throwing across the body

On another thread PG did a very nice breadown on a drill to get your mechanics lined up. I tried to find it but couldn't. I will keep trying and post the link for you.

http://hsbaseballweb.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1491034...601035251#5601035251

This is the link. Your lift leg should should land on line with rear foot instep or just slightly to the glove side. Toe points slightly to 1:00 for RHP and rotates as you finish your motion. Use the towel drill to get your finish down.

Listen, not every pitcher is a robot. There are a thousand drills out there that can help/hurt you. Throwing across your body can hurt your arm, it takes the hips out of the equation and directs the brunt of the stress on your shoulder and elbow. There's a buffer area of about six inches on each side of straight where it's "okay", but keeping track of drifting further out is something you may have to do. If you feel restricted now, and you're young, it will only become more and more difficult to get to the proper release point throwing too far across your body. I would suggest picking a drill or two that you feel helps your muscle memory, but the main thing I would do is throw/play catch along a football yardline or something to that effect...if your back heal is at 90degrees to your target, you will find out how far across your body you're throwing by looking down at the line and your landing foot. I throw across my body, but only a couple inches...it's okay, but something to keep an eye on if it gets to be too much. Good Luck

Maddogmt32,

I think it would be best for you to post a video clip of yourself pitching. That would give people a chance to give a somewhat educated opinion on what you should do because they'd be able to "see" what you're currently doing.

Jason

The drills I put out were given to me by ML baseball scouts. Most pitchers finish open. I know 1 guy who throws closed and his hips are taken out of the equasion to a great degree.
My son worked out witha guy all winter who is in his 4th year in the minors (Pirates) He carries a towel in his bag and they both take turns doing the drill. My son has a tendancy to open up and thsi helps him. His 1st few days at college. The coach is working on his delivery to try and stop him from being open. It is hard to do things like you should. You open up and instead of increasing velocity you lose some. My personal opinion is that finishing closed is worse than being open. Restricts the the natural movement of the body.

quote:

Originally posted by Chad Durbin:
There's a buffer area of about six inches on each side of straight where it's "okay", but keeping track of drifting further out is something you may have to do.

Is this fact or is this your opinion? If it's fact can you point me to the studies that discuss this?

quote:

Originally posted by Chad Durbin:
I would suggest picking a drill or two that you feel helps your muscle memory, but the main thing I would do is throw/play catch along a football yardline or something to that effect...if your back heal is at 90degrees to your target, you will find out how far across your body you're throwing by looking down at the line and your landing foot.

So if I land my stride foot close to the line I'm not throwing across my body? It's that simple? Does that also mean that my hips have opened?

Jason

thanks for the help