PITCHING WITH YOUR MIND
If we send our pitchers to the mound without any mental preparation, we as coaches are neglecting an important part of the game of baseball. The smart pitcher is the one who is thinking all the time. He does not have to possess a blazing fast ball or a wicked curve ball. But he should possess a thinking capacity which is constantly trying to outwit the batter. The pitcher who has a great fast ball and a super curve will win his share of the games. But not everyone can come up with a player like that. And even so, this gifted pitcher has his limitations if he lacks a thinking capacity for he will fall prey to the aggressive batter who knows what is being thrown at him.
Mixing the pitches and knowing when to mix them is the route that should be followed. Do you teach your players that? The smart pitcher may have only a decent fast ball, adequate curve ball and an off speed pitch, but he knows how to use the three basic pitches to manipulate the batter, not be manipulated by him. Assuming that the boy has some talent, thinking will make the average pitcher a good pitcher and the good pitcher a super pitcher.
When the count changes, so should the pitch being thrown. As the caliber of play increases, it is not practical to throw all fast balls or all curve balls. Before long, the batters will adjust to the pitches and hit them all over the park. It is important, therefore, to keep the batter off stride be mixing the pitches so he does not know what. is being thrown. Anyone can be a thrower on the mound, but not anyone can be a pitcher. Some thinking is required.
Following is a run-down of the various counts on the batter and a mental approach to that count. The pitches mentioned are only suggestions. There is no set pitch to be thrown at a particular count. If there was a set pitch, a routine would quickly be figured out by the batter. The pitcher’s job is to outsmart the batter, not cater to him.
0-0
Before the batter steps up to the plate, the thinking process begins. If the pitcher is familiar with the batter from past experience, he greatly helps himself by knowing the batter’s tendencies on that first pitch. Many batters are first ball hitters. If this is known of a certain batter, then nothing too good should be thrown on the first pitch. If he is one who takes the first pitch, there is no need to be too careful. The ball can be thrown down the middle of the plate without fear. Facing an unknown batter, it would be wise to challenge the batter with the pitcher’s best pitch to gain an advantage in the count. But remember, the pitcher should not pattern himself on that first pitch for he will quickly be figured out by opposing batters if he does.
0-1
The pitcher has gained the advantage. He can afford to move the ball around. By attempting to get a strike on the corners or at the knees, he exploits the advantage that he has obtained. Watch out for second pitch hitters. If a fast ball was thrown on the first pitch, a curve ball might be chosen for the second pitch. Baiting the batter with an off speed pitch would also be an ideal pitch in this situation.
0-2
All the pressure rests with the batter. He can not take another strike and thus must protect the plate from anything close. The batter will swing at anything close and the pitcher should try to have him do just that. This is an excellent time for the so-called “waste pitch”--- a pitch purposely thrown outside the strike Zone to lure the batter, by his anxiety in this situation, to swing at a bad pitch. An off speed pitch might be the right pitch here.
1-2
The advantage is still with the pitcher. The anxiety of the batter being behind in the count and facing the third strike remains. The pitcher should come in with a strike but not one down the middle of the plate. It is not wise to waste another pitch here. The arm should not be taxzed any more than it has to. The pitcher should attempt to get the batter to swing at a pitch on the corners or at the knees.
2-2
A slight advantage remains with the pitcher. One pitch will get the batter out and two pitches will put him on. The pressure rests with the batter because the pitcher still has the third ball if needed. Don’t force the count to go full. The pitcher should challenge the batter with his best pitch.
3-2
The odds are completely even. The pitcher must come in with a strike or risk putting on a runner that may come back to haunt him while the batter faces the third strike. The pitcher must challenge the batter with his best pitch and risk being hit. The risk of being hit at this count is high because the pitcher can’t play around with his strikes. He must be sure of it, not hope it hits the corner or the knees. The smart batter knows this and will be looking for the strike to hit.
1-0
The pitcher has fallen behind in the count but the advantage is still even. He needs three strikes to eliminate the batter and the batter needs three balls to get on base. For fear of giving an advantage to the batter, the pitcher should come in with a strike. The batter has a definite mental edge. He feels that with no strikes and one ball he is ahead in the count. The batter will thus be a bit choosy, so warn your pitchers not to let up in this situation.
2-0
Now he’s done it. The pitcher has made himself the underdog. The batter won’t swing, unless it is his pitch, and the pitcher can’t afford to throw a ball. A sure strike has got to be thrown, and the smart batter knows that. It is an ideal hitting situation. Whether a fast ball, curve or an off speed pitch is thrown, it should be with the pitcher’s best effort. You have a relaxed batter challenging a pressured pitcher. Fielders beware!
3-0
The pitcher is really in deep trouble now. The batter can afford to wait for his pitch. In contrast, the pitcher has to come in with three strikes or he will walk the batter. More than likely, the batter will have the take sign, so your pitcher should bring it to him and over the plate.
3-1
The pitcher remains at a disadvantage. It is still an enviable position for the batter. The pitcher has to throw the ball over the plate and the batter does not have to swing. The batter will be looking for a fat pitch to clobber, so an off speed pitch over the plate might be the pitch to use.
Remember, every time the count is brought to full, the strength of the pitcher’s arm is being taxed. Waste pitches are used when the pitcher is ahead in the count for the purpose of getting the batter to go after a bad pitch. Off speed pitches are ideal for free-swingers--- power hitters who are trying to jack the ball out of the park on every pitch. Your spray hitters are more likely to hit the off speed pitch because they can wait that extra instant to hit the ball. Know who your pitchers are throwing to. Check your hitters charts if they are kept. Thinking means winning..
If we send our pitchers to the mound without any mental preparation, we as coaches are neglecting an important part of the game of baseball. The smart pitcher is the one who is thinking all the time. He does not have to possess a blazing fast ball or a wicked curve ball. But he should possess a thinking capacity which is constantly trying to outwit the batter. The pitcher who has a great fast ball and a super curve will win his share of the games. But not everyone can come up with a player like that. And even so, this gifted pitcher has his limitations if he lacks a thinking capacity for he will fall prey to the aggressive batter who knows what is being thrown at him.
Mixing the pitches and knowing when to mix them is the route that should be followed. Do you teach your players that? The smart pitcher may have only a decent fast ball, adequate curve ball and an off speed pitch, but he knows how to use the three basic pitches to manipulate the batter, not be manipulated by him. Assuming that the boy has some talent, thinking will make the average pitcher a good pitcher and the good pitcher a super pitcher.
When the count changes, so should the pitch being thrown. As the caliber of play increases, it is not practical to throw all fast balls or all curve balls. Before long, the batters will adjust to the pitches and hit them all over the park. It is important, therefore, to keep the batter off stride be mixing the pitches so he does not know what. is being thrown. Anyone can be a thrower on the mound, but not anyone can be a pitcher. Some thinking is required.
Following is a run-down of the various counts on the batter and a mental approach to that count. The pitches mentioned are only suggestions. There is no set pitch to be thrown at a particular count. If there was a set pitch, a routine would quickly be figured out by the batter. The pitcher’s job is to outsmart the batter, not cater to him.
0-0
Before the batter steps up to the plate, the thinking process begins. If the pitcher is familiar with the batter from past experience, he greatly helps himself by knowing the batter’s tendencies on that first pitch. Many batters are first ball hitters. If this is known of a certain batter, then nothing too good should be thrown on the first pitch. If he is one who takes the first pitch, there is no need to be too careful. The ball can be thrown down the middle of the plate without fear. Facing an unknown batter, it would be wise to challenge the batter with the pitcher’s best pitch to gain an advantage in the count. But remember, the pitcher should not pattern himself on that first pitch for he will quickly be figured out by opposing batters if he does.
0-1
The pitcher has gained the advantage. He can afford to move the ball around. By attempting to get a strike on the corners or at the knees, he exploits the advantage that he has obtained. Watch out for second pitch hitters. If a fast ball was thrown on the first pitch, a curve ball might be chosen for the second pitch. Baiting the batter with an off speed pitch would also be an ideal pitch in this situation.
0-2
All the pressure rests with the batter. He can not take another strike and thus must protect the plate from anything close. The batter will swing at anything close and the pitcher should try to have him do just that. This is an excellent time for the so-called “waste pitch”--- a pitch purposely thrown outside the strike Zone to lure the batter, by his anxiety in this situation, to swing at a bad pitch. An off speed pitch might be the right pitch here.
1-2
The advantage is still with the pitcher. The anxiety of the batter being behind in the count and facing the third strike remains. The pitcher should come in with a strike but not one down the middle of the plate. It is not wise to waste another pitch here. The arm should not be taxzed any more than it has to. The pitcher should attempt to get the batter to swing at a pitch on the corners or at the knees.
2-2
A slight advantage remains with the pitcher. One pitch will get the batter out and two pitches will put him on. The pressure rests with the batter because the pitcher still has the third ball if needed. Don’t force the count to go full. The pitcher should challenge the batter with his best pitch.
3-2
The odds are completely even. The pitcher must come in with a strike or risk putting on a runner that may come back to haunt him while the batter faces the third strike. The pitcher must challenge the batter with his best pitch and risk being hit. The risk of being hit at this count is high because the pitcher can’t play around with his strikes. He must be sure of it, not hope it hits the corner or the knees. The smart batter knows this and will be looking for the strike to hit.
1-0
The pitcher has fallen behind in the count but the advantage is still even. He needs three strikes to eliminate the batter and the batter needs three balls to get on base. For fear of giving an advantage to the batter, the pitcher should come in with a strike. The batter has a definite mental edge. He feels that with no strikes and one ball he is ahead in the count. The batter will thus be a bit choosy, so warn your pitchers not to let up in this situation.
2-0
Now he’s done it. The pitcher has made himself the underdog. The batter won’t swing, unless it is his pitch, and the pitcher can’t afford to throw a ball. A sure strike has got to be thrown, and the smart batter knows that. It is an ideal hitting situation. Whether a fast ball, curve or an off speed pitch is thrown, it should be with the pitcher’s best effort. You have a relaxed batter challenging a pressured pitcher. Fielders beware!
3-0
The pitcher is really in deep trouble now. The batter can afford to wait for his pitch. In contrast, the pitcher has to come in with three strikes or he will walk the batter. More than likely, the batter will have the take sign, so your pitcher should bring it to him and over the plate.
3-1
The pitcher remains at a disadvantage. It is still an enviable position for the batter. The pitcher has to throw the ball over the plate and the batter does not have to swing. The batter will be looking for a fat pitch to clobber, so an off speed pitch over the plate might be the pitch to use.
Remember, every time the count is brought to full, the strength of the pitcher’s arm is being taxed. Waste pitches are used when the pitcher is ahead in the count for the purpose of getting the batter to go after a bad pitch. Off speed pitches are ideal for free-swingers--- power hitters who are trying to jack the ball out of the park on every pitch. Your spray hitters are more likely to hit the off speed pitch because they can wait that extra instant to hit the ball. Know who your pitchers are throwing to. Check your hitters charts if they are kept. Thinking means winning..
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