About To Be A Varisty Pitcher Help!!

Jrenda, you have a private message.

In high school varsity at most schools if you can throw atleast id say 78 on the outside corner with a decent change and a curve that u can throw for strikes you will be effective.

Jrenda,

A little advice from a pitching coach.

1 Work this winter on getting as close as you can to absolute command of your 4 seam and 2 seam fastballs to both sides of the plate.

2 Then develop your change up to where you have confidence in it on any count.

3 Then worry about ONE breaking pitch that you can throw both for a strike and for an out.

Believe me, aside from staying in shape that's enough work to keep you busy for 4 years. You are much better off with 2-3 good pitches that you can rely on than with 6 so-so pitches just for show.

At the high school level, if you can hit spots with 2 pitches, pure velocity matters LEAST, especially as a freshman. You have good size and the velocity will most likely increase naturally as long as you keep the arm in good condition and your mechanics solid.

Bets of luck in your HS career and stay healthy.

If you're a sophomore, I would suggest that you remember that at the Varsity level, you are going to have to make your pitch to get guys out. You can't just blow an 81-83 MPH fastball by these guys every time. Maybe an 89-91 MPH fastball, but not low 80s. These guys are better trained to hit the fastball.

If you're a junior, take that same mentality into each game, but experiment. Maybe, you can throw it fast enough to where you need not worry about 5 other pitches. Try going right at the hitter right off the bat. See what happens.

If you think you can blow your fastball by hitters continously at 80-81 MPH, think again. Hitters are going to be able to hit it at the varsity level, unless it has Greg Maddux movement.
If you can hit 86-87 with your fastball, then I'd say try to bring the heat. Forget having multiple offspeed pitches. Save your arm the wear and tear. Try a change and maybe a curve, but nothing more than that, and use them sparingly.
There's a pitcher out there named Colton Willems. Colton throws his fastball in the 90-94 range consistently. However, for some reason, he also has a slider, curve, change and cutter. If you could throw 93-94 consistently, do you think you need 4 other pitches? Colton is only adding more stress to an arm that's trying to house a big league fastball.

quote:

Originally posted by Jrenda:
Hey Everyone need some help...

or any tips and tricks u learned from pitching

Run, run, run, run, run (and then run some more).

If that is not subjective enough,
run two miles under 15 minutes.

Let's us know when you achieve that goal!

Regards

Congratulations!!
Focus on this pitch only...
Here's a few things to consider for "the mental side of things:
http://www.mindgames.com
http://www.focusedbaseball.com
Mental ABC's of Pitching.
Heads Up Baseball

For a workout, my son has used Jaeger Sports program.
"Pressure", as you put it, can be positive or negative. Stay with the positive, re-name it as a "challenge" that you control! Develop a plan for your progress/improvement, then track it. Remember, "perfect practice makes perfect"...So, work to improve to the best of your ability.

Good luck & keep us posted on how you're doing.

My best advice, aside from the good baseball stuff others have given: relax and enjoy the ride. You will experience events over the next few years that will lead to stories that you'll be telling 60 years from now. Never give it less than all you've got. Waaaaay too many look back years later and say "gee, if I had only.....". 100% all the time, every day, every way, and have fun. It is a wonderful game, a passion for many, a job for some, but still it is a game.

Just relax and be yourself---already you are putting unnecessary pressure on yourself by worrying

Suggestions--

Since your FB is sub 85, for HS work on accuracy, eg., hitting certain locations on either side of the plate.

Secondly, a straight FB is no good unless it has late movement...make sure you use a 2-seam grip with the thumb slightly offset, and allow your arm to "naturally" pronate, this will help the ball move into the RHB and away from a LHB assuming you're a RHP.

Control is achieved by maintaining correct balance throughout the pitching form. Command is achieved by holding the ball correctly for each type of pitch with the exact same release point.

Those are the things you can work on and achieve visible results in a short period of time.

Good Luck

quote:

Originally posted by Ramrod:
Control is achieved by maintaining correct balance throughout the pitching form. Command is achieved by holding the ball correctly for each type of pitch with the exact same release point

Many feel command and control go hand in hand. Command, in my opinion, is being able to throw your pitches for strikes on a consistent basis, as well as being able to repeat mechanics.

control is the ability to throw the ball in the strike zone

command is the ability to throw it where ever you want in the strike zone

Bob15
Member Posted September 10, 2005 11:58 PM

control is the ability to throw the ball in the strike zone

command is the ability to throw it where ever you want in the strike zone

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Question, what mechanics give the ability?

control is the ability to throw the ball in the strike zone

command is the ability to throw it where ever you want in the strike zone

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Question, what mechanics give the ability?

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Mechanics gives you control. Many reps of the correct mechanics gives you command... well, in my opinion at least