Pitching requires:
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good biomechanics
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functional fitness
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mental emotional control
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and solid nutrition
Pitching formula:
Mechanical Efficiency + Functional Strength, Endurance & Flexibility + Pitch Totals = Health and Performance
Pitcher Workloads:
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Once a pitcher has reached muscle failure, every pitch equals 3 – 15 pitches past failure is equal to 45
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A pitchers maximum should be determined by mechanical efficiency, functional strength, fitness and flexibility
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The only statistically significant predictor of pitching injuries is number of pitches thrown.
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The rule of thumb is no more than 70 an outing.
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30-35 pitches in an inning – pitcher should be done
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Have a goal of 12 pitches per inning
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Never more than 120 a week and never 120 three weeks in a row. Max 1000 per season
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Never pitch more than 20 on back to back days; 50 to 60 pitches requires 2 days rest minimum
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Pitch totals are like speed limits; experienced driver on a sunny dry day with no traffic you might drive the maximum. Anything other than that slow down!
Recovery Management:
If muscle failure is reached or pitcher is hurting
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Ice - elbow 10 minutes, shoulder 20 minutes
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Lerobic exercise (such as walking or jogging) – 2 minutes for every minute of ice
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Immediately after game no more than 3 hours after
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Hydrate – drink water during game (min 3oz per inning – a full Gatorade directly after
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Stretch after game if no pain
Pitch Ratios:
Pitch ratios for the game, week, month, season
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60% fastballs
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20-25% curveballs, sliders, slurves, cutters
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15-20% change-ups, splitters
Signs of Pitcher Fatigue:
A few things to watch for – every player is different:
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Pitches are increasingly down or up in the strike zone
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Stride becomes obviously shorter
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Posture changes – unable to maintain consistent posture through pitching motion
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The back leg does not mirror the throwing arm at follow through
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Becoming emotional-frustrated
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Arm angle drops
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Head begins to snap with ball release
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If hot make sure pitcher is sweating
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If he says he is tired believe him; if he says he is fine don’t
Pitch Grip and Forearm Angle:
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Thumb and middle finger split baseball on every pitch but split finger where middle finger and split dissect ball
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Arm angle belongs to the pitcher. Wherever he throws with good posture is his arm angle
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Forearm should be firm at release – no twist
Teaching Tips:
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Head tilt from side to side (posture) – missing left right check posture
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Where is the glove at release – missing up down check glove
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Drag line – finish in middle of plate
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Front foot angle at release - toe to target
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Where are head and belly button at finish
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Never coach the arm slot only posture, glove and sequence
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One instruction per inning
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The back leg will come through at the same angle as the throwing arm slot if follow through is good
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Have a pitch count and stick to it
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Below 60 degrees wear long sleeves
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Don’t throw off a mound every day, level ground work is a good thing
Be positive, it’s a negative game, with few rewards. Remember to relearn something or change a habit it takes about 800 correct repetitions to make the change. It isn’t going to happen in the middle of the game.
Information provided by Todd Frazier, Certified Pitching Instructor, The Ron Dedeaux, Research and Baseball Institute at the University of Southern California and the National Pitching Association.
