Category: Pitching

I have a vivid recollection of a great coach, John Scolinos of Cal Poly Pomona (CA), teaching our star national team Australian pitcher a change of pace pitch in about one minute. The reason the scene stays with me is because a week later the pitcher beat the World Champion Korean National Team at the… Continue reading Change Up: The Pitch for a Strong Arm’s Lifetime

I.   When to Teach the Curve Ball Of course a lot depends on the physical development of a young pitcher, but generally speaking, I believe a pitcher should be close to 15 years of age before throwing the curve ball in game situations. It is not a matter of being able to teach the… Continue reading Age to Teach the Curve Ball; How to Teach It, and Common Faults That Add Stress on the Pitching Arm

When and How to Throw a Curveball Andrew Tinnish – Toronto Blue Jays  Printer-Friendly VersionWhen running instructional clinics for young players I am often asked by coaches and parents “When should my son or daughter start throwing a curveball?” This is a difficult question to answer. There is no specific moment when a coach or… Continue reading When and How to Throw a Curveball

How many times within a game do you as a coach ask yourself this question: Why is my pitcher throwing that pitch in that situation? We wonder numerous times throughout games how can pitch selection be so misguided. Therefore, a generic “pitch plan” is important, not only so the correct pitch is called in greater frequency,… Continue reading Having A Pitch Plan

Pitching is the most important aspect of the game! A dominating pitching staff can make all the difference in determining a team’s success. Practice and mastery of the physical elements of pitching will improve the mechanical skills, but developing the psychological aspects of pitching can improve the overall concentration of the pitchers. Pitcher concentration is directly… Continue reading Teaching the Psychology of Pitching

As a minor league pitcher and as a coach the difficulties in properly maintaining and managing a bullpen are many. At high school and college levels, the bullpen is often nonexistent. When these players reach a professional level, they are not properly trained or lack the knowledge to know how and when to get ready,… Continue reading How to Effectively Use Your Bullpen

“FLYING OPEN” Flying open early during the stride and cocking phase is a common fault experienced by all pitchers no matter of age or experience. Young high school and college pitchers have to learn HOW to stay closed, and experienced pitchers must FOCUS on staying closed until the stride foot plants. “STAYING CLOSED” Staying closed… Continue reading Flying Open: A Common Mechanical Pitching Fault

The most common causes of pitching arm injuries to high school, college and professional pitchers are overload, overuse, lack of proper conditioning, and improper throwing mechanics. Overload is the result of throwing too many pitches during one outing. Maximum pitch counts for various age groups, or for an individual pitcher’s normal strength and stamina, are effective in preventing… Continue reading Common Causes of Pitching Arm Injuries

At one time or another, a pitcher can have a tired or stale arm. This can happen on the youth level just as it happens on the professional level. In youth baseball, pitchers are even more susceptible, especially during All-Star time if pitching rules are relaxed and pitchers are able to pitch more innings. There… Continue reading Pitching Burnout in Baseball

How many times have you heard the cliches that coaches yell at their pitchers when they are struggling to throw strikes? You do not have to strike everyone out. Get ahead. Let your fielders help you out. Throw it over and make him hit it. From a personal standpoint, nothing is more irritating than coaches,… Continue reading Use Batting Practice as Pitching Practice