Why Successful Baseball Pitching Is More Than Balls And Strikes

Today, I want to address ball-to-strike-ratios for baseball pitchers... an impetus many pitchers and coaches use to evaluate pitching performance.

"Thinking Outside Of The Box By Re-Thinking The Ball-To-Strike-Ratio"

Every year, pitching coaches and baseball instructors across the country will sit down with their pitching athletes and talk about pitching goals and objectives for the upcoming season. Invariably, ball-to-strike-ratio comes up somewhere in the discussion.

Most pitchers and coaches agree that a good strike-to-ball ratio is 70%-30%. And most pitchers and coaches take that to mean they should throw seven strikes for every 10 pitches thrown.

However, I encourage you to not look at a 70%-30% ball-to-strike-ratio in a literal sense.

While it’s true good pitchers throw more strikes than balls, (usually in the neighborhood of 67%-33%), good pitchers make good pitches -- many of which are balls, but do MORE for a pitcher in terms of getting hitters out than a called strike.

Therefore, when coaches work with their pitching staff during the pre-season to develop pitching goals and objectives, I encourage you to NOT focus entirely on seven out of 10 pitches for strikes.

Instead, focus on throwing seven out of 10 quality pitches. The emphasis here on QUALITY!

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher™
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com

Double The Fun... Double The Strike Outs... Double Up On Pitches!

Today, I want to address a topic that can lead to far more fun, far more strike outs, and far more success on the pitcher's mound.

"The Fine Art Of Doubling Up On Pitches"

Baseball hitting is timing, and pitchers are supposed to disrupt that timing, right?

But more often than not, I see baseball pitchers beat themselves because they try to do too much in the form of trickery. They get caught up in not wanting to pitch in patterns so they throw a different pitch all the time -- which, ironically, is a pitching pattern.

They’ll throw a great fastball at the knees for a strike, make the hitter look ridiculous, and come back with a different pitch. I encourage you to come back with the same pitch, instead. The hitter has already shown you what he can't touch. Don't mix it up and potentially give him something he can put his bat on!

On that note, if you miss with a curveball for a first pitch strike and fall behind 1-0, come right back with it. There, the hitter may be looking for the fastball and more often than not, you’ll find that good release point the second time around -- if you miss with an offspeed pitch the first time -- resulting with a strike.

Good pitchers double up on their pitches. You should, too!

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher™
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com

How To Make Hitters Make A Swing At Your Pitch With These 2 Tips

Today, I want to address how pitchers can easily and successfully get hitters to swing at their pitch.

"How Baseball Pitchers Can Tempt Hitters To Swing At Their Pitch"

Perhaps the most tempting pitch in baseball is an elevated fastball to a hitter who is behind in the count. Therefore, the key to tempting baseball hitters to hit your pitch is to 1) get ahead in the count and 2) elevate a good hard fastball (but make sure it’s up, out of the hitter’s swing path).

Experience has shown that if a pitcher is ahead in the count, a hitter is far more likely to swing at a high pitch than a low one, so put it there!

Fastball strikeouts usually happen with a hitter looking at a fastball on the corners of the plate or a hitter swinging at a fastball at the letters.

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher™
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com

Insider Secrets About How Pitchers Can "Own The Zone"

Today, I want to address how baseball pitchers can attack and own the strike zone in 0-2 counts. Plus, why waste pitches are a waste of everyone's time.

"My 3 Baseball Pitching Pet Peeves"

There are essentially three things that make my blood boil as a baseball pitching coach.

1. Two out hits
2. Two out walks
3. Two strike hits >> we'll focus on this one today!

Those three things alone will make a pitcher lose more ball games than anything else.

"Waste Pitches Are Wasted Pitches"

Don't waste pitches on 0-2. Two strike hits will haunt you 87.7% of the time by either extending innings, putting runners in scoring position, increasing pitch counts and/or increasing arm fatigue... and all that's from waste pitches on 0-2 counts!!

Instead, make a two-strike pitch close enough to the strike zone that the hitter has to consider swinging, but not so close that he can get his bat on the ball and put it in play.

"Attack The Zone, Don’t Let The Zone Attack You"

What do I mean when I say attack the strike zone? Again, don’t waste a pitch with the count 0-2. Instead, use the 0-2 pitch to expand the strike zone by making an aggressive fringe pitch.

Final Thoughts

Tempt the hitter, but do not give him anything to hit on 0-2. Fish for strikes. Expand the strike zone, but do it in a way that attacks the zone with a well-placed pitch on the corners. Don’t let the zone attack you!

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher™
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com

Pitching Secrets To Picking Off Speedy Base Runners

Today, I want to address how to pick off speedy base runners — an important element in being a well-rounded baseball pitcher.

"Short Arm Throws, Quick Feet"

The key to picking a base runner off at first base is having quick feet and making a “short-arm throw.”

Short-arm throws involve “shortening” the arm path of throwing arm and speeding up the arm swing (similar to the way most catchers throw).

To quicken your feet, think about keeping them no wider than 12 inches apart at all times. Then, move them together when you make your jump turn to the bag. The key here is moving your feet together when you jump turn.

To "cheat" separate the hands a split-second earlier than your feet and try to gain ground towards the base you're throwing to.

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher™
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com

Why Bullpen Time Should Be "Game Time" For Baseball Pitchers

Today, I want to address the importance of taking bullpen sessions and pitching workouts seriously.

"Why Good Pitching Starts In The Bullpen"

It has to happen in the bull pen before it can happen on the pitcher's mound. Plain and simple. Don’t just go through the motions when you're out there working on your pitching delivery or hitting spots. Take your bullpen sessions seriously. Focus on proper baseball pitching mechanics, good location, speed manipulations, pitching grips and pitch spins — and in that order of importance!

Throwing smart in the bullpen by focusing on body mechanics first, location second, and pitching speed and pitch selection third helps to establish a sound foundation for becoming a complete, dominating baseball pitcher come game time.

If it doesn't happen in the pen, it won't happen in the game. There's no such thing as an on-off switch in baseball. Keep it turned on every time you step foot on the mound or you'll likely find yourself on the bench.

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher™
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com

What's More Important For Baseball Pitchers: An 0-0 Pitch Or A 1-1 Pitch?

Today, I want to address pitching strategies for 0-0 and 1-1 pitch counts. Plus, why both are perhaps the most important baseball pitching counts to bear down and throw strikes.

"Get Ahead, Stay Ahead"

The most important pitch in baseball is Strike One. You may already know that. But, in my mind, a 1-1 pitch is as equally important as an 0-0 count.

"Why A 1-1 Pitch Is As Important As An 0-0 Pitch"

When you get ahead of a hitter by throwing a 1-1 pitch for a strike, you gain a significant advantage. That's a no brainer, right?

But you may not know just how significant it is. You see, by getting ahead 1-2 you're now able to pigeon hole your opponent: he has to hit your best pitch with a swing that's not likely his best.

However, if your 1-1 pitch is a ball, the hitter instantly pigeon holes you. Now, getting the hitter out becomes more difficult because you become more predictable. (The hitter knows you have to come at him with a strike or you'll run a 3-1 count.) Good hitters will eliminate pitches and find their way on base.

The 1-1 pitch is important. Bear down and throw a strike. Avoid the pigeon hole.

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher™
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com

How Pitching Quick Can Quickly Lead To Quicker Success

Today, I want to address how baseball pitchers can quickly and easily become better by simply pitching quick.

"Pitch Quick"

A baseball pitcher who makes his pitch, stays on the front of the pitching mound to get the ball back from his catcher and returns directly to the rubber to pitch again succeeds in four ways:

1. It keeps fielders on their toes and in the game.
2. It forces the hitter to have to adjust to your tempo, your game!
3. It gets the hitter thinking about the pitcher "quick pitching"  him and not on what he's in the batters box to try to do.
4. It makes it easier to repeat good pitches for strikes because the rhythm of a repeated pitching delivery stays fresh.

Of course, I'm not talking about rushing your pitching delivery, here. I am talking about working fast (in a balanced and controlled manner) so that the hitter is off balance and you can succeed.

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher™
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com

Two Simple Baseball Secrets Pitchers Can Use To Avoid Walking Batters

Today, we'll focus on ways baseball pitchers can reduce walks.

"Avoid lead-off walks"

In my book, there's nothing worse a lead-off walk to start an inning.

Did you know that lead-off runners who get on base (whether by a walk or a base hit) will score over 60% of the time? It's true in any inning of a ball game.

As you know, a baseball pitcher's job on the hill is tough. Issuing free passes to start an inning makes it especially difficult because base on balls usually coincide with earned runs, pitching behind in the count, pitching from the stretch (which many pitchers don't like to do) and your team trailing in a game.

On that note...

"Avoid two-out walks"

Two out walks prolong innings, make fielders flat-footed and inflate pitch counts -- which is especially problematic for youth pitchers who more often than not come down with overuse injuries like tendinitis from making too many pitches without proper rest between outings.

With two outs and no runners in scoring position, a walk can be deadly for pitchers because it puts another guy on base who will be running on the next pitch. (Remember, baserunners are always put in motion with two outs!). And, even more than lead-off walks, two out walks illustrate a lack of pitching command.

With two outs, a baseball pitcher should be just as aggressive as he is with no outs or one out. Challenge the hitter. Go right after him.

(The only exception here is pitchers may want to "manage a line-up" by pitching aggressively -- but carefully -- around a power hitter or middle line-up guy at the plate late in a close game with a weaker hitter on deck. I talk about this in detail in my 145-page advanced baseball pitching eBook, located online at www.thecompletepitcher.com/baseball_pitching_ebook.htm)

Remember, even the best hitters will fail against a pitcher's stuff 70% of the time.

However, when pitchers issue walks, the hitter succeeds 100% of the time!

One Final Thought On Walking Batters

Look, as a baseball pitcher, you can't control when you're going to get the nod to pitch. You can't control what an umpire is going to call on a particular pitch. You can't control the weather when it's your day on the bump (and for someone like me who grew up playing ball in upstate NY, there can be some really cold days out there!)

But walks are something you CAN control. And, if you can reduce them -- especially to lead-off hitters and in two-out scenarios -- you'll be far more successful.

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher™
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com