I have never seen this, but yesterday they showed Verlander throwing pre game bull pen on the grass.
Was I missing something or is that something he does often? And if so what would be the reason?
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I just found a video if him warming up at Great American ballpark in june, in visitors bull pen flat ground.
After stretching and long toss, I like throwing a few of all of my pitches from just in front of the mound. It helps me with feel and consistency. Once I'm on the mound I treat it as more game-like...preparing myself situationally as if there was a batter in the box. I don't know if this is what you're referring to, but if it is its extremely common.
JH,
I did a little search, and I saw that in some away parks he used the grass, so I was wondering if that was because he didn't like the visitors mounds. I then saw where he did pre game warmup in bullpen but from angle looked flat.
This kind of hit me as strange, as I have laways seen son warm up from bump, while not has high as the actually pitching mound.
I was wondering if he did his warm up in stages or just prefers it that way, which I found interesting considering his success.
I did a little search, and I saw that in some away parks he used the grass, so I was wondering if that was because he didn't like the visitors mounds. I then saw where he did pre game warmup in bullpen but from angle looked flat.
This kind of hit me as strange, as I have laways seen son warm up from bump, while not has high as the actually pitching mound.
I was wondering if he did his warm up in stages or just prefers it that way, which I found interesting considering his success.
I have not seen this before a game, or for a pre-game warm-up, but many pitchers throw a "flat ground" like JH describes on days they cannot/should not throw a bull pen. Throwing a flat ground can be less stress on the arm than throwing from the mound. A pitcher can/will work all of his pitches for grip, consistency and location when throwing a flat ground.
But no, I have never seen it as a pregame warn up. Did Verlander go from flat ground directly to the game?
But no, I have never seen it as a pregame warn up. Did Verlander go from flat ground directly to the game?
There is some research out there that says that throwing downhill on the mound puts more stress on the decelerator muscles in the back of the shoulder. Maybe he does this to get good and loose without putting too much stress on his shoulder? Just a thought.
I know my son's main pitching coach, who has been working for a couple of MLB organizations over the last 6 years, always has him start his lessons out by throwing from in front of the portable mound on the flat ground. After he gets good and loose, he has him move up the hill. I never asked him why, but maybe it's a new trend.
I know my son's main pitching coach, who has been working for a couple of MLB organizations over the last 6 years, always has him start his lessons out by throwing from in front of the portable mound on the flat ground. After he gets good and loose, he has him move up the hill. I never asked him why, but maybe it's a new trend.
Did he do this exclusive of throwing off the mound in the pen? It is fairly common to long/medium toss then work one's way back in and throw a bit of a flatground before heading to the pen for the final warmup.
It wasn't tossing, so that was what caught my eye and it was just right before the game this weekend.
I also found a clip where he did it in another park same thing.
I will ask DK, he is a big Verlander fan, if he doesn't know he might know someone who does.
I also found a clip where he did it in another park same thing.
I will ask DK, he is a big Verlander fan, if he doesn't know he might know someone who does.
Our varsity coach never has the pitchers throw off the mound, always flat ground. Not that I agree with it. I'm just a lowly JV coach and he never takes suggestions, though I have been coaching about 15 more years then he has.
quote:Originally posted by Ametsman:
Our varsity coach never has the pitchers throw off the mound, always flat ground. Not that I agree with it. I'm just a lowly JV coach and he never takes suggestions, though I have been coaching about 15 more years then he has.
Personally, I have no problem warming up or getting loose on flat ground. Heck, that’s what’s always been done by starting pitchers. But a bullpen where there’s actually work going on to maintain or correct something, I’m sorry, but it doesn’t make sense to me. Why work on mechanics and timing that work on flat ground when pitching’s done off a mound? I’m not saying there aren’t pitchers who do it. I’m saying it doesn’t make sense to me.
Its like having bullpen mounds where all the prep work and practice is done at 15” with a slope that drops an inch and a half per foot, then having a game mound that’s 10” with a slope of 1” per foot. Its akin to taking BP with lead bat, then switching to a regular bat for games.
Just curious here Ametsman, was the V coach a pitcher when he played? Were you? Our V coach was a MIFr when he played and never threw a pitch in a game from LL until he graduated from college and stopped playing. The V pitching coach never pitched either, but between them thy have about 50 years coaching experience. The JV coach pitched through college, as did the JV pitching coach, and they keep sending pitchers to the V who have had great success on the JV team, but using totally different philosophies about how to have the pitchers train and work.
Have the two of you, with some adult beverages, ever sat down and had him explain his logic?
Flat grounds are good for working on location. A lot of guys like to throw a short flat ground after long tossing to get warm and hone in location before getting ready in the pen. But I will say it seems every pitcher has a different way of getting ready to start the game on the bump.
Stats,
Basically his logic is 1. He feels it puts too much stress on the arm. 2. Whatever he says, goes. I have tried to explain my reasoning to him. My 2 younger sons both pitched in high school. Both went on to play D3 baseball. One is now a pitching coach at a 4A school in Iowa which is the largest class. This was all before he arrived here, which has only been 2 years. I don't have a problem with flat ground throwing. We always started our bullpens from in front of the mound and worked back to the mound. I've tried to tell him these kids need to be pitching off the mound when they are throwing bullpens. I guess he just doesn't see it.We are a small school, only around 200 in high school and he is good friends with the AD. This is how he got the job. I do give private lessons during the winter so these kids do get time on a mound, be it a portable one.
Basically his logic is 1. He feels it puts too much stress on the arm. 2. Whatever he says, goes. I have tried to explain my reasoning to him. My 2 younger sons both pitched in high school. Both went on to play D3 baseball. One is now a pitching coach at a 4A school in Iowa which is the largest class. This was all before he arrived here, which has only been 2 years. I don't have a problem with flat ground throwing. We always started our bullpens from in front of the mound and worked back to the mound. I've tried to tell him these kids need to be pitching off the mound when they are throwing bullpens. I guess he just doesn't see it.We are a small school, only around 200 in high school and he is good friends with the AD. This is how he got the job. I do give private lessons during the winter so these kids do get time on a mound, be it a portable one.
