Our pitchers start throwing the week of Thanksgiving. They go up 5 pitches per week and start out with 15 pitch pens. They do not start spinning breaking balls until they are throwing 40 pitch pens. They split the windup and stretch and split 2 seam and 4 seam fastballs. By opening day our pitchers have threw 74/80 pitch pens. Some of these are thrown to live hitters. Some are thrown with hitters just standing in, tracking the ball. When the pitch count of the pen reaches 50+ we have pitchers throw their pens in intervals to simulate and actual game appearance, because after all, a pitcher does not throw all of his pitches in one trip to the mound (unless it's a short relief appearance). What do you guys think of this throwing program? I should say we also have them long toss. At times we have the pitchers long toss and then throw a short pen (short in distance). 15-25 pitches is thrown on two days rest. 30-50 is thrown on three days rest and 55-80 is thrown on four days rest.
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