PITCHING DRILLS

Smart players and coaches do not use drills only when problems develop. A regular program of quality drills with a specific goal in mind will prevent most problems from developing in the first place. The Oakland A's and many other major league clubs use a system of drills with pitchers to promote good pitching habits and fundamentals. Some of the drills in this chapter were developed at the San Diego School of Baseball beginning in 1971.

In the descriptions of some of these drills are references to a specific number of throws to be made. These numbers are intended for older, professional players whose arms are in perfect condition. Please exercise judgment when using these drills if you are under the age of 18 and/or if your arm is not in good shape.

A basic knowledge of mechanics is required in order to understand the terminology included here. It is essential that you read the pitching mechanics chapter before proceeding with any drills. Please consult a qualified pitching coach before you begin the programs in this book. Doing some of these drills without supervision can be dangerous. If pain of any kind develops, stop throwing and contact a doctor immediately.

BALANCE DRILL

Pitchers love to play catch. Major league pitchers are constantly playing catch, trying new grips, and looking for things to improve on. At the San Diego School of Baseball our only problem with this is that we think playing catch on the mound is more beneficial.

Why is it better to practice from a mound? The slope of the mound is one inch per foot, so if your stride is six feet long, your stride foot will land six inches lower (later) than when you throw off flat ground. You are only dealing with a few hun-dredths of a second, but this difference is critical for the timing and tempo necessary to develop a consistent release point. Since you are going to play catch anyway, why not practice in a game environment while using good mechanics?

For this drill, the "catcher" (you don't need an actual catcher-any teammate or coach will do) should station himself about 54 feet away, or about two steps in front of home plate (fig. 5-1). If you don't have a portable plate, you'll need to use something like a towel or a hat for home plate. The catcher should give a great target during this entire drill (fig. 5-2). Also, note that the catcher is setting up directly in the middle of the plate.

5-1. For the Balance Drill, the catcher should station himself about two steps in front of home plate.

5-2. The catcher should always give you a good target when you're doing the Balance Drill. Concentrate on his glove and be sure that he's setting up directly down the middle of the plate.

The object of the drill sounds simple: wind up and practice keeping your balance and throwing strikes. Since the distance is shorter and you are not throwing hard, you should be able to throw 30 or 40 balls a day without doing any damage to your arm, providing that you use good mechanics. Younger players should not make more than 30 throws in any practice session.

Basically, you are doing the same amount of throwing that you would normally do just playing catch. The difference is that you are doing your throwing on the mound and improving your mechanics instead of on flat ground, where you will develop bad habits.

Make sure you concentrate on the target at all times. If the catcher is not giving a good target or is not setting up in the middle, correct him immediately. When you get to your balance point, remember to pause, take an easy stride, and extend fully as the ball leaves your hand and you finish your delivery.

You may throw all of your pitches during this drill if you wish, but don't forget to keep track of your pitch count.

Remember - practicing something the wrong way can create new problems instead of fixing old ones.