What it takes to gain velocity.
June 17, 2009
If you haven’t figured it out yet, velocity doesn’t come in a pill. Sorry to bust your bubble but it takes a lot of hard and smart work to develop it. If you are looking to gain 4-5 mph on your fastball then you must work to improve in all facets of pitching. These facets include: Read more
Popularity: 22%
Take this Pill and throw 90mph!
June 17, 2009
Why waste your time and money on pitching coaches and strength and conditioning when you can get all the velocity you want in a pill?
Do you want to know what it is like to throw 90 plus mph?
Do you want to dominate every batter you face?
Do you want to get drafted in the top round and sign for millions?
Then you do not have to wait any longer? All your dreams will come true in this one pill. Velocity is the latest in medical advancements in the world of genetic therapy. This pill will genetically remodel your body to throw a baseball 90 plus miles per hour. Once you take this pill you will feel a burning sensation in your arm and after 33 seconds your next pitch will exceed 90 mph. Read more
Popularity: 20%
Tim Lincecum teaches Top Velocity
May 5, 2009
There are two forces that add velocity to a pitch:
Momentum
Rotational Torque
For momentum to effectively transfer to the ball, the pitcher must use all rotational pivots in order from the bottom up. The hips must rotate before the shoulders and the shoulders before the arm internally rotates. For this to happen effectively these pivots must be free to rotate completely. Notice the picture of Tim Lincecum (Tim Lincecum is a phenom because of his size and ability to reach his top velocity continuously.) Notice in the picture his weight is slightly leaning to his left. This would be like tilting an open door backwards so the open door slams closed due to gravitational forces. This gravitational pull is helping to create full range of motion in Tim Lincecum’s hips and shoulders at front foot strike. If he or the door was tilted the opposite way then these gravitational forces would work against his momentum by decreasing full range of motion in his rotational pivots. Using the force of gravity to increase the range of motion in your hips and shoulders will have a significant effect on your velocity. This is a big reason why Tim Lincecum can throw so hard for his size. He is working with the forces of nature to generate his power. Read more
Popularity: 33%
The Pitching Windup or Stretch
March 8, 2009
The windup is almost scared to the game of baseball but it really has no purpose besides a kind of placebo effect on the mental state of the pitcher. The windup represents the old style of pitching from back in the day when the pitchers would use the windup to get their arms moving faster like in the video clip here of Dizzy Dean. Now that we have learned that doing this is destructive to pitching velocity, the windup has become just an extra step to throwing in the stretch. Read more
Popularity: 55%
The Hip Slide to Pitching Velocity
February 12, 2009
The biggest problem I find in young pitchers is that they have poor separation in hips to shoulders. There are many articles on this site covering the pitching component “Separation.” It is so important because having separation from your back hip to back shoulder before the shoulders rotate to the plate, is critical for velocity and the health of your arm. What “Separation” does is it builds core torque. It puts more torque in the big muscle groups of the core, instead of mainly in the small muscle groups of the shoulder. Read more
Popularity: 47%
Bad Mechanics is a sign of Muscular Weakness
February 10, 2009
Above average coordination is a sign of fast twitch muscle strength. Fast twitch motor neurons recruit more muscle fibers. This means more control of the body and also more explosive power. The biggest problem for a pitching coach, when working with a pitcher who does not have good hip rotation or who does not load and build a full body stride, is that this is the result of poor core and leg strength and no mechanical drill will fix this problem. Drills only help pitchers who are having a hard time changing flawed muscle memory. It doesn’t help pitchers who have good muscle memory but poor muscle strength. This is why we have weight rooms. This is why any coach who tells you that weight lifting will NOT help you as a pitcher is clueless and is wasting your time and maybe even your money. A good strength and conditioning program that incorporates Olympic lifts, plyometric training and an intense speed training program is estiental to developing good pitching mechanics. Good athletes make good pitchers. Read more
Popularity: 45%
Fast Twitch Pitching
January 28, 2009
Professional Baseball is full of genetic freaks. Long and slender pitchers who throw mid to upper 90′s like A.J. Burnett. At this moment Major League scouts are combing the earth looking for these rare specimens. This is why it is so exciting when someone like Tim Lincecum at 5’9 170 pounds, throwing 95 mph, comes along and blows everyone’s mind. Yes, Tim is a new kind of freak but what he proves is that throwing hard can also be a little mans game. Tim is evidence that the strength and conditioning world is not just hype. It is real and it is the fountain of success for any athlete. It teaches why someone like Tim Lincecum throws as hard as someone the total opposite in size, like A.J. Burnett. Why doesn’t Major League Baseball teach little guys how to throw like big guys? Because they do not have too. Major League Baseball is like a spoiled child. It gets the best of the best. Therefore, they have no need to make what they have any better. Read more
Popularity: 42%
How a BAD Pitching Coach Can Ruin a GOOD Pitcher
January 18, 2009
Ultimately your pitching Coach is your boss. If you piss him off, there is a good chance you may be out of a job. The problem is if he is a BAD pitching coach, he could jeopardize your career. It has happened many times before. The key is to keep the Coach happy, while you find the best support you can, to help influence your career.
What makes a BAD pitching Coach?
Someone who has no experience in playing the position at the top levels of the game, or someone who has no certified education of how to coach the position. Read more
Popularity: 35%
Long Toss and the Placebo Effect
January 13, 2009
Long toss is praised by many and shot down by few. I have heard the likes of Alan Jaeger preaching long toss as the secret to velocity and the likes of Dick Mill’s trying to prove scientifically why you should never do it again. I have reflected on this topic for some time now. In my career, I did a lot of long toss but rarely did I notice any difference in velocity. I refuse to tell you that long toss is a waste of time but what I will do is share with you the Pros and Cons of this kind of practice. It is then up to you to make your own decision on using long toss in your training regime. Read more
Popularity: 41%
The biggest mistakes young pitchers make?
December 10, 2008
I hate to be so pessimistic but the reality is the younger generations are lazy and not held up to the standards of the past generations. Our society today is a lot more open to excepting mediocrecy than hard work and achievement. The only reason competition continues to improve is because of the global infiltration of baseball. The game is now full of Latino’s, Asians and Europeans. I am writing this article to hopefully motivate the younger generations of America to wake up and get moving. Here is one of my favorite quotes. You should read this every morning. Read more
Popularity: 23%
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