Current Articles
OBSERVATIONS FROM THE “FIELD OF DREAMS”
It was 1992 when my wife, Peggi, my daughter Matiana, and I decided on a trip back east from CA that upon the request of Matiana we would stop in Dyersville and I would have a catch with her. She loved to have a catch with me. When we got to ...
read morePITCHING MECHANICS MADE SIMPLE
Over the last few years there has been a lot of emphasis on proper mechanics for a pitcher. Every clinic that I have attended has at least one of the coaches going over the proper mechanics of the throw. There have been several books written on mechanics and there are ...
read moreUNCOOPERATIVE UMPIRES
Typically, when a pitcher is getting ready for the season, or when he is throwing on the side, he works on his power pitches. As he works on those pitches, he usually works on keeping them down and on the corners. Every pitcher has an idea as to which pitches ...
read moreTRYING HARD Vs. PLAYING
In 1996 our team was going through a period when they were not playing well. The effort was certainly there but the players were getting frustrated because we were struggling to beat teams we knew we should beat. I finally remembered an article written by Pat Harrison who at that ...
read moreHOLDING RUNNERS ON
Holding runners on base and letting them advance only by a hit or sacrifice can be a great advantage to the pitcher and his team. Many times by holding a runner on first base and keeping a double play in order a pitcher can get himself out of a tight ...
read morePITCHING STRATEGY PART FIVE: KEEPING RECORDS – THE PITCHER’S NOTEBOOK
In my many years of teaching and coaching baseball, mainly pitchers, I have been asked by young players and dads, ‘ What should a player or pitcher do to get his arm in shape for the season or to begin throwing off the mound?’. While at the University of Michigan ...
read morePITCHING – DEVELOPING GOOD CONSISTENT LOCATION: PART 1
Consistent Location: Its Importance I can’t stress enough to pitchers the importance of location. It is the one key element that they can adjust during a game. Since so much of pitching is mental, it is imperative to always give a pitcher a way through any tough situation. For instance if ...
read morePITCHING, MENTAL PREPARATION
The mental aspect of pitching may be the most important discipline that a pitcher can go through to assure success. Many pitchers have a good enough arm to pitch in High School, College or the Big Leagues but not all are successful. There is a relationship between repetitive practice, confidence, ...
read morePITCHING STRATEGY PART FIVE: KEEPING RECORDS – THE PITCHER’S NOTEBOOK
If you are a coach who calls the pitches for your pitchers or you feel you don’t play an opponent enough times to warrant encouraging your pitchers to keep a notebook on the hitters, then this article is for you. Major League teams spend thousands of dollars a year for computer ...
read morePITCHING STRATEGY PART FOUR: THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL IN TODAY’S GAME – PITCHING FRONT TO BACK
In order to understand the significance of pitching back to front in today’s game, it is important to first understand the evolution of hitting and what is being stressed today. To me, the biggest factor in changing hitting technique has been the advent of the aluminum bat. When the aluminum bat ...
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