over a year as part of his Pitcher’s Toolbox workout. Being a smaller framed picture using his lower body is essential. In Drew’s own words: “This tool is something that has been very important to get the most of my body when I’m on the hill. The movement created by the Power Plate is essential to getting maximum results in my motion”.
www.winningpitchers.com www.pitcherspowerdrive.com www.hitterspowerdrive.com www.softballpowerdrive.com
Drew Storen initiating hip lead- “back side initiation”- driving the Pitchers Power Drive.
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Exploring New Frontiers- 121 Feet & Beyond: The Myth of the 120-Foot Throwing Program By Alan Jaeger Over the past 15 years or so, for various reasons, many of today's pitching coaches and trainers at the highest levels (and influential levels) have adopted a 120 foot throwing program that places rigid limits on: 1) The distance of throwing (120 feet) 2) The time allotted for throwing (10 minutes) 3) The angle or arc of throwing (keep the ball on a line or linear).
Above: Chris Seddon (Seattle Mariners) and Mike Montgomery (Kansas City Royals) get started for their Long Toss Program at Birmingham HS.
Though many of the College, High School and Travel Ball programs across the country have gravitated toward long toss in the last 10 years many Major League organizations have either not been exposed to the benefits of Long Toss, or have resisted change for various reasons. Despite the proven benefits of Arm Health, Strength, Endurance and Recovery Period that have been validated over 20 years of personal experience, organizations that still subscribe to this repressive, 120 foot throwing program are doing a major disservice to their players, especially those players that have developed a healthy and durable arm through Long Toss. This 120 foot throwing program is in direct contrast with nature because the arm, if given a chance, wants to throw. Like any other muscle, it wants to stretch out, expand, and condition. It wants to be used, not coddled. It wants to grow. This is what training is all about -- to allow the arm to work toward its capacity, or even beyond what we "think" its capacity is. The arm doesn't want artificial restrictions -- it doesn't want to be limited to a “clock,” a “measurement” or a “line.” This is suffocating and unnatural to the arm.
Alan Jaeger is the founder of Jaeger Sports. Since 1991 Alan, as a personal trainer and consultant, has worked with over 200 professional players, including 2002 Cy Young Award Winner Barry Zito, and AllStars Dan Haren and Andrew Bailey. Alan has also consulted with many schools and organizations including the Texas Rangers Baseball Club and the 2004 National Champion Cal State University, Fullerton baseball team.
The Pitcher’s Toolbox The best way to find out what's in the arm is to remove these constraints, and give the arm a chance to grow -- to create a forum where the arm, on any given day, dictates how much, how far and at what angle it wants to throw. This process is coined "Long Toss" -- the freedom to allow your arm to dictate what it wants to do from day to day. Because there aren't any artificial constraints put on the arm, it has the freedom, to grow according to its plan. And based on many years of experience of training baseball players, working with nature best positions us to find out how healthy, how strong and how durable a players arm can be.
athlete to possible over training due to a specific mechanic being performed over and over. (By varying the arch on release the athlete is allowing for more global development, thus invoking the general to specific - an important conditioning principle.) Secondly, throwing on a line takes the athleticism out of the pitcher. It causes pitchers (who are athletes) to become robotic and less dynamic. Ironically, pitchers actually want some tilt (hence the term "pitchers tilt") when throwing a baseball because it gives them leverage (if you look at a still photo of most pitchers in their balance point, their front shoulder is higher than their back shoulder).
How the 120 Got Started: The following section will address the various reasons why the 120 foot throwing program was "theoretically created". After each "reason" is addressed, I will respond with an explanation or "comment" section as to why I believe the reasoning is not only counterintuitive, but ultimately, counterproductive to the arms optimum health and potential.
In addition, the idea that tilting your shoulders causes your release point to be "late" is also misleading. In fact, tilting your shoulders to arc the ball actually works to your advantage. For example, if you come back into your throwing partner from 300 feet (as opposed to 120 feet), once you arrive back at 60 feet, you actually have to have a lower release point and a better downhill angle in order to "compress" 300 feet into 60 feet (assuming that you are not decelerating your arm). You also have to have amazing balance and a relaxed mind. This is also why some pitching coaches will have pitchers throw "uphill" on the back of a mound -- to create leverage and teach pitchers how to "get over" their front side.
Myth #1) Mechanics: Proponents of the 120 foot throwing program suggest that maintaining proper mechanics is the main reason for "not" throwing beyond 120 feet. Simply put, once a player goes beyond 120 feet, the tendency is for the player to start arcing the ball or throwing uphill, which causes the back shoulder to be lower than the front shoulder and the release point to be "late". Throwing the ball "on a line" or in a linear fashion keeps the front shoulder from "lifting", and promotes a consistent release point. This is the major mechanical argument for the 120 foot throwing program because proponents of this theory ultimately think that "arcing the ball" will cause the release point to become inconsistent.
As far as the release point being "altered", when you make throws at different increments beyond (and including) 120 feet, you develop more feel and touch from different distances. This is called getting to know your arm. It's nice to know what it feels like to make throws at 60 feet, 120 feet, 180 feet, 240 feet, 300 feet and so on -- and to learn how to make adjustments with your
Myth Buster: First of all, if coaches want to maintain a "consistent release point", they should have their pitchers do all of their throwing off a mound for the rest of their careers. Any throwing, not done on a mound at 60 feet 6 inches, will alter the release point anyway. Besides, what's the relevance of getting used to a "consistent" release point on flat ground when pitchers throw on a decline? In addition, the consistent release point sets up the
Find amazing videos of Jaeger Sports in action at YouTube.com
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The Myth of the 120-Foot Throwing Program release point at these various distances. When the arm is free to throw at different angles pitchers (players) actually become more in tune with their release point because they are developing a feel for throwing. Remember, baseball players make throws from different places on the field. Wouldn't it be helpful to have practiced throws from these different increments? Wouldn't pitchers thrive on " PFP " and position Barry Zito, 2002 Cy Young Award winner, has been a student of players thrive on defense had Jaeger since 1997. they learned how to gauge different release points for different throws? Wouldn't they actually have a better feel for their release point because they've and early 80s became strength coaches and practiced it? advanced this unfortunate practice. Now to be athletic, full range of motion is what it's all This is why Quarterbacks don't make all of their about. So why limit range of motion in throws on a line. As important as accuracy is to throwing? them, they also need the feeling and touch to throw the football from different release points Myth #2) Work Load: Pitchers can get the - whether it's a short out, or a deep pass down necessary work load at 120 feet -- e.g. they field. Could you imagine what would happen to a can get the conditioning they need at 120 quarterback's arm if he was not allowed to throw feet. the football beyond 30 yards, or not allowed to arc the football because he was told that would Myth Buster: Many of the 120 foot throwing alter his release point? Another example can be programs not only restrict "how far" a player can found in the sport of basketball. The free throw go out to, but "how many" throws a player can is a drilled skill - same set up, release point etc. make each day. Again, in many of these major But once play starts that skill is out the window. league throwing programs, the amount of throws The strength required shooting a three point and are based on time. In Spring Training for even a half court shot is totally different. Ever example, 10 minutes is often the amount of time heard of a basketball overuse shoulder injury? allocated for players to throw. I'm not sure who So why put such limits on the baseball/softball came up with the idea that 10 minutes was a player. sufficient amount of time to prepare an arm, but again, this is very restricting to an arm that may Finally, for health purposes, by keeping the ball want to throw for 15, 20 or 30 minutes. This also on a line, shoulder muscles actually experience creates the possibility of presenting a "false less range of motion. This prevents the arm from positive" because it has built in limitations that experiencing the flexibility that is gained by violates the conditioning principle of throwing with arc at different angles. Another progression through proper overload. This conditioning principle is to do full range of principle states that in order to make physical motion in performance of exercises. This is why gains proper, planned progression in the load strength training got a bad rap in training needs to be practiced. The devil is in the detail athletes early in its evolution. Many body how much, how often, etc. builders would apply limited range of motion techniques to gain hypertrophy and shape in training the muscle. Body builders in the late 70s
Again, how does anyone know (other than each individual pitcher) how long, or how many throws that pitcher wants to make on any given
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The Pitcher’s Toolbox day. Shouldn't we allow the arm to dictate what it wants to throw from day to day?
reduced workload. Ironically, by throwing less you are teaching your arm how to maintain this workload, and ultimately, reduce the "amount of throws in the arm". When you make minimal deposits (through under training) and take large withdrawals out, a baseball players arm is vulnerable. When pitchers are exposed to more aggressive throwing in bull-pen and game situations, it becomes dangerous. Quite simply, your work load is not prepared to handle it again the conditioning principle of progression through proper overload applies.
From many years of experience of dealing with both pitchers and position players, it is very clear that when arms are given a chance, the capacity of their workload actually increases by allowing them to throw more, not less. Simply put, if given the freedom, the arm will condition itself to whatever it's capable of producing. That means, 15 minutes of throwing has the chance to turn into 20 minutes of throwing, 20 minutes into 30 minutes, and so on. 120 feet has the chance to turn into 220 feet, and 220 feet into 320 feet. Again, the arm will acclimate itself to conditioning in the same manner a marathon runner will train his or her body (legs) to run 27 miles. But, could you imagine what would happen if a marathon runner was only permitted to run 1 mile per day?
Throwing "a lot" is why batting practice pitchers seem to have the healthiest arms on the field -they throw all the time, year after year. When our pitchers get into shape, it becomes quite clear that their arms respond better to throwing more, not less. This is also evidenced by one of the most respected and successful pitching coach's in our generation, Leo Mazzone, who also believes in pitchers throwing more, rather than less (Note: Nolan Ryan has stated that he averaged 160-180 pitches in 1974, including a 235 pitch game against Luis Tiant, who threw 14 1/3 innings against him that night. Ryan pitched until he was 46...Tiant, until he was 41).
Ultimately, a greater work load also leads to greater strength, endurance and intimacy with the arm. When you spend more time throwing, you get to know your arm better. In time, the arm will dictate in and out of season how much it wants or needs to throw.
The idea that there are only so many throws in the arm stems from a major misconception that we can "get more out of the arm by using it less". The truth is, the arm responds best by being utilized rather than sheltered (e.g. Regeneration vs. Degeneration).
Ironically, the more that these restrictions are lifted, the more the arm will tend to want to throw. This is quite apparent in Japan, where long time player and manager Bobby Valentine has been quoted as saying that most of his starters throw 200 pitch bull-pens in the Spring, 90 pitch bull-pens the day before their start, and have their best fastball in the ninth inning the next day (Note: Daisuke Matsusaka not only threw 103 pitches in his second bull-pen session in Spring Training with the Boston Red Sox, but he is legendary for throwing 300 pitch bull-pen sessions with the Seibu Lions. Prior to his signing with the Red Sox this winter his physical showed a "whistle clean" MRI on his shoulder).
Myth #4) Velocity: It's been said by some 120 foot proponents that you can't gain velocity by throwing beyond 120 feet. That throwing longer distance does not play a role in increasing velocity. Myth Buster: As discussed earlier, if according to the laws of physics a 90 mph pitch will travel approximately 300 feet and a 95mph pitch will travel approximately 350 feet it's safe to say that velocity does increase as distance increases.
Myth #3) Overthrowing/Overuse: This is one of my favorite reasons to comment on because the 120 foot program is predicated on the notion that you only have "so many throws" in the arm.
This doesn't mean that if a pitcher is innately unable to throw 95mph, that we can "create" 95mph. What it does mean is that whatever is innately in the arm can be tapped into through throwing longer distance. For example, if a pitcher throws 80 mph and has never thrown beyond 120 feet, some people may assume that 80mph is all that is in the arm. If, through
Myth Buster: Well, you may assure yourself that you only have "so many throws in the arm" if you condition the arm at 120 feet for 10 minutes. This is called "under training" -- it's how your arm begins to acclimate itself to a
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The Myth of the 120-Foot Throwing Program training however, that same pitcher was "stretched out" to 300 feet, then we know according to the laws of physics that this pitcher gained approximately 10mph.
born players? Why are there so many more signings of "well conditioned, hard throwing" pitchers from the Far East (who are clearly not as "big" in stature)? Why do these other countries seem to produce so many players with strong, durable and healthy arms (until they come to the U.S. )?
In other words, for a pitcher that throws 75mph (and has been limited to 120 feet), he may eventually throw 90mph just because he was able to stretch his arm out to 300 feet. In short, if we can turn 120 feet into 220 feet, or even 320 feet through training, the arm will reflect that velocity based on distance...and physics.
Well, I can assure you, it's not a coincidence. From the research I've done, based on the training "culture" of the Dominican and Japanese players it is clear that players from these countries not only long toss far distances, but their throwing sessions last for a much longer period of time. This form of "training" makes complete sense because their arms are not restricted by time and distance constraints. There's no one telling them how often, how far or how hard to throw. Quite the opposite -- their arms are free to grow because they become an extension of nature. Their arms are given life, rather than having life taken away. And what's in their arm can be found.
The point is that players can dramatically increase their velocity through throwing longer because they can "tap" into resources that are otherwise dormant. Ironically, the opposite is true of a player who routinely Long Tosses. If his arm has been stretched out to 300 feet or more, once he's put on a 120 foot throwing program his arm will begin to display the characteristics associated with that distance -- namely, less range of motion, less endurance, less velocity, and poorer recovery period.
It's time for the proponents of the 120 foot throwing program to ask themselves, why are we training players at 40% of their capacity at the professional levels, and conservatively, 50% at the high school and collegiate levels? Why are we having players throw for the same amount of time and distance, as if all arms are built the same? The arm is like any other amazing organism. If given a chance, it has plenty of room to grow. Now it's time to go beyond 120 feet. Taking the next step to 121 feet is the hardest because it's the first step, but a necessary step if the optimal development of your players arm health, strength, endurance and recovery period are at stake. Future issues will provide you with how to break through the 120 foot barrier.
Over the past 20 years of working with baseball players, I can tell you that if you take the time and distance constraint restrictions off a player, quite simply, their arm will have a chance to grow and evolve naturally. What's in the arm can reveal itself when we get out of its way. When we learn how to listen to and trust the arm to be our guide, it will tell us what it wants to do from day to day. Over time, this process allows the arm to maximize its strength, endurance and recovery period; over time, players tend to be more athletic and intimate with their arms. And yes, even mechanics can be benefited through proper training. The arm will find its home if given a chance. By removing time and distance constraints, only the arm knows what it's capable of doing. Only then will the arm have a chance to realize its potential.
Acknowledgements: (I would like to thank Ken Kontor for his contribution to this article along with Jim Vatcher, Ron Wolforth, Brent Strom, Jerry Weinstein and Rob Bruno for playing an instrumental role in writing this article).
Summary: "It's not about who's right -it's about getting it right"
Copyright Š 2010 by Jaeger Sports and reprinted by permission from Alan Jaeger. To see more of Jaeger’s programs, go to
Why are there so many arm injuries occurring at alarming rates in the U.S.? Why does such a small country like the Dominican Republic represent approximately 10% of all players on Major League rosters? Why are 40% of all minor league rosters (as of 2006) comprised of foreign
www.jeagersports.com.
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The Pitcher’s Toolbox Presents
In 2010, Price was 19-6 with a 2.72 ERA in 208.2 innings pitched. He was selected to start the 2010 All-Star Game in Anaheim and finished second in the Cy Young Award voting.
Photo © Dick Shadd, St. Petersburg Times
A Visit to the Mound with David Price Pitcher’s Toolbox: What are the mechanical keys that you use to achieve a consistent delivery?
David Price was drafted #1 overall in the 2007 draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. After just 144 innings in the minors, Price made his debut with the Rays in late 2008 and with a strong postseason, shined on the national stage as Tampa Bay won the American League pennant en route to the World Series. Last season, he finished in the Top 10 in four categories: wins (2nd), ERA (3rd), batting average against (5th), and strikeouts (8th).
David Price: Achieving a consistent delivery was something that I was able to accomplish this past season. In order to have a consistent delivery, I believe you have to have a SIMPLE delivery. The things that I focus on the most in my delivery are my hands and my head. I want to keep my hands as still as possible while I’m in
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The Pitcher’s Toolbox PT: When the catcher signals for you to throw your fastball, what dictates whether you choose to throw your twoseam fastball vs. throwing your fourseam fastball?
my wind up. I make my hands go when I start to fire at home. My head is done the exact same way.
PT: Why is it important for you to keep your head and hands as still as possible?
Price: It depends on which side of the plate I'm throwing to and what side of the plate the hitter is hitting. If it’s a righty, I usually throw a 2seamer away and a 4-seamer in....it all depends on the flow of the game on which one I throw the most. Whichever I have the most control of that day will be the one I throw the most.
Price: It just makes it easier for me to repeat my delivery if I just keep them both still until I'm ready to go.
PT: Why is it important for you to make your hands go or to separate your hands before you fire to the plate?
PT: There are a number of preferences that coaches and players have in regards to throwing the 0-2 pitch. What do you prefer when the count is 0-2?
Price: Whenever I get going to home plate, I want everything going there. I don’t want to hold anything back.
Price: This all really depends on the type of pitcher. The pitchers who are considered hard throwers have a little more room in this category
PT: Throughout the course of a game, plays happen that can get a pitcher out of his rhythm and focus. Bad plays can happen behind him, umpires can make a bad call, or a pitcher could simply be on the mound knowing that he doesn’t have his best stuff to work with for that outing. What do you do as a release to regain your focus after a bad pitch, a bad call, struggling with your command, etc.? What is your mental key? Price: I take my time and make sure my breathing is under control. I make sure I have all my focus ready for that next pitch. While in college, we were taught about focal points. A focal point is something you pick out on or around the field like a letter on the scoreboard, something on the outfield wall, or just something in the stadium. I find it easier to regain my focus by focusing in on this object and controlling my breathing and forgetting what had just happened.
In 2010, David Price was 19-6 with a 2.72 ERA in 208.2 innings pitched. He was selected to the 2010 MLB All-Star Game and finished second in American League Cy Young Award voting. Photo © James Borchuck, St. Petersburg Times
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A Visit to the Mound with David Price PT: What is your preferred conditioning routine in-between starts?
than one who doesn’t throw that hard. I want to stay pretty aggressive on an 0-2 count. If I can get out on the pitches, whether it is a strikeout or a groundball, then I don’t care. There are definitely some hitters you have to be a little smarter against that’s for sure.
Price: I run quite a bit. It varies on whether I run outside, on a treadmill, or on a bike. The day after I throw (Day 1):
PT: When we watch games on television or live at the field, we notice that each pitcher stands in a different location on the rubber. As a left-handed pitcher, where do you position yourself on the rubber?
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Day 1: 30-40 minutes
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Day 2: 30 minutes (I also throw my bullpen on that day)
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Day 3: 15-20 minutes
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Day 4: some light running like a couple of poles
Price: I stand on the third base side of the rubber just to throw into righties better. It makes it easier for me to hit glove-side target.
PT: What would you say are the keys to your success as a pitcher?
PT: What do you do with runners on base to control the running game?
Price: Work ethic, drive, and passion for the game. I want to learn new things all the time; I’m willing to learn new things.
Price: To control the running game, I’ll mix up my looks at first, mix up my time in my holds, and mix all of my pick-off moves.
PT: Given your success, it is natural for younger pitchers to immolate you, particularly those in youth leagues and in high school. If you were to give one piece of advice to a group of young pitchers, what would you say to them and why?
PT: How much do you throw in-between outings? Price: I throw quite a bit every day. If my arm feels good, I will throw the ball with good intent. I was taught that I throw hard, because I throw hard every day. The days I feel good, I will long toss, getting out to about 200 feet. This stretches out any soreness.
Price: Focus in one pitch at a time. Don’t look ahead and forget what has happened in the past. The NEXT pitch can cost you the ballgame.
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The Pitcher’s Toolbox
Photo © Dirk Shadd, St. Petersburg Times
David Price’s Career Highlights
2010 Warren Spahn Award
2010 MLB Player’s Choice Award: AL Most Outstanding Pitcher
2010 American League All-Star Selection
#1 Overall Pick in the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft by Tampa Bay Rays
2007 Golden Spikes Award (Vanderbilt University)
2004 Gatorade Tennessee Player of the Year (Blackman High School) 17
Absolute Drill Series Selected drills by
Butch Thompson Mississippi State University Assistant Coach For more information or how to order a DVD: bthompson@athletics.msstate.edu
This article is designed for the coach looking for pitching drills to serve as the How much time do you spend on mechanics “mechanics coach.” Telling a pitcher during the fall season with in-coming freshmen? to mechanically execute A, B and First thing I stress to freshmen is that they are here C often produces negative because they have the potential to be a winner. Next, I results. The text in the blue explain how I want to develop who they are and build on circle was a question posed to what they do well. After a sincere time frame of me from a recent article in evaluating the pitcher we should have a certain level of confidence if there is a mechanical adjustment needed. www.insidepitching.com. We Presenting mechanical adjustments should be simple all want our pitchers to be (keep it to one adjustment - the one that may address “freed up” to simply compete. other issues you see). Also, if possible, do it through a To accomplish this goal we have specific drill or through a thought process. If done in a tactful way he may not even be aware he's working on treated every pitcher as an an adjustment specific to his delivery. individual and basically given them specific “focus drills” that address the mechanical deficiency the pitcher is competing against. If the coach has selected the proper “focus drill” the pitcher can simply keep competing and allow the “focus drill” to naturally improve the pitcher’s ability to make adjustments and improve mechanics. Below are three example drills we use with our pitchers at Mississippi State and are also on the Bullseye Pitching Drills DVD. 18
The Pitcher's Toolbox
Circle Drill The purpose of the circle drill is to promote rhythm and positive arm action. This drill is selected for pitchers who have a tendency to wrap, get his hand underneath the baseball or seem to be consistently behind at ball release. Begin with the lower half in the stretch position. The ball should be in the throwing hand and apart from the glove. The pitcher should simply begin to perform circles with both arms (ball and glove). Both arms should circle inward out in front of the sternum. Make sure the ball and glove stay apart and do not touch. The coach should allow the pitcher to perform a comfortable, efficient circle encouraging the pitcher to keep his hands inside the elbows. Also, the drill should encourage the pitcher to keep his fingers on top of the baseball throughout the circular motion. Once the pitcher feels in rhythm, he should simply stride and deliver the baseball to a desired target when ready. Again, this is a great warm up drill for a pitcher that wants to naturally improve arm action. Give it time to evolve and perform 10 a day prior to pitching.
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Absolute Drill Series
Backwards Drill The primary focus of the Backwards drill is to promote “front side deception.” Secondary development is centered around “picking up the target” and “clearing the front side” (stride). This is our primary drill for developing a “deceptive” or “functional” front side. “Dead” or “low” front sides can often times lead to pitchers opening the front shoulders or hips premature. It also may not provide any deception to the hitter focused on the pitcher’s release. Also, with a runner on 2b pitchers often can really STOP the running game by starting his delivery to home plate while looking at the runner. The Backwards drill allows the pitcher to train this concept. Finally, the drill can develop the pitcher’s ability to get his front side out of the way during the stride phase. We encourage our pitchers to clear the front side while maintaining closure in the hips. To perform the drill, the pitcher should begin facing directly to 2b with his back to home plate and the catcher. To begin take a step toward home plate with the throwing arm foot. Next the pitcher will simply turn to throw visually picking up the target, focusing on an elevated – deceptive front side and clearing the stride to make way for a located pitch. Backwards is our marquee drill for improving front side deception and function.
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The Pitcher's Toolbox
Raiders Drill The purpose of the Raider drill is to encourage the pitcher to focus energy in a straight line to home plate. This drill targets pitchers that “fly open” or may seem too “rotational” to the plate. The glove opens up so much for these pitchers that the throwing arm actually separates away from the body and away from the drive line often creating “high and arm side location,” “hook shots,” or “throwing around the baseball.” Length is created in the arm action due to the energy in the front side being delivered away from the target. Don Drysdale is a classic example of a pitcher performing the “Raiders Drill.” You Tube him pitching and you can see the arms actually cross on his finish. Raiders can be performed from either the windup or stretch. The coach should explain the goal of the drill is for the pitcher to deliver all of his energy in a “V” on his finish. Have your pitchers envision putting their “head in the mitt” and both arms meeting over the front knee (throwing arm over and above glove arm). This appearance (skull over crossed arms) references the term “Raiders.” The Raiders drill has naturally improved pitchers ability to organize momentum to the target.
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The Best of The Thinking Pitcher
How to Scout from the Bench By Chris Welsh
Scouting Basics Watch the first swing the hitter takes on a fastball. This will show if he’s quick enough to hit the heat. The hitter’s front foot is a giveaway sign of where he wants to hit the ball. Hands held high usually indicate that he’s a low-ball hitter. Short stocky hitters generally like the ball up in the strike zone.
All pitchers follow basic rules when it comes to pitching to hitters they have never before seen. Even non-pitchers use them as advice in tough situations: comments like “get ahead” or “get ahead with hard stuff and finish him off with breaking balls away’ or “keep it down; we’ll turn two behind you.” One favorite is “go right after him, but don’t give him anything good to hit.” These words of encouragement, although well intended, don’t help you size up the hitter and develop a strategy to get him out. A wellthought-out strategy is the first step to consistent quality pitching. This doesn’t mean you have to get fancy with hitters nor does it mean that you can’t go with your strength. You can be certain that the good hitters in the opposing dugout are watching you closely during the first few innings. They are sizing YOU up. They are trying to detect a pattern in your pitching sequence and in your situational tendencies. They are looking for anything that will give them an edge over you. For example, they will quickly recognize if you almost always throw a fastball on a 2-0 count. Or, they may try to think along with your catcher. If he favors calling for fastballs, they will recognize that if you shake him off once, a breaking ball is coming; and that two shake-offs means a changeup. All of this information contributes to the hitter’s batting plan. Yes, good hitters come to the plate with a plan. It may be as simple as looking for a first-pitch fastball. The point is, they have a plan. Do YOU have a plan? If not, you’ve lost a crucial edge that could determine the outcome of your performance and perhaps the difference between winning and losing.
First, a little about hitting... Instinctively, all hitters are fastball hitters. They react to what they see, and what they have seen most since Little League are fastballs. Consequently, those hitters with better hand-eye coordination and quicker reactions usually make superior hitters because they’re able to catch up to more fastballs. These hitters often look for a
The Pitcher’s Toolbox run the bases in batting practice and you can identify the base stealing threats long before the game begins.
fastball in their favorite zone and let it rip. They may look bad on a good breaking ball but will hit their fair share of fastballs. Reggie Sanders of the Reds, Cecil Fielder of the Tigers and Matt Williams of the Giants are such hitters. They will often strikeout, mostly on the breaking ball, but will hit their share of extra base hits because they can catch up to most Major League fastballs.
Game- This is the best time to scout because you can gauge how each hitter performs under the pressure of the game. You can judge whether a hitter is a “first pitch hitter” or whether he likes to go deep into the count. Carefully watch the first swing a hitter takes at a fastball. This can tell much about his bat speed and if he can handle good heat. If he is right on the fastball, he probably looks for the fastball most of the time. If he gets what he is looking for (fastball) and is late, his swing is probably too long and too slow. Remember, each pitcher is different and what might work for another pitcher may not work for you. Try to envision how the hitter will react to your stuff.
Even hitters who pride themselves on being good breaking ball hitters are not hitting good breaking balls. They are hitting cripple pitches— hanging sliders, flat curveballs and waist-high splitfingers. The biting slider delivered at the knees on the outside corner is unhittable. So is the sharp curveball that fools the hitter with the trajectory of the pitch and the change of speed. This is an important concept to understandgood breaking balls are rarely even fouled off while poor breaking balls get crushed.
Look for contact hitters. A contact hitter will make himself known by the way he handles the bat…lots of foul balls, few strike-outs.
When to Start Scouting
TYPES OF HITTERS
It’s nice to have a numerical roster of opposing team so you can put reputations to faces. However, if this is not possible, you can begin to identify the superior hitters long before the game begins. Warm-ups- Which players on the opposing team are the team leaders? Look for those players that lead the team in stretching exercises or warm-up drills. Who are the team captains? It is likely that these team leaders are also the better hitters. Batting Practice- Though batting practice schedules vary, second-line players usually hit in the first part of batting practice. The better hitters often hit in the same group and hit toward the end of batting practice. Try to identify the power hitters, pull hitters, and the contact hitters. Which hitters like the ball up? Which hitters have long slow swings? Who might be likely to drop a drag bunt? Who is a good candidate for a hit and run?
This type of hitter is usually a good fastball hitter. He likes the ball inside and will most likely try to pull everything. If the plate crowder is up in front of the box he’s telling you that he is not a good breaking ball hitter and is trying to hit the ball before it curves. He is usually a highball hitter if he is right-handed and may often strike out chasing bad breaking balls. Often, the plate crowder is a lead-off hitter and will resort to slapping at the ball when behind in the count with two strikes. If the plate crowder is
Batting practice is also a good time to judge the speed of the opposition. Watch carefully as they
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How to Scout from the Bench If the diver/spinner is a lefty, he usually likes the ball down and will pull nearly everything. Down and in is where most left-handed hitters have their “wheelhouse” swing. He will have difficulty keeping pitches thrown inside from hooking foul. Some major league pitchers will intentionally throw a pitch off the plate inside hoping to get the hitter to hook it foul for a strike.
physically small, he could be looking for a base on balls by standing on top of the plate and reducing your perception of the strike zone. How to pitch- This type of hitter should be pitched down in the strike zone. Don’t make the mistake of throwing all fastballs to him because that is what he is likely looking for. Many Major League leadoff hitters are successful because pitchers are so afraid of what might happen if they get on base that they pitch to them defensively. Why does Rickey Henderson lead off so many games with home runs? Because he has power and he gets mediocre “get ahead” fastballs from pitchers who are afraid to walk him because of his base stealing prowess. Anytime you pitch defensively to a good hitter, you make him a great hitter. Pitch aggressively by mixing up the pitches to him.
If the diver/spinner is a right-handed hitter look for him to be more of a high-ball hitter. Most right-handed hitters like the ball up, at least thigh high. Some will even tomahawk a high pitch that is out of the strikezone. How to pitch- The best way to pitch the diver/spinner is with fastballs in and slow breaking stuff away. He will often tie himself up with fastballs thrown right under his hands. This “under the hands fastball” doesn’t have to have a lot of mustard on it, but it must have good location. A key phrase to remember is “let the hitter jam himself.”
If you pitch the plate crowder inside, you must make sure you really get it in there so he can’t hit the pitch fair. Slow curves are also effective.
If you can get ahead of him in the count you can get him to chase the outside pitch. Often when a hitter is looking for a pitch- like an outside fastball- he becomes susceptible to that pitch. It works like this: You’ve got the hitter set up for an outside slider. He knows it and he’s looking for it. You throw the pitch that he is looking for just wide of the strike zone. He sees it come out of your hand and thinks to himself, “I’ve guessed right.” He chases it as it breaks sharply away from the bat. This is known as expanding the strike zone. Pitchers like Bill Swift and Tom Glavine do this with great success. The key is to get ahead and concentrate on location.
The diver/spinner usually stands away from the plate and deep in the box. He likes the ball away because he has a long swing and likes to get his arms extended. Since he spins his hips open while he strides toward the plate, he will pull most pitches, even strikes, on the outer part of the plate. He often hooks the ball and is quick to throw his top hand through the swing to get the head of the bat through the hitting zone. Chris Sabo of the Reds, Darren Daulton of the Phillies, Charlie Hayes of the Rockies and Mickey Tettleton of the Tigers are divers/spinners.
They are sizing YOU up. They have a plan. Do YOU have a plan?
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The Pitcher’s Toolbox
The tall puller usually stands in the back of the box and holds his hands a little higher than other types of hitters. He likes to extend his arms and often steps in the bucket. He is likely a low-ball hitter with power and will chase bad pitches in the dirt when behind in the count. Fred McGriff of the Braves and Dave Winfield of the Twins are good examples of tall pullers.
This hitter usually stands toward the back of the box and away from the plate. He may hold his hands a little lower and the angle of his bat will likely be more horizontal to the ground. He nearly always has an inside-out swing. His primary goal is to hit the ball the other way. He will go the other way even on inside pitches. His power is to the right center and left center gaps. The straight diver likes the ball up in the strikezone and will probably hit line drives and fly balls to the opposite field and ground balls to his pull field. John Kruk of the Philadelphia Phillies (even though he holds his hands extremely high), Andres Galarraga of the Colorado Rockies and Hal Morris of the Cincinnati Reds are good examples of straight divers.
How to pitch- If you’ve got a good four-seam fastball, you can throw it up in the strike zone with success against the tall puller. You can also pitch him low and away with success. A well located fastball (on the knees, on the outside black) is nearly impossible to pull. A tall puller is likely to top this pitch into the dirt for an easy grounder. However, if you get your fastball around the thighs or waist, you’re asking for trouble. Breaking balls away are effective but keep them on the outer half of the plate.
How to pitch- Since the straight diver likes the ball up so he can drive it to the opposite field you must pitch him down in the strike zone. If you pitch him in, stay around the knees. A low, inside pitch is almost impossible to hit to the opposite field and you’ll force him out of his game plan by making him pull the ball.
Remember the old saying about pitching to pull hitters who step in the bucket, “Don’t throw it to where they just left.” Translated, this means don’t throw anything thigh high, middle of the plate in. They have stepped with their lead foot away from the plate and have positioned their “wheelhouse” to the inside part of the strikezone.
When you pitch him away, do it with slow stuff. This forces him to concentrate on keeping his weight back and makes it difficult for him to generate power. Most hitters who hit with power to the opposite field do so on hard stuff. The slower the pitch, the more the hitter must supply his own power.
This is especially true for a pitcher who occasionally drops down (sidearm) trying to fool the hitter with a different arm angle. Whenever you change something about your motion, you are putting the hitter on notice that something tricky is coming. His natural reaction is to increase his concentration. If you leave the pitch on the inner part of the plate, you have made two significant errors: caused him to concentrate
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How to Scout from the Bench even more effective pitch. Anything that moves away from a switch hitter is effective since so few of them have developed the ability to go the other way with a pitch outside. A possible exception is the lefty who might slap it to the left side.
harder and given him a pitch that he can handle—not a good combination. Also, because you don’t throw regularly from this side-arm angle, you are more likely to make a location mistake. Resist the temptation to “drop down” and focus your efforts on finding a consistent on top release point.
When in Doubt… Every major league pitcher and pitching coach share the same philosophy when it comes to pitching to a new hitter: go with your strength. When Tom Glavine faces a hitter for the first time, he throws his best pitches: sinkers and change-ups. Not until the hitter proves to Glavine that he can hit the sinker and the change-up will he move from that pattern. Even if the hitter turns out to be a low-ball hitter, Glavine will continue to go with his strength. Good advice for pitchers at every level.
If possible, find out which is the natural side of the plate for a switch hitter. As a general rule, most switch hitters are natural right-handers and they learn to hit left-handed because 1) they want that extra step to first base, or 2) they can’t hit breaking balls away from them. If a switch hitter is a natural righty, he’ll probably have more power from the right side. If he is a pull hitter from his natural side, he is most likely a pull hitter from the other side. Remember, he likes that breaking ball coming in toward him. There are exceptions including Bip Roberts of the Reds, Terry Pendleton of the Braves and Willie McGee of the Giants. All of these fine hitters spray the ball to all fields from both sides of the plate. Pendleton, a natural righty, hits more home runs from the left side but only because he faces more right-handed pitching.
Chris Welsh is a former pitcher for the San Diego Padres, Montreal Expos, Texas Rangers, and Cincinnati Reds. Currently, he is the color analyst for the Reds television broadcast team. Copyright © 1993 by Splitfinger Publications. Reprinted by permission by Chris Welsh and The Thinking Pitcher.
When facing a switch hitter for the first time, assume that he is a pull hitter. Keep the ball down and away until he proves he can hit the ball the other way. By switch hitting he has eliminated the breaking ball going away from him. Therefore, you should try to get something soft on the outside corner. A straight change-up is a useful pitch for this purpose because if it moves, it will probably move away from the hitter with a slight screwball action, making it an
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RULES OF THUMB TO SIZE ‘EM UP
The Pitcher’s Toolbox
1. Tall hitters usually have long swings and like the ball down. 2. Short hitters usually have compact swings and like the ball up. 3. Left-handed hitters are usually low-ball hitters except when facing lefty pitchers, then they become high ball hitters. 4. Hitters with wide stances are contact hitters. They don’t have much power and they like the ball up. They also don’t strike out very much. 5. Most hitters are fastball hitters and will swing at the first fastball they see. 6. Most switch hitters are natural right-handed hitters and have more power right-handed. 7. Hitters who hit the ball the other way and have inside-out swings may seem like they want the ball away. Fact is, they want the ball middle-in so they can use their inside-out swing to drive that pitch to the opposite field. 8. Pull hitters chase inside breaking balls off the plate. Even if they hit it, they will pull it foul. 9. Hitters who hold their bat straight up usually are low-ball hitters. They like to drop the bat head. 10. Hitters that hold the bat flat are high-ball hitters. 11. Most hitters will take a first pitch curveball. This is especially true of power hitters who sit on fastballs early in the count and are reluctant to waste their at-bat chasing after a slow breaking pitch. 12. Hitters with long strides and long swings are susceptible to changes in pitch speeds. Because their swings are slower, they must start them earlier and can be fooled easier. 13. Hitters who have hitches in their swings will often jam themselves by overswinging. Pitches thrown just under their hands will do the trick. 14. The way a hitter reacts to the first fastball he sees will tell whether he can handle the heat. 15. When hitters foul fastballs straight back or foul towards the opposite field, they are swinging late. Don’t do these late swingers any favors by throwing them breaking balls for strikes. 16. Hitters don’t hit good breaking balls, they hit hangers. When you have a pitch that gets hit hard, credit the hitter for taking advantage of your mistake. The next time he comes up, throw him a good breaking ball. If you hang a pitch and it gets hit hard it doesn’t mean you can’t get that same hitter out the next time with a good breaking ball. 17. Throwing only fastballs to a speedy hitter because you’re afraid of walking him makes a good hitter a great hitter. 18. Regardless of a hitter’s strengths go with what works for you. Develop a game plan and stick with it. 19. Even the best hitters make outs 65-70% of the time. But be careful!!! Go after them, but make them hit your 27 pitch, not theirs.
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